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Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:32 am
by TheEHMan
I bought this guitar project on ebay (haven't received it yet). In researching what it actually was, which the seller couldn't be bothered with, I found it was made in the late 70s by Tom Barth in NJ. I contacted his brother by email ( Tom is deceased) and he was able to give a bit more info. He also said that "In the early 70s he came across a pile of what I think were Mosrite bodies and necks" that he used for the Barth Vaders. I was wondering if anyone could identify which, if any, Mosrite model the body/neck would've come from.
Ebay auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Barth-Vader-Guitar-Project-Mosrite-Standel-Hallmark-Bartell-NR-/231347554626 Pics:
More pics:
http://s717.photobucket.com/user/theehman/library/Vintage%20Guitarworks%20Barth%20Vader%20guitarBTW, I didn't buy it because of the possible Mosrite connection. I just have an unnatural interest in unusual US made guitars.
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:07 pm
by BRRanger
I was gonna pull the trigger on that one too, but had too many unfinished projects. It looks neat with the existing neck. I'd keep it just as it is. Pretty cool and the price was right!
Scott
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:42 pm
by TheEHMan
I'm going to restore it as a Barth Vader as much as I can. I think I can do just about everything except the EQ without a schematic.
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:26 pm
by MWaldorf
Mosrite connection or not, should be a cool project. Looks like the neck and bridge are on a continuous piece of wood?
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:02 am
by Dennisthe Menace
Hey Guys,
It looks to me as though this mutt originally started out as becoming a "Bluesbender."
"The New Mosrite" from the 70s supposedly was going to turn the company around with
this new model along with the Stereo model. Semie had finally given in and started using
medium gauge frets (or something close to it) for easier bending of the notes. He also had
started making his own humbucking p'ups around this time to do away with the uncontrollable
squelching (feedback) caused by single-coil p'ups when a distortion or overdrive pedal was en-
gauged. As to whether the neck is a Mo', it does seem to have the well known boot on the back
of the headstock. Is it possible that these were "neck blanks" that were not totally finished yet
with the "M" carved head stock?
But better yet, does ANYONE on the Forum here know if Tom Barth was in anyway, related to the famous
Paul M. Barth, one of the co-founders of Ro-Pat-In Corporation, later to be renamed Rickenbacher?
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:31 am
by TheEHMan
Dennisthe Menace wrote:Hey Guys,
It looks to me as though this mutt originally started out as becoming a "Bluesbender."
"The New Mosrite" from the 70s supposedly was going to turn the company around with
this new model along with the Stereo model. Semie had finally given in and started using
medium gauge frets (or something close to it) for easier bending of the notes. He also had
started making his own humbucking p'ups around this time to do away with the uncontrollable
squelching (feedback) caused by single-coil p'ups when a distortion or overdrive pedal was en-
gauged. As to whether the neck is a Mo', it does seem to have the well known boot on the back
of the headstock. Is it possible that these were "neck blanks" that were not totally finished yet
with the "M" carved head stock?
But better yet, does ANYONE on the Forum here know if Tom Barth was in anyway, related to the famous
Paul M. Barth, one of the co-founders of Ro-Pat-In Corporation, later to be renamed Rickenbacher?
That sounds reasonable but I've not been able to find another Bluesbender with exactly the same body shape or a set neck. I suppose it could be a version that never made it past prototype stage.
I never thought to ask Tom's brother if there was any relation. I'll drop him an email.
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 9:45 am
by Dennisthe Menace
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:30 am
by TheEHMan
Thanks for the link. I'd never seen one of those before.
Received a reply from Rob Barth and he knows of no connection to Paul Barth.
Did you notice in the auction pics the notch on the back of the bass side upper bout? What's up with that?
Re: Mosrite body and/or neck??
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 11:34 am
by Dennisthe Menace
TheEHMan wrote:Thanks for the link. I'd never seen one of those before.
Received a reply from Rob Barth and he knows of no connection to Paul Barth.
Did you notice in the auction pics the notch on the back of the bass side upper bout? What's up with that?
Ron, yes I did. Once again I'm crapshooting and guessing this might of been where the
strap button was going to be located since the neck was glued and held with one neck screw,
but again just a wild guess...... 
.