Newbie Question - 1966 Mosrite Ventures Mk I

[Arnold.T.Pants]

Hi Fellas - 2nd post here. I have a 1966 Mosrite Ventures Mk I. Bought it at a local guitar show back in 1997 for $900. It is nearly 100% except for both potentiometers. The serial # is 497X ( leaving last digit out). No date stamp on neck or neck pocket. I am trying to nail down the approximate week in 1966 to the serial number. I am figuring around July, but that is where I need some professional help. Any info is greatly appreciated, and btw > I am so glad I found this forum! Such a wealth of knowledge.

[maxkat]

Hi Arnold.T.Pants,
you may have a look at my collection of serial numbers here:
http://hang10.de/lists/mosrite-ventures-guitar-bass-12-string-serial-numbers/
s/n 4527 has pot dates 29th week of 66, V5211 has 47th week of 66, so yours may lie just in between these pot dates.
s/n 3778 has a May 27th, 1966 neck. V5405 (pots still 47th of 66) has a Nov 1965 (!) neck and an Oct 1966 body, so it was completed in very late 1966. Mosrite often used bodies and necks that have been made quite a long time before the parts were used to assemble a guitar.
The missing of date stamps lets me think that your guitar's body and neck have been made after Mosrite used date stamps, the last I know is from October of 1966. The may have stopped using date stamps regularly before this date.
I'd say yours is made around October '66 – perhaps you can read more out of my list I'm sorry that I don't have more exact dates.
Cheers,
Max

[tom villaflor]

Welcome to the forum Arnold
I have a Mark 1 pretty much exactly like yours...serial # 3850..neck pocket says oct 65...neck says june 66
truss adj at the pickup end....7 pickguard screws..(some had 8)....not sure about my pot dates....sunburst.....Moseley tailpiece
Bought at hometown music store in 1974 after getting out of Army.....played them in that same store as a teenager when they were brand new( mid sixties)
have some pics here somewhere...
Tom Villaflor
Murray Ky

[FrankJames]

Welcome to the mosrite forum, Arnold !!

[Arnold.T.Pants]

Whoa! what a great link Max - Thanks! ! ! ( how in the heck did I miss this page! )

Now I know what weeks will work for my Mk I - this is just great!

By any chance did Mosrite use other potentiometer brands besides CentraLab, ....CTS like Fender and Gibson at around this period?

Thanks again guys !

-ATP

[Sarah93003]

Welcome. Mosrite typically used Central Labs (most common) would be a code such as 1346713 on the pots. They also used CTS which would be a code such as 1376713. I've even read that Semie would go to Radio Shack for pots if he ran out.

[Arnold.T.Pants]

Thank you Sarah93003. I haven't looked at the potentiometers in years, I just recall they looked cheap & not the typical quality of CTS, CentraLab, Stackpole, etc. of the day. I will take another gander at them in the next few day, snap a pic and see what you guys think. Thanks again everyone for all your input. - ATP