Sometimes I get to refurbish a misused or well worn guitar,breathing new life into a seemingly hopeless axe. Other times...I have to follow instructions and do the bare minimum to "Just make it play". This was the case with this formerly beautiful 1966 Mosrite 12-string. One of the more collectible Ventures models,this version can go for $3000-$4000,when in great shape. This poor guy is a great example of why most people shouldn't try to do finish work on their own guitar. It appears to have been spray painted,with the pickguard removed,but the electronics left in the guitar. The pickguard has been painted,seemingly by hand. The frets,never tall to begin with,are paper thin. The electronics weren't working that well. It's knobs,most likely the "hat type" with the V and T, are missing. This guy's in rough shape!
The good news? Luckily there's plenty of good news. The unique Mosrite proprietary strap buttons are still there. I was able to keep the pots and 1/4" jack,despite the paint overspray,replacing only the 3-way switch. The distinctive "Moseley" 12-string vibrato and zero fret combination not only worked,it actually stayed in tune. The original pickups sounded great;Mosrite pickups definitely have their own sound. The frets,although tiny,played great,after some minor work. Even if this heart breaker of a guitar never looks great again,at least it plays and sounds great. Sometimes that's all you can ask.
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| You can see the original mint green peeking through the white. |
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