Mosrite Award BG 500 and BG 1000

[Nokie]

There were two Mosrite Award Ventures Model amps. One was the BG 1000 and the other was the BG 500. The BG 1000 was used by the Ventures on tour in Japan and in the States during '67 and '68. It apparently worked well for them. It was solid state, 100 watts (I think), 2-15" JBLs. The BG 500 was 50 watts with a single 15" JBL though some were equiped with Jensens instead of JBL's. Both models had built-in Fuzzrite, true vibrato (using photo resistors), tremelo, and reverb. I've heard it reported that only 19 BG 1000's were released to the public. A few more BG 500's were probably released but most of the scheduled production of both amps never happened. You can see my BG 500 at http://www.planktones.com/PageShrine.html . Click on the picture for more detail.

[dubtrub]

Well howdy 'Nokie',

It's nice to have you join us here.

On the first post on this forum I have your website and amp posted for members to view and listen to.
Are you using the BG 500 with the Planktones?

Looking over your other photo's I found this album cover interesting. For everyone's review and comment, check out the piggy back and the use of cement blocks for 'tilt back'. I read about this in the new Ventures book.

[Nokie]

Thanks for the welcome, Danny. No, I've never used the Mosrite amp at a gig. I stick with Fender amps of which I have several. I've seen Deke Dikerson and his Venturesmania band use the BG 500 and it worked quite well.

I rarely play my Mosrite guitars at gigs either. I like Mosrites largely as Ventures collectables. I don't feel they are a well designed guitar (well built, yes, but the design has probs). I struggle with the close string spacing and low frets. But I love their tone, and their nostalgic looks.

-Marty (screen-name "Nokie")

[Desert Surfer]

Marty: Welcome! Glad to see you here. Like your screen name

Vincent (NoviGuitars)

[Nokie]

Thanks Vincent. Ah yes, we haven't seen ya at UF in a while. Glad t'know yer still kickin' somewhere.
-Marty

[rbonner]

I was just clicking around trying to see if I could find any info on Mosrite amps tonight just for fun and here was a forum. I once owned a Mosrite BG-1000. It was 1969 and I lived in the Minneapolis area. The Amps were produced down in Rochester, MN south of the cities. There was one music store, I believe it was Big Daddy Wags that was the local dealer for them. I was in the 9th grade and my buddy a fellow bass player came home with one. The amplifier came in two configurations, one for guitar with a pair of JBL D-130's and for Bass with Misco Red Line bass speakers. My buddy managed to BLOW OUT three pairs of Miscos in his amp and Wags offered to put the JBL's in the thing. The however would not install D140's. The other problem was the horn tweeter kept dying. Fine for guitar but a bass amp doesnt need a horn. The amp worked ok but had to go back to the factory a couple times for mods etc. I believe it went into thermal runnaway and blew the LIGHT BULBS that were drive fuses in the thing. Within the next year or so we all were playing out at various teen clubs and the first thing my buddy did was remove the chrome tilt rack. I built a cabinet to fit the tilt rack thinking why carry when I can roll, but after one gig the tilt came off mine too. My buddy even went one further and sawed the head off the speaker cabinet. He kept the D130's and I ended up with the head and had it well into the 80's finally just flat tossing it as I never used the thing. I had built a wooden cabinet sort of like a big Fender Bassman box and slid the head in that. I had the three step footswitch until the 90's thinking I would use it again someday. It finally succumed to the trash too. If my memory serves me this was a 300 W amplifer. It had 4 or 6 2N3055 power transistors across the back. Those are 150W dissapation devices. The thing obviously made way too much power for the Miscos and the horns. Its really too bad if the post saying they only released 19 of these things, Ol Jerry shouldnt have got the saw out and I shouldn't have hit the trash with it. I just got tired of moving it after college and stuff. Thanks for letting me relive the old days, BOB

[jefe]

Howdy!
So, I was doin some research on the net on my dads old amp. (Ive been doing "research" for about 10 years now) Anyway, he tells me he thought it was a Mosrite. "The same Mosrite as those cool old guitars?" I asked, wide eyed. "Yep. I think I got it from a guy in Springfield MO, in college
(Flash forward) I have played this amp for a while, them put it away. Then hauled it around (it is a little cumbersome) I have found some information on this amp. One schematic for a BG500 and the website for the Planktones. But, not a lot. I really like this amp am excited to find this forum!
Well, I thought I would share my little story. The model amp I have is a BG1000. It too has been sawed off the top of the speaker cab. Its missing the knobs for fuzzrite and I cant find a lamp that will not blow out.
Does anyone have any ideas of what type of lamp it should use? I'm also thinkin about replacing the footswitch jack and building a new footswitch based of the schematic I have.
Any ideas? Should I tear out the jack? I'm sure the value of the amp already went out the window when someone took a saw to it. . .

Thanks
-Jefe

[Mr. Bill]

Jefe:
Welcome to the board. To save Dub or Danny the trouble, I'll suggest that you go to the intro section to let us know more about yourself.

As for your amp, two things to remember are that you could replace the cabinet with a repro, and if you make any changes to the head (like changing the footswich jack) try to make them in a way that can be reversed in the future.

As for the lamp, does the schematic list a number or at least the voltage of the bulb? What type of socket does it fit into?

[jefe]

For the lamp, i cant read what the schematic said. (its a scan of a copy of a copy) So i metered it at 35v. The socket seems to be whatever standard socket they make. A regular bulb fits, but blows.
I mos def will not change anything that cant be changed back. But am I to understand that the only difference between the BG500 and the BG1000 was the cab?

Thanks for your help!

[Dennisthe Menace]

Hi jefe,
Actually, there were a few differences, but besides the cab, the BG 500 was a 50 watt combo, and the BG 1000 was the Big Mama representing the 100 watt version .