That Was The Year... 1953 Elizabeth, Jackie & Marilyn

GUILD INTRODUCES THE STUART

cutaway archtop guitar, fully bound (including f-holes and scratchplate) with an ebony bridge and fretboard and pearl block abalone wedge inlays. The instrument comes loaded with a pair of humbucking pickups, volume and tone controls for each and a threeway selector switch. The fittings are gold-plated and the distinctive harp-style tailpiece was made by Muller in Germany. The X-500 sports a sunburst finish while the X-550 is natural blonde.

A QUARTER OF BRITISH HOUSEHOLDS

now own a television set with many buying one to watch the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. A full colour film of the event is also shown in cinemas all over the UK and national street parties are organised to celebrate the event. New TV watchers enjoy The Quatermass Experiment, The Good Old Days and Panorama, and the government’s proposals for a commercial television station are backed by the House of Lords.

SIR EDMUND HILLARY AND TENZING NORGAY

are the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest; author Ian Fleming introduces James Bond in his novel Casino Royale; the G-Plan furniture range goes on sale; the Moka in Soho is the first Italian espresso coffee bar to open in Britain; and Walt Disney’s Peter Pan film premieres.

KAY REVEALS ITS K161 ‘THIN TWIN’

a semi-hollow body guitar that features an internal solid wooden block running from neck to tailpiece. The maple top, striking tortoiseshell scratchplate and ivory coloured control knobs make this a very eyecatching presentation. The pickups are slick bar type high-fidelity units, the bridge is wooden and it sports a trapeze style tailpiece. As ever, it’s a very cost effective guitar.

THE KOREAN ARMISTICE AGREEMENT

finally brings the Korean War to an end with the North remaining communist and the South capitalist. Prisoners are repatriated. American President Harry S Truman announces the development of a hydrogen bomb; Senator John F Kennedy marries Jacqueline (Jackie) Lee Bouvier, and Marilyn Monroe is the centrefold in the first issue of Playboy magazine.

FLYING THE DOUGLAS D-558-2 SKYROCKET

Scott Crossfield becomes the first test pilot to reach a speed of Mach 2, twice the speed of sound; Jackie Cochran is the first woman to break the sound barrier flying an F-86 Sabrejet. Chevrolet introduces the Corvette sports car.

HOFNER’S 450 ARCHTOP ROLLS OFF

the production line and is offered at a budget-line price. The body has maple back and sides with a plain maple top, two f-holes and binding to the top edge only. It has a single-saddle bridge, trapeze tailpiece, a two-piece maple neck with rosewood ‘board and either triple spot inlays or five large blocks that span the width of the neck. It’s also available as an electric but most of the early models are acoustic.