History of Kurt Cobain's Mosrite Gospel

[@EarlyB-52sGuitars]

I'm glad you made the video, this is what I've been saying for a long time, this Mosrite is *not* a "Mark IV" model. It's a Mark V, the majority of them are named either "The Ventures Mark V" or or just "Mark V" and there's literally no official recognized word among Mosrite of a 1965 - 1969 "Mark IV" model anywhere. There's a *slim* chance that Kurt's (being a rare *variant,* not a rare model) _was_ called a Mark IV, *but* that would have been only in the letter to the original owner of the one Kurt got (and also in letters to original owners of other Gospel Mark V models. The letters were included in each instrument's case.) The reason for a temporary model name change could have been to keep away from legal issues related to the Moseley family not being allowed to use their Mosrite name in the 1969 - 1970 (or so) bankruptcy period. The Mark V model, in all its iterations, started in Late August 1965 (as the "Ventures II," confusingly, since the first 125 or so were built with necks originally meant for the *original* Ventures II [different body style, the type Johnny Ramone played, it got discontinued early] and then Mosrite didn't change the name for the Mark V type until March 1966) and manufacturing of the Mark V body and neck blanks should have ended in February 1969 at the latest (at the bankruptcy period's beginning) but a few of them got assembled after that, probably including Kurt's. Officially and *after* Semie Moseley's death in 1992, there is some kind of a "Mark IV" model, but it's a Japanese build with a Ventures style body that has a Gibson stoptail and doesn't even feature Mosrite pickups. Semie would not have approved of that - he might have agreed to have a stoptail (a few Mosrite models had a Mosrite-built stoptail,) but the guitar would have needed Mosrite Pickups and a Mosrite-spec Bridge and Stoptail or it would never have gone out the door. Semie did not want Mosrite to be a copy of other companies, he wanted the guitars to have their own special sound.

[@THE-CRT]

I wish we had more modern day gospel alternatives.

[@THE-CRT]

I mean there are of course the Eastwood remakes, but I hear they have rather thick necks and to me they look smaller than the originals.

[@bumblefritz]

-Eastwood makes some with a couple modern touches. -Hallmark makes some pretty accurate replica models. -Danelectro makes the '64 model, which is in the same ballpark, nice thin neck. -Harley Benton makes some cheaper Mosrite inspired guitars which I hear are decent for the money.

[@THE-CRT]

@@bumblefritz these are all true but I hear Eastwood has thick necks, the Harley Benton’s look goofy, you can’s hardly find a good price on a danelectro 64, and hallmark is pretty much defunct and hard to find used.

[@bumblefritz]

@@THE-CRT I have the Danelectro '64 XT. The neck is nice and thin. They had an earlier '64 model with the" German carve" but the XT is more Strat-like with it's carve. It also has a splitable lipstick humbucker. It really is a great guitar. I'm glad I got my sunburst model when I did because those are selling for ridiculous prices now too.

[@fuzzcous]

Dillion made a nice copy but they are also hard to find used.

[@keiranbradley3238]

The frets board does have position dots, they're just really small. I've always wanted a Mk1 with the side jack and set neck. The Japanese make great replicas.

[@101Volts]

Yeah, I measured mine, they're 0.050" wide. It doesn't help as they age, they kinda get stained by the fretboard or they otherwise oxidize. They were White originally, I took a pin and scraped at a few of them, and found they're white. (Mine's far from all original, missing half its original parts including the finish. I'm not de-valuing it any further by doing this.)

[@starshineraiser6729]

Some people just have it. Your videos are just magnificent. You take things that I’m mildly interested in and pull the fascinating information out. Thank you.

[@loungeact1212]

@@starshineraiser6729 thanks thats great to hear it keeps me motivated it takes a bit of time to get all of this together.

[@n.s.2690]

Cant believe I missed this one! I've been wondering if you'd ever come back to cover the Gospel.

[@loungeact1212]

Good to be back!

[@fuzzcous]

I heard Mosrites featured the 'German carve'- its the contour on the side of the body. When you said how rare the Gospel era was I knew the guitar would get stolen.

[@EarlyB-52sGuitars]

The Gospel versions of the Mark V are rare, but the model itself appears to have had about 1,550 (give or take up to maybe 50) built in its original run, going by Max Katzenberger's list that's mentioned here at 3:30.

[@michaelr.4878]

Mosrites are great guitars. I had a lefthanded copy of a Mark 2 slab body made by a custom maker who had a real Mosrite for reference. I love everything about the gutiar except for one thing..the nut width. Mosrites are known for their thin, fast necks. But they aren't only thin in depth, they are thin in width..especially around the nut. To me, a Mosrite with the normal nut width, like that of a Les Paul, would be the perfect playing guitar. I prefer set neck guitars..but I make an exception for the comfort and performance of my Mosrite copy. If it wouldn't take 2 years, I'd have another neck made.

[@EarlyB-52sGuitars]

That nut width (zero fret width, and the width is about 1.550") is on the 60s models, I own a Mark V type myself. But in the 1970s, Mosrite widened their fretboards, and I'm told it's 1.650" or 1.675" wide. However, that doesn't include the Ventures II / Mark II or the Mark V models.

[@theelectrodefunhouse4651]

The vibrato unit on the Mosrite isn’t a Bigsby but a in house unit made by Mosrite themselves.

[@loungeact1212]

Thank you!

[@EarlyB-52sGuitars]

Yes, it's true. However, it's somewhat Bigsby-inspired. I have a Mosrite Mark V, but under its earlier and less common name.

[@wastewoodrockers5526]

Great video!

[@Kurt19678]

YESSSS MORE!!!

[@duanechapman-ft6ty]

There was a company about 10 years ago, that I can't remember the name of now. They made nice versions of The Ventures Mosrites. I believe they had some kinda connections to someone in The Ventures actually. I played one of the basses that was pretty nice, but was the only one I've ever saw. I know you had to order them on the internet at least at that time. Not exactly a Gospel model per se, but a nice well playing Mosrite style that I think was better than the Danelectro.

[@loungeact1212]

I would like to try the Eastwood copies!

[@guitarzan2626]

You can still buy Japanese made mosrites now. They are really great guitars.

[@101Volts]

You're probably thinking of Wilson Brothers, around 2009. But those might sound more like Fenders, and Mosrite is in-between Fender and Gibson tonally. If you want Mosrite tone, Hallmark are the only more affordable ones doing it, but they had covid supply issues.

[@101Volts]

Ed Elliott (who worked at Mosrite) also makes his own copies and pickups, but expect his new ones to cost about as much as a vintage one, somewhere from $2,000 to $3,500, probably (I don't know his pricing for the guitars.) His pickups, though, can be found on eBay.

[@guitarzan2626]

Semi was actually a great guitarist and designer. He made great guitars.

[@BataraKado]

great video, more please, cover the history of jerry cantrells guitars, some crazy depth there for content.

[@loungeact1212]

Thanks I will explore that. Love me some AIC!

[@austindavis9839]

I own one of those sunburst Gospel guitars.

[@loungeact1212]

@@austindavis9839 that's awesome! 👍

[@austindavis9839]

@@loungeact1212 yeah it was my dad’s guitar. I’m not really sure where he got it from, maybe his church like your video suggested. He grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota so kinda random that he ended up with one of these. I need to ask him if he remembers anymore about where it came from.

[@loungeact1212]

@@austindavis9839 I would keep it as long as you can, very unique and cool piece to have.

[@EarlyB-52sGuitars]

Might I ask what its serial no. is? That's stamped into the fretboard near the nekc pickup. Is it an original or a reissue? There's a fan who's compiling info of the serial numbers of these. (Original records burned at a factory fire at the Mosrite Factory in November 1983.)

[@loungeact1212]

@@EarlyB-52sGuitars I think I may have got that from the eBay listing of another Gospel like Kurt's...I included it because I thought it was unique the way they put them on neck.

[@detroitfunk313]

1:13 "German curve" ? Dont you mean to say French Curve ?

[@101Volts]

Neither is correct, the real term is "German *Carve."* It's something also on a few RIckenbackers, and Semie Moseley learned it from Roger Rossmiesl.