Mosrite Ventures Model Custom Finished for Semie Moseley Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966)
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Item #13542
Mosrite Ventures Model Custom Finished for Semie Moseley Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in California, serial # 3841, blue flames finish, basswood body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, brown hard shell case.
If this 1966 Ventures Model could see itself now back when it was coming off the 1960s Mosrite factory line, it might just faint! Mosrite founder Semie Moseley was in and out of the guitar business from the 1950s until his death in 1992; over the decades he was known to extensively re-work older instruments sometimes more than the owner actually requested! This Ventures model has obviously seen the inside of a professional paint shop since it left Semie's factory the first time, with a spectacular custom re-finish in what could best be called Hot-Rod Van flames. Our pal Deke Dickerson is currently compiling an encyclopedic tome on Moseley and his guitars; he offered information on the details of this period:
"The guy in North Carolina that did those paint jobs is named Wayne Jarrett. Bob (Shade) told me that Wayne did indeed paint Mosrites in the 1980s, when Semie was based in Jonas Ridge, NC for a few years." Jarret is known as a custom airbrush artist who (of course) also works on motorcycles, cars and other objects. He did a number of custom guitar finishes for Jeff Cook of the band Alabama and a Mosrite Gospel Model custom painted by him can be seen in the November 2018 issue of VINTAGE GUITAR magazine.
Although not completely a product of the Mosrite workshop, this rare Airbrushed model was done for the company as a custom offering and carries the correct authentic 1960s style "Mosrite of California" and "Ventures model" logos on the headstock. The entire body and neck were shot over leaving no trace of the original finish, replaced with a celestial blue/purple metallic finish accented with flames and heavenly bodies that would serve equally as well on the side of a chopper or a heavy metal cruisin' van! The pickguard, pickup covers and rings were all custom sprayed and lacquered as part of this blue-hot paint job. What appear to be Semie Moseley's initials are handwritten on the back of the headstock in silver marker under the clearcoat lacquer.
The original Mosrite Ventures model appeared in 1963-4, the epitome of "1960s California Cool" at home on the Sunset Strip or any garage in America in that just pre-heavy era. This example was originally built in 1966 sporting the trademark stylish liquid-art body with the trademark "German curve" carved around the edge. The Mosrite neck is very slim and fast, designed for hot picking and super low action. It would have run $398 at the time; not inexpensive for the day! Ventures-era appointments include Mosrite logo pickups and knobs, elaborate adjustable roller bridge on the "Moseley" cast aluminum vibrato tailpiece, a proprietary metal switch tip and metal-button "Safe-Ti-Slot" Kluson deluxe tuners. The truss rod adjusts at the headstock, a new feature at the time. One of the pots in this guitar dates to late 1966, the other is not legible.
The single coil Mosrite-logo pickups are hot and snarly; while typecast as "surf" instruments Mosrites were also used effectively for heavier sounds by bands including Iron Butterfly and the MC5. The wiring is the simple 3-way switch and master tone/volume rig common to all Mosrites. Original Ventures models are by far the most collectible Mosrite production instruments due to a long fascination with them overseas, especially in Japan. In addition to the very '80s paint job this Ventures Model has had the small flat "speed frets" particular to Mosrite replaced by meatier wire for more modern playability. This cross-eras Ventures model is a pretty unique piece of Mosrite history, one small piece of Semie Moseley's very long and convoluted story. If perhaps not to everyone's taste it is certainly an attention-getter visually in any context and a fine playing guitar to boot.
Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
While this instrument has obviously been heavily re-worked since it first left the factory in 1966, it is very well-preserved in its altered state. The unique hand-applied airbrushed refinish is in great shape with only a few very small dings and scratches here and there.
The hardware is all correct for the 1960s Mosrite Ventures model but appears a mix of original pieces and Semie's re-issue fittings. The matching custom pickup covers and pickguard are hard to tell; the molded plastic covers are missing the "R" trademark after "Mosrite" so are likely reissues. The pickups themselves appear to be 1960s Mosrite issue, down to the odd foam used to secure the coils and metal bar glued to the underside but may be Moseley's exact hand-made repros, which are practically identical. The "Moseley" tailpiece appears 1960s but the bridge unit itself looks like a reissue. The metal nut, molded "M" capped chrome knobs, metal switch tip and double line Safe-Ti-Slot Kluson are original, as is most of the electronics; the output jack was replaced along with some wiring, but pots and switch are 1960s vintage and working as intended. The strap buttons are repros.
The guitar was refretted along the way, likely in the Mosrite shop when it was re-worked. The wire is larger than the original small, flat frets originally fitted in 1965, much more to most modern player's liking. The original bound rosewood fingerboard shows minimal signs of wear in the wood. Semie Moseley's hand-initialed autograph is still clear on the back of the headstock in silver Sharpie rendered relatively immortal under the clear coat. This unique guitar resides in an original 1980-90s Mosrite brown alligator-grain re-issue case with a smattering of older goodies: original Mosrite Ventures Model advertisements as well as songbooks of The Ventures' music. Overall Excellent Condition.
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If this 1966 Ventures Model could see itself now back when it was coming off the 1960s Mosrite factory line, it might just faint! Mosrite founder Semie Moseley was in and out of the guitar business from the 1950s until his death in 1992; over the decades he was known to extensively re-work older instruments sometimes more than the owner actually requested! This Ventures model has obviously seen the inside of a professional paint shop since it left Semie's factory the first time, with a spectacular custom re-finish in what could best be called Hot-Rod Van flames. Our pal Deke Dickerson is currently compiling an encyclopedic tome on Moseley and his guitars; he offered information on the details of this period:
"The guy in North Carolina that did those paint jobs is named Wayne Jarrett. Bob (Shade) told me that Wayne did indeed paint Mosrites in the 1980s, when Semie was based in Jonas Ridge, NC for a few years." Jarret is known as a custom airbrush artist who (of course) also works on motorcycles, cars and other objects. He did a number of custom guitar finishes for Jeff Cook of the band Alabama and a Mosrite Gospel Model custom painted by him can be seen in the November 2018 issue of VINTAGE GUITAR magazine.
Although not completely a product of the Mosrite workshop, this rare Airbrushed model was done for the company as a custom offering and carries the correct authentic 1960s style "Mosrite of California" and "Ventures model" logos on the headstock. The entire body and neck were shot over leaving no trace of the original finish, replaced with a celestial blue/purple metallic finish accented with flames and heavenly bodies that would serve equally as well on the side of a chopper or a heavy metal cruisin' van! The pickguard, pickup covers and rings were all custom sprayed and lacquered as part of this blue-hot paint job. What appear to be Semie Moseley's initials are handwritten on the back of the headstock in silver marker under the clearcoat lacquer.
The original Mosrite Ventures model appeared in 1963-4, the epitome of "1960s California Cool" at home on the Sunset Strip or any garage in America in that just pre-heavy era. This example was originally built in 1966 sporting the trademark stylish liquid-art body with the trademark "German curve" carved around the edge. The Mosrite neck is very slim and fast, designed for hot picking and super low action. It would have run $398 at the time; not inexpensive for the day! Ventures-era appointments include Mosrite logo pickups and knobs, elaborate adjustable roller bridge on the "Moseley" cast aluminum vibrato tailpiece, a proprietary metal switch tip and metal-button "Safe-Ti-Slot" Kluson deluxe tuners. The truss rod adjusts at the headstock, a new feature at the time. One of the pots in this guitar dates to late 1966, the other is not legible.
The single coil Mosrite-logo pickups are hot and snarly; while typecast as "surf" instruments Mosrites were also used effectively for heavier sounds by bands including Iron Butterfly and the MC5. The wiring is the simple 3-way switch and master tone/volume rig common to all Mosrites. Original Ventures models are by far the most collectible Mosrite production instruments due to a long fascination with them overseas, especially in Japan. In addition to the very '80s paint job this Ventures Model has had the small flat "speed frets" particular to Mosrite replaced by meatier wire for more modern playability. This cross-eras Ventures model is a pretty unique piece of Mosrite history, one small piece of Semie Moseley's very long and convoluted story. If perhaps not to everyone's taste it is certainly an attention-getter visually in any context and a fine playing guitar to boot.
Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 1/2 in. (622 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
While this instrument has obviously been heavily re-worked since it first left the factory in 1966, it is very well-preserved in its altered state. The unique hand-applied airbrushed refinish is in great shape with only a few very small dings and scratches here and there.
The hardware is all correct for the 1960s Mosrite Ventures model but appears a mix of original pieces and Semie's re-issue fittings. The matching custom pickup covers and pickguard are hard to tell; the molded plastic covers are missing the "R" trademark after "Mosrite" so are likely reissues. The pickups themselves appear to be 1960s Mosrite issue, down to the odd foam used to secure the coils and metal bar glued to the underside but may be Moseley's exact hand-made repros, which are practically identical. The "Moseley" tailpiece appears 1960s but the bridge unit itself looks like a reissue. The metal nut, molded "M" capped chrome knobs, metal switch tip and double line Safe-Ti-Slot Kluson are original, as is most of the electronics; the output jack was replaced along with some wiring, but pots and switch are 1960s vintage and working as intended. The strap buttons are repros.
The guitar was refretted along the way, likely in the Mosrite shop when it was re-worked. The wire is larger than the original small, flat frets originally fitted in 1965, much more to most modern player's liking. The original bound rosewood fingerboard shows minimal signs of wear in the wood. Semie Moseley's hand-initialed autograph is still clear on the back of the headstock in silver Sharpie rendered relatively immortal under the clear coat. This unique guitar resides in an original 1980-90s Mosrite brown alligator-grain re-issue case with a smattering of older goodies: original Mosrite Ventures Model advertisements as well as songbooks of The Ventures' music. Overall Excellent Condition.
