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Hello... My name is Ken. I'm looking for some information about Mosrites. My aunt left me a Mosrite guitar, maybe more than one. My aunt worked for the "Ventures" back in the 1960's. Fact is, the young lady in the green dress in a Ventures ad or on a record cover looks a lot like my aunt. Does anyone know that persons name? If it is Ramona, please let me know.

My aunt told a story about buying a Mosrite while working for the Ventures. She said that the first 4 went to band members, and she got the 5th. My aunt died a couple years ago. In her belongings, I came across a Mosrite. It is a Celebrity model made in Bakersfield. The label reads:

Oval sticker: Orange with black outer ring.

style Celebrity (typewriter written)
serial no. M-0009 (typewriter written)
MOSRITE OF CALIFORNIA
INC.
This instrument is guaranteed against faulty
workmanship and defective materials.

Bakersfield, California
U.S.A

The reason that I'm asking is that I am looking to sell it, I'm the Trustee of her estate and need to pay some of her debts.
I hope to go back to California and looks in her belonging for photo evidence of a Ventures connection or maybe the missing number 5. I'm thinking she meant number 9, but maybe there is a second guitar yet to be found. My aunt being the girl in green would be a great start. This guitar is in the sunburst finish, with 3 screws holding the neck on. I wrote emails to some Mosrite experts but they have not replied. I'm wondering what something like this in VG would be worth and the best way to sell it. I have pictures if anyone is going research by serial numbers. Nothing has been replaced on it.

Ken,

Welcome to the forum. The Celebrity is a later model than the "Ventures" model, which is a solid body guitar like the one on the top of this forum. Any pictures or information you have will be helpful in sorting out what you've got.

Best,
Mel

How does someone post a photo, or do you have a email address that I can send them to?

MWaldorf wrote:Ken,

Welcome to the forum. The Celebrity is a later model than the "Ventures" model, which is a solid body guitar like the one on the top of this forum. Any pictures or information you have will be helpful in sorting out what you've got.

Best,
Mel

The best way to post pictures is to upload them to an online storage site and then link them here. If you do not have that capability, you can email the photos to me and I will upload them for you. I'll send you a PM with my email address.

I'm sorry, I forgot to welcome you to the forum first! I'm all business when it comes to the Celebrity model.

Okay, here are pictures of Ken's Mosrite Celebrity-II, serial number M0009 in a beautiful Redburst/Cherryburst color. Check out the flaming! It is in awesome condition and even has the original Mosrite strap! There are some other goodies hiding under the headstock in the case. Perhaps Mosrite strings???

That's a great-looking Celebrity! Mel's right--it's definitely later than the Ventures solidbodies. Did your aunt play? That guitar appears to have little or no wear on it. And can we see the "green dress" photo? If you have something that ties your aunt to the guitar, maybe a photo of her playing or holding it, and if it turns out that she was the girl in the green dress, that could add to the value of the guitar. As far as I know, the Ventures never played Celebrities, but since they owned Mosrite's distribution, they could have had the first four of them, and your aunt had the fifth. Or maybe there's another Mosrite in her estate, waiting to be discovered. Cool stuff!

jfine wrote:Did your aunt play? ...//...And can we see the "green dress" photo?

Yes Ken, you've made me curious too......and good luck 'trusteeing' your Aunt's estate and of course, welcome to the Forum!

Hi Ken, first of all, welcome to the Forum. The MARK I that you have and said is in VG condition, actually is not .
Actually this Celebrity that you have is in 'EXCELLENT PLUS' condition!!! One of the advantages that you have with
this guitar is all the 'candy' that came with it. What I'm referring to is the small tags that the guitar came with such
as the 'Victoria Luggage' inspection sticker, an original Mosrite strap, and also the original 'Lead King' strings by
Mosrite for electric spanish guitar. I don't know if you have the keys to the case, which might still be in the
'glove' compartment, none the less, that is an incredible find! Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do .
BTW Ken, are the 'United' flight tags on the case handle from the 60s era as well??

p.s.---Sarah, I'll PM you with the S/Ns on my Celebs that I promised you (a while back) sometime later this evening,
when I can get my hands on them(LOL), and everyone keep watching for Sarah's http://www.MosriteCelebrity.com .

p.s.(2)---jfine, Besides their signature model, I've also seen PIX of the Ventures playing the 'Combo' Models, but I haven't seen
any PIX of them playing 'Celebs' on stage. However I do have an old Album given to me by an older cousin, in which the album
is titled 'Super Psychedelics.' When you open the album jacket, inside are PIX of the Ventures with Mel Taylor holding an
original Celebrity ('64), and Nokie is sitting down with a Celebrity-II Mark I in a Sunburst finish.....

Dennisthe Menace wrote:The MARK I that you have and said is in VG condition, actually is not .

....hey Dennis, what have you seen that we haven't?!

Dennisthe Menace wrote:Besides their signature model, I've also seen PIX of the Ventures playing the 'Combo' Models, (...) I do have an old Album (....) titled 'Super Psychedelics.' When you open the album jacket, inside are PIX of the Ventures with Mel Taylor holding an original Celebrity ('64), and Nokie is sitting down with a Celebrity-II Mark I in a Sunburst finish.....

Good find Dennis! I made a scan of this PIX from my cd version of said album; poor quality because I blew it up from a tiny image...

but I can clearly count 7(!) Celebrities