The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: drbassman on October 30, 2008, 01:54:17 PM
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While trolling around the Mosrite forum, looking for truss rod advice, I found out about a guy in Canada who bought the left over stock from Mosrite when they went belly up. Turns out he doesn't have many bass parts, but he has lots of NOS and unfinished guitar bodies and some necks too, I believe.
I was able to buy a NOS bass body, pickguard and a couple genuine knobs. So, my thought is to build a 1 pickup Mosie bass and I've at least got a real neck I can copy for it. The only tough part is the bridge and those goofey tuners, but you never know what might pop up on eBay!
I'll post pics when the stuff gets here.
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With a day gig and all how do you find this stuff !
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With a day gig and all how do you find this stuff !
Well, I don't bring a lot of work home anymore as I make sure I get it all done in the office or classroom. Makes my home time pretty much my own! And I'm planning for retirement, so I'm also motivated!!! ;)
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Wait a sec...you have truss rod problems with the second Mosrite? I must have missed that.
How many times did Mosrite go belly up anyway? I lost count.
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Yeah, a minor glitch. The top of the rod was bent slightly and wouldn't tighten down properly. The cool thing about Mosrites is the rod channel is open at the heel and you can slide it right out. Very cool design for a company that couldn't stay afloat. I found a replacement rod and I can fix the original too as a backup. Cost me $15 for the new one. Piece of cake!
I'm not sure, but Semie was quite a crook from what I heard and went "under" several times and ended up not paying any investors back for their trouble.
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Considering your experience with Andy, maybe it runs in the family.
If the heel end of the channel is open, how is the truss rod anchored? Or is it a different rod design from the typical Gibson or Fender style?
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Considering your experience with Andy, maybe it runs in the family.
If the heel end of the channel is open, how is the truss rod anchored? Or is it a different rod design from the typical Gibson or Fender style?
It isn't anchored in any way except by friction. When I reinstall the rod I'm gonna put a set screw in the back of the neck to keep it from sliding down, which is what happened originally causing some of the problem in the first place. I heard that the Mosrite guitars typically had one of these screws in the neck heel, so I'm gonna follow suit.
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I can't see how friction alone would be enough to keep the rod from turning when you tighten the nut at the headstock.
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:-\
[Stands in corner, whistling idly, waiting impatiently for pix....]
:bored:
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I can't see how friction alone would be enough to keep the rod from turning when you tighten the nut at the headstock.
It's a dual rod with a square piece of steel on top (the one that flexes) and a round rod on the bottom (the stable piece), so it wouldn't twist in the channel. Then, a round fitting was welded to the top for the threads and nut. Like this...........
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Mosrite/100_1991.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Mosrite/100_1995.jpg)
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:-\
[Stands in corner, whistling idly, waiting impatiently for pix....]
:bored:
It's on its way from Windsor Ontario as you read this............. Not that far away actually!
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wonder what i am going to do with that old Mosrite Ventures bridge i have???????
i sure could use a tailpiece to anchor my strings on my Epi. oh well i guess i'll just throw it back in my parts box.
http://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/Mosrite%20Bridge/
"bassplayer" = password
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wonder what i am going to do with that old Mosrite Ventures bridge i have???????
i sure could use a tailpiece to anchor my strings on my Epi. oh well i guess i'll just throw it back in my parts box.
http://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/Mosrite%20Bridge/
"bassplayer" = password
Hey, now I get it! I do have a spare tail piece if you are interested in a trade! ;D
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cool
i'll send a PM
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Hey, now I get it! I do have a spare tail piece if you are interested in a trade! ;D
deal, PM sent. thanks Bill
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Okay, I see. That style rod is not designed to need anchoring. Similar to this (http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Truss+Rods%2FNeck+Parts&NameProdHeader=Truss+Rod+%2D+Standard+welded+end).
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Okay, I see. That style rod is not designed to need anchoring. Similar to this (http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Truss+Rods%2FNeck+Parts&NameProdHeader=Truss+Rod+%2D+Standard+welded+end).
That's true but mine had been pushed down, by previous owners trying to adjust it, to the point the nut was recessed down into the top of the channel and was hard to access. So a screw to prevent downward travel is nice insurance.
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Thanks for the LMII link, I hadn't thought to look there! I got a rod from an eBay fellow I buy from regularly. I might pick one of these up to see how it would work.
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When I was at Roberto-Venn that was the style truss rod we used, they called it a double expanding rod. As I recall the theory was you could flip the rod to adjust for not enough back bow. Since the late 80s I have yet to see a guitar with that problem but I guess it could happen.
For those of you that are into the potential collectors value of various guitar parts... we also had a bunch of Mosrite bodies. We used them to practice spraying assorted finishes, essentially ruining them. Please forgive me... at the time no one cared about old Mosrite bodies.
I look forward to seeing some pictures of this cool sounding bass project.
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There's a bit of confusion about that. A double-expanding rod can be one-way (just correcting forward bow, like a Gibson rod) or two-way, which will correct backbow. LMII offers both types. I don't think the Mosrite is a two-way type, I don't think anyone had one back then.
Backbow can happen with the strings off, but you don't often see it once the guitar is under string tension.
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Got the body, two original pick guards and two knobs. Also, my Eastwood pup came to day too!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Mosrite/100_2033.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Mosrite/100_2034.jpg)
I also found original bridge posts/inserts, a neck plate and strap buttons. Ready to roll soon!
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That's gonna be a cool project, have fun with it.
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and i opened my parts box and seen that my old bridge had magically transformed into a sexy T-Bird tailpiece.
let me know when that gets there Dr.
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and i opened my parts box and seen that my old bridge had magically transformed into a sexy T-Bird tailpiece.
let me know when that gets there Dr.
Yep, magic via the USPS! Should arrive any day now!
There are two parts I'll have to make myself if they don't pop up on eBay (highly unlikely). The bridge cover and tail piece. Man, what is it with these tail pieces??? I've already ordered the metal (brass and aluminum angle) and I'm branching out into metal working now!
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OK< times are tight and I need some equipment in my shop. The first casualty is gonna be my Mosrite project. After collecting a bunch of stuff for it, I've decided not to go ahead with it and sell the stuff off. I need some power tools for the shop and something has to go. Besides, I've got the EB-2, Sheraton, M-85 and Starfire projects nagging me already!!! If anyone's interested in some genuine Mosrite parts (or bass body), let me know. I'm throwing them up on eBay as soon as I can.
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Here's what's going, for inquiring minds:
1. Mosrite body with 2 pickguards in differing shape
2. 2 vintage Mosrite knobs
3. 2 vintage Mosrite strap buttons
4. 1 vintage Mosrite nut
5. 1 Mosrite neck plate with screws
6. One reproduction truss rod cover
7. one reproduction tailpiece
That's all I can remember for now! Shoot me a note if you're interested in something.