I used to have a few Mosrites, mostly bought from Japan or USA as I've never seen or heard of them among UK forums and magazines.
They have high output pickups, very thin and narrow necks, small vintage frets and a great vibrato that works very well. Playing one is a different experience than my usual Les Pauls and Fenders.
Do you remember seeing one for sale anywhere here? I'm thinking of maybe selling a vintage '66 I have but not sure if there would be any interest.
Mosrites were mostly made famous by the 60's instrumental group, the Ventures, of which Britain had their own version in the Shadows. Other notable users were Johnny Ramone, B52's, Kurt Cobain and a few others
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I think I read somewhere that the pickups have the same magnet set-up as P90s(?)
Not really seen any originals for sale but the reissues pop up occasionally.
I'd like to see pics of your 66 though. So like, post pics
Another reissue I used to have but sold:
All 3 of them
Playing chords is a bit harder but I must say the red reissue Mosrite has normal frets and it makes it much better to play. Pair one with an overdrive or fuzz and they are even better.
I found that I really like them both clean and distorted, whereas I prefer my Les Pauls with overdrive and Fenders for clean.
I wish they were more available here. I bought most of the reissues from Japan, and have sold one locally, tried to buy it back, but the guy says it's his favorite guitar!
~
"WAIT!!"
"Hey we're the Ramones and this is Rockaway Beach"
"1234!!"
Sorry, I don't know anything about Mosrites, except that Johnny Ramones made one sound like God on that live album
But the coup the grace for these guitars is playing along to the Ventures Live in Japan 1965
Actually, if you haven't heard the Ventures Live In Japan, check it out on youtube. What do the Ramones and the Ventures have in common other than the Mosrites? They both play at break-neck speed live!
Seriously, I have never been as impressed with a live album as the Ventures Live in Japan. They play so fast, the drums are way up and the drummer, other than being a human dynamo, must be playing with baseball bats. Hearing that started me being interested in mosrites and buying 4 of them. I love all the playing on the album, but the sound of Nokie's Mosrite, overdriving his Showman amp is glorious, Had they been playing Jacksons with Marshalls, they would have invented speed metal right there!
Man, I'm gonna go home after work, bust out the 66' and play along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssk6XBrCBjU
Johhny Ramone walked into Manny's and bought his Mosrite for $50 although it wasn't an Mk1. Carried it out in a shopping bag But he has said that he used so much gain that it doesn't matter what guitar he used, but I think he liked the necks on the Mosrites. There is a pic of him in the studio, wearing headphones and playing a Mosrite Ventures Mk1....high class guitar. Mosrites were always pretty expensive, even in the 60's they cost more than a Stratocaster