RaistMagus
Joined: Mar 30, 2011
Posts: 388
Copenhagen
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 02:06 AM
I have a question regarding the inherent tone of Mosrite guitars, as I understand it. (I have never played one so I may be way off in my assumptions)
From what I'm hearing in various recordings, Mosrites have a characteristic 'boeing' sound when strings are plucked, as if very light strings (.007s?) were attacked hard with a sharp and rigid pick, maybe with a floating bridge on top of that.
Firstly, is my point valid? Do you relate to my description?
Secondly, is this an effect of the pickups or is it a result of the way these guitars are designed (their bridge maybe?)? What string gauge do they usually use with them?
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 03:12 AM
There are several things that cause the characteristic sound of a Mosrite, IMO.
The overwound pickups. They are hothothot!
The bridge/vibrato/tailpiece construction. On a Mosrite the tolerance of picking 'close' to the bridge is bigger, e.g. 3cm away from the bridge on a Mosrite equals 1cm to the bridge of a - let's say - Strat. You get that beefy sound easily. Also the resonation of the strings at the end of the tailpiece (between bridge and vibrato) changes the tone a little.
Mosrites have very thin necks! And I mean VERY THIN. That's why most people don't dare to put string gauges >.010 on their Mosrites. I personally played my Mosrite with .011s and bigger for years without any damage, but I also got down to .010s again...availability and laziness caused me to do so. You won't hear a lot of difference anyway.
Lastly: Sustain. Mosrites have the weakest sustain I have ever heard. You just won't get that singing blues tone out of it. And maybe/probably that's why they are being played in surf so often. You don't want a sustain monster with that reverb, do you? I think the poor sustain also comes from the bridge/vibrato/tailpiece unit, but I'm not a tech and someone else could jump on this with a better explanation.
I suggest you head over to the Mosrite Forum. There are a couple of nice geeks over there 
Cheers
Sancho
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2839
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 06:24 AM
I'm no expert and I've never owned a Mosrite, but another guitarist in one of my bands a few years ago had 2 guitars and a bass. I was not a fan of any of them. He allowed me to play the guitars to try them out and I was not happy with the sound I got out of them. They were too "hot" for me, the bridges were way too high off the body, and the necks were too thin as well. I always thought they were cool-looking guitars but never associated them with surf, rather with punk rock (the Ramones) and New Wave (the B-52s). That being said, I think the classic Mosrite sound can be heard from those early B-52s records, specifically Rock Lobster, where Ricky got the most out of the BOING sound from his Mosrite. I think it was a perfect fit for that band.
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 06:45 AM
Don't forget that the whole MOAM sound is based on Mosrite (okay okay the early recording was a Gretsch) and a lot of Ventures songs were recorded with Mosrites...hence 'The Ventures' Mosrite Model.
But I get your point. The PUs are insane, so is the neck and the 'speedfrets'. You could say it's a one trick pony, but I'd definitely put it in the surf corner though I play surf and punkrock with my Mosrites/Hallmark.
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 10:02 AM
I would hardly call them a 'one trick pony'. They are fantastic for instro rock. But there have been bands like B-52's, Nirvana, Drivin n Cryin, Buck Owens, Ramones, ETC. that have utilized the sound in very different ways. I don't find an issue with the sustain either.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 10:28 AM
RaistMagus,
Yeah, I think you're picking up on some of the inherent particular tonal qualities.
They have a unique High mid frequency thing that accentuates the attack.
Combined with the hot but clear pickups it's a cool thing. Sustain is not bad until you bend notes further up the fingerboard and even then it's not the worst. A lot of that is the roller bridge but it's also part of the individual sound of the Mosrite.
One trick pony ? I surely don't think so. I could use mine in place of a Tele, Gretsch for all kinds of music.
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 10:49 AM
It's not an issue, it's just not much compared to a LP/Strat/Tele. Mosrites are known for their weak sustain, even Semie had to admit that. But that what makes it so appealing for me. I own different kind of guitars (ES335, ESP, Strat, etc.) and the Mosrites are definitely the ones that can't be used for a lot of different music styles. The ES335 is a perfect example of a versatile guitar, IMO.
I'd put the Mosrites on the Rickenbacker and Gretsch side, when it comes to versatility. Not in a negative way, don't get me wrong - I own more than 1 Mosrite and they are my main guitars. Love 'em!
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:01 AM
CrazyAces wrote:
I could use mine in place of a Tele, Gretsch for all kinds of music.
Nah, not metal
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:06 AM
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:24 AM
Wasn't Inagodadavida by Iron Butterfly recorded with a Mosrite?
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:30 AM
Hahaha, thanks mate, that made my day! Good playing, terrible Mosrite sound. Best example of what a Mosrite is NOT capable of. Cheers!
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:40 AM
killbabykill34 wrote:
Wasn't Inagodadavida by Iron Butterfly recorded with a Mosrite?
Yep, along with a fuzzrite!
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websurfer
Joined: May 14, 2007
Posts: 1753
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 11:45 AM
killbabykill34 wrote:
Wasn't Inagodadavida by Iron Butterfly recorded with a Mosrite?
Oops, Sancho beat me to it.
Classic fuzz sounds . . .
Davie Allen is another great example.
Last edited: Apr 25, 2013 11:49:01
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 903
New York City area
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Posted on Apr 25 2013 07:35 PM
I thought the Mosrite sound on INAGADDADAVITA(probably sic) was kinda cool. It was a 17 year old kid (Eric Braun, RIP) wanking on a 1966 sunburst Ventures model through a Vox Super Beatle amp. I've played my Mosrites through Vox amps. It's just a different sound. Through a Sunn amp, it's a whole other story. Having an old Maestro fuzz or Fuzzrite is a bit refreshing from todays digital stuff.
BTW - Mosrites (and why I like them) are built to be played fast - pick a note, get it over with, and hit the next. They aren't made for blues bending one note 20,000 different semi-tones. Get a Fender or Gibson clunker for that. And if you have some technique (and small fingers), Mosrites are a breeze to play. Playing gypsy jazz helps - those guitars also don't sustain very well. I know a lot of players need sustain and resonance. There are guitars for that. It just really isn't a property of a Mosrite. The basswood bodies may also be a factor in the lack of sustain.
I've had Mosrites that had the bridge a bit high off the body. Some adroit lutherie work to shave the neck heal and pocket takes care of that. Hope this gives some insight.
J Mo'
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vegastone
Joined: Apr 26, 2006
Posts: 6
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Posted on Apr 26 2013 08:03 AM
RaistMagus, I've had a mosrite VIII a while back. Although the frets were not low or thin like on Mark I, it still had that typical mosrite sound you are talking about. Must be the hot pickups and little sustain. I get a somewhat similar sound with a strat and a compressor pedal.
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vibramutant1965
Joined: Dec 02, 2012
Posts: 51
FL
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Posted on Apr 30 2013 09:36 AM
The mosrite is different animal , If you want to play traditional electric blues on a mosrite, I would suggest you set it up with the vibramute tail, being made of brass , or alum (early) , get a set of the brass (non roller) bridge saddles too.Thread and acorn nut the posts (like the 80s mos) Use pure nickel wound strings and play around with the pickup hieght . Bigger frets will help too with sustain. Try this too.... maple dowel the body where the bridge posts go, drill and tap them to fit the posts , this way they will thread into the body and the tail, and the tail will cover the dowels hiding the work.....
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