Mosrite 500 Blues Bender model Serial Numbers List (1970s, Les Paul-ish Shape.)

[LoveyX]

bking,
In case you haven't figured it out already, if a Mosrite guitar has a serial number it is usually stamped between the two highest frets on the fretboard.
Most will have s/n's, some will not...

[Sarah93003]

It's also a good idea to take off the neck at a convenient string change and check the neck pocket and the neck for stampings of mfg dates and serial numbers.

[bking]

I'll pull the neck off & have a look when I change the strings. I don't see anything stamped between the frets and the area between the highest fret & the end of the fretboard is scalloped with no apparent markings. Thanks for the help! - Ben.

[kalanpala]

I have NO 140 - white.

[101Volts]

Here are two more.

N0068 (Black.) Doesn't have its original electronics or knobs. Seller says this is a 72:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rare-M ... SwknJXxKsg

NO119 (Black.) Neck, body, neck plate, screws and strap buttons are available on eBay. Seller says this is a 70:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mosrite-1970-B ... SwuoxanXpS

- Austin

[101Volts]

??119, Brown: Probably the same guitar in my post above. I'm not sure if it has anything before the numbers though it seems to:

https://reverb.com/item/2852359-brown-c ... del-guitar

NO135, Black:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -278833881

No180 ; it's brown or a natural finish so I have no idea if it's factory or not:

https://reverb.com/item/3369670-mosrite-bluesbender

Here's a red body and neck, no number:

https://reverb.com/nz/item/6282103-mosr ... ck-vintage

A brown one, no number:

https://www.blackbookguitars.com/collec ... esbender-1

I've updated the list. Bold text = new addition.

-- ---: TimR's. No number.
-- ---: Red body and neck.
Source: https://reverb.com/nz/item/6282103-mosr ... ck-vintage
-- ---: Brown.
Source: https://www.blackbookguitars.com/collec ... esbender-1
NO 003
NO 028: "Dark Burgundy."
Source: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/mochizuki/kiyosh ... rlist.html
NO 031: Color: ?; Owned by Tim Brennan (Tym)
NO 039
NO 041
NO 045
NO 049: Black, heavy weather checking
NO 068: Black; Missing original pups and knobs. Seller said it's a 1972 model.
NO 071: Black
Source: http://home.insightbb.com/~marksma/wsb/ ... ip-35.html
NO 083: Red
?? 119: Brown (Called Black in the previous post.) Seems to have been parted out on eBay.
Sources:
https://reverb.com/item/2852359-brown-c ... del-guitar
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mosrite-1970-B ... SwuoxanXpS
NO 133
NO 135: Black
NO 140: White
NO 153
NO 153 Deluxe: Black - "Made in 1969. It is black with a red tortoise shell pick guard. The scale is 1/8" shorter than the Gibson scale. After taking this picture, it has since been completely restored by my father, the master luthier Bill Gruggett, an original member of the Mosrite Guitars team. Original Mosrite parts were used from his personal stock, except for new high-quality PC-USA pickups, which I requested."
Source: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/mochizuki/kiyosh ... rlist.html
NO 160
NO 162: Black (owned by Sumlin.)
NO 170
NO 172: Sunburst
NO 180: Brown or Natural.
Source: https://reverb.com/item/3369670-mosrite-bluesbender
NO 190: Cherry Burst
NO 195: Pad on back
NO 196 - Black, Signed by Nokie Edwards
NO 203

Unknown serial numbers:

NO 03x/04x (White, Owned by Adam for a time)

This list is up to 29 individual guitars now, 3 without numbers. I'd be interested in seeing if any numbers go to 300.

- Austin

[sumlin]

A few Bluesbenders in action (not sure of the serial #s)

John Reis in the studio with Hot Snakes last year:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQwF5hQhgXj ... =otisserie





Eric Erlandson from Hole in 1990 - this one looks almost exactly like mine (#162) in terms of the marks and dings you can see but the seller never mentioned it so...










Jim Diamond (Detroit garage rock producer) had a black Bluesbender he was playing as a sort-of-bass in the band Bantam Rooster when they toured with the Dirtbombs in the early 2000s. They stayed at my house in the UK and he showed me it - said it wasn't really a Mosrite, it was kind of their 'budget' model if I recall correctly. Can't find a pic though...


Lastly, I remember seeing a Bluesbender in the UK magazine The Guitar Magazine in the collection of Ross Godfrey who plays with the band Morcheeba, it's a red-burst one:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeB0nfLFtI6 ... lesgodfrey

[101Volts]

A few Bluesbenders in action (not sure of the serial #s)

John Reis in the studio with Hot Snakes last year:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQwF5hQhgXj ... =otisserie

Eric Erlandson from Hole in 1990 - this one looks almost exactly like mine (#162) in terms of the marks and dings you can see but the seller never mentioned it so...

Jim Diamond (Detroit garage rock producer) had a black Bluesbender he was playing as a sort-of-bass in the band Bantam Rooster when they toured with the Dirtbombs in the early 2000s. They stayed at my house in the UK and he showed me it - said it wasn't really a Mosrite, it was kind of their 'budget' model if I recall correctly. Can't find a pic though...

Lastly, I remember seeing a Bluesbender in the UK magazine The Guitar Magazine in the collection of Ross Godfrey who plays with the band Morcheeba, it's a red-burst one:

(images snipped from quote.)

Wow Sumlin, I wasn't expecting a Mosrite in the band Hole? Thanks, I added those 3 to the list. Also, as a note I purchased the two bodies that Gonkulator had for sale on Reverb. (The red one had already sold and I wasn't interested in it.)

(Post edited 21 May 2024 to condense the thread.)

- Austin

[chartbreaker]

you can add number N0101 in brown. It carries with it great history for me. I bought it from a reputable shop who bought out another shops inventory that went broke. It was sold to me as new in '75 or '76. I was told the guitar was a "new old stock" '69 that went unsold for several years. There was not a mark or scratch anywhere, even the pickguard. So given the guitar's condition, the case condition (virtually perfect) and the dealer's reputation as a stand-up guy, I had (and still have) no reason to disbelieve what he told me. Of course without a paper trail anything is possible. No, I didn't get a warranty card or any other paperwork other that a hand-written receipt that was immediately lost or tossed.

My Blues Bender is still one of the best playing axes in my nearly 50 year collection (20 or 30 guitars and basses along with all the usual keyboards, drums, amps, stompboxes, and miles of electrical spaghetti). Frets are severely worn yet still no buzz anywhere. Neck is still laser-straight. Like most Mosrites that worked for a living, the finish is seriously cracked with several chips. Original pickups still sing like new. Still sports the original pots and switches that continue to work flawlessly. It was my main gigging axe for over ten years until I switched to bass decades ago to get more gigs (I've since retired from stage/studio work). If I ever have to start selling off my gear collection, my Mosrite will be the very last thing to go and tears will be shed doing it...

Over the years this Mosrite has been left in trucks or car trunks for days during road trips (both winter and summer), gigged outdoors in freezing temperatures in winter and out in the hot sun in summer, kicked, dropped, set on fire with lighter fluid during overly enthusiastic slide solos (actually did that a few dozen times until my shirt caught fire), and once even stabbed. It was being used by a bandmate where I was a bass player, and the gig ran over a half-hour past quitting time. The guitarist was having so much fun he didn't want to stop, so I casually walked over, popped out my trusty buck knife and stabbed my own guitar right between the pickups, cutting off the strings! DId I mention I was known to enjoy an alcoholic beverage now and then when I was young? Sorry to ramble, but my Mosrite represents many of the best times (and a few bad times) of my life to me.

[101Volts]

you can add number N0101 in brown. It carries with it great history for me. I bought it from a reputable shop who bought out another shops inventory that went broke. It was sold to me as new in '75 or '76. I was told the guitar was a "new old stock" '69 that went unsold for several years. There was not a mark or scratch anywhere, even the pickguard. So given the guitar's condition, the case condition (virtually perfect) and the dealer's reputation as a stand-up guy, I had (and still have) no reason to disbelieve what he told me. Of course without a paper trail anything is possible. No, I didn't get a warranty card or any other paperwork other that a hand-written receipt that was immediately lost or tossed.

My Blues Bender is still one of the best playing axes in my nearly 50 year collection (20 or 30 guitars and basses along with all the usual keyboards, drums, amps, stompboxes, and miles of electrical spaghetti). Frets are severely worn yet still no buzz anywhere. Neck is still laser-straight. Like most Mosrites that worked for a living, the finish is seriously cracked with several chips. Original pickups still sing like new. Still sports the original pots and switches that continue to work flawlessly. It was my main gigging axe for over ten years until I switched to bass decades ago to get more gigs (I've since retired from stage/studio work). If I ever have to start selling off my gear collection, my Mosrite will be the very last thing to go and tears will be shed doing it...

Over the years this Mosrite has been left in trucks or car trunks for days during road trips (both winter and summer), gigged outdoors in freezing temperatures in winter and out in the hot sun in summer, kicked, dropped, set on fire with lighter fluid during overly enthusiastic slide solos (actually did that a few dozen times until my shirt caught fire), and once even stabbed. It was being used by a bandmate where I was a bass player, and the gig ran over a half-hour past quitting time. The guitarist was having so much fun he didn't want to stop, so I casually walked over, popped out my trusty buck knife and stabbed my own guitar right between the pickups, cutting off the strings! DId I mention I was known to enjoy an alcoholic beverage now and then when I was young? Sorry to ramble, but my Mosrite represents many of the best times (and a few bad times) of my life to me.

Sounds like you've enjoyed No. 101 a lot over the years.

Numbers 101 and 127 added. Both are Brown.

(List edited out, 21 May 2024, to condense the thread.)

- Austin