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Into the 70's. By the late 60's Mosrite was making many models including the Ventures model, the Ventures II and V and a Ventures bass (these became the "mark" series after the deal finished with the Ventures in 67). The semi solid Combo and Joe Maphis models in guitar and bass, the semi acoustic Celebrity series in guitar and bass and the Joe Maphis twin neck model with 6/12 configuration. After the deal fell through in '67 the "mark" series was identical in construction to the Ventures guitars except for the logo on the headstock and a serial # starting soon after loosing the logo with "V" prefix (more on that in the ID table). All guitars were offered in twelve string as well. Other interesting guitars of the mid to late 60's included three different acoustic models and five different Dobro guitars and basses including a Celebrity semi acoustic with a resonator cone called the Californian and a Dobro banjo, but Mosrite lost this name with the company in 69. See catalogues for more info on these. 
The late 60's and early 70's was a bad time compared to the early and mid 60's. After loosing the names and rights to his guitars, Semie made guitars under the name Gospel and models that were available as Mosrites could be bought as Gospels in 1970. In some cases Mosrites have turned up with Mosrite logos under the Gospel plate screwed to the headstock. The Moseleys continued to make guitars and tried to sell them directly to stores. Semie reintroduced the Gospel series in the early to mid 80's. Semie bought the name Mosrite back in late 1970 and started fresh with many new ideas and old favorites.
Mosrites like the Bluesbender and 350 had been prototyped in the late 60's before Mosrite closed but it wasn't until Semie opened back up in Bakersfield in late '70 that these models were produced. The 70's was a very experimental stage for Semie with models like the Brassrail which literally had a brass rail running in the fingerboard from the nut connecting all the frets together, all the way to the bridge. This was an attempt to make a guitar with superior sustain. The deluxe version had a changeable electronics package that would change the sound of the guitar, accessed through a brass plate on the back of the guitar. The Bluesbender was similar to the Brassrail but a bolt on neck without the rail. These guitars were very Les Paul in shape with a carve top and stop tailpiece. The Bluesbender is still one of my favorite Mosrites to play.
Also available at this time was the 300 mono and 350 mono and stereo models. These were the same shape (a single cutaway almost Tele solid body) with the 300 mono model only having a single pick up and the stereo having two pick ups and stereo outputs. The Celebrity was still being made in the form of the Celebrity II and III with small numbers of Celebrity I full depth body guitars being made to order and the Combo was changed to the Joe Maphis model again (no F hole). These guitars had mainly standard Mosrite hardware bought over from the 60's except with a major difference in pick ups. Probably due to the success of Gibsons (which the Bluesbender and Brassrail were definitely inspired by) Semie introduced humbuckers available on everything. These were made in the original single coil covers and had two rows of pole pieces, one being drilled right through the Mosrite of California embossing. Also seen for the first time on production models was phase switching and very complicated electronics like the Brassrail deluxe.
In '73 Semie made some Acoustic Black Widows for the Acoustic guitar and amp company. Although most were produced in Japan, Semie made about the last 200 of this model and Mosrite ones are easy to identify by having many Mosrite parts and very Mosrite looking necks. These were all black and had a large red "pad" on the back. They were produced in guitar and bass but exact numbers, as with most Mosrite stuff, is unknown. The 300 and 350 models sold reasonably well and Semie was back employing people and running a small guitar company. Sales catalogues also show Celebrity guitars with flame maple tops and humbuckers and also Dobro style guitars available throughout the 70's. Semie continued on through the 70's with innovative and brilliant designs but people kept waiting for the Ventures model to come back. Semie did make small numbers of Ventures shaped models, especially in the early 70's but was trying to make a name for himself as a luthier/designer who had more to offer, and he did. The 70's were lean years for Semie and Mosrite, with time taken off for gospel tours and recordings. It was a chance meeting in the early 80's that would bring Mosrite back to the world of guitars. page 1 - page 2 - page 3 - page 4 - page 5 - page 6 - page 7 |
