The first Selcol toy Elvis guitar appeared in late 1956 and was called ‘Rock‘n Roll - Elvis Presley Gitar’. Note the use of the Americanised ‘gitar’, as if the word has been spelt listening to someone with a strong Southern drawl. The guitar measured 21” (54cm) in length, with the sound box, fret board and headstock being yellow in colour. There is a pink decal sticker on the headstock that reads ‘Elvis Presley Gitar’ and a headshot of him. There is also a multicoloured decal sticker with Elvis’ image on the sound box, this has the Selcol logo, ‘Made in England’ and copyright Special Projects Inc. [Special Projects Inc. was owned by Hank Saperstein who was responsible for delivering the Elvis Presley Enterprise products in 1956 in America]. Notably the Rock’n Roll and Elvis Presley are red in colour. This suggest that this was an officially sanctioned instrument. The rear of the guitar is red. The box it comes in is shaped to take a guitar and carries an image of Elvis on the front, the name of the guitar ‘The Official Elvis Presley Rock’n Roll Gitar’ and an image of two people jiving. The box also has the ‘Made in England’ and the copyright Special Projects Inc. information. There is a second ‘Rock‘n Roll - Elvis Presley Gitar’ variant, the only difference being the decal sticker. It is white with the Rock’n Roll and Elvis Presley are yellow in colour. This was the only one of the Selcol Elvis guitars to come with a specially produced instruction manual, with Elvis’ image on it.  

Rock’n Roll Gitar with red text 

Sticker at headstock of the Gitar 

Decal sticker on the sound box of Gitar with red text 

Front cover of the double sided instruction manual that was folded to make a booklet. This booklet was exclusive to the Elvis Presley Gitar.  

1956 Elvis - Rock’n Roll Gitar - box 

Variant - White sound box with yellow text  

Selcol 4 string Brown/Cream Guita

  In 1957 Selcol issued the first of two 31 inches (79cm) long, four string Elvis guitars. The first one has a brown sound box and bridge, a white scratch plate, fret board and headstock. The headstock has a picture of Elvis taken from the Loving You UK released soundtrack album (RCA RC 24001) in a 1¾ inch circular badge. This badge is located between the four head pins. Inside the sound box is a paper Selcol label and on the top left hand side of the sound box is an ‘Elvis Presley’ facsimile autograph badge at 135 degree. This badge is embossed silver lettering and there is a decorative silver ring around the sound hole and also surrounding the bridge is silver decoration.  

  It comes complete in a guitar shaped carrying box with a rectangular pink label that has ‘Elvis Presley Guitar’ and the same circular picture used on the headstock. There is also a plectrum, an instruction booklet and a red and black string neck cord, along with an auto-chord changer. This chord changer could be attached to the neck of the guitar over the fret board and strings with the accompanying rubber bands, and then simply by pressing a single button a G7, E7, C, A7, D7 or G chord could be played. 

  Of special note is that some of these guitars come in rectangular boxes rather than the standard guitar shaped carrying box Selcol were using for all their guitar models at the time. These rectangular boxes are most probably the result of the company using up old stock as they are typical of the earlier instrument packaging used. When originally sold the guitar cost 79 shillings

Brown/White Model 

Top left hand side showing the embossed silver facsimile of Elvis’ autograph 

SELCOL JUNIOR GUITAR

Selcol issued the ‘Elvis Junior’ guitar around the beginning of 1957. This guitar has a brown sound box, a white fret board and headstock, the back is a black marbled effect. It measures 29" (74cm) long, with four coloured strings and four tuning pins. On the upper left corner of the guitar sound box is an ‘Elvis Presley’ facsimile autograph badge at 135 degree to the word ‘JUNIOR’ which is directly below it. These badges are embossed silver lettering. There are no other markings on the guitar and it is notable that unlike most of the larger Selcol guitars this model did not have a decal sticker on the headstock. The guitar is commonly referred to as a cut away. The cut away description is due to the sound box of the guitar not being a traditional hour glass shape, curved to the neck style, but is cut away and is flat and straight to the neck. This allowed the guitar to fit comfortably on the thigh when being played, seated. This came in a rectangular box complete with a plectrum, an instruction book and a red and black string neck cord.

Selcol Elvis Junior Guitar 

Embossed silver lettered badge on the upper left hand side of the sound box. Elvis Presley and JUNIOR 

Elvis Presley ‘Junior’ showing the ‘cutaway’ detail of the top right hand side of the sound box. 

Selcol 4 String Cream/White Guitar

In 1958/59 Selcol issued a second 31 inches (79cm) long Elvis guitar. It has four strings and four head pins. The front of the sound box is white with a brilliant gloss white scratch board, fret board and headstock. The rear of the guitar is black. The headstock has a picture of Elvis taken from the Loving You UK released soundtrack album (RCA RC 24001) in a 1¾ inch circular badge. This badge is located between the four head pins. Inside the sound box of the guitar is a paper Selcol label which can be seen through the sound hole. It has an ‘Elvis Presley’ facsimile autograph badge in embossed silver lettering on the upper left corner of the sound box, there is also a decorative silver ring around the sound hole. The bridge also has silver decoration.  

  It comes in a guitar shaped carrying box with a rectangular pink label with ‘Elvis Presley Guitar’ and the same circular picture used on the headstock. Also completed is a plectrum, an instruction book and a red and black string neck cord. There was also an auto-chord changer included that could be attached to the neck of the guitar over the fret board and strings with the accompanying rubber bands, Then simply by pressing a single button a G7, E7, C, A7, D7 or G chord could be played. 

White and Gloss White 4 String Guitar

Elvis picture in circular frame attached to the headstock

An ingenious extra that came with all the larger guitars; Selcol - Chord changer. This was fixed to the fret board and allowed the player to make a chord by simply pressing one button. 

The boxes that the larger guitars came in were in the main shaped like a guitar carrying case. The only identifying mark on the box for an Elvis guitar rather than for one of Selcol’s other guitars; was a rectangular pink sticker attached to the front. The guitar was held in place by a wooden clamp wrapped in tissue paper

Complete unused guitar in box

This was the only Elvis Selcol guitar to be dispatched in a rectangular box was the brown and white model. This box also had the singular identifying mark of the same rectangular pink sticker that appears on the guitar shaped boxes

White/Brilliant White Model

Top left hand side showing the embossed silver badge facsimile of Elvis’ autograph 

Rear of the White/Brilliant White Model

Elvis picture in circular frame attached to the headstock 

  A factory perfect boxed guitar with the timber protector still in place. There is also a complete set of items that came with the guitar. Instruction manual, guitar accessories and chord changer (all pictured previously). There is in addition one replacement string in a plastic bag. 

Guitar accessories issued with the brown/white and white/brilliant white guitars