John Hornby Skewes

MartinBush

Just spotted this - https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1658316#post1658316

And this - https://www.jhs.co.uk/

I expect we have all had JHS gear at some time or other.

Kittyfrisk

I reckon a lot of people will have enjoyed John's gear without even thinking about it.
https://uk.linkedin.com/company/john-hornby-skewes
Working with Trev Wilkinson, Vintage & Fret-King guitars brought pleasure to a lot of players, new & experienced.
RIP

Philly_Q

MartinBush said:

I expect we have all had JHS gear at some time or other.

Definitely.  I've certainly still got an old JHS Rockbox headphone amp which sounded dreadful even by the standards of the day.

RIP Mr Hornby Skewes.

Yorkie

Vintage ex-user and occasional Fret King admirer here.

RIP JHS.

monquixote

RIP 

I wonder how many people will be freaking out thinking it's Josh Scott.

Yorkie

monquixote said:

I wonder how many people will be freaking out thinking it's Josh Scott.

Far fewer people than you think, probably. 

Yorkie

Here is an interview with the man himself: https://ww1.namm.org/library/oral-history/john-hornby-skewes

Shame that's he's not on Wikipedia. I wish I knew enough about him to create an entry. 

monquixote

Yorkie said:

monquixote said:

I wonder how many people will be freaking out thinking it's Josh Scott.

Far fewer people than you think, probably. 

I'm assuming the number of people who know who either JHS are is quite small

MartinBush

monquixote said:

I'm assuming the number of people who know who either JHS are is quite small

I guess those of us who started out late 80s/ early 90s and spent time in the local music shops will have seen a bit of JHS stuff and possibly played Encore guitars.

I think the one in my profile picture is an Encore (it's not mine).

Philly_Q

Yorkie said:

monquixote said:

I wonder how many people will be freaking out thinking it's Josh Scott.

Far fewer people than you think, probably. 

It took me quite a while to realise that the "new" JHS wasn't connected with the "old" JHS, although it seemed odd that they'd be making boutique pedals.  If I see the initials JHS I still tend to assume it's the UK company.

hollywoodrox

Philly_Q said:

MartinBush said:

I expect we have all had JHS gear at some time or other.

Definitely.  I've certainly still got an old JHS Rockbox headphone amp which sounded dreadful even by the standards of the day.

RIP Mr Hornby Skewes.

I’ve got a JHS Rockbox  , Def Leppard tracked Hysteria with one as well as a rockman I think 
Rick Savage  the Bass player played that well known piece  there’s a big write up on it somewhere  by the engineer who used to be on a popular forum

hollywoodrox

I had an encore & also a JHS tuner , the tuner really was appalling & I had to take it back I bought a Yamaha one instead which was £40 at the time 

Philly_Q

hollywoodrox said:

Philly_Q said:

MartinBush said:

I expect we have all had JHS gear at some time or other.

Definitely.  I've certainly still got an old JHS Rockbox headphone amp which sounded dreadful even by the standards of the day.

RIP Mr Hornby Skewes.

I’ve got a JHS Rockbox  , Def Leppard tracked Hysteria with one as well as a rockman I think 
Rick Savage  the Bass player played that well known piece  there’s a big write up on it somewhere  by the engineer who used to be on a popular forum

Maybe I shouldn't mock the Rockbox, look at this:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/83654085-jhs-rock-box-ex-black-sabbath-eternal-album-bob-daisley-1980s-black?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21556241947&utm_content=campaignid=21556241947_adgroupid=_productpartitionid==merchantid=101078151_productid=83654085_keyword=_device=c_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8--2BhCHARIsAF_w1gxEXdSGfFfnfo-P3q3vl7MoYoaIu40DWPX6D6sUykmP2XFhvOgfXIgaAqc-EALw_wcB

GoFish

RIP JHS - Anyone who managed to get this far without using one of his products can't have been at it for all that long. I did not realise that he was an actual living person until the early 2000s. Affordable sundries and other guitar stuff. I cannae forgive the Encore stuff from the 90s but he did atone with Vintage and did more to put instruments into kids hands than most others.

guitars4you

The last of the elder statesman within our trade  - John started his distribution business in the mid late 60s and I dare say in around 60 years of trading in our industry, there is not a music shop, be it today, or the past, that has not dealt with J Hornby Skewes

My dad knew John quite well - In fact at least twice, when my dad was on the road as a rep, John offered him a job but nothing materialised - I still have a nice email from John , from when dad died

Many have already passed comments about various products that JHS brought to the UK market place - Maybe his biggest coup was introducing Charvel to our stores in the 1980s

A very likeable man - Big golf player/fan and did more than his fair share for charity - Best wishes to all his friends and family - RIP JHS

AntonHunter

Yorkie said:

Here is an interview with the man himself: https://ww1.namm.org/library/oral-history/john-hornby-skewes

Shame that's he's not on Wikipedia. I wish I knew enough about him to create an entry. 

Start one! I'm sure others would come out of the woodwork to add to it.

gubble

My first guitar pedal was a JHS Wah just like this one !



Moving forwards my most gigged guitar is a 2011 Vintage V100 - an utterly brilliant instrument which has seen off many other guitars from my collection including a proper Gibson.

I've probably had many products associated with his company over the years and as such he's probably helped me indirectly along the way.

Hope he's enjoying that game of Golf up there