NGD Help!!

[Johnny-Alien]

I owned a 62 AVRI Jazzmaster, Celebrity and an Excellent. Played a few Hallmarks. The Excellent was easily my favorite even over a higher end Kurokumo Mosrite. It was one of the lightest Ventures models reissues I have owned. I sold it to get a Junior and I wish I never had. I tried to get it back. I like vintage Mosrites but the Celebrity is my least favorite of the vintage models.

[Sarah93003]

I'll only speak to the Celebrity. For what you mentioned you play I would suggest a 1973-1974 Celebrity I or Celebrity-II Deluxe. The humbuckers and phase switches will give you a lot of versatility. Keep in mine the Celebrity-III's were entry level guitars. The Celebrity-I and Gospels were the best builds with the best appointments. The Celebrity-II is the thin line version of the Celebrity-I.

[Johnny-Alien]

https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/31573/

[Johnny-Alien]

I have seen sunburst used over the years and the occasional red but blue never pops up used. Good luck. If I could find a Hallmark that didn't weigh almost 9 lbs are over I would probably own one too. They are generally just all heavy. It's the only thing I don't like about them.

[Sarah93003]

Thank you Sarah, that helps clear that up a bit. I've always loved the look of those Celebrity IIIs, but if the build quality is iffy, I may pass. I had a line on a Celebrity 1 late last year I was very close to buying and I should have, it was beautiful. It was a 64 I believe and it had a flame maple back with only 2 neck bolts, rather than the usual 3, it had a trem and it had a lightly flamed top as well. It was 1000 even if I remember, great price. Funny you mention a 70s Celebrity as that's actually a viable option, one is up on GC Vintage for 900 I believe in a Maroon Burst. All original minus the tuners which are some tasteful Grovers.

The '65 AV has insane reviews compared to the '62 AV Jazzmaster, btw. They totally revamped the specs and the '65 AV is almost a parody of re-issues with how minute some of the vintage correct details are. Which is cool to me as I'm a detail nerd on re-issues. The Excellent 65 does sure look pretty, my only reservation is having a guitar shipped from Japan, where this is. If it's a lemon, chances are I am not paying the shipping to return it, which is a little nerve wracking.

Nobody has any feelers out on someone trying to unload a Custom 60/65?

You're welcome. It's not that the build quality of the CE-III's is iffy. They have lasted 50 years and still play great. In my opinion it is worth a little more to get the higher quality components and the multi layerd binding you find with the CE-I's and CE-II's.

Guitar Center has a gorgeous CE-II at a good price. It's in exceptional condition and appears to have no nicks on the headstock (very common). https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Mosri ... -Guitar.gc

The burgundy burst/maroon burst that you mention is all original. Starting in 1973 Semie put Grover tuners on them. This is also a beauty and a great price. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Mosri ... -Guitar.gc

I would jump all over that one.

They also have beautiful Gospel and if it came down a couple of hundred I'd be tempted to grab it. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Mosri ... -Guitar.gc

[Greg_L]

I play blazing punk rock on a 60 Custom through massive Marshalls all the time.

Get one. Get it new. Get it from Bob.