How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

MozRite
Senior Member
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:03 pm
Contact:

How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby MozRite » Tue Jul 16, 2019 11:41 am

I hear Semie Mosley went bankrupt and reorganized and went back into business in 1972. How are the guitars from this era? How do they compare to the 1960s models? Thanks
1966 Mosrite Mark V
1969 Firstman Avenger Mark 1
2007 Fillmore Mosrite Mark 1
1964 Gretsch Country Club
1962 Kay Swingmaster
2003 Fender Jazzmaster AVRI
2015 Fender Classic Player '60s Strat
1999 Danelectro Mod 6
2002 Tokai Jumbo Acoustic

User avatar
Sarah93003
Master Contributor
Posts: 3810
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Westlake Village, CA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby Sarah93003 » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:54 am

I can only speak to the Celebrities. All of the era's were well made. The 1972 Celebrities, to me, are a transition period using up older inventory. For example the 1972's control plate is the same one used on the Mosrite Dobro (Mobro). My favorites are the 1973/1974 era with humbuckers and other options. I also very much like the Celebrity Gospels.
____________________
1965 Mosrite Celebrity Prototype with Vibramute
1972 Mosrite Celebrity-III
1977 Gibson MK-53
1982 Fender Bullet
1994 Gretsch Streamliner G3155 Custom
2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
2006 Jude Les Paul 12 String

User avatar
101Volts
Master Contributor
Posts: 2486
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:33 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby 101Volts » Sat Dec 26, 2020 1:12 pm

The biggest differences (aside from the unusual models from the decade) are that the necks are wider (but not thicker, or so I heard,) and you could also get Humbuckers in 70s models.

- 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.

User avatar
101Volts
Master Contributor
Posts: 2486
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:33 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby 101Volts » Wed Aug 24, 2022 12:11 pm

101Volts wrote:The biggest differences (aside from the unusual models from the decade) are that the necks are wider (but not thicker, or so I heard,) and you could also get Humbuckers in 70s models.

- Austin


I really should have mentioned how the frets are taller on 1970s models. Perhaps not on all models right away (though I've never seen an exception in person,) but bit seems that by 1973, they should be using taller and wider fretwire than the 1960s Speed Fret height.

- 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.

User avatar
Sarah93003
Master Contributor
Posts: 3810
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Westlake Village, CA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby Sarah93003 » Fri Sep 09, 2022 9:24 am

101Volts wrote:
101Volts wrote:The biggest differences (aside from the unusual models from the decade) are that the necks are wider (but not thicker, or so I heard,) and you could also get Humbuckers in 70s models.

- Austin


I really should have mentioned how the frets are taller on 1970s models. Perhaps not on all models right away (though I've never seen an exception in person,) but bit seems that by 1973, they should be using taller and wider fretwire than the 1960s Speed Fret height.

- Austin


I have found that to be the case on Celebrities as well. I think 1973 was a purposeful move away from the speed frets of the earlier years.
____________________
1965 Mosrite Celebrity Prototype with Vibramute
1972 Mosrite Celebrity-III
1977 Gibson MK-53
1982 Fender Bullet
1994 Gretsch Streamliner G3155 Custom
2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
2006 Jude Les Paul 12 String

User avatar
101Volts
Master Contributor
Posts: 2486
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:33 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby 101Volts » Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:55 am

Sarah93003 wrote:
101Volts wrote:
101Volts wrote:The biggest differences (aside from the unusual models from the decade) are that the necks are wider (but not thicker, or so I heard,) and you could also get Humbuckers in 70s models.

- Austin


I really should have mentioned how the frets are taller on 1970s models. Perhaps not on all models right away (though I've never seen an exception in person,) but bit seems that by 1973, they should be using taller and wider fretwire than the 1960s Speed Fret height.

- Austin


I have found that to be the case on Celebrities as well. I think 1973 was a purposeful move away from the speed frets of the earlier years.


I should be a bit more specific. I'm not quite sure that the earliest date for this change-over was in 1973, perhaps it's 1972, but it looks like the date is at least as early as 1973.

The reason is, I have a Mosrite Humbucker dated to late (October or November) 1973, and I've heard of one of the 350 models with its pickups dated to that year. But I'm also not sure when the 300, 350, and Blues Bender 500 models were first introduced for sale. It's a bit hard without having records of all dates on the bottoms of the pickups from each of these models.

- 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.

User avatar
Sarah93003
Master Contributor
Posts: 3810
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Westlake Village, CA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby Sarah93003 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:21 pm

101Volts wrote:
Sarah93003 wrote:
101Volts wrote:
I really should have mentioned how the frets are taller on 1970s models. Perhaps not on all models right away (though I've never seen an exception in person,) but bit seems that by 1973, they should be using taller and wider fretwire than the 1960s Speed Fret height.

- Austin


I have found that to be the case on Celebrities as well. I think 1973 was a purposeful move away from the speed frets of the earlier years.


I should be a bit more specific. I'm not quite sure that the earliest date for this change-over was in 1973, perhaps it's 1972, but it looks like the date is at least as early as 1973.

The reason is, I have a Mosrite Humbucker dated to late (October or November) 1973, and I've heard of one of the 350 models with its pickups dated to that year. But I'm also not sure when the 300, 350, and Blues Bender 500 models were first introduced for sale. It's a bit hard without having records of all dates on the bottoms of the pickups from each of these models.

- Austin


It's hard to say for certain. All of the 1972 Celebrities I've seen had the speed frets. If I'm not mistaken, I think the move to jumbo frets went with introducing humbuckers in 1973. There may be a "cross over" specimen. I've seen that before.
____________________
1965 Mosrite Celebrity Prototype with Vibramute
1972 Mosrite Celebrity-III
1977 Gibson MK-53
1982 Fender Bullet
1994 Gretsch Streamliner G3155 Custom
2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
2006 Jude Les Paul 12 String

User avatar
101Volts
Master Contributor
Posts: 2486
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:33 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Contact:

Re: How Are Early 70s Mosrites?

Postby 101Volts » Wed Oct 05, 2022 2:40 pm

Sarah93003 wrote:It's hard to say for certain. All of the 1972 Celebrities I've seen had the speed frets. If I'm not mistaken, I think the move to jumbo frets went with introducing humbuckers in 1973. There may be a "cross over" specimen. I've seen that before.


Knowing Mosrite, that makes sense. Are there any dated pieces of sales literature we can refer to? I've seen the ad for the 300, 350, and Blues Bender 500 models; however, I saw no date on 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.


Return to “Mosrite Guitars & Basses Vintage USA”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 54 guests