The Mark is an electric guitar made by Vox. The instrument is also known as the Vox Teardrop, but this is not the official name. The Vox Mark came in three variations, a 6 string (the Mark VI), a 9 string (the Mark IX) and a 12 string (the Mark XII)
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In 1962 Vox introduced the pentagonal Phantom guitar, originally made in Kent, England but soon after made by EKO of Italy. It was followed a year later by the teardrop-shaped Mark VI, the prototype of which was made specifically for Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, using a non-tremolo Fender Stratocaster bridge.
The Mark VI was released in three versions, as a 6-string, a 9-string, and a 12-string. The 9-string had three wound strings and three pairs of unwound strings.
The Phantom guitar received an international prize for best design when it was released.
Even though Vox discontinued the production of these guitars in the seventies, accurate copies of the Teardrop and other VOX models are still manufactured by Jack Charles of Phantom Guitarworks.
In the late 1990s VOX reissued USA made Phantoms, Mark III Teardrops and Mando Guitars. These guitars were produced by John Hawkins of North Coast Music who had been an existing VOX/KORG supplier since 1992. Various components including necks, pickups, finishing and hardware for the guitars were produced through existing North Coast vendors such as LaSido. Final assembly was subcontracted to a small Minnesota based builder, Kevin Smith of Tonesmith guitars.
To celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2007 Vox commisioned a limited run of 100- Mark III, 2 pickup, fixed bridge, antique white "Teardrops" This is the model made famous by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. Due to the depressed world economy Vox stopped the production at less than seventy guitars, never completing the original production plan of one hundred.
For 2011 VOX has reintroduced the iconic Teardrop in its new APACHE Series. In addition to the authentic VOX body design, these tricked-out travel guitars host a 2-channel guitar amplifier, speakers, dozens of rhythm patterns, even a convenient E-String tuner – all built right into the guitar itself!
The Mark VI had 6 strings, the Mark IX had 9, the Mark XII had 12
In the mid 1960s, as the sound of electric 12-string guitars became popular, Vox introduced the Phantom XII and Mark XII electric 12-string guitars as well as the Tempest XII, also made in Italy, which featured a more conventional body style. Vox produced a number of other models of 6 and 12 string electric guitars in both England and Italy. Guitar effects pedals, including an early version of the wah-wah, used by Jimi Hendrix, and the Tone Bender fuzzbox pedal, used by Jimmy Page of the Yardbirds, were also manufactured.
In 1962 Vox also introduced the pentagonal Vox Phantom guitar, originally made in England but soon after made by EKO of Italy, the Mark VI. This guitar can be seen in Joy Division's video Love Will Tear Us Apart. This is not a Mark III of VI.