Of the guitars of the poll I have a Mosrite (or two, but the other one is more of a punk version), Jag and Strat.

Right now I love the Mosrite most. I've used the Jaguar quite a lot in the past, but the Stratocaster has been only used every now and then in surf use.

It's go-go, not cry-cry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C-ojWHp1ek

The Tornado did well too...

I think this are really cool surf-guitars:

http://wutzdog-guitars.de/inventory/inventory-details/article/2002-fender-stratocaster/

http://wutzdog-guitars.de/inventory/inventory-details/article/1994-rickenbacker-360-1/

Just my contribution as a newbie on this site: I vote for....... Gretsch!
I explain: I also own two very gorgeous vintage Mustang and Mosrite.... I have small hands but not enough for these short scale guitars with which I don't really feel comfortable at all to play... I don't play strictly surf stuff but also a mix of rockabilly and garage music. My Mosrite is a Mark V a sort of short scale like the Mustang. I really dug the sound of the two (high point to the P90's for the Mosrite and the vibrato for the Mustang). But really these necks are too thin!!! I had an "intermediate" experience with my 52 Tele and began to think:"That normal scale neck is perfect(for me)" but no vibrato so... I switched to the Gretsch! I "decomplexed" myself when I saw a DVD of Man or astroman? playing great surf music with his 6120 Grestch (thanks again Brian for all these wonderful tabs of MoA? !!)
Again this is only MY personnal experience! I don't pretend this is truth for everybody. I read carefully the 22 pages before and saw posts by very much experienced players and more "orthodox" surf specialists... But diversity of opinion is interesting no?

Vinz

krupanut
I wonder if Bobby had trouble hitting the pole pieces on the neck pu.

I have two strats that i've lowered the neck pu on because I alway hit my pick on them when I'm working the trem ala Hank Marvin.

Don't forget the modified trem arm Hank Marvins strat to avoid the obstacle.

kick_the_reverb

Klas

kick_the_reverb
Of the classic 4 surf guitars ...

Come to think of it, were there actually any 1st wave surf bands that used a Mosrite or is it only present with newer bands?

Hmmm, I'm no history expert, but I think it's mostly a Ventures thing. Sure did catch on, though.
One more thing I want to add about the 88 Mosrite I played (It's my bandmate's guitar), is that it takes getting used to the different bridge location. The neck, bridge and pickups are all pretty high compared to the body (the action is low, though). It could be that vintage ones are different.

The very first production line Mosrite was bought by Don Rich. (Buck Owens late guitar player in 61 I believe. Nokie Edwards bought the second. That's what brought The Ventures to Mosrite. Prior to that and after it was the worlds best and fastest guitar players that played Mosrites exclusively. From Joe Maphis, to Larry Collins, to Phil Baugh. I'm sure thats what led Nokie to them.some great YouTube footage out there.
That being said, having the fastest, easiest, 0 fret, tiny frets, It's obvious how underrated a luthier Semie was! The best part is that the Japanese Mosrites feel just as good! Definately one for any budget over 600.00.
I've been a Fender man for 28 years. Now that I have a Joe Maphis Double neck and a Fillmore 50th anniv. I'm completely hooked. Lovin' the Mosrite.

Reverb4Romulans
Also what about Burns guitars? I've never played one. Has anyone else?

Here's something:
http://www.surfguitar101.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6876&start=0

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Reverb4Romulans
I didn't read through all 23 pages...but did anyone mention Eastwoods? I have an Eastwood sidejack baritone (looks like a mosrite).

They are not enough exclusive and expensive to be cool and popular here

I have a Sidejack and I think it's pretty cool. People like the new member of R.E.M. and Steve Wynn plays the Sidejack, so it would not be that bad.

I'm a full believer in all sorts of guitars for all sorts of folks, including lower budget reproductions like Eastwood and others.

Eastwoods are relatively inexpensive and fun guitars. I haven't seen or played too many, but for the money, they seem to be reasonably well-built and sound ok. For example, I have an Eastwood baritone that I bought because I wanted to mess around with a baritone for fun, so I got a demo model, and it's fine for its purpose-- messing around for fun, without spending too much. I also got my daughter, who was just starting out on bass, an Eastwood Beatle-bass reissue that was exceptionally well put together for the money.

I don't know enough about their models to say I'd gig with any of them, but I can see a place for Eastwoods in this world.

Same with other "budget" models-- whether it's people just starting out, or wanting to try something new without spending a whole lot of change, there's a place for that sort of thing.

On the other hand, I suppose you can debate whether you can get more bang for your buck buying, say, a second-hand Mexican Classic strat, for example, for the same as some other budget guitars, including some Eastwood models.

On the other hand, however, if I was going to get just one guitar for surf, I don't know that I'd pick an Eastwood, or a Di PInto or something like that.

Anyway, it all depends on what you want to do.

My main surf guitar has been a Jaguar, and I've got originals and re-issues from both USA and Japan. Depending on the show, gigs can be untamed affairs, and I want a guitar that I can expose to beer and other bodily fluids, and maybe the odd knock, too, so I'd rather bring a modded Japanese reissue rather than a vintage Jaguar to shows. And I use a Wilson Brothers VM110 as a back-up-- again, reasonably well made, sounds good, looks cool, can take some abuse and it doesn't cost all that much,. Is it my best guitar, or my favorite? No, probably not... but it serves it purpose, and to me, it's a fine guitar, even if it isn't a Mosrite.

Also, as has been said before on this site and elsewhere, when you look back at the 50s & 60s instrumental rock'n'roll bands, and some surf bands, they were playing an array of different instruments and amps, depending on what they could get their hands on, even if ultimately, Fender instruments became most visibly associated with the sound.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/rockinrio.delrosa

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/TheHighTides

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/The-Blue-Demons

I voted for the venerable Jaguar, mainly because it seems designed to be a Surf guitar. If I play Blues or Rockabilly on it, it sounds good, but just doesn't feel right somehow. yadig?
I have a Strat, but the trem arm is removed because I mostly play blues and don't use it in that application.

On the subject of Eastwoods, I have a Delta 6 bought on a whim when I had some spare cash. Mainly because I love resonator guitars. It's a well built instrument, and looks beautiful. One drawback, however, in the pickup configuration is the fact that the piezo bridge transducer doesn't have a preamp, which doesn't sound very good on its own. Using the blend knob I can get a nice tone with the P90 neck pup and just a little bridge piezo adding some of the clangy reso sound to the mix.
I'd love to install an onboard preamp at some point and really make it a player.

<i>Born in California, moved to Wisconsonia.<i>