The Ventures' sound - this is how I used to do it...

[JimN]

[quote="Bill Bowley"]So, how does the sound of a Mosrite compare with a BURNS Marvin?

I have owned both guitars (the Mosrite first).

The Mosrite sort of explains itself, visually. Due to the way the tremolo bridge/tailpiece is arranged (more Bigsby-like than Strat-like) it doesn't have that tight, focused sound we expect from the Fender, with its sharp string angle over the bridge and short dead-string-length behind the saddles. Instead, the shallower break angle of the Mosrite Vibramute unit is more akin to what you might find on a well-adjusted Gibson. The string sound is slightly fuller and less penetrating, though the powerful pickups fitted to the guitar (similar, but not identical, to P90s) can introduce a glassy high-end when the bridge unit is selected.

The other difference is a lack of sustain as compared with the Strat or Tele. The string path on those two of Leo's designs means that the bridge is clamped down tightly, with a steel-guitar-like attack and sustain. The Mosrite with Vibramute has completely different string geometry, more like an archtop or jazz guitar. The Mosrite isn't really an analogue of the Stratocaster; it's more like the Jazzmaster...

Still... I traded in my Mosrite Ventures at Modern Sound (Charing Cross Road) in 1972 because they had for sale... a secondhand 1965 Burns Marvin.

And I still have it - the longest survivor in my collection. The second longest survivor is a Gibson Les Paul Custom I bought new in 1978.

Hope this helps,

JN

[Bill Bowley]

Jim,

Appreciate the review (I've had both Mosrite and Marvin as well) -although I must admit my comment was a 'tongue in cheek' shot at the players rendition of 'Slaughter'.

[abstamaria]

What strings did Nokie Edwards use on his Mosrite in the early days (1963-65), after they had just shifted from Fender?

I am assuming he used very light strings. I was told that, before the Mossrites, Nokie tended to use banjo strings for the first two strings and then just moved up a normal set's 1, 2, 3, and 4, discarding strings 5 and 6. When the Ventures visited Manila in the early1960s, they gave light-gauge string sets, not available here then, to friends. I assume then that the Ventures' Mossrites were fitted with very light strings.

Does that sound right?

Andy