SUBLIMINAL MOSRITE PERSUATION

[Veenture]

It’s pictures like this one -of the ’63 Mosrite Ventures Model with side jack- appearing on many an album cover during the sixties, of my favourite group THE VENTURES, that subliminally laid the seed in me the desire to have this guitar for myself.
I realised this much too late of course but my longstanding hidden urge to own one erupted late last year and drove me on to finally seriously go looking for one. Thankfully I came across Hallmark while Googling and my desire was finally satisfied. I ordered a lovely Sunburst… a genuine Hallmark '60 Custom, an ideal substitute, thanks to Bob Shade of Hallmark Guitars.

What was your incentive to go for Mosrite?

Remember there’s still the $20,000.00 ’63 Mo’ on E-Bay with the bidding ending in about a day…wonder what the final bid will be?

…………...with my income, I won’t be bidding …only drooling…………..

[brutus]

The same thing happened to me.. but it was the Ventures Au Go Go album. It was a
shot of the Ventures playing live with white ventures models and big grins on their faces. I used to stare at the back of the album and play that record over and over
when i was in middle school. As luck would have it my Mother was quite a record collector so as I grew up I discovered more and more great albums and by high school
I was obsessed with the late 60's San Fran underground sound (still am). Then the fateful day arrived when in my local music store they had a Mosrite for sale, I was determined to get it. So with visions of Iron Butterfly Davie Allen and the Ventures
albums swirling in my head, I sold my beloved 1983 Hutch Trick Star (red with yellow
honeycomb rims seat and pads etc.) and bought my Combo. Best thing I ever did,
as I sucked at BMX and was probably going to kill myself on some crazy ramp. So over the years I've had a few Mosrites come, then go.. but the Combo is forever.

[Veenture]

nice story brutus
BTW do you still ride an ordinary bike? I do...as so many millions here in Holland do...

[brutus]

Not, so much, my bike today is loud and bobbed. But the town I grew up in was
settled by the Dutch and as a kid I remember my friends parents and grandparents riding their bikes to bar, most likely first or second generation Dutch. We even had Dutch craftsmen come over and build the town a windmill (Der Immigrant) on the banks of the Mississippi.

[mosman]

My Mosrite obsession was generated by their looks alone. For some reason everything about a Mosrite—the shape, the pickguard placement and design, The headstock,the slanted neck pickup, the tiny fret markers etc just resonated positively with me and to this day I can have as much pleasure just looking at one or even just pictures ( yes guys I admit I have a Mosrite scrapbook ... sigh ... but someone please tell me I'm not the only one ) as I do playing one.
BTW my Japanese Super Custom 64 is just too beautiful for words I reckon.
Anyone else have one?
Bill.

http://www.myspace.com/rocks1977
http://www.myspace.com/kamikazekits

[Chemo]

I got first interested in Mosrites because of Johnny Ramone. It was fantastic that he played a guitar that was wasn't any of those most obvious electric guitar architypes.

Some time later in my life, I fully realized the beauty of surf & guitar instrumentals, and that they actually are a genre... and that The Ventures 60's era albums are something that I enjoy very much. From there it was easy: 1 + 1, The Ramones and The Ventures, my two favorite bands.

But at first, it was about the energy and total coolness of this guy:

[gplayer]

I'm with mosman. The first time I saw a picture of a Mosrite on a Ventures album I was hooked. The lines of the guitar were like no other. The slanted neck, pickup and German carve just grabbed me.

[Veenture]

My Mosrite obsession ...and ( yes guys I admit I have a Mosrite scrapbook ... sigh ... but someone please tell me I'm not the only one ) ....Bill.

Bill, I know the feeling. In my case I have my 'Ventures scrapbook' on my hard disc; loads of pictures of my heroes (guitars too), album covers etc. taken from internet. I regularly use 'em for the cd compilations I make of Ventures' tunes (and others too). Over the years I even built up a database regarding all their published work (no simple task when it comes to Ventures' publications). You wouldn't believe the time and effort (research) that can go into this kind of hobby...just thinking about it makes me feel a bit shy...

...hope this eases your mind a little

PS. good responses to the thread so far...hopefully some more will follow in due course...It's fun to read and also helps to get to know our fellow-members here a little bit better!

Thanks guys

[64sunburst]

Initially it was the pictures of a Ventures Mosrite on the album back (and front) covers. I don't think that was subliminal at all - it was direct and hit me right in the face - I thought they were beautiful guitars and I dreamed about someday owning one. I think more subliminally was that the tone of the guitars started seeping into my subconscious over the years. Sure I loved the songs and the playing from way back, but that Mosrite tone itself was something I grew to appreciate in more recent years, after years of listening to Strats, Teles, Pauls, etc. - you know those archetypical guitar tones - Les Paul thru a Marshall, or a Tele thru a Deluxe Reverb, etc. But I would say that the sound of a Ventures Mosrite thru whatever Nokie played thru is just as monumental a tone, and that was further motivation for me to want a Mosrite(my favorite Ventures song in terms of tone is "Tomorrows Love" off of The Ventures Knock Me Out - ballsy but sweet at the same time - just the right amount of reverb and just the right amount of drive - it kills me everytime). Veenture, I'm guessing you dig that album too, judging by your avatar


Byron (proud owner of a 70's era Japanese Mosrite )

[Veenture]

Initially it was the pictures of a Ventures Mosrite on the album back (and front) covers. I don't think that was subliminal at all - it was direct and hit me right in the face ....../ /...... Veenture, I'm guessing you dig that album too, judging by your avatar.....

Byron, you know, for me it really was subliminal.
Since my first love was the Fender Stratocaster –exclusively (!), my need for a Mosrite could only hit me -as it did- at a much later stage… See, in my day everyone in -and outside of- the classroom either went for, or dreamt only…“FENDER”, period. It was the start of the 60’s and bear in mind that also the Ventures played on Fenders at first and so contributed also to Fenders’ popularity in no small way.

Mosrite didn’t hit the big time until 1963 when the Ventures switched to Semie’s guitars as most of us here already know but I wholeheartedly agree with you about the MOSRITE SOUND as you described so well; I couldn’t have said it better myself, thanks!

Yes, the magical combination of the combined musical talents of the group (but especially Nokie), together with Mosrite-TONE, struck just the ‘rite chord in so-many-a-soul!

And it’s appropriate at this time to mention what a stroke of good fortune it was that NOKIE EDWARDS was befriended with SEMIE MOSELEY and happened to like his product! And in later years of course, the RAMONES added their bit to Mosrite fame and desirability too, as I have learned on this fine forum (sometimes classroom, heh, heh).

I most certainly dig the LP “The Ventures KNOCK ME OUT”, however my copy is one of the notorious faulty pressings with the “wrong track” i.e. track #3 on side one says “Tomorrow’s Love” but in fact is “Love Goddess Of Venus” which had already been previously released and now duplicated here. Now listen to this:
During the nineties and onwards I started collecting all Ventures’ tunes on CD and I virtually flipped when I heard the real Tomorrow’s Love for the very first time after so many years! It immediately became one of my absolute favourites too; in fact the whole album, along with albums “Walk Don’t Run Volume 2” and “The Fabulous Ventures”. If there is one (overdriven) type of sound I wish to reproduce with my equipment, it’s that sound on those three albums but sadly I don’t know the formula for it (yet).

Really appreciate your input!
Paul