1965 EKO 700/V3 owned by Tito Jackson

The Jackson 5 were perhaps, the most influential vocal group to ever grace the Berry Gordy Motown movement. This 1965 EKO 700/V3 was bought by Tito’s Father, Joe Jackson in 1967 for Tito, to use during the earliest performances during the J5 startup when they began playing local Gary, Indiana auditoriums & shopping centers. It was used mostly for promo photos & of course, recording the raw talent of Tito creating their famous funk standards that got them noticed by Motown. This is the guitar that Tito played during the Jackson 5 auditions in 1968 on a home video camera that was used exclusivly by Mr. Gordy’s talented employees when he was absent. This Black & White video colage from Youtube showed a young 9 year old Michael Jackson dancing like a young James Brown while Tito was leading the other 3 Jackson boys into the most historic video ever taken. The video was sent to California where Berry Gordy at that very moment in time, signed the Jackson 5 to Motown in Detroit. Tito was clearly playing this EKO guitar & the rest is J5 history.

This EKO guitar stands not only as a rare early example of Tito Jackson’s instrumentation but also as a tangible link to the formative era of the Jackson 5. Tito Jackson (born 1953) was a founding member of the Jackson 5 and later The Jacksons, contributing guitar work, harmony vocals, and songwriting throughout the group’s career. Reynaud D. Jones positions himself as an early mentor and collaborator: in his memoir The Long Journey to Glory: My Side of the Jacksons’ Story, he describes teaching Tito Jackson guitar, organizing the brothers into a performing group, guiding early shows, and even hosting rehearsals in his basement.

The provenance is bolstered by period video showing Tito playing the guitar and a recent photo with Tito and Reynaud together with the instrument, making this guitar a powerful artifact of Jackson family history. For collectors of Jackson 5 memorabilia, early Motown era artifacts, or foundational instruments of iconic artists, this signed EKO guitar offers an emotionally charged and historically meaningful addition to any collection.