Moserite Celebrity timeline

[Sarah93003]

I've been studying pictures from approximately 145 Celebrities as well as Moserite flyers, catalogs, etc. to try to understand how these models were produced. Along with this information I've gleened tidbits of data from this forum as well as other websites. Some of my opinions are formed by the hardware that was available on other Mosrite models during various years.

These are some of the conclusions I've come up with and I would like to know if anyone here has information to the contrary.

1964 - I don't believe any Celebrities were made even though people will advertise as such.

1965 - I think this is the year that Celebrities began. I think they started with serial number with no letter prefix and then went to the A series serial numbers. I've been told that the first ones were set neck but I've never seen one nor a photograph. The earliest ones had larger F holes than the rest of the years. The pickup selector switch is on the treble side horn and there is no control plate under the volume and tone knobs. It has been reported here and elsewhere that in late 1965 Mosrite replaced the smooth spun knobs with the short "Hat" knobs with the M on top and a "V" or "T". I have never seen a Celebrity with the smooth spun knobs. I don't think any Celebrity-III's were made this year. The A series continues into 1966. It is also said the the circle "R" appears on the pickup covers in late 1965. I think production figures would be very, very low for 1965


1966 - This is an important year for dating Celebrities.
Semie was granted the patent on the Moseley tremelo on March 1, 1966. Every Celebrity that I have seen so far with a tremelo has the patent number on it. So, simply put, every photograph that I've collected so far, with a tremelo, is either after 3/1/66 or I don't have a clear enough image to declare otherwise. I think 1966 begins the real ramp-up of Celebrity production and the first year for the Celebrity-III.

1967 - It's been said in various places that this is the year that the "V" and "T" are removed from the knobs. Shortly thereafter they supposedly went to taller hat knobs, withouth the V & T.

1968 - The 1968 Summer NAAM flyer still shows all three Celebrity models. Sometime in late 1968 Mosrite is having bad financial troubles and in early 1969 Semie files for bankruptcy.

1969 - I don't think any Celebrities are produced.

1970 - I don't think any Celebrities are produced.

1971 - I don't think any Celebrities are produced.

1972 - Celebrities are sold once again. The control plate is redesigned in a banana or apostrophe shape. The Celebrity-II does not appear on the flyer. This is the last year of the Celebrity-III.

1973 - The controls and layout are redesigned again extensively. The Celebrity-I has the By Pass switches. The Celebrity-II Standard has no tremelo and no By Pass switches. The Celebrity-II Deluxe has four controls instead of two. No Celebrity-III's are offered.

1974 - I think the same offereings as 1973.

I have seen no evidence of a Celebrity produced after 1974.



Serial numbering:

Numbers with no letter prefix - First batch(es)

1c series - Celebrity-I or Archtop

2c series - Celebrity-II

2DL - Celebrity-II

3cseries - Celebrity-III

A series - All are either a Celebrity -I or Celebrity-II except for one Celebrity-III (A0371). Some are labeled as Archtop.

D series - Dobro

G series - Gospels

K series - all are Celebrity-III's

L series - Bass

M series - all Celebrity-II's except for one Mobro (M0034)

N series - Bass

P series - 12 string (I've only seen one in this series)

SPK - Celebrity-III ( I don't know what to make of this one)

SPM - Celebrity-III ( I don't know what to make of this one)

STK - Celebrity-II ( I don't know what to make of this one)

W series - 12 string

Z series - Bass

If I tally up the highest nuber in each serial number series and "assume" that the numbers are accurate, then I could say that I estimate that 5,277 Celebrities were produced between 1965-1974. As time goes on I may be able to refine that estimate.

If anyone has information that contradicts any of this or any information to add to this, please let me know.

Thank you!!

[gman]

This is great work. It also shows that a larger sample size can give a much better picture. To that end, for a few days I've been working on a form and database to catalogue Mosrites in a way that will let us see patterns of evolution .. . . don't get too excited as its a way off yet although what you have done here has encouraged me to press on.

[Veenture]

Good to see folks like you keeping Mosrite 'alive' in this way. Keep up the good work!

(Pffew...sounds like one of my old school reports!!! )

[Sarah93003]

Thank you both. My primary concern is to have the most accurate informaiton that I can find for my website. I want people to go there with confidence and learn about the Celebrity family of Mosrite guitars. That's one reason it's taking me so long to publish this thing. Well, and just how big it's going to be. I think it's around 29 pages so far. I hope to get lots of feedback on this thread. Pretty please!