Mosrite Ventures II - A collection of serial numbers

[motiersbad]

Thanks. I did read somewhere that Johnny played two guitars which were clones of the Slab Body guitar and one was a sunburst played in a music video from 1981 or 1982 which was banned from TV?

Austin

maybe the time has come today clip?

on 00:34 ... i think this is a mosrite, too or?

[maxkat]

Hey Austin, hey Phil,

the "sunburst" has been a white Hamer Sunburst played in the "Psycho Therapy" video which was banned or censored on MTV. The sunburst Mosrite in "Time Has Come Today" is a German Carve Ventures II or Mark V that Johnny may have used as backup in the Richie era, hard to say as only a few live videos exist from that time.

Speaking of Johnny's Mosrites: I'm still looking for the serial numbers of these guitars, perhaps someone knows:
(1) the blue slab Ventures II
(2) the sunburst slab Ventures II
(3) the white slab Ventures II (worn off, but it should've had one)
(4) the strange black/black slab
(5) the sunburst German Carve Ventures II / Mark V from the video above
(6) the brown slab Ventures II (later refinished gold)

Cheers, Max

[101Volts]

Yes that was the "Time Has Come Today" Video which I thought of. But is it really a German Carve model? The pickguard was similar to the Slab Body type.

Hey Austin, hey Phil,

the "sunburst" has been a white Hamer Sunburst played in the "Psycho Therapy" video which was banned or censored on MTV. The sunburst Mosrite in "Time Has Come Today" is a German Carve Ventures II or Mark V that Johnny may have used as backup in the Richie era, hard to say as only a few live videos exist from that time.

Speaking of Johnny's Mosrites: I'm still looking for the serial numbers of these guitars, perhaps someone knows:
(1) the blue slab Ventures II
(2) the sunburst slab Ventures II
(3) the white slab Ventures II (worn off, but it should've had one)
(4) the strange black/black slab
(5) the sunburst German Carve Ventures II / Mark V from the video above
(6) the brown slab Ventures II (later refinished gold)

Cheers, Max

I thought #4 and #5 were built by a friend of the band and were not official Mosrite guitars, I'm not sure about it now though. You can see in the video above the sunburst one had only one pickup.

Here's a website about Johnny's guitars, Off the top of my head at least I'm not sure you know it.

http://www.rockometer.com/ramones/g_start.html

Specifically, Here are the pages for guitars #4 and #5:

#5 http://www.rockometer.com/ramones/g_black1.html

#4 http://www.rockometer.com/ramones/g_sunb.html

Austin

[maxkat]

Hi Austin,

yes, thanks, I know that page – I'd wish Ian or Chris would join in here, I think they'd have some answers

I'm sure the guitar in the video (number 5) is a real Ventures II or Mark V with a custom made pickguard and the same tailpiece modification that's been made with all of Johnny's guitars. Nobody would build a German Carve body when the result should look like Johnny's slab And there have always been enough German Carve Ventures IIs around. I guess John was in need of a new backup guitar after the equipment truck's been stolen again on the first tour with Richie in 1983, so he got that guitar and the red Ventures Mark I, replacing the black slab (and perhaps one the Hamers and the fireglow Rickenbacker?).

The black (custom made?) slab appeared in early 1978 after the equipment's been stolen the first time at Oct. 22, 1977.

Cheers, Max

[101Volts]

Max, Did you see this one?

http://home.exetel.com.au/mosrite/1965- ... -ii-model/

Also, I believe that B670 which I have was sunburst originally since I've seen black paint on the edges and in the cavities, Plus a little red in the neck cavity and control cavity. I'm probably not going to refinish it in that finish though since there have been so many dings and sanding marks in it.

Also, It would be nice to know the serial number of the blue one Ricky had. I asked the person who posted this photo on Tumblr if he saw the number.

Actually, There's a photo of Ricky kneeling near multiple Mosrite guitars. You can see it in the compilation booklet for "Songs For A Future Generation" and one of them is a sunburst, I think they were all short-pickguard ones too unless the one he was holding (Which wasn't facing the camera) wasn't.



Austin

[maxkat]

Hey Aaron,
yes, it's in the list (B106).
If B670 was mine I'd fill all the dings and sanding marks with wood filler in the right color and prime it with a yellow tinted base coat – maybe you won't see any more dings in the translucent areas. My Ventures II has a opaque white base coat around the edges (where the black area will be), then translucent yellow over the whole body, then the translucent red and then the opaque black. But a solid red or blue looks great, too
Keep me updated with Ricky's serial number...
Cheers, Max

[101Volts]

I looked at the person's Tumblr (http://stuntguitarist.tumblr.com/post/5 ... -hell-yess) and didn't see a reply yet. I may have to ask again.

But while I'm posting, I saw this picture of what I think is Johnny's Blue Slab Body guitar from here: http://zombiesenelghetto.tumblr.com/pos ... -stolen-in



Note the bridge; Those weren't stock, Were they? The Vibrato is still there in this pic.

Austin

[maxkat]

Yes, Johnny's Blue Slab did not come with its original bridge but with a Gibson/Schaller harmonica bridge – not the perfect replacement as the mounting posts' distance is different
Cheers, Max

[101Volts]

Thanks.

Austin

[101Volts]

So how can we tell what the serial numbers are/were for the guitars Johnny played? And where are the other Ventures II guitars he played? I know the blue one was stolen and the white one's number was worn off, But what about the other ones?

Also, I've asked at The Gear page where Ricky's Blue MK V is located. And did you get the PMs I sent you about the MK Vs from eBay? I saw one reifnished in a purple-ish color with a tortoiseshell-type pickguard and a white or cream colored MK V which there aren't many of. I also saw a neck without a body.

What close-up photographs of Johnny's guitars exist? There's this one too:



Austin