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Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:15 pm
by TerryTNM
I have heard of this find for almost a year. Bob Regan, west coast picker billing himself as "the fastest guitar player in the world" had at least 2 custom guitars built early on by Semie Moseley. The one I have personal knowledge of, a super fancy triple-neck was finished and delivered in the summer of 1959 just before Semie left for Bakersfield. The second, I had only heard rumor about from Deke Dickerson. A probable early 60's custom built doubleneck. It has finally surfaced at Andy Moseley's home in Nashville. A restoration that was started but never completed then tucked away and forgotten. I took some photos of this at the CAAS show this last summer where Elaine Frizzell had brought it to me as a friend of Andy's for possible restoring. We haven't reached any agreement yet but I'd sure like to get it in my shop.

Just thought there would be some who'd like to see an original in the rough.

-Terry

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Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:54 pm
by gplayer
I hope you get the commission to do that guitar. I'd love to see the result.

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:17 pm
by GattonFan
Yeah, it'd be great to see that restored. Looks like someone might have started, then never followed through. Is Andy hanging on to this one - and I wonder what other gems he has? I know he's been selling a ton of parts on eBay.

Dennis

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:22 pm
by KRamone27
Man that would look great restored.

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:52 pm
by oipunkguy
three words: totally freaking awesome!

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:23 pm
by Dennisthe Menace
Terry,
Do you know if any pix exist with Bob playing this guitar besides the Album Cover with
Lucille titled: "Bob and Lucille-the Canadian Sweethearts." I tried looking him up but got
another guitarist Bob Regan. The Bob in the Canadian Sweethearts passed away sometime
back in the early 90s.
On a sidenote, I started thinking about Damon67's '63 Doubleneck named "Bobby." Hmmmmm :| ,
What happened to Damon67? Anyone know?? :?

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:09 am
by Strat-o-rama
Awesome guitar and interesting history. The headstocks look like Semi might have replaced the necks at a later date. They look more like the JM65.
It would be great if you get to restore it, Terry.

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:11 am
by TerryTNM
Dennisthe Menace wrote:
Terry,
Do you know if any pix exist with Bob playing this guitar besides the Album Cover with
Lucille titled: "Bob and Lucille-the Canadian Sweethearts." I tried looking him up but got
another guitarist Bob Regan. The Bob in the Canadian Sweethearts passed away sometime
back in the early 90s.
On a sidenote, I started thinking about Damon67's '63 Doubleneck named "Bobby." Hmmmmm :| ,
What happened to Damon67? Anyone know?? :?


I haven't seen any pictures of Bob's guitars other than the album shot which shows the back rim and part of the sleeve guard. I believe that this is the triple neck. I say this because as we now see, the pickguard and sleeve guard on the doubleneck are white but the triple had black. If I were to do the restoration a few good pictures would be a great help.

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I'm not familiar with Damon67's guitar. Picture?

Terry

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:38 am
by TerryTNM
Strat-o-rama wrote:Awesome guitar and interesting history. The headstocks look like Semi might have replaced the necks at a later date. They look more like the JM65.
It would be great if you get to restore it, Terry.


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This is a picture of Joe's re-neck from about 1961. I think Danny told me he saw the necks off the guitar about this time frame. They don't look all that different than Bob's to me but who knows at this point. You could be right. It is obvious from the photos of the basket guitar that there was more than one version going on here. Many extra holes are evident. Some photos would sure be helpful.

Terry

Re: Bob Regan's Mosrite Special doubleneck has surfaced.

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:29 am
by Deke Dickerson
Terry--

My best guess on the Bob Regan doubleneck is that it was a 50's guitar, judging by the big hollow body (I've never seen a Semie doubleneck with a big body like this from the 60's, or 70's, not until he made the JM65 reissues).

But like all of Semie's "celebrity" guitars, I'm guessing he updated it as time went on, just like he did Joe's guitar. So my best guess is that these are early 60's headstocks (compare them to the 1962-63 era "Joe Maphis model" singlenecks), and that Semie did the white pickguard/armrest thing to replace the 50's era black pickguard, same as he did with Joe's.

It sort of presents a conundrum on restoring the thing, I mean, do you restore it to the original 50's version, or the early 60's revamped version? Without any pictures, it's hard to say.

Deke