Mosrite amps

[dubtrub]

But who designs such amps for both instruments in a same cabinet?

Arpsum, you must be a youngster.

In the 50's and 60's, Leo Fender specialized in building versatile amps. In the old days it was common to plug more than one guitar into a single amp. For more than five years our bass player plugged his Mosrite bass into my '65 Fender Bandmaster piggy back while I played lead. He didn't even own an amp. Back in those day's it was common practice, especially since we couldn't afford two amps. The Fender Bassman is a prime example of a versatile amp. It was designed as a Bass amp but readily become most popular with guitar players. However, I think the Ventures could afford what ever they wanted. It was probably just more convenient to use one amp.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Danny and Arpsum,
The "Vibe" I got off that Album cover, looked as though the Ventures might of been going after the "VOX Market" (Thomas Organs' Version) all the way down to the TROLLEY STANDS. Don't forget, the SOLID STATE VOX AMPS had 3 Channels, the third one being the BASS CHANNEL as well........
p.s. The Vox Amps back then I believe, were one of the first amp companies to have built in Fuzz (Distortion). Again, it looks like that's what the Ventures were going after by incorporating the FUZZrite Unit into their Amps.......Any thoughts on this???

[arpsum]

Danny, I agree with your opinion. Indeed, I was a baby in those days, so I'm not familiar with an amp sharing. I had better not judge those product from current standard. Thank you for your nice suggestion.

This recalled another fact to my mind, the sound character of Mosrite amps designed by Ed Sanner is too treble to play with at home. At first, I regarded this sound as an individual difference. But after collecting another three Mosrite amps, I found their sounds are almost all the same. In those days, this is also my assumption, usually there were few concert halls with sufficient PA system except for big facilities, so guitar amps had to cover all area. I assumed that's why the sound is treble comparison to current product. When I tried to use them at small hall last year, I made sense.

This image is one of my Mosrite amps, MODEL-400. This is the new old stock.

[dubtrub]

Arpsum, that's a beautiful amp. Is that a silver face or is it gold color? It looks silver in the photo.

Your assumption is right on the money about using a guitar amp as a PA. When I was playing in a Surf/Rock band in the early 60's, our two sax player's purchased guitar amps just to mic their saxophones and to sing through. Now days not only does virtually every band have their own PA system, every player has to have their own floor monitor. Are we a spoiled society or what?

[Dennisthe Menace]

Arpsum, your amp is NEW OLD STOCK?!?!?

Also, is there by chance any other close up pix of the Piggyback Mosrites
that they used on the Album from Japan? And were those the Tube Powered?

[arpsum]

Danny, the front panel is slightly gold than this picture, but definitely diffrent from my other stock as follows.

Dennis, I can provide you only with that picture about piggy back by Ed Sanner. In 1966, The Ventures came to Japan several times. The concert, The Ventures used piggy back amp, was held in March. The public film shooting and live recording of the concert was done in July, So we can't see any other archives at that time.

According to some Japanese enthusiasts, there are sound files at that time. One audience took the portable open reel tape-recorder in the concert hall illegally. Whenever The Ventures came to Japan, they always sold all eqipment to Japanese people after the concert tour. I believe someone in Japan still has these piggy back amps.

Anyway these amp business caused their company capital to be exhausted.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Danny, the front panel is slightly gold than this picture, but definitely diffrent from my other stock as follows.

Dennis, I can provide you only with that picture about piggy back by Ed Sanner. In 1966, The Ventures came to Japan several times. The concert, The Ventures used piggy back amp, was held in March. The public film shooting and live recording of the concert was done in July, So we can't see any other archives at that time.

According to some Japanese enthusiasts, there are sound files at that time. One audience took the portable open reel tape-recorder in the concert hall illegally. Whenever The Ventures came to Japan, they always sold all eqipment to Japanese people after the concert tour. I believe someone in Japan still has these piggy back amps.

Anyway these amp business caused their company capital to be exhausted.

Arpsum, that is an incredible pic and you have so much VALUABLE INFO!! Up until this time, I never knew that there was a Piggy Back version of Mosrite Amps, prototype or not. I see that the Piggyback Version is Solid State as well (says it on left side of panel). But you had mentioned that there was a tube version? Might that be the Dumble Amp (Made for Mosrite with Mosrite Logo on it) that Danny and I were wandering about, in such, the Ventures said it was "too much Rock and Roll for them?"

[dubtrub]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I've always been under the impression that there was some Mosrite amps made in Japan in the 70's, but were not in fact authorized Mosrite's. That Mosrite 'piggy back' almost looks more like a desk top unit. Now I am curious, does it have a carrying handle and attachment to connect the cabinet to a bottom speaker cabinet? It would be great to see some close up shots of the bottom and back as I don't think we are ever going to get to see many of these up close for examination.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Danny,
I have heard that one or two times myself, but I'm not sure. And if that isn't enough,
here's one more to toss into the frying pan.......

[dubtrub]

So...................what the heck is it?