Mosrite Brass Rail Models Serial Numbers List (1976 - 1978, Les Paul-ish Shape) (Brass Rail Registry?)

sumlin
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Mosrite Brass Rail Models Serial Numbers List (1976 - 1978, Les Paul-ish Shape) (Brass Rail Registry?)

Postby sumlin » Thu May 15, 2014 3:35 am

Hi folks

I have it in mind to do some form of registry for the various Brass Rails attributed to Mosrite and Gruggett.
It'd be good to account for as many of the serial numbers as possible to give a clearer picture of the history of these instruments.
Scouring the internet (and this forum mainly) has given me a fairly long list but I was wondering if anyone had started this before?
I am sure Adam in Japan and Austin (101Volts) will have a lot of info on the subject, especially as most of these instruments seem to have been owned by Adam at some point!
Also, did anyone have the presence of mind to save images and info from the various BR auctions listed historically on this site (whose links are now dead)?

What do you think? Worth doing this? The list I made already is interesting in terms of patterns relating to serial numbers. I'm sure none of this info is new to anyone but pooling what's known into one place (like the Celebrity register) might be a good idea....
Brass Rail #43
Acoustic Black Widow #BC1092
MkV #B735
Univox Hi Fliers, Tele Deluxes, Harmony Bobkats

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101Volts
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby 101Volts » Sat May 17, 2014 4:35 pm

Well sorry, Sumlin but I don't have a ton of information on the subject. Adam is much more knowledgeable about Brass Rail guitars.

I will say though that I do have Deluxe #10 at this time which Adam has played and I've seen Deluxe models #5 and #7 (#7 which Adam had) on eBay recently, Actually they are on eBay at the time I post this. Brass Rail #102 (Finished in cream) is also on there at this time.

Come to think of it there are photos of an Aluminum Rail Acoustic posted somewhere on the forum and there are a number of other Brass Rails on here too which the owners have posted photos of.

- Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.

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101Volts
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby 101Volts » Sat May 17, 2014 5:21 pm

OK, So here I am compiling a list.

Brass Rail Deluxe:

#5 - Black (Is on eBay at this posting time)
#7 - Black (Adam had this one) Link: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1545&hilit=brass+rail (Is on eBay at the time of posting this)
#10 - Black with Sunburst Neck

(I didn't post whether or not #5 and #7 have sunburst necks.)

Brass Rail:

Known numbers:

#024 - Black with Sunburst Neck - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2096&hilit=brass+rail
#82 - White (But aged and looks cream; Adam had this one.) Link: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1545&hilit=brass+rail
#102 - Cream (Refinished)

Mystery Guitars:

I've heard of three that have Moseley tailpieces that I think Ed Elliott assembled. A member on this forum had one of those and sold it eventually and I'm not sure if FrettedAmericana got that one or another one of the three but they have video of theirs on Youtube, And it's not one of the eleven Mosrites they had which were stolen.

Also, Here's a red one that Beatnikbandit has or had but I don't know the serial number yet although it is in the 80s:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1592&hilit=brass+rail

... There are more but I feel like just posting this for now. Here's a link to a search for "Brass Rail" on the forum though: search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=topics&keywords=brass+rail

- Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.

sumlin
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby sumlin » Sun May 18, 2014 6:45 am

I have about 30 or so that I've managed to put a serial number to so I'll post them shortly...
Brass Rail #43
Acoustic Black Widow #BC1092
MkV #B735
Univox Hi Fliers, Tele Deluxes, Harmony Bobkats

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101Volts
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby 101Volts » Sun May 18, 2014 8:09 am

sumlin wrote:I have about 30 or so that I've managed to put a serial number to so I'll post them shortly...


Alright, I'm glad to hear it!

Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.

sumlin
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby sumlin » Tue May 20, 2014 4:07 pm

Here we go. This is all I could dredge up online and in any records I kept. There's definitely holes that can be filled in by forum members and mistakes that need correcting but it's a start. I saved photos of most of these but obviously they're not my photos so I won't post them here.

3 - Deluxe, Black - sold by a mosriteforum member
5 - Deluxe, Black, commemorative plaque on back of body - for sale by Expat Guitars
6 - Standard, Greenburst - owned by Expat Gtrs
7 - Deluxe, Black, commemorative plaque - for sale on EBay in Michigan 2014
8 - Standard, Cherryburst w/white binding - owned by Expat gtrs
10 - Deluxe, Black - owned by Austin (101Volts)
22 - no more info other than it was for sale in 2010 and is mentioned as a 'Gene Moles Custom' - is this the BR neck on Celebrity body?
24 - Standard, Black - commemorative plaque, owned by forum member dtribby
26 - Gruggett Custom, sunburst with white binding - owned by Expat Gtrs
35? - Gruggett Custom - constructed with unique body shape for Expat Gtrs in 2010.
38 - Deluxe, Black - owned by forum member coanda
43 - Standard, Black - owned by me.
48 - Gruggett Custom, black with chequered binding - owned by Elisha Weisner
49 - Standard, Black - with Moseley trem, assembled by E.Elliott - (was?) owned by forum member The Jester
74 - Standard, Red - sold on EBay in 2008
76 - Gospel (Celebrity shape), Honeyburst - built for Rev Beatty, owned by Expat Gtrs
80-something - Standard, dark red - owned by forum member Beatnikbandit
82 - Standard, off-white - sold by Expat Gtrs in 2009
84 - Standard, off-white - owned by Expat Gtrs
102 - Standard, off-white - for sale on EBay 2014, has been refinished
125 - Standard, sunburst - owned by Expat Gtrs

D1 - Dolly Parton Acoustic

No serial - Wenge, 3 pickup - made for Mark Moseley, owned by Expat Gtrs
No serial - Wenge, 2 pickup - owned by Expat Guitars
No serial - Gruggett Custom, surfburst - built 2012 (from old BR neck?), owned by Expat Gtrs
No serial - Gruggett Doubleneck, natural ash - built in 1976 for Lonnie Hyde
No serial - Gruggett Doubleneck, black with white binding - built in 1983 for Waco Shan

Not known - Standard, Black - owned by Efrim Menuck
N/K - Prototype, Black with large scratchplate and angled neck pickup, full Moseley trem - in the Phil X Fretted Americana 2012 You Tube Special
N/K - Standard, Black - shown as for sale in Michael Mark's Mosrite website in unfinished (and unfretted?) state
N/K - Gene Moles Custom - Celebrity body and BR neck. For sale on EBay 2009. Is this #22?
N/K - Standard, Black, white pickguard - pictured online but looks like it may not be a Brass Rail, possibly a Bluesbender or SM with changed hardware. Full Moseley trem. Owned by M. Ayukawa

and then there are 2 modern Gruggetts both owned by Expat Guitars that are serials 1 and 2 but have been built from new necks presumably.

That's all I've got...
Brass Rail #43
Acoustic Black Widow #BC1092
MkV #B735
Univox Hi Fliers, Tele Deluxes, Harmony Bobkats

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dorkrockrecords
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby dorkrockrecords » Tue May 20, 2014 5:27 pm

Because Brass Rail serial numbers are not unique, one must really organize like instruments by year and batch, not by number alone. For example, #5-8 on this list (all of which I own or have owned) are not sequential instruments in the least, and represent three distinct iterations of the design over the course of three years.

sumlin
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby sumlin » Wed May 21, 2014 1:40 am

dorkrockrecords wrote:Because Brass Rail serial numbers are not unique, one must really organize like instruments by year and batch, not by number alone. For example, #5-8 on this list (all of which I own or have owned) are not sequential instruments in the least, and represent three distinct iterations of the design over the course of three years.


I can't find any duplicate numbers - if you can then feel free to add them in or expand on which numbers are duplicated and where...

My assumption is that the actual 'Rails' (or whole necks) were constructed in a fairly short time and then used on an ad hoc basis over a longer period and with no thought to building them in numerical order.
Brass Rail #43
Acoustic Black Widow #BC1092
MkV #B735
Univox Hi Fliers, Tele Deluxes, Harmony Bobkats

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dorkrockrecords
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby dorkrockrecords » Wed May 21, 2014 2:48 am

You know what happens when you assume things...

sumlin
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Re: Brass Rail Registry?

Postby sumlin » Wed May 21, 2014 3:44 am

dorkrockrecords wrote:You know what happens when you assume things...


Well - correct me! Let's share the info we all have and create a resource for these wonderful instruments in the same way resources were created for Travis Bean and Veleno...
Brass Rail #43
Acoustic Black Widow #BC1092
MkV #B735
Univox Hi Fliers, Tele Deluxes, Harmony Bobkats


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