Gold Mosrite Prototype Bass, 1965

[ivan100000]

Hello--

Here's a bass that I bumped into about 15 years back. It's a gold metalflake, with matching headstock & back-of-headstock. Features include a green nitro guard, early-style knobs, peanut-shaped neckplate (cover that doesn't bolt to the neck) and pots dating to the 2nd week of 1965. Because it has a serial number of 0001 stamped onto the 20th fret, I've always believed this to be some sort of prototype or a one-off custom bass. It's essentially a Ventures bass, but without the "Ventures" logo on the headstock. Has anyone seen a gold 60s Mosrite before? Any info appreciated...

[dubtrub]

Beautiful guitar. The screws on neck plate lends itself to be close to a '64 although pots date it to '65. The neck plate could be a left over parts bin item. The serial number, Wow, that's a curve ball. I don't think it would have been any kind of 'one off' or 'prototype' as it appears to be a standard model minus the Ventures logo. Maybe a later refin? Check out the link of Bob K's basses. Although he shows them by year of mfg, he doesn't list his guitars with serial numbers. They obviously had the Ventures logo on the headstock early on.
Bob's guitar link

[Dennisthe Menace]

In the mid to late 80s, Semie had started making Re-Issues of the 60s guitars and Basses, and the majority of them did not have "the Ventures Model" Logo on the Headstock. Some of them also had the bigger fret markers as previously mentioned in another Thread.....

[ivan100000]

Hello, and thanks for your replies. I really don't think it's an 80's instrument & I don't think it's a refin. It purportedly came from a bass player who custom-ordered it in gold in late-'64 and did not want the logo of another band on the headstock. Here are a few more photos...

[bakeoboy]

I think the first bolt on was #5000.(production).This bass looks like it's silver thats yellowed out.

[brutus]

Heck, that makes me want to be a bass player!!! What a fine instrument.

[MWaldorf]

It sure is a beaut! I don't think I've seen another where the back of the headstock is painted but the neck isn't.

[dubtrub]

It sure is a beaut! I don't think I've seen another where the back of the headstock is painted but the neck isn't.

Here's a '67 Mark V on eBay that has a back painted headstock. It is being represented as a custom or special order. That gold (silver?) bass can't be ruled out as a custom build.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Ivan100000 posted:

Because it has a serial number of 0001 stamped onto the 20th fret, I've always believed this to be some sort of prototype or a one-off custom bass. It's essentially a Ventures bass, but without the "Ventures" logo on the headstock. Has anyone seen a gold 60s Mosrite before? Any info appreciated..

Ivan, like you had mentioned, a "one-off custom bass, that would seem to make sense considering what Danny just found on E-Bay. And your other question, has anyone seen a gold 60s Mosrite before? There was a musician by the name of Ronnie Sessions that supposedly played a Gold Mosrite besides wearing Gold Outfits on certain occasions...

[dorkrockrecords]

Just a side note: the matching headstock (front and back) was relatively common on "special" or custom color instruments circa 1965. I've seen a Maphis octave doubleneck in pearl white with the same treatment, as well as Jay Rosen's octave guitar.

http://www.jayrosen.com/catalog/index.p ... nt_id=223&