Ventures book

[Dennisthe Menace]

So, to plead ignorance here, what's the name of this book and where is it available?

Mel, I think the title is called:
The Ventures- 50 Years of Rocking or 50 Years of Rock and Roll....something like that.....

However, a shorter version of the book is available from Dubtrub, he
has 4 or 5 individual pages available......

[dubtrub]

Mel, there was a post about it by Desert Surfer.

Ventures Book

Order it here

[MWaldorf]

Thanks guys! Mel

[dubtrub]

1) What does it say about what happened to cause the Ventures/Mosrite split?
2) Nokies Original Mosrite. Was this the one that he borrowed and eventually bought for $200 from Semie?
3) The guitar hanging in the H/R Cafe in Honolulu. What's the S/N?
I know these questions might sound bizarre, but it sure would answer a lot of questions....

In answer to question #1.

According to the book, which BTW, the information was gleaned straight from Bob Bogle and Don Wilson who were/are the sole Ventures. I'll summarize it in my words. Semie met with them and demanded they "The Ventures Mosrite Distributing Co." increase the retail price on the guitars, as he was losing money. They refused and he demanded that they pay him more out of the sales profit and take less on their commission. They felt that he was mismanaging the Mosrite factory as he wasn't able to keep up supply with the demand, as he was divesting into Dobro's and this was causing lack of supply. Plus they felt that the guitar was already way over priced compared to Fender, which was more widely known. Semie felt that his guitars could stand on their own and he did not need the Ventures endorsement to sell his guitars. The meeting ended with hard feelings all the way around. Also I should add, Nokie was not a part of this meeting and had no business interest in Mosrite.

Question #2.

Nokie had left the Ventures to return to his home in Washington, as he was tired of the hectic life of traveling all the time. He wanted to settle down and raise horses. He had 15 brand new in the case Mosrite Ventures model's along with his original Mosrite guitar he bought from Semie in 1963, all were stored at his home. Nokie says these were to be his retirement investment to sell in later years. One day while he was away from his home, someone broke in and stole all of these guitars.

The guitars you referred to in another thread about Nokies first Mosrite being stolen in Japan was probably mistaken by a separate theft. The Ventures were going to return to Japan on another tour at a later date and they made arraignments to leave their equipment to be stored there. When they returned for that later tour they learned that the equipment could not be found. When the equipment was left in Japan to be stored, Nokie was not playing with the Ventures, so it was not any of his equipment that was stolen.

As for question #3. I have not read anything about that in the book as yet. I'm about 2/3's of the way through the book. I'll post if I find the answer.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Thanks Danny.....BTW, Semie was not much of a businessman from what I heard, BUT
the Semie I knew, also had a BIG Heart. And to hear that he had demanded Bob and Don
to raise the prices on the guitars???...Well, I'll just accept that as "the Joke of the Day"
It's too bad that we can't hear the "flip side" of the Record........

[dubtrub]

the Semie I knew, also had a BIG Heart. And to hear that he had demanded Bob and Don
to raise the prices on the guitars???...Well, I'll just accept that as "the Joke of the Day"

You got that right.

Bob Bogle was the first to pull out in 1965. He was fed up with Mosrite and sold out his share to Don Wilson and the Mosrite Distributing Co. manager. Later, Don also became disenchanted with Semie when he tried to get him to build him a special Mosrite with a wider neck, but Semie refused and stated he would not alter his design. This was only to be one guitar especially for Don's use. Why would Semie refuse? The Ventures deal was what put Mosrite on the map. Custom built guitars was his specialty. I found this hard to accept as well. As with everything in life, there are always two sides to every story. Semie isn't around to tell his side. Maybe we'll learn the other side when and if Andy Moseley ever writes his book.

Another interesting story in the book. Bob Bogle designed his own style of guitar, which was a swept wing design. He tried to get someone to build it and showed his drawing to several lutheirs including employees of Mosrite, but could not find any takers. Then one day he was at the NAMM show and saw the Hallmark swept wing guitar as he had designed. This was the built by Joe Hall, formerly of Mosrite fame. There is a photograph of his drawing in the book and it does appear virtually the same. Bob's guitar was called the Encor.

[Dennisthe Menace]

One plus One equals.....Three......???? There's something missing here
The Good Folks over in Japan that Semie had the good fortune of meeting, I'll
bet you someone over there knows "the truth," or maybe the truth is already
in the "Mosrite Book." Unfortunately, I do not speak Japanese

Later, Don also became disenchanted with Semie when he tried to get him to build him a special Mosrite with a wider neck, but Semie refused and stated he would not alter his design. This was only to be one guitar especially for Don's use. Why would Semie refuse? The Ventures deal was what put Mosrite on the map. Custom built guitars was his specialty. I found this hard to accept as well. As with everything in life, there are always two sides to every story. Semie isn't around to tell his side.

Danny, isn't it funny how Semie refused to make a wider neck for Don, but didn't have any problem whatsoever in reshaping the vibrato arm to Don's liking, because the "Factory" one
just didn't feel right to him??? Does anyone REMEMBER this story??

[dubtrub]

OK, Dennis, the book finally mentions the Mosrite guitar in Honolulu. In 1987 the chain 'Hard Rock Cafe' purchased a Mosrite guitar that was reported to have belonged to Nokie Edwards. When the restaurant proceeded to validate the claim, Nokie confirmed the serial number as being his guitar that was stolen from his home 15 years earlier. Rather than claim the guitar, Nokie and band autographed it. It was soon sent to the new chain restaurant in Honolulu. The book never did state the serial number.

JFY. I have now had to re glue 16 pages that have fallen out of the book. Naturally they did not fit back in like they should and it looks like sh-t. There is no evidence that they were ever attached. I have over a hundred books in my home library and I have never experienced anything like this. I am very careful with my books as I have a HUGE investment in my library. I am VERY disappointed in the poor quality of it's manufacturing process and I hope others that have purchased this book have better luck.

[MWaldorf]

Speculation here, but it's possible that the Ventures deal soured purely because of limited supply of guitars. If the Ventures has fixed costs for advertizing and sales/distribution staff and it wasn't getting recouped because there weren't enough guitars to sell, that alone could have sealed the deal regardless of the best intentions. Anyway, just a thought.

[Dennisthe Menace]

I have now had to re glue 16 pages that have fallen out of the book. Naturally they did not fit back in like they should and it looks like sh-t. There is no evidence that they were ever attached. I have over a hundred books in my home library and I have never experienced anything like this. I am very careful with my books as I have a HUGE investment in my library. I am VERY disappointed in the poor quality of it's manufacturing process and I hope others that have purchased this book have better luck.

Thanks for the update Danny. What about calling the Folks you ordered the book from? Tell them your situation, and maybe they might send another book out to you..........maybe......