Scroll Bass Models

The Scroll Basses came in 6 different models. It is really just three primary models, but they were offered in fretted and also fretless editions. The models were called AEB-1, AMB-1, AUB-1, AMUB-1, ASB-1 and AUSB-1, with the “U” denoting the fretless version.

The AEB-1 in addition to the AUB-1 were the first electric horizontal basses using Ampeg’s own design, and are the most widely known Scroll Basses. They have the famous headstock in addition to a rounded body shape along with a pair of big F-holes which go through the entire body.

Almost all of the front area of the bass is protected by a big black pickguard which wraps all around the F-holes. You might think they are attractive or perhaps you might think that they are ugly, nevertheless you can not confuse them with any other type of vintage bass.

From top left to right are the AEB-1, the ASB-1 Devil Bass and the AMB-1. In front is the SSB short scale bass.

Production began in Ampeg’s Linden, NJ manufacturing plant immediately following their debut at the NAMM show during July 1966, and continued through 1968. Besides its special look, the AEB-1 and AUB-1 vintage bass also had a few intriguing technological attributes which were unique for that period of time. The “mystery” pickup, which is how it was referred to in Ampeg’s pamphlets, is buried within the body beneath the bridge.

The tailpiece dangles around an inch below the rear of the bass on a couple of steel posts, plus the additional length in between the tailpiece and bridge would need specialized strings which were almost 3″ longer than regular length. This was partially done to get the required string angle above the pickup, as well as the longer string length allowed them to stretch more, which could then be plucked harder just like a vertical bass.

Their ASB-1 as well as their AUSB-1 basses were launched close to December 1966 and ended up being produced for roughly a year. Their most distinguishing attribute was the unconventional body, having a pair of lengthy, slender, outward-curving horns in addition to triangular-in-shape cutouts which go completely through to the back. For reasons which are obvious, they have been nicknamed the “Devil Bass.”

In late 1967, Ampeg developed another scroll model vintage bass, the AMB-1 and AMUB-1, to deal with consumer complaints together with production issues that they had with their original models. The so-called “mystery” pickups were found to be problematic to produce reliably, as well as being temperamental on the road. Furthermore, the previous versions did not have sufficient range.

At first look, the AMB-1 resembles the earlier on AEB-1, however, it’s really a totally different musical instrument which had considerable improvements. The AMB-1′s body was solid maple and the “mystery” pickup had been replaced with a black rectangle-shaped magnetic pickup attached in the center of the body. Regrettably, they did not sell really well and therefore production was terminated in 1969.

Late in 1967, Ampeg unveiled a short scale vintage bass in an effort to get a piece of the student and beginner market which had been dominated by low-cost imports. The fretted SSB and fretless SSUB had a 30 ½” short scale length along with a more conventional flat slab headstock and they were not a great deal bigger than a typical electric guitar.

Production of the SSB and SSUB was cancelled shortly after they were released. Even though they had been available for about 50% of the cost of the AEB-1, they were still a lot more expensive when compared to the imports.

Collectibility

Today, it’s hard to find an AEB-1 or an AUB-1 vintage bass in excellent condition. The finish is normally chipped and cracked as the lacquer that was used didn’t last longer than 15 years. Because of this many of them were refinished which decreases their value even more.

The AMB-1 and its brother the AMUB-1 were of superior quality to their predecessors and have therefore fared better as far as their condition goes.

As for their value the AEB-1, AMB-1, AUB-1, and AMUB-1 basses are worth about $2,500 in excellent condition while both versions of the Devil Bass will be closer to $3,500 in that same state.

Technorati Tags: scroll basses, vintage bass

A vintage bass guitar can come in some unusual shapes and sizes and so it was for the Val-Pro 85.

Some Brief Valco/National History

The National String Instrument Corporation was established in 1926 by George Beauchamp and John Dopyera. Its primary business was producing guitars and they became the first company to make a resonator guitar which became very popular in blues as well as bluegrass music.

A few years later Dopyera left National and formed Dobro with his brothers. They also began producing resonator guitars along with electric guitars, mandolins and amplifiers. By 1935 the two companies had merged to form the National Dobro Corporation.

In 1942 they reorganized and became known as Valco and made instruments, amplifiers as well as accessories. They merged with the Kay Music Instrument Company in 1967 but would go bankrupt in 1968.

The Val-Pro 85

During 1961, Valco/National launched a brand new guitar line manufactured from synthetic “Reso-O-Glas.”  This was a combination of a polyester resin and Fiberglass and allowed them to quickly and cheaply mass-produce some unusual molded designs.

In the same year, they released a bass model called the Val-Pro 85. It was also referred to as the “map bass” because the body was thought by some to resemble the map of the United States. Within two years, the treble cutaway ended up being altered to curve downwards and it was renamed the National 85.

1962 Val-Pro 85

1963 National 85

The photo of the 1962 Val-Pro 85 vintage bass guitar might give you the impression that it’s just a toy, yet it has sufficient heft to set your mind straight once you lift it. The large body of this vintage bass rather masks the fact that the scale length is only 25.” The odd paddle-shaped headstock has large Gibson-style tuners while the trapeze bridge features a wonderful slice of art-deco flair.

The thumb and finger rests illustrate the newness with the electric bass guitar during the time, as some individuals performed using their thumb and utilized the lower finger rest, while other people made use of the top rest and performed fingerstyle. Obviously, slapping and popping weren’t yet being taken into consideration.

The two-pickup styling included a magnetic single-coil pickup with a second pickup constructed on the bridge itself. The basic volume and tone controls are positioned backwards from typical convention. But by turning down the tone knob a little it emphasized the magnetic pickup but when you turned it up then the high-end of the bridge pickup came through.

Irrespective of its dimension, this bass had great tone plus the really short scale made it a lot of fun to play. With its flatwound strings and way-out plunky tone this vintage bass guitar would seem ideal for blues, R&B and just about any type of roots music.

Collectibility

Personally I think this vintage bass guitar is a real beauty even if I don’t see the map of the U.S. Unfortunately, it never sold very well and was discontinued after 1965, probably because of its very short scale length.

The 1961-1962 models came in white with later models featuring sort of a cream colored finish (they called it ermine). If you can find one today in excellent condition, it would run you about $1,200.

Sometimes good things can be found in small packages and the Val-Pro 85 vintage bass guitar was certainly one of them.

Technorati Tags: Dobro, National, national 85, val-pro 85, Valco, vintage bass guitar

In one way at least, Ned Steinberger was similar to Leo Fender… he was unconventional. This was clearly evident with his L-Series vintage bass guitar better known as the “headless bass.” These basses were also called by many names such as boat oar, cricket bat or the broom but they outlasted their detractors.

Steinberger’s First Bass

Ned Steinberger was not a luthier nor did he play any instrument. He was a cabinet maker and furniture designer who, by shear chance, shared a loft inside a factory building in Brooklyn, NY with Spector Guitars.

Intrigued with the concept of making guitars Steinberger told Stuart Spector that he felt like he could design a bass. Stuart replied “Be my guest” and a week later he showed Stuart his vision of a carved body bass that would become known as the NS bass, which is still being made today.

1979 Spector NS-2

The Spector NS bass made its debut in 1977 and became very popular. It was a neck-thru design with the neck piece glued to the body wings and it came in one and two pickup models (NS-1, NS-2). In order to give the bass better balance he added lead weight to the body of the instrument.

The Headless Wonder

While creating the Spector NS bass Steinberger became aware of the weight imbalance of the traditional bass guitar. This is due to the weight of the tuning machines on the headstock which sat at the end of the long neck. Although he compensated for it on the NS bass by adding lead weight to the body, he felt this was not the ideal answer because it meant making the instrument heavier.

His solution was simple yet it made a lot of sense, he decided to remove the headstock and move the tuners down to the bottom of the guitar’s body. But in producing a maple prototype he found that although it was balanced it sounded awful. He needed to make the base more rigid and began experimenting with different materials which eventually led him to making the bass out of a composite of resin, fiberglass and graphite.

Early Steinberger L2 "Headless" Bass With Leg Rest Intact

Now with the prototype of his vintage bass guitar completed he needed to sell it. He tried to get some major musical instrument companies involved but no one was interested. He then decided to go into business on his own and founded Steinberger Sound in 1979 and began producing about 6 basses a month, but it was still hard to get anyone to buy it.

In the summer of 1980 he displayed the instrument at Chicago NAMM and got the kind of reaction you might expect when first seeing this guitar… the people laughed at it. But during one of the shows bass player Andy West of the Dixie Dregs used the Steinberger bass and put on a great performance. The next day Steinberger’s booth was mobbed and the rest is history.

Collectibility

Initially Steinberger had four different bass models. They were the H1 and H2 (with one or two DiMarzio high-impedance pickups) as well as the L1 and L2 (with one or two EMG low-impedance pickups). The L2 was by far the most popular of these four and is the vintage bass guitar most associated with Steinberger. This bass morphed into the XL2 bass in 1984.

Unfortunately the composite material used in making the headless bass does not wear well. They also had a detachable leg rest to make the guitar easier to play when sitting down, but these are usually missing as is the logo which either peels away or wears away with time.

These basses have a small but rather loyal following. If you can find one in excellent condition you can expect to spend from $2,500 to $3,000 for the basic black version and higher for the rare color models.

That’s not bad when you consider how expensive these basses were when they were first offered. For example, the L2 vintage bass guitar went for $1,400 in the Steinberger 1980 catalog, that’s about $3,740 in today’s dollars.

A 1980 Steinberger Catalog Ad For His "Headless" Bass

Technorati Tags: headless bass, Ned Steinberger, Steinberger L2, vintage bass, vintage bass guitar

Ampeg is best known as a manufacturer of electric bass and guitar amplifiers. But in the 1960s they began making instruments which led to the vintage bass guitar known as the Dan Armstrong “Lucite”, “Plexi” or “See-Thru” bass… it had many names.

Dan Armstrong

Armstrong was born in Pittsburgh, PA back in 1934 but grew up in Lakewood, OH. He started playing guitar at a young age, as did many of us. At some time during the early part of the 60s he moved to Manhattan where he worked as a studio session player as well as repairing guitars.

It was around 1965 that Armstrong opened his own little repair shop on West 48^th St. which was known as “Dan Armstrong’s Guitar Service.”  It soon became a very popular spot for musicians, not only to drop off their instruments for repair or modifications but also as a spot to hang out and jam.

Just a few years later his shop was torn down to make way for an expansion of 30 Rock. If you’re a fan of the show you know the building. As a result of the demolition he opened a new shop in Greenwich Village. Word of mouth of his craftsmanship got around and in 1968 Ampeg approached Armstrong about revamping their guitar and bass lines.

Clear Cut Winner

Ampeg started making some quirky bass guitars in the sixties. They began in 1962 with the baby bass which was an electric upright bass that was smaller than a cello but had the same basic design. From 1966 – 1968 they produced their “horizontal” electric basses which were also called “scroll basses” because of their unusual headstock.

The horizontal basses were soon replaced by the jaw-dropping, eye-catching, ultra-cool (choose your own superlative) Dan Armstrong Lucite Bass. This beautiful vintage bass guitar was introduced in 1969 at the Chicago NAMM show and was manufactured by the Ampeg plant in Linden, NJ.

The unique material used had a broader purpose than just great looks. The body of the bass was made with clear Plexiglas. Some of the benefits of this material were that it could be cut and shaped just like wood and because it was so rigid it had superior sustain.

Here's the rear view

1970 Dan Armstrong Lucite Bass

The neck was good old maple and the 24 fret fingerboard was made from rosewood. It had a 30 ½ inch scale, a single humbucking pickup and the pickguard was made out of Formica which had a simulated wood grain finish.

In addition to the clear bass there were also 8 black Lucite basses made and some 150 fretless models were produced as well. Well known bassists like Jack Bruce and Bill Wyman both used the traditional see-thru bass for a while with Bruce preferring the fretless model.

Production of the Lucite bass only lasted until 1971 when Armstrong and Ampeg parted ways over a financial dispute. This vintage bass guitar, however, has been reissued by Ampeg on a number of different occasions and is still being offered today as a Japanese import.

Collectibility

I have a fondness for a vintage bass guitar made from the 1950s through the 1970s. I believe, along with many others, that the quality of the workmanship and the materials used during that era was better than today’s massed produced models.

But how can I possibly use that argument when it comes to Plexiglas?

In fact, today’s versions have better pickups and electronics, they come in different colors and they will put less of a strain on your wallet than the original will. But then again there is something special about putting your hands on a classic beauty.

Fortunately, a Dan Armstrong Lucite bass is not that hard to find. I found several for sale in various condition and others that have recently been sold while I was researching this article.

If you want an original Plexi bass in “excellent” condition be prepared to pay anywhere from $2,500 – $3,000. I can only wonder what an original black Plexiglas Dan Armstrong vintage bass guitar would go for.

Technorati Tags: Dan Armstrong, Lucite bass, Plexi bass, See-thru bass, vintage bass guitar

B.C. Rich Early Years

1976 Seagull

Rico was born in East L.A. in 1941 and began working in his father’s music shop when he was about 13. After Rico joined him his father, also named Bernardo, renamed his music shop from Casa Rico to Bernardo’s Guitar Shop. As rumor has it, during the mid 60’s the B.C. Rico name on their acoustic guitars seemed a little too ethnic so the company name was changed to B.C. Rich to appeal to a larger audience.

It was in 1969 that Rico began making electric and bass guitars. His electric guitars were copies of the Gibson Les Paul and his basses were copies of the Gibson EB-3. These were all handcrafted but only about 10 of each design were ever made making them very rare indeed.

Then in 1972 B.C. Rich offered their first original design in a bass they called the “Seagull Bass.” It had a single cutaway solid-body with two humbucking pickups. Unlike single cutaway horns on many basses this one had a unique downward tilt to it. The Seagull also featured neck-through construction which became a staple of B.C. Rich instruments. In 1976 the design was changed to a double cutaway body and it became known as the Seagull 2.

Unique Designs

But the Seagull was just the beginning as future instruments would become more outrageous with sharp horns, swooping curves and unique colors. This would become evident in their next offering in1976 called the “Mockingbird Bass”. This had a double cutaway design with an asymmetrical solid body, P/J style DiMarzio pickups, three controls and three position switches and appeared in both short and long scale versions.  These vintage bass guitars came in colors like Black, Porsche Red, White, Blue and Wine Purple as well as custom colors.

The Mockingbird was followed by the surprisingly normal looking “Eagle Bass” starting in 1977. The Eagle was basically a redesign of the Seagull 2 which it replaced. However, there would be nothing normal looking about what followed. Starting in 1978, B.C. Rich introduced the “Bich Bass” which was designed by Neal Moser who was also responsible for the electronics found in B.C. Rich guitars.

The Bich Bass would become hugely popular. It had a double cutaway solid-body with two sharp horns and similar specs to the Mockingbird, however, what sets it apart was its radical shape which appeared that someone took a few bites out of its base. The Bich Bass was also offered in an 8-string version.

1980 Mockingbird in Ultra Violet

1981 Eagle Bass

1981 Bich Bass

The last of the B.C. Rich vintage bass guitars I want to mention is the “Warlock Bass” which made its debut in 1981. In talking about vintage bass guitars I typically don’t go past the 1970s because craftsmanship and the use of quality materials gave way to mass production and foreign imports after that time, in some cases it happened even during the 70s. But I’m personally a fan of the Warlock design and 1981 is close enough.

The Warlock design had a double cutaway solid-body with pointed horns with a large V cutaway at the bottom of its base. It came in both neck-through and bolt-on neck models with the bolt-on having 22 jumbo frets. It really gained in popularity after Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue got one and they are still being made today.

Early 80s Warlock Bass

Collectibility

The values listed below are only estimates and assume the bass is in excellent condition. Excellent condition means that the bass is in working order, it has the original parts and finish and although there may be some minor wear there are no major blemishes or any major damage or repairs.

Naturally, values will be lower than those shown below if the instrument is in a lesser condition. Conversely, their worth can be higher than these numbers in cases of custom builds and finishes.

The 1972 Seagull Bass could go for $2,800 – $3,500. The 1973-1975 models should be in the $2,400 – $3,000 range. The Seagull 2 might go for $2,100 – $2,700

The 1976 Mockingbird is the most valuable year and will run $2,000 – $2,500 while the model years 1977-1979 aren’t far behind at $1,800 – $2,000. The 80s models can run around several hundred dollars less.

The Eagle Bass from 1977-1979 could go for $1,700 – $2,100 with the 1980’s models running a few hundred less.

The Bich Bass could run from $1,700 – $2,000 for the ‘78 & ’79 models with the 1980s versions coming in around $1,200 – $1,500.

Last, and definitely not least, is the Warlock which will only cost you $1,000 – $1,200 for an early 1980s model.

The fact that the Warlock is still in production today, in several different models, shows that I’m not the only one who was a fan of these vintage bass guitars.

Technorati Tags: B.C. Rich, bich bass, mockingbird bass, seagull bass, vintage bass, vintage bass guitars, warlock bass

When it comes to basses, who better to build a 5-string than Fender? Well, when you consider the Bass V Fender bass guitar, the answer might be… practically anyone. That may be a little harsh, but the Bass V was one strange puppy.

What Was He Thinking?

Leo Fender was a great guitar designer and innovator, but this time his idea for a 5-string bass was a little too radical. Introduced in 1965 (the same year that Fender was sold to CBS) the Bass V was the world’s first 5-string bass. No surprise here as Fender always seemed to be a step or two ahead of his competition, but this time his concept was flawed.

Fender Bass V

This Fender bass guitar had a 34” scale length which was the same as his legendary Precision and Jazz bass. The headstock and body shape was also along the lines of traditional Fender basses, but this is where the similarities end.

The fretboard only contained 15 frets as opposed to the 20 frets found on Fender’s other 34” scale basses which made the neck look rather short in comparison. So how do you get a 34” scale with such a short neck… easy, you make the body longer.

The body looks as if someone took a P-bass and stretched it, making it longer and thinner. The distance from the bridge of its elongated body to the end of the fretboard gave this Fender bass guitar an awkward appearance.

But the really unique aspect of the Bass V was the 5^th string which was tuned to a high C as opposed to today’s conventional low B. The idea behind this was that you could reach the higher notes using the C string and play across the neck instead of having to go up the neck. This would make the upper frets unnecessary, or so they thought, hence the shorter fretboard.

Another unique aspect of this Fender Bass Guitar was the single split coil pickup. The bass side part of the pickup handled the E & A strings and the treble side handled the C, D and G strings.

The Bass V never caught on and was only produced from 1965-1970. After production was stopped the excess left over parts and bodies were used to make the Fender Swinger guitar. But this bass does have historical significance besides being the first ever five-string… it was also the first ever Fender bass to be discontinued.

Collectibility

Although this is a rare bass, with only an estimated 200 models ever made, it never built a loyal following. There’s not much nostalgia associated with it even though great bassists like James Jamerson and John Paul Jones owned one.

If you can find the Bass V in excellent condition here’s what you might expect to pay based on the year and color:

Common Colors: Back, Blond, White, Lake Placid Blue, Fiesta Red, Daphne Blue, Dakota Red

Rare Colors: Gold, Silver, Burgundy, Sherwood Green, Sonic Blue, Foam Green

Very Rare Colors: Surf Green, Shell Pink

Note: A very rare color can be worth up to 30% more than a rare color.

Typically a Fender Bass Guitar is often reissued, as in the case of the P-bass and J-bass, but it doesn’t look like anyone really wants this bass to come back to life.

Technorati Tags: bass v, Fender bass guitar

The Acoustic Control Corporation was well known for making amplifiers but decided to try their hands at offering guitars. The result was the vintage Acoustic Black Widow Bass.

What’s the Story?

Actually, that’s a good question. There isn’t a lot of information about the Widow, we don’t even know the production numbers, and what little information there is seems to be conflicting.

What makes it even more complicated is that Acoustic didn’t actually make these guitars. The original design was made by Paul Barth who worked at Rickenbacker for a time. It was his company, Bartell, which manufactured the first slew of Widows. The story goes that since Bartell couldn’t keep up with the demand production was outsourced to Matsumoku of Japan.

1969 Hohner Black Widow

Some sources place Acoustic’s guitar production from 1969-1974 while others say it didn’t begin until 1972. In looking around I’ve seen several Black Widows sold that were dated 1969, however, these were not offered under the Acoustic label.

All the Widows I’ve seen for the years 1969-1970 were made by the German company Hohner and were carried under their label. However, they are often referred to as a Hohner/Bartell Black Widow.

The Hohner model differed from the Acoustic model because it had two “f” holes with two pickups, were typically fretless and, although they came mostly in black, they were also available in natural and sunburst colors.

To the left is a picture of a Hohner Black Widow in the rare natural color.

Vintage Acoustic Bass

The Black Widow that most are familiar with is the vintage Acoustic model manufactured from 1972-1974 and made mostly in Japan, although Mosrite founder, Semie Mosely, was said to have produced the final 200 Widow basses and guitars.

The basses had a 33½”scale length, semi-hollow double-cutaway maple body with a single split pickup with adjustable pole pieces and a 20 fret rosewood fingerboard. Most, if not all, were black and they had a red pad on the back with an hourglass design stitched into it. It’s easy to see where they got their name from.

Acoustic Black Widow

Black Widow Pad

The Real Thing

These vintage Acoustic basses were originally available only through dealers who sold their amplifiers. What is interesting about these basses is that it was not a copycat design. Most bass manufacturers of the day were simply copying and slightly modifying the successful designs of other company’s models.

These basses were also of superior quality compared to other Japanese makes of that era. The pickups could almost be considered high-output for that time period and it was just a great sounding bass.

Collectibility

The widow wasn’t produced for very long and they weren’t made in great quantities. Even though they are rare you will come across them from time to time and they won’t cost a small fortune.

If you can get one in excellent condition you can expect to pay from $900-$1,200. The ones made by Semie Moseley which used Mosrite parts may run you a bit more, if the seller knows what he has.

Acoustic’s foray into guitars didn’t last long and they would continue making amplifiers. But they took a shot and gave us the really cool looking and great sounding vintage Acoustic Black Widow Bass.

Technorati Tags: acoustic black widow, black widow bass, vintage acoustic

When you think of vintage bass guitars you probably don’t think of Silvertone. But don’t let the name fool you, there was quality behind many of their guitars.

What’s in a Name?

Silvertone was the brand used by Sears for their phonographs starting in 1915 and was later applied to other electronic equipment like radios. It replaced their previous brand name of Supertone on musical instruments starting in the 1930s.

Their guitars were known for being well made as well as affordable. This combination made them ideal for first time players. Famous artists such as Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan, Chet Atkins, John Fogerty and many, many others started out using Silvertones as their very first guitar.

How popular were they? Well, “Allan and the Silvertones” used the brand as part of the band’s name… they would later become the Guess Who. Then there is Chris Isaak who named his backup band Silvertone which was also the name of their first album. But Silvertone was just a name, it was not a company and did not make anything.

Silvertone guitars were not made by Sears but by different guitar manufacturers like, Kay, Harmony, Teisco, Valco and Danelectro (Dano for short). In 1954 Dano began making solidbody guitars under the Silvertone label and made the same guitars using the Danelectro name which were sold to other retailers.

By the time 1967 rolled around Dano was selling about 85% of their products through Sears. Danelectro was sold to MCA in 1966 but by 1969 they were out of business. Every bass that was produced under the Silvertone label was made by Danelectro except for model 1490.

The Silvertone Bass Line

One of the first Silvertone vintage bass guitars was model 1373 which appeared in 1958. This was an unusual instrument for its time as most manufacturers were following Fender’s lead in producing 4-string basses, but this was a 6-string. It was a short scale bass with two pickups and would disappear in 1959 being replaced by their first 4-string version.

Silvertone 1373 six-string Bass

That 4-string bass was model 1444 and was the mainstay of their bass line from 1959 through 1965. It had a semi-hollow single-cut U style body with a single “lipstick tube” pickup, rosewood fingerboard and a “dolphin nose” shaped headstock.

Model 1442 would replace the 1444 starting in 1966. Sadly, the 1442 would end production in 1968 and wound up as the last bass ever produced by Dano. Somewhat resembling a Fender Jaguar in body styling, this great sounding bass has a solid-body with a single lipstick tube pickup, 30” scale and rosewood fingerboard.

Also available in 1966 was the 1443 which was Silvertone’s first and only 34” long-scale bass. This beautiful looking bass was similar in style to the 1442 but with two pickups instead of one and 4 tone/volume controls instead of two. It was last produced in 1967.

1965 Silvertone 1444

1967 Silvertone 1442

1967 Silvertone 1443

The final bass under the Sears Silvertone label was the made in Japan model 1490 which came out in 1968. Its styling was along the lines of typical Fender basses with its double-cutaway solid-body.

Collectibility

If you are lucky enough to find Silvertone vintage bass guitars in excellent condition they won’t cost you an arm and a leg. They were beginner level budget instruments and most of them cost less than $100 when new.

The 1373 bass was only around for a little over a year and it was a 6-string making it a rare find especially in top condition. If you can find one expect to pay $1,400 – $1,600 for it.

The 1442 should run anywhere from $500 – $600. It will cost you a little more ($750 – $900) to buy its long scale bother the 1443

The 1444 should be available in the $700 – $800 range.

Today, the Silvertone name is used for a current crop of guitars made by the Korean based company Samick Music Corporation. One of their basses can be had for a little over $100, but it’s doubtful they’ll have the same sound quality or following as the Danelectro vintage bass guitars originally sold under Silvertone.

Technorati Tags: Danelectro, silvertone, vintage bass guitars

The Mosrite saga is a rags to riches and then back to rags again story. Their major claim to fame was a vintage bass guitar called the Ventures Bass.

In The Beginning…

Mosrite was founded by brothers Semie and Andy Moseley in 1956 and they set up shop in Bakersfield, California. Prior to that, both brothers had worked at repairing guitars with Semie also working at Rickenbacker for $1 per hour.

Then, in 1954, Semie gained some notice when he built a triple-neck guitar (the shortest neck was a mandolin, the longest neck a guitar and the other neck was an octave guitar (one octave higher than normal tuning).

A friend of Semie’s, Reverend Ray Boatright, was impressed enough with the design of Moseley guitars that he invested in them. In appreciation, the company was named Mosrite (pronounced MOZE-rite) a combination of the last names of Boatright and Moseley.

In the beginning all their instruments were custom built and handmade and were known for high quality, narrow low fret necks and high output pickups. But a certain Mosrite guitar was about to hit the big time.

Walk, Don’t Run

The Moseley’s biggest break came when Semie sold one of his custom guitars to Nokie Edwards of Ventures fame in 1962, which led to a unique marketing and distribution deal.

From 1963 through 1968, not only did the Ventures exclusively use Mosrite instruments, they also became its global distributor. They even sold these guitars at their concerts. Considering that they were one of the most popular instrumental groups of the day, it’s no wonder why guitars and basses they played, endorsed and sold were so popular.

Unfortunately for Mosrite, its deal with the Ventures ended in 1968 and late that year they went bankrupt. The company would relocate, restart and close several more times throughout the following years until Semie’s death in 1992.

Today, The Fillmore Company, which is a Japanese firm, has the rights to the Mosrite trademark and produces reissues of vintage Mosrite models.

Basses

Without question, the Ventures Bass was Mosrite’s most successful vintage bass guitar. It was designed by Semie but even he admitted it was the same shape as the Fender Stratocaster except it was flipped around so that the longest horn was on the bottom.

The unique headstock had three notches carved into it to form an M. It was a short-scale 30 ¼” solid-body with a slanted single pickup (also available with two pickups) with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard.

Another vintage bass guitar was their Celebrity Bass which was also a short-scale 30 ¼” but with a double cutaway semi-hollow body with two f holes and two pickups. There was also the Joe Maphis Bass with specs similar to the Celebrity Bass except there were no f holes.

1966 Ventures Bass

1967 Celebrity Bass

1966 Joe Maphis Bass

But Mosrite also made unique custom guitars like the ones below that were made for the group Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Collectibility

A vintage Ventures Bass should run you anywhere from $2,000 – $2,500, although I’ve seen some dealers asking for $3,500.

A Celebrity Bass will run anywhere from $1,000 – $1,200 while a Joe Maphis Bass can go for $1,800 – $2,200.

As with any collectible, a vintage bass guitar is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. On average, however, these prices are what you can expect to spend on a vintage Mosrite bass in excellent condition with original parts.

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When you hear vintage Gretsch guitars you probably don’t associate them with basses. But even though they are known more for their drums and electric guitars, Gretsch made some unique and great sounding basses in its time.

Gretsch History

It all began in 1883 when a German immigrant named Friedrich Gretsch opened a small music store in Brooklyn, NY where he made drums, tambourines and banjos. Friedrich would die in 1895, at the age of 39, when he fell ill while visiting Germany.

His son Fred took over the business although he was only 15 years old. In 1927 they came out with their Gretsch-American drum line and also in that year started putting their name on company made guitars. A few years later, in 1935 they introduced their Broadkaster drum series.

Also during 1935 Duke Kramer would join the company. Kramer took to the road to sell Gretsch instruments to dealers as well as to players in various clubs. He learned from them what they were looking for in guitars and this led way to the great sound of Gretsch.

Gretsch introduced their first electric guitar in 1939. In 1942, Fred Sr. retired and handed the company over to his two sons Fred, Jr. and Bill. Bill would die in 1948 leaving Fred, Jr. at the helm during the rock and roll explosion of the 50s and 60s.

Fred Jr. retired in 1967 and sold the company to Baldwin. But in 1985 Friedrich’s great grandson, Fred W. Gretsch, bought the company back. In 2002, Gretsch made a deal that allows Fender to manufacture and distribute their new line of guitars.

It’s Bass Time

Bikini Bass

Grestch got a late jump into the bass market. Their first model was introduced in 1961 and to say it was a little different is a gross understatement.

Their first bass, model 6024, was also known as the “Bikini Bass.” It had a modular design whereby the neck was interchangeable. The neck was bolted to a rectangular slab which included the pickup, bridge and tailpiece.

The entire shaft was then slipped into the body which was hinged in the middle and could be folded in half. There was also a double-neck body version so you could also add a guitar shaft side by side to the bass shaft. It didn’t sound good and didn’t last long, it was gone by 1963.

In 1963 they got a little more conventional with their far superior “Country Gentleman” model 6070 (single pickup). It had a double cutaway hollow body with a 34” scale, built in muffler, padded back and 24 carat gold-plated hardware. In 1968 they introduced their double pickup model 6072.

John Entwistle of the Who, favored the 6070 model and played it for a while… as he did with many other basses. Production of the Country Gentleman basses continued through 1972.

In 1968 they also introduced their short scaled 6071 (single pickup) and 6073 (double pickup) vintage Gretsch guitars. These were single cut hollow body basses with a 29” scale length, padded back and polished hardware (no gold this time). The 6073 model was often used by Peter Tork of the Monkees. These were produced through 1972 as well.

1963 Model 6070

1967 Model 6073

1976 Broadkaster

From 1972 through 1975 the model 7615 (cleverly named the “Solid Body Bass”) was the only Gretsch bass around. It had a solid double cutaway body, 34 inch scale length, two pickups and a pickguard covering most of the body.

The “Broadkaster Bass” made its debut in 1975. Gretsch really liked the name Broadkaster for some reason as they used it for their acoustic guitars as well as for drums. This solid body double cutaway model has a familiar appearance and sports a single pickup and a 30 ½ inch scale.

Other models from the 1960s-1970s included the “Committee Bass” and “TK 300 Bass”

Collectibility

Even though these vintage Gretsch guitars are not heavily sought out by collectors there is some appeal due to their sound quality and uniqueness.

The Bikini Bass, for example, is mostly looked at as a novelty bass and will run $1,000-$1,200 in excellent condition.

The Country Gentleman model 6070 bass in excellent condition, from 1963-1964, will go for $2,000-$2,500 while the 1965-1972 model years will run about $1,700-$2000.

The 2 pickup model 6072 will go for $1,400-$1,700.

The short scaled 6071 bass will go for $1,800-$2,200 while the 2 pickup 6073 bass will go from $2,000-$2,500 in excellent condition.

How about the Broadkaster? Well that one can be had rather reasonably for $700-$900.

Actually, these vintage Gretsch guitars can be had for about the same price or even cheaper than their newer bass models as you can see below.

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