hey there people, thanks for having me around!
i'm pat, i live in cholula, mexico (where, btw, the cholula hot sauce is NOT made) and recently acquited my 1st mosrite.
i never, ever thought i'd even be able to lay my hands on one.
i have a (rather impressive?) collection of old fender offsets and japanese weirdos, including an old univox hi-flyer bass, but mosrite? - forget it!
so i thought.
then about 2 weeks ago i checked my local ebay'ish auction site and found one. "1965 electric guitar" was the title.
a blue mosrite ventures. model II.
...at first i thought it might be a scam cuz it was too cheap!
arrangements were made, and i travelled the 2 hours to mexico city.
weird thing is, the guy who sold it to me KNOWS what it is, but still sold it to me at that price - he REALLY needed some $.
he showed me pics of a mid-60s Gibson ES-335 he also has, and might sell. i told him to let me know first!
he's in his early 40s and urgently needs money. showed up with his wife, and i was still nervous carrying that $ on me in a mexico city subway station. they lead me outside to a side street (i was praying to not being kidnapped or so...) and in the back seat of their car -all visible to every bypasser- was the (non-original) hardcase.
i almost poop myself when he opened it. there, in the middle of the street, amongst taco stands and pirate CD vendors. a (i think 1966) Mosrite Ventures Model II.
we chit-chatted for quite a while. long story short, his dad was someone "quite big" in mexican music biz back then. he wouldn't tell me who (dunno why), but he must've a quite impressive and tasty guitar collection. 3 sons, each one of them was taught an instrument; the seller's the drummer - he does not actually play guitar!
he mentioned that his father got a nasty cancer and they had to sell many of his finest guitars (he mentioned a 50s statocaster and 50s LP goldtop, amongst others) for the treatment, but he eventually died.
it was VERY hard for him to sell this guitar (they had it hanging in the living room since forever), but he REALLY needed the money. he was actually really close to actually crying whilst letting it go, but he said "you look like a good kid who will give it good use - i don't even know how to play it...".
he had previously tried to sell it for around 3K, and then 2K, with no takers -well it's mexico. so he was glad he would at least get what i gave him.
geez these deals do rarely happen in these weird times, nowadays.
but hey, here's the porn!
i LOVE all the details and logos and stuff!
Pat.
ps: pics of the guts (i took today) coming right up - uploading now.
Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
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Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
i love delay so much, that i procastinate all the time...
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
so today i finally opened her up.
pots are both dated 33rd week of 1965, and they have been sanded (?) on the back.
body date 9 DEC 1965 ... and the number 0006
neck date 20 DEC 1965 ... and the number 0001 ?
i also find it strange that the neck has been painted? is that normal?
the guitar has no serial number on the last fret or anywhere else.
so... SHOWER ME WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE FOLKS!
pots are both dated 33rd week of 1965, and they have been sanded (?) on the back.
body date 9 DEC 1965 ... and the number 0006
neck date 20 DEC 1965 ... and the number 0001 ?
i also find it strange that the neck has been painted? is that normal?
the guitar has no serial number on the last fret or anywhere else.
so... SHOWER ME WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE FOLKS!
i love delay so much, that i procastinate all the time...
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- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:23 am
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
...no reply/comment so far?
btw, the color is NOT the metallic deep blue one, it's rather pastel looking instead.
btw, the color is NOT the metallic deep blue one, it's rather pastel looking instead.
i love delay so much, that i procastinate all the time...
- FritzCat
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
It resemble the blue MkII that Ricky Wilson used in the B-52s, great looking guitar! The unpainted area of the neck looks like the wood might have some unsightly figuring, perhaps it was painted to cover that up? Great find in any case!
- Greg_L
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
I love it. Congrats!
- 101Volts
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
Hi, Welcome to the forum. It sounds like the guitar has gone to a good home! And, Even if something's a very fine instrument if the demand isn't there what can it be sold for?
It looks to me that your Ventures II was re-fretted which could account for the missing number on the fretboard; Sometimes fretboards are sanded during re-fretting due to neck or fretboard warping. Those frets look huge compared to 1960s Mosrite frets, I have a 1966 Ventures II like yours and the original frets are still on its neck; They're about .022 thousandths of an inch tall on the Low E string side and .015 tall on the high E side and are .070 wide. The last time I checked, Dunlop offered a replacement fretwire .072 wide which would work well if you decided to re-fret it close to original specs.
I think he played an early 1966 Mark V; It's the same design as the one pictured here even with the truss rod at the body end, Except it had/has a different name on the headstock. I wonder what happened to it.
Austin
It looks to me that your Ventures II was re-fretted which could account for the missing number on the fretboard; Sometimes fretboards are sanded during re-fretting due to neck or fretboard warping. Those frets look huge compared to 1960s Mosrite frets, I have a 1966 Ventures II like yours and the original frets are still on its neck; They're about .022 thousandths of an inch tall on the Low E string side and .015 tall on the high E side and are .070 wide. The last time I checked, Dunlop offered a replacement fretwire .072 wide which would work well if you decided to re-fret it close to original specs.
FritzCat wrote:It resemble the blue MkII that Ricky Wilson used in the B-52s, great looking guitar! The unpainted area of the neck looks like the wood might have some unsightly figuring, perhaps it was painted to cover that up? Great find in any case!
I think he played an early 1966 Mark V; It's the same design as the one pictured here even with the truss rod at the body end, Except it had/has a different name on the headstock. I wonder what happened to 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.
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.
- maxkat
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
Hi guys,
B52s Ricky Wilson's Mark V seems to be on display somewhere:
(the picture is from this site: http://stuntguitarist.tumblr.com/post/5186351039/ricky-wilsons-mosrite-hell-yess)
Pat, strange thing about your Ventures II is not only the lacquered neck but it seems it has been reshaped at the volute. But it's a very nice Ventures II, thanks for showing us those great pictures!
Cheers, Max
B52s Ricky Wilson's Mark V seems to be on display somewhere:
(the picture is from this site: http://stuntguitarist.tumblr.com/post/5186351039/ricky-wilsons-mosrite-hell-yess)
Pat, strange thing about your Ventures II is not only the lacquered neck but it seems it has been reshaped at the volute. But it's a very nice Ventures II, thanks for showing us those great pictures!
Cheers, Max
- 101Volts
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
Thanks for posting the photo, Max! I see one of the original knobs is missing and wasn't replaced (At least not yet,) Just as it appears in the photo of the first B-52's album. I wonder what the serial number is?
Austin
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.
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.
- 101Volts
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
Huh, Look at that shim. Were those stock? I noticed an imprint in the cavity where the neck would rest on the body for my Ventures II, And it didn't come with a shim when I got it used.
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.
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.
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- New Member
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- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:23 am
- Location: ...right under the volcano in Cholula, Mexico
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Re: Mosrite newbie presents: blue '65 Ventures II (non-slab)
hey there, sorry to dig this one up again.
well i'm gonna have to sell this one to finance my december trip to europe, so i guess it's gonna be on ebay tonight.
but some people over at the OSG forum told me it's very suspect that the neck has been painted, it might have been refretted (i really can't tell as i know too little about mosrites) and that's why it's got no serial number, and that the volute on the back of the headstock should be longer.
now, you're the experts. please take a good look and tell me what i should make clear in the description, i don't want anyone afterwards to feel ripped off or so.
i'm just a fender guy with NO idea about Moseys.
thanks!
Pat.
well i'm gonna have to sell this one to finance my december trip to europe, so i guess it's gonna be on ebay tonight.
but some people over at the OSG forum told me it's very suspect that the neck has been painted, it might have been refretted (i really can't tell as i know too little about mosrites) and that's why it's got no serial number, and that the volute on the back of the headstock should be longer.
now, you're the experts. please take a good look and tell me what i should make clear in the description, i don't want anyone afterwards to feel ripped off or so.
i'm just a fender guy with NO idea about Moseys.
thanks!
Pat.
i love delay so much, that i procastinate all the time...
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