How did you fall in love with Mosrite?

[Desert Surfer]

Most Mosrite/Ventures fans know Nokie Edwards was the one who introduced Mosrite guitars to The Ventures Band. He was also the one who inspired me to play Ventures tunes some 50 years ago. Never be able to master my guitar skill but at least I can say that I have met the "Maestro" himself who inspired me.

I had the great pleasure and honor to meet with Nokie in 2007 at his 72th birthday party in a small town near Salem, Oregon. Afterward I started to collect some of his personal guitars.

Nokie in his luxurious RV home in 2007


I will share my experience and show some of my collection in a new topic.

[desertsurfer]

I will continue this topic with my new user name; "DesertSurfer"

Thanks.

[desertsurfer]

Before we talk about Nokie Edwards' personal guitars, I have a little quiz here:

What is the guitar Nokie holding in his hand in this picture?

[Sarah93003]

Before we talk about Nokie Edwards' personal guitars, I have a little quiz here:

What is the guitar Nokie holding in his hand in this picture?

Isn't that a HitchHiker?

[desertsurfer]

Isn't that a HitchHiker?

Bingo! Sarah, you are the greatest!

Yes, it is a steel string acoustic HitchHiker made by Santa Cruz Guitar Company.

Normally, when we talk about Nokie Edwards' HitchHiker guitar, we all think of the electric guitar he currently play on stages or at concerts like this one.



But actually there are three types of HitchHiker guitars:

1)Electric guitars: It has three generations. Started with Chavel Custom Shop (before they were bough out by Fender), then made by Rock Creek Guitar Company in Oregon, and now made in Japan by Aria. Not sure how many HitchHikers were made. My guess is between 50-100, maybe more.

Chavel model (this one is S/N #002)


Rock Creek model (this one is the prototype)


I do not own an Aria HitchHiker model but played one once. The one with whammy bar is really nice.

2)Steel string acoustic guitar: Made by Santa Cruz (based on Santa Cruz FS Model but with HitchHiker head stock). I believe only 3 have been made. Nokie has one (unless he sold it later on), I've got one and he sold one to someone in Japan. Nokie used this guitar for recording quite often.



3)Classical nylon string guitar: Made by a guitar luthier Roger Stuckless in Canada. I believe only this one was made.



More about Nokie Edwards' other personal guitars later.

[Sarah93003]

Cool! So, how does it sound?

[Desert Surfer]

Cool! So, how does it sound?

They all sound great. I will let you judge yourself.

Santa Cruz FS HitchHiker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrd7tfDL30g

Chavel Electric HitchHiker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QD7Pp- ... ARfw2htuCe

Here is the photo of Nokie played Rock Creek prototype. Unfortunately, there was no recording of the playing.



HitchHiker Nylon Classical:

I don't think Nokie ever performed Roger Stuckless HitchHiker Classical on stage. That guitar is way too valuable to carry on the road.



Very old Brazilian rosewood


Guitar case alone is a piece of art:


For nylon classical guitar, Nokie performed with a 1980 Gibson Chet Atkins Custom shop classical which I am very lucky to own:



Ventures Concert in Japan 1984: "Yesterday" with Jerry McGee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... -QAByOpjjo

Ventures Concert in Los Angles 1984: "El Bimbo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU6PunMlr2Y

[Sarah93003]

Beautiful!

[Desert Surfer]

To make it appropriate, I will move my discussions on Nokie Edwards personal guitars to "Other instruments..." section. Hope to see you there.

[Haole Jim]

'Fell in love with the Mosrite guitar strictly because of Ventures albums of the '65 to '69 era. THAT sound! THAT look! Coolness to a huge exponential!

Oddly enough, 'did not seek info on other Mosrite players or bands and silliest of all, in retrospect, on what AMPS the Ventures were using in that time period.

'Saw and held a Mk I in '68 and had a chance to buy ever-so-slightly-used, but a new Gibson (still have) called louder to be 1st good guitar.

Which brings up a sub-query; what (specific if possible) amps was each Venture playing in their Mk I Solidbody Mosrite era? (Both stage and studio would be a happily-received answer!

Thank you.