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Mosrite is an American
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
manufacturing company, based in
Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
, from the late 1950s to the early 1990s. Founded by
Semie Moseley Semie Moseley (June 13, 1935 – August 7, 1992) was an American luthier and the founder of guitar manufacturer Mosrite.Mosrite.us website http://www.mosrite.us/en/about.php Biography Moseley was born in Durant, Oklahoma, in 1935. His fami ...
, Mosrite guitars were played by many
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
and
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
artists. Mosrite guitars were known for innovative design, high-quality engineering, very thin, low-fretted and narrow necks (though Mosrite would use taller frets and wider necks after the 1960s,) and extremely hot (high output) pickups. Moseley's design for
The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the ...
, known as the "Ventures Model" (later known as the "Mark I") was generally considered to be the flagship of the line. Mosrite also made a very limited number of acoustic guitars that are somewhat rare. The Serenade model was made between 1965-1969, and the Balladere between 1968–1969, .


History


Apprenticeship

Semie Moseley started playing guitar in an evangelical group in
Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
, at age 13.Thompson, Art
"Mosrite 40th Anniversary"
''
Guitar Player ''Guitar Player'' is an American popular magazine for guitarists, founded in 1967 in San Jose, California. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products. It has been in print si ...
'' magazine, January 2007.
He and his brother Andy experimented with guitars from their teen-age years, refinishing instruments and building new necks.Price, Robert
"The Man Behind the Mosrite"
(archived 2008 copy), ''
The Bakersfield Californian ''The Bakersfield Californian'' is a daily newspaper serving Bakersfield, California and surrounding Kern County in the state's San Joaquin Valley. History ''The Bakersfield Californian'' is the direct descendant of Kern County's first newspap ...
''. Has biographical notes on Semie Moseley.
Semie began building guitars in the Los Angeles area around 1952 or 1953, apprenticing at the
Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. The company is credited as the first known maker of electric guitars – a steel guitar in 1932 – and today produces a range ...
factory. There he learned much of his guitar making skills from
Roger Rossmeisl Roger Rossmeisl (1927 in Kiel – 1979 in Berlin) was a German luthier who designed electric guitars in the 1950s and '60s for the US companies Rickenbacker and Fender. Life and work Roger's father Wenzel Rossmeisl (June 28, 1902 in Kiel – Apr ...
, a German immigrant who brought old-world
luthier A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers o ...
techniques into the modern electric guitar manufacturing process. One of the most recognizable features on most Mosrite guitars is the "German Carve" on the top that Moseley learned from Rossmeisl. During the same time, Moseley apprenticed with
Paul Bigsby Paul Adelburt Bigsby (1899–1968) was an American inventor, designer, and pioneer of the solid body electric guitar. Bigsby is best known for having been the designer of the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (also mislabeled as a tremolo arm) and pro ...
in
Downey, California Downey is a city located in Southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities. The city is the birthplace of the Apollo space program. It is also the home of ...
, the man who made the first modern solid-body guitar for Merle Travis in 1948, and who invented the
Bigsby vibrato tailpiece The Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (or Bigsby for short) is a type of mechanical vibrato device for electric guitar designed by Paul Bigsby and produced by the Bigsby Electric Guitar Company (currently an independently operated subsidiary of Fender M ...
, which is still used today.


Mosrite founded

In 1954, Semie built a triple-neck guitar in his garage (the longest neck was a standard guitar, the second-longest neck an octave higher, the shortest was an eight-string mandolin.) He presented a double-neck to
Joe Maphis Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis (May 12, 1921 – June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 and they performed together, later referred to as "Mr & Mrs Country Music". One of the flashiest co ...
, a
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
-area TV performer of country music. By 1956, with an investment from Ray Boatright, a local Los Angeles Foursquare Gospel minister, Semie and Andy started their company, Mosrite of California. In gratitude to Reverend Boatright, Moseley named the company by combining his and Boatright's last names; the name is properly pronounced MOZE-rite, based on the pronunciation Semie Moseley used for his own name. Semie, who built guitars for the L.A.-based
Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. The company is credited as the first known maker of electric guitars – a steel guitar in 1932 – and today produces a range ...
company, told his co-workers that he was making his own product and was fired by Rickenbacker. When they began, their production was all custom, handmade guitars, built in garages, tin storage sheds, wherever the Moseleys could put equipment. In 1959, Andy moved to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, for a year to popularize the Mosrite name and sold a few, including to
Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...
entertainers and road musicians. Andy said: "And that’s how we kept the factory going at the time: custom guitars". Moseley made guitars in Los Angeles until 1959, when he moved to
Oildale, California Oildale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Oildale is located north-northwest of downtown Bakersfield, at an elevation of . The population was 32,684 at the 2010 census, up from 27,885 at the 2000 cens ...
, just north of Bakersfield. In 1962, he moved his shop to Panama Lane where he designed and produced the first Joe Maphis model guitars, one model of which would eventually evolve into the "Ventures model" guitar and bass (Joe Maphis would later get a model of his own, similar to a Mosrite Combo model but without the
F-hole A sound hole is an opening in the body of a stringed musical instrument, usually the upper sound board. Sound holes have different shapes: * round in flat-top guitars and traditional bowl-back mandolins; * F-holes in instruments from the vi ...
). At this time, Mosrite made everything in-house, except for the tuners. Mosrite pickups after the 50s usually came in several ways through Mosrite's history, none with metal casing; 1: the large single coil similar to (but not as long as) a P90, 2: a cheaper version of the first pickup that showed on cheaper models (Celebrity III, Mark V,) 3: a cheaper pickup only found on the first iteration of the Ventures II and 4: a Mosrite Humbucker mostly found on some 1970s models. The full "The Ventures" line consisted of the Mark I, Ventures II (of several versions,) Mark V, Mark X (bass) and Mark XII (12 string). "The Ventures" line started in 1963 and ran through 1967 when the licensing agreement with The Ventures ended. At the peak of production, in 1968, Mosrite was making around 600 guitars per month.


Bankruptcy and restart

Mosrite of California went bankrupt in late 1968 after they contracted with the
Thomas Organ Company The Thomas Organ Company is an American manufacturer of electronic keyboards and a one-time holder of the manufacturing rights to the Moog synthesizer. The company was a force behind early electronic organs for the home. It went out of business ...
to market their guitars. After this, they tried to deal directly with stores, and they sold 280 guitars in 1969 before they came to the shop one day in February and found their doors pad-locked. Two years after his bankruptcy, Semie was able to get back the Mosrite name, and in 1970 he started making guitars again in Pumpkin Center near
Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
. He moved his factory three times in the next 20 years, to
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
in the mid-1970s, to the township of Jonas Ridge, in
Burke County, North Carolina Burke County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 87,570. Its county seat is Morganton. Burke County is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...
, in 1981 (where a factory fire destroyed the operation,) and to
Leachville, Arkansas Leachville is a city in Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,039 at the 2020 census. Leachville was incorporated in 1916. History Leachville was established in 1896 by land developers Joshua Gilbert Leach, James Wise ...
, in 1991. Only one guitar was produced in Leachville and is now on display at the town's Melody Theater. Though an acknowledged genius at guitar design and construction, Moseley lacked many basic skills necessary to be a good businessman, and thus the company fell on hard times repeatedly in the late 1960s and 1970s, but continued to produce Mosrite guitars until 1993 in North Carolina and Arkansas. Most of them were exported to Japan, where their popularity remained very strong. The quality of the instruments always remained very respectable. Semie Moseley died in 1992. His wife Loretta continued to produce Mosrites a year or so after his death, and since 2008 has been selling custom Mosrites via their website. The company now has recently released the Semie Moseley Model '63 and '65, based on the Ventures models made in those two years. Both models are made to the exact specifications as the original models; they are 100 % hand-made and were created to commemorate Semie Moseley. Semie's daughter, Dana Moseley, is also a luthier and continues to build Mosrite guitars. She also helps kick off the monthly "Mosrite Jam" in Bakersfield.Munoz, Matt
"Mos-rite-teous! Lovers of Bakersfield guitar ready to jam"
, ''Bakotopia.com'', Wednesday, Feb 17 2010


List of models

Note that there are exceptions to this list of models where perhaps a 1960s model has white paint for the headstock logos or a 1970s 350 model has a basswood body and maple neck instead of a mahogany body and mahogany neck. Mosrite is a company where outliers aren't unheard of. Mosrite also used other names occasionally; "Gospel" was often a name associated with guitars given away to churches although it was also used during Mosrite's bankruptcy period when they didn't have their Mosrite name (1969–1970,) Semie also used his last name "Moseley" for guitars built during the same period.


1950s

:* One
double neck guitar A multi-neck guitar is a guitar that has multiple fingerboard necks. They exist in both electric and acoustic versions. Although multi-neck guitars are quite common today, they are not a modern invention. Examples of multi-neck guitars and lutes ...
built for
Joe Maphis Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis (May 12, 1921 – June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 and they performed together, later referred to as "Mr & Mrs Country Music". One of the flashiest co ...
, :* A triple-neck guitar built for
Semie Moseley Semie Moseley (June 13, 1935 – August 7, 1992) was an American luthier and the founder of guitar manufacturer Mosrite.Mosrite.us website http://www.mosrite.us/en/about.php Biography Moseley was born in Durant, Oklahoma, in 1935. His fami ...
personally, :More various guitars though none in commercial production.


1960s

;Pre-1963: :* Joe Maphis model — Same general body shape as the later ''Ventures'' model; This was to be ''Joe Maphis' '' model before Semie Moseley and The Ventures settled on a contract and the body shape became the ''Ventures'' model. This is not the same as the later ''Joe Maphis'' model which is similar to the ''Combo'' model. ;1963–1968: :* The Ventures Model — Also came as a bass and later on, A 12-string. Post Ventures, 1968 and 1969 it was named the "Mark I".
The first Ventures Models came with a set neck,
bound Bound or bounds may refer to: Mathematics * Bound variable * Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions Physics * Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space Geography *B ...
body and a large Ventures and Mosrite logo, less than 250 of these were made before settling on the standard Ventures Model sometime in 1964, without body binding and the neck became bolt on. The Mosrite logo and Ventures model logo were slightly reduced. :* Ventures Bass (AKA "Mark X") :* Mark XII Twelve-String Guitar — Most of these have stoptails although some have
tremolo In music, ''tremolo'' (), or ''tremolando'' (), is a trembling effect. There are two types of tremolo. The first is a rapid reiteration: * Of a single Musical note, note, particularly used on String instrument#Bowing, bowed string instrument ...
s. ;1965: :* The Ventures II ("Slab Body" Type) Model — Only built as a six-string guitar in 1965. Production started in mid-1965 and ended several months later with small production numbers not exceeding 150 (possibly under 100.) This Slab Body Model was replaced with the second ''Ventures II'' design, reportedly because Semie Moseley was disappointed in this original design, thinking it looked too cheap for Mosrite. The "Slab Body" name is not official, it was coined by Mosrite enthusiasts to differentiate the two Ventures II guitars. This Ventures "Slab Body" is the model that
Johnny Ramone John William Cummings (October 8, 1948 – September 15, 2004), better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American musician who was the guitarist and a founding member of the Ramones, a band that helped pioneer the punk movement. ...
of the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
was mostly known to play. ;1965–1966: :* The Ventures II (German Carve Body Type) Model — Replaced the earlier Ventures II; Same body design as the ''Mark V'' model. Only came as a six-string guitar. Some of these, mostly earlier models with a few exceptions, have longer pickguards than later models; the neck pickup on the long pickguard models is slightly farther from the bridge, as Mosrite was to using remaining Ventures II "Slab Body" necks, which are slightly shorter at the end (but are the same scale length.) This model was re-named the "Ventures Mark V" in 1966. The "Ventures II German Carve" name is not official, it was coined by Mosrite enthusiasts to differentiate the two Ventures II guitars. ;1965–1968/1969: :* Joe Maphis models — These are similar in body shape to the later ''Combo'' model, but unlike the ''Combo'' model, these have no
F-hole A sound hole is an opening in the body of a stringed musical instrument, usually the upper sound board. Sound holes have different shapes: * round in flat-top guitars and traditional bowl-back mandolins; * F-holes in instruments from the vi ...
s. They're painted in a natural finish. They came as: :* Mark I Six-String Guitar :* Mark X Bass :* Mark XII Twelve-String Guitar ; 1966–?: :* Joe Maphis Dual Neck model— Two-necked guitar based on the Ventures model. Has 6 string and 12 string necks. Variants may exist. ;1966–1969: :* The Ventures Mark V Model — Later just named "Mark V" after the Ventures contract ended in 1967/1968. Only sold as a six-string guitar commercially, although a few Bass Prototypes exist (albeit with guitar scale lengths of 24.50".) A battered 1966 Ford Blue version of this model was used by the B-52s' Ricky Wilson with only four strings and a custom tuning for some of their distinctive sound and was featured on the inner sleeve of their debut 'yellow' album. :* Celebrity I, Celebrity II and Celebrity III Hollow-Body Guitars — came as: :* Mark I Six-String Guitar :* Mark X Bass :* Mark XII Twelve-String Guitar :* Combo Semi-Hollow Body Guitar; came as: :* Co Mark I Model 300 Six-String Guitar :* Co Mark X Model 301 4-String Bass Guitar (30 1/4" Scale Length.) :* Co Mark XII Model 302 Twelve-String Guitar Acoustic guitars: :* Balladere 6-String Guitar Models; came as: :* Balladere I (Model 401) Six String Guitar. No binding on neck. :* Balladere II (Model 402) Six String Guitar, 5 Inch Deep Body. :* Balladere III (Model 403) Six String Guitar with Bolt-On Neck. :* Balladere III-XII (Model 403-12) Twelve String Guitar. :* Serenade 6-String Guitar.


1970s

Unlike 1960s models, the 1970s marked a departure from the skinny necks; Mosrite didn't always make thin necks in the 70s. :* 300 (''
Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is an electric guitar produced by Fender. Together with its sister model the Esquire, it is the world's first mass-produced, commercially successful Les Paul had built a prototype solid bod ...
''-Style Body Shape, One pickup in the neck position, no German Carve) — Came as both six-string guitar and four-string bass. Came with a Mosrite Humbucker Pickup. Mahogany Body and Mahogany Neck. :* 350 (''Telecaster''-Style Body Shape, Two pickups, no German Carve) — Came in both "
Stereo Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...
" for two output jacks and "
Mono Mono may refer to: Common meanings * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono * Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single Music Performers * Mono (Japanese b ...
" for one output jack. Came as six-string guitar and four-string bass. Mostly came with Mosrite Humbucker Pickups though some may exist with Mosrite single coils. Mahogany Body and Mahogany Neck, mostly (with at least one exception.) :* Blues Bender 500 — Six-String Guitar similar in shape to a
Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...
but with typical Mosrite features; German Carve, Basswood body, Maple neck and Rosewood fretboard. Unlike 1960s Mosrite models, this model has a wider neck then 60s Mosrites and features Mosrite Humbucker pickups not found on stock 60s models. :* Celebrity — Mosrite continued production of the Celebrity models into the 70s with Mosrite Humbucker pickups. :* V-I — 70s design of guitar as the ''Ventures'' and "Mark I" models, minus the Ventures logo. :* V-II or V II — Same body style as a Mark I or Ventures model but with Mosrite Humbuckers and more electronics. :* B-I — Ventures bass minus the Ventures logo. :* B-II — Ventures bass minus the Ventures logo, but with Humbuckers and more controls. :* S.M. (Semie Moseley) Model — (Unofficial Name.) Six-String Guitar similar in Les Paul-style shape, with the same outlines of the Blues Bender and Brass Rail models. These do not have a German Carve, and they have single coil pickups. 84 or fewer are estimated to have been built. ;1976: :* Brass Rail — Six-String Guitar similar in body shape to a
Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...
with
fret A fret is any of the thin strips of material, usually metal wire, inserted laterally at specific positions along the neck or fretboard of a stringed instrument. Frets usually extend across the full width of the neck. On some historical instrume ...
s attached to a
brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
rod in the neck for
sustain In sound and music, an envelope describes how a sound changes over time. It may relate to elements such as amplitude (volume), frequencies (with the use of filters) or pitch. For example, a piano key, when struck and held, creates a near-immedi ...
. Has a German Carve. :* Brass Rail Deluxe — Came with passive and active circuits and two output jacks. Has a German Carve. An estimate of 100 Brass Rail models are estimated to have been built with the Deluxe models being scarcer, an estimate of 12 being built. ;Other 70s Guitars: :* Acoustic Black Widow (Electric 6 String Guitar) — Some were built by Mosrite. :* Sooner model (Electric 6 String Guitar) — Although not under the Mosrite name, these are associated with Mosrite.


1980s

This era mostly consisted of Ventures reissues and Ventures shaped models including but not limited to: :* M88 :* V88 :Both similar to the ''Ventures'' guitar design. :* V63 1963 Ventures Model Reissue with a bound body and neck, output jack on the side and vibramute.


1990s

:* The Nokie Model —
Nokie Edwards Nole Floyd "Nokie" Edwards (May 9, 1935 – March 12, 2018) was an American musician and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was primarily a guitarist, best known for his work with The Ventures, and was known in Japan as the 'Ki ...
Model; Similar to the ''Ventures'' model and with smooth pickup covers. :* The Ramones Model —
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
Model; Similar to the 1960s Ventures model. Seen in the Ramones' "I Don't Want To Grow Up" Music Video. Has a "Sharkfin" Pickguard, stop tailpiece and one bridge pickup. Few of these were built.


Notable players

*
Johnny Ramone John William Cummings (October 8, 1948 – September 15, 2004), better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American musician who was the guitarist and a founding member of the Ramones, a band that helped pioneer the punk movement. ...
(of the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
) *
Fred "Sonic" Smith Frederick Dewey Smith (September 14, 1948 – November 4, 1994), known professionally as Fred "Sonic" Smith, was an American guitarist, best known as a member of the influential and political Detroit rock band MC5. At age 31, he married and rai ...
(of
The MC5 MC5, also commonly called The MC5, is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The original line-up consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals) Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred "Sonic" Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass), and Dennis ...
) * Dave Alexander (of
The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...
) * Michael Davis of
The MC5 MC5, also commonly called The MC5, is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The original line-up consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals) Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred "Sonic" Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass), and Dennis ...
*
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
(of
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) *
Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internation ...
(of
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
) * Davie Allan *
Erik Brann Erik Keith Brann (born Rick Davis; August 11, 1950 – July 25, 2003), also known as Erik Braunn, was an American guitarist with the 1960s acid rock band Iron Butterfly. He was featured on the band's greatest hit, the 17-minute ''In-A-Gadda-Da- ...
(of
Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal music. ...
) * Toulouse Engelhardt *
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...
*
Kevin Shields Kevin Patrick Shields (born 21 May 1963) is an American-born Irish musician, singer-songwriter, composer, and producer, best known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band My Bloody Valentine. They became influential on the evolution of alter ...
(of My Bloody Valentine) *
Brian Causey Brian Causey (also known as Star Crunch) is an American musician, composer and singer. He is a founding member of surf rock band Man or Astro-man? and was the main songwriter and guitarist in the band from 1991 to 1998, and from 2006 to present. ...
(of
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) * Larry Collins (of
The Collins Kids The Collins Kids were an American rockabilly duo featuring Lawrencine "Lorrie" Collins (May 7, 1942 – August 4, 2018) and her younger brother Lawrence "Larry" Collins (born October 4, 1944). Their hits in the 1950s as youngsters, such as "Hop ...
) *
Lee Dorman Douglas Lee Dorman (September 15, 1942 – December 21, 2012) was an American bass guitarist best known as a member of the psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly. After replacing Jerry Penrod following Iron Butterfly’s debut album, Dorman had f ...
(of
Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal music. ...
) *
Art Greenhaw Art Greenhaw (born July 14, 1954) is an American musician, record producer and audio engineer who was awarded the Grammy Award in 2003 for the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album for ''We Called Him Mr. Gospel Music: The James Bl ...
* Susumu Hirasawa * Johnny & The Hurricanes * Koichi Kawasaki *
Yūzō Kayama is a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Life and career Son of mid-twentieth century film star Ken Uehara,and actress Yoko Kozakura, ( ja) Kayama graduated from Keio University. Yuzo Kayama signed with Toho and made hi ...
*
Joe Maphis Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis (May 12, 1921 – June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 and they performed together, later referred to as "Mr & Mrs Country Music". One of the flashiest co ...
*
Efrim Menuck Efrim Manuel Menuck (; born November 4, 1970) is a Canadian musician involved with a number of Montreal-based bands, most notably Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra. Menuck is also a frequent record producer a ...
* C.J. Ramone (of
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
) *
Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist. He was a co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of their fame in 1991, and with whom he ...
*
Takeshi Terauchi , also known as Terry, was a Japanese instrumental rock guitarist. His preferred guitar was a black Mosrite with a white pickguard. His guitar sound was characterized by frenetic picking, heavy use of tremolo picking and frequent use of his gu ...
*
The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the ...
*
Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
* Robert Smith (
The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...
) * Ricky Wilson (
The B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, p ...
) * Kevn Kenney (
Drivin N Cryin Drivin' n' Cryin' is an American Southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. History The band was formed in 1985 in Atlanta when Kevin Kinney hooked up with Frank French at the latter's recording studio, Dragon Path Music, and beg ...
)


Notes


References


Further reading

* Landers, Rick; Brennan, Tim
"The Story of Mosrite Guitars, Part One"
''Modern Guitars'' magazine, January 18, 2005 * Price, Robert

(archived 2008 copy), ''
The Bakersfield Californian ''The Bakersfield Californian'' is a daily newspaper serving Bakersfield, California and surrounding Kern County in the state's San Joaquin Valley. History ''The Bakersfield Californian'' is the direct descendant of Kern County's first newspap ...
''. Has biographical notes on Semie Moseley.


External links


Official website
(archived, March 12, 2013)

on Ed Roman website

North American Instruments, 2000. With some personal notes on its builder.

''Tym Guitars'', Australia.
Mosrite Guitars
"Mosrite Guitars at Front Porch Music", California
"Mosrite Forum"
(Fan site for Mosrite enthusiasts)
"Mosrite Celebrity"
(Fan site for the Mosrite Celebrity models)
Andy Moseley
Interview - NAMM Oral History Program, 2012 {{Guitar brands Guitar manufacturing companies of the United States