Major Mosrite Find

[Veenture]

Wow, Check out the last two pics. Semie carved the back too and... That includes the parts where the necks are attached (Neck plates) I've never seen that before, I wouldn't have thought of trying it either. Did Semie do that on other guitars too? I'm wondering why he did it.

Austin

Maybe someone doing the carving realised too late he was working on the reverse side and simply continued making it a 'custom' feature, ha. But he's forgiven...I can appreciate the mistake -if it ever was a mistake- because I too find the body design is rather symmetrical in contour...unlike the usual Ventures single-neck model we have come to know so well. The extra removal of wood did contribute to a bit of weight-loss, anyway. In consequence of this design feature, flexible neck plates had to be chosen …and...they were lighter in weight too!

Oops, ...I may sound as if I was working alongside Semie in another life but man, this guitar is a subject for talking for sure ...but I'm getting carried away

No, the carving on the back looks real purdee.

[MWaldorf]

Wow - that's amazing! Is the body solid, or carved out? If that's a solid body it much weigh a lot - there's way more wood front to back than a regular Ventures style body.

What's the function of the thumb wheel adjuster by the vibrato spring?

[Strat-o-rama]

That beast is wild! With the double binding I would guess hollow, but still weigh a ton. It sort of reminds me of something between the 50's designs (like Joe M., Elaine F. and Deke's TNM double neck), and the later (but early versions w. binding and side jack) Joe Maphis solid body double necks.
How many more like this triple neck do you guys estimate were made?

[TerryTNM]

Wow - that's amazing! Is the body solid, or carved out? If that's a solid body it much weigh a lot - there's way more wood front to back than a regular Ventures style body.

What's the function of the thumb wheel adjuster by the vibrato spring?

Hi Mel,
I would imagine it's hollowed to some extent like the other big bodied guitars he built. We didn't weigh it but I would guess in the 12+ lbs range. Robert had a custom "Nudie" guitar strap that went with it. You can see the clip tag in the back pictures. This strap is unique in that it has 3 attaching points. The back lug, the short leader from the middle neck and another strap button on the upper horn. Robert says it was needed to offset the 'neck heavy' situation.

Deke messed a little with the thumb screw by the tremolo spring. It looked like it adjusted the spring height and in turn the handle height. Never saw this before.

We'll probably see Robert from time to time as his dad's doubleneck guitar progresses. I may be asked to replace the humbuckers in the tri-neck. If so, we can take a look inside to see what going on in there. And also weigh it.

Hey Strat,
I was aware of only 3 custom triple necks. Semie's own test bed guitar, the Jessup guitar in Florida and the Bob Regan one. Robert says he found pictures of 5. He's trying to find them again.

Terry

[mosman]

I wonder what a setup would cost for something like that.

[TerryTNM]

Here's what it looks like in playing position. It doesn't look all that awkward.

[Deke Dickerson]

Regarding the odd flexible neck plates on the back of the body--it's mine and Terry's best guess that this guitar started out with glued on necks (as all the carved back ones were). When he "updated" the guitar in the mid-60's, he put the newest necks on it, which were bolt-on necks. The only way he could cover up the holes on the back was by making the flexible peanut-shaped plastic covers to mold to the shape of the carved back.

Deke

[jtr654]

So it's a 6/12/12 octave how do you switch between necks ?

[Dennisthe Menace]

So it's a 6/12/12 octave how do you switch between necks ?

My guess is one of those 3 way switchcrafts does exactly that....3 way.....In the up position would be the smaller neck, middle being the 6 string,
and lower would be the 12 string....yes/no??? At any rate, that is one strange looking find......and awesome all at the same time ...........

[KRamone27]

Looks like a good project for Danny to take on.