Cheap Trick with a Mosrite

[ZacJM]

They just uploaded this video, is Rick playing a Mosrite?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e04OBJzbvc

[Bigwave]

Looks like a Mosrite (or clone) to me.

[Strat-o-rama]

A black sidejack! Wonder if it's from '63 or one of Semie's reissues?
Cool find. Thanks.

I've heard for years that Nielsen uses a Mosrite in the studio more often that you may think. This is the first time I've ever seen any evidence that he even owned one.

[ZacJM]

I've heard for years that Nielsen uses a Mosrite in the studio more often that you may think. This is the first time I've ever seen any evidence that he even owned one.

He has had interviews where he shows off all his guitars in his collection but he's never shown a Mosrite. I wonder what his opinion on them is. Obviously he has played one but I wonder why he never plays them live.

[zarfnober]

I forget which record but, it lists what guitars were used for what songs, a Mosrite is listed on at least 1. There are pictures in Tom Wheelers book "American Guitars" of Ricks Joe Maphis hollowbody, missing trem arm as I recall. Ricks parents owned a music store in Rockford, IL, which is now closed(I think) but is used as one of Ricks storage spots for his many guitars. If there is a vid of him with a Ventures model, it's probably an original, but I can't say for sure. Seen Cheap Trick a few times, never with a Mosrite but, last time I saw them he had Jeff Becks Tele from his Yardbirds days. How cool is that?

Rocco

[ZacJM]

he had Jeff Becks Tele from his Yardbirds days. How cool is that?

Rocco

I think he mentions some other artists he's traded with here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOzjYkI_VVE

He owns some 2000, or did at one time, guitars. Even with all the money they may make, I wonder how he affords all these famous ones like Beck's Tele. Maybe the greats are just a cool about trading as the common man

[jfine]

Cool Mosrite Rick's playing! And Robin Zander's playing a Gibson CF-100E--you don't see many of those either. I've got one of the acoustic-only versions (a CF-100) in my music room now--it belongs to my sister-in-law, who inherited it from her late husband, who got it from his mom, who played it in a bluegrass band called Foxtown Grass around Ohio and Kentucky in the '50's and '60's. Unfortunately, it's been thrashed--she used heavy strings and a heavy pick, the top is full of pick scars and gouges, partially covered by a double-sized pickguard that's not original, but looks like it was added many years ago. The top has multiple badly-repaired cracks, it looks like the bridge came off at some point and was reglued, and the action is high. It's barely playable, but it does hold tuning, and it actually sounds good. My sister-in-law is trying to figure out what to do with it--I think she ought to keep it, since she does play some, but she's not sure. I've been looking for some documentation, maybe a picture of it being played back then, but nobody's got any. Her mother-in-law's name was Irene Fox, and I understand that Foxtown Grass did a regular local radio show somewhere in Kentucky, and did shows with the likes of the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe, so they weren't just living-room pickers--it sounds like they were at least semi-professional. They never recorded, at least not that I'm aware of, and a Google search turns up nothing. Any family members who would know anything have passed on, so I might not ever find out anything more, but it might make the guitar more salable if there were some evidence that it was used on a show with, say, Bill Monroe. Now, back to our regularly-scheduled topic. That black Mosrite of Neilsen's has to be crazy rare, if it's an original one. Sidejacks are scarce enough in sunburst, but black? I suppose it could be a reissue. Whatever it is, it's cool!

[Sarah93003]

It sounds great too. I wonder if he's running it through a Fuzz Rite also?

[Strat-o-rama]

Sarah,
From what I've heard, (and have seen) he goes straight into the amps. He has Marshalls, but really likes Deluxe Reverbs as heads, into Marshall 4x12 cabs. In the studio, it could be anything from his extensive amp collection.

That was a music video; meaning he may or may not have used the Mosrite while recording "Cold Turkey".

[zarfnober]

Let me tell you, a Ventures model through a Marshall has an incredible sound, and a Ventures II(slab body)sounds good only through a Marshall. IMO.

Rocco