mosriteforum.com

Just found out about this site. I've played in bands for almost 30 years - punk/new wave, blues, country, bar band classic rock. But now I'm back to playing the music that made me fall in love with guitar in the first place. I play bass and guitar in a surf band in Honolulu called Tiki Taboo. Besides all being old farts, we are all Ventures freaks. We don't gig that often because sadly enough, in the birthplace of surfing, there just aren't that many gigs for surf bands. The only other surf bands in Hawaii that I know of are the Take-Offs on Kauai and one other here on Oahu. Supposedly there is another surf band made up of all fire fighters but I have yet to actually see them.

When I play guitar in the band I use a fully original '64 sunburst Strat - my other guitars are not really surf approved - a G&L Tribute Tele and a couple of Epiphone Alleykats. The Strat is the only vintage ax I have, which I've had since 1979, and I don't usually like to take it out. But up to now, I've been primarily the bass player so I haven't had to take the guitar out that often. I've always thought the Mosrite Ventures model was the prettiest, sexiest guitar ever, but never came across one in person, and they are presently out of my price range. So I'm planning to get an Eastwood Sidejack. I'm hoping this will do as a good Mosrite alternative. I know the P-90's won't sound quite like the real thing but I can live with it.

I'm currently listening a lot to James Wilsey, and I think that Nokie Edwards is God (sorry Eric!). I dig the Fathoms.

I don't usually join in on forums as I am the quiet type, but I will try to participate as much as I can. Aloha!
Byron

Aloha! Byron, and welcome to the forum.

Glad to have you join us on the forum and hope you don't hesitate to be an active member. A lot of people read the forum but don't participate. That's OK, but it makes for boring reading when only a handful of people post and the others just read.

Strats are cool. I still have my '62 that I bought new. I still think Eric is the 'Man'.

dubtrub wrote:Aloha! Byron, and welcome to the forum.

Glad to have you join us on the forum and hope you don't hesitate to be an active member. A lot of people read the forum but don't participate. That's OK, but it makes for boring reading when only a handful of people post and the others just read.

Strats are cool. I still have my '62 that I bought new. I still think Eric is the 'Man'.

WoW! All this time, I thought Mr. Burdon only SANG Lead in "the Animals."

Welcome Byron, don't stay TOO quiet, we WILL need your feedback on the Sidejack to
see what you think of it, once you have received it.

Hi Byron,
Glad you're here. I'm another Strat player, but unfortunately, American Vintage Re-issues will have to do for me. A real '64 is waaaay out of range. Here in south Florida surf instro is a tough nut to crack...hard to get a gig. I was playing in a classic blues rock type outfit for years, and at one point, the other guys in the band indulged me with a surf instro medley to work into one set. Oh well. Those days are long gone. If I ever "take it out" again, it will be on my own terms, so I know how you feel.
Maybe I'll start a thread in the "Other Guitars" forum comparing vintage Strats to re-issues, and you and Danny can put your opinions forward.

Byron, welcome.

Speaking of surf bands in Hawaii, I used to communicate with a guy (Jack Lin) in Honolulu a while back. Jack was with a surf band and played at the club a few nights a week. (maybe still do so) Jack is quite a guitars collector too. Maybe you know him?

I will invite him to join our forum.

Desert Surfer - I don't know Jack Lin and I don't know the name. Maybe I've run into him at some point but never met. You'd think in Honolulu I'd know most of the guitar players, but there are a lot of them.
Strat-o-Rama - I spent a lot of time in a blues band as well. Most of my playing time was with a blues band from '86 to '98. I can't believe I was in one band for 12 years. A lot of the time I was playing the '64 strat, but in the beginnning I could still take it out and not think too much about it's value even though it was starting to get up there. I later switched out to a Tele. The other strat I had for a while was a surf green Strat Plus which had it's good and bad points. Finally sold it as I grew to dislike the neck. And I also had an SRV strat but I sold it as the neck was too big for my stubby fingers. I bought the '64 in 1979. I don't know if I should say what I paid for it as you may hate me for it, but I can tell you it was VERY affordable! What I paid would get you a Squire these days. It's all original except for replacing one pot, the input jack, and a couple refret jobs. Oh, and I'm missing the plastic backplate, and thru my lack of foresight, do not have the original case(the lining was getting trashed and it smelled). It's in pretty decent condition but with the usual wear spots. These days I will take it out only if I know I will be playing in a controlled environment, i.e. any place I can keep an eye on it and away from drunks.

......and preferably not outside with all the humidity????