Mosrite Excellent

I suppose it has all the feature an original ventures would have. A faithful reproduction. I own 3 other Mosrites. A '66 Ventures 12 string, a '72 350 Stereo, and a late 60's Celebrity. I also play an early '90s Japanese Fender Jaguar. While this plays pretty much exactly like my other Mosrites, it seems a little off. It isn't nearly as heavy as the other 2 solid body Mosrites I have, not even close. The tremolo system works well for accents, but its fairly close to the strings when you push in, so its difiicult to strum with. I have a Pearl White one and its by far the most beautiful guitar I've ever owned. The Pearl finish is truely stunning. When I got it the intonation was way off and it needed a set up badly. It's played wonderfully since. I bought this to play out with so I could leave the older ones at home, but I haven't really been playing it.

I play this through a Boss TU-2 -> Fulltone Fulldrive 2 -> Fulltone Distortion Pro -> Boss BF-2 -> Boss PN-2 -> Boss RV-3 -> Boss DD-20 -> Moogerfooger MF-101 -> Roland JC120. It just doesn't sound exactly right. Mosrites have the wonderful warm, thick, full tone and this one is really punchy. I can't seem to get a sound I'm really happy with. I'm a tone freak and spend hours tweaking my gear for each of my guitars and I just can't get a cirty sound I'm happy with. Neither the warmer overdrive of the fulldrive nor the cruchier distortion of the Distortion Pro are doing it for me. The clean sound is really punchy and midrangey. With the JC120 you always get pretty much what you put in out of it. Very little amp coloration. My older mosrites all sound much better. I play in 2 bands. The first is a spazzy synth punk thing. I mostly play my Jaguar in that. The other is a darker Nick Cave styled band. I play all of my Mosrites in that band. Lately I just use the 350 Stereo instead of this.

The guitar was perfectly assembled and the finish flawless (and gorgeous!) when it arrived. The intonation was way off. I had it set up and it was fine for awhile but it needs another setup soon. Also, the tremolo spring isheavy. You'll need heavy guage strings if you want to stay in tune.

Since this guitar is much lighter than my other Mosrites, i get nervous. With such a thin neck and light body I'm worried a tragic accident could happen. A clumsy bass player once knocked mine over and it took a nice chunck out of the finish and knocked out the intonation again. The strap buttons seem solid enough and the electronics all seem solid. I don't like to play it out live anymore after the bass player incident. I usually play live without a backup, mostly because I'm too lazy to drag 2 guitars around.

I ordered this from ktmguitars.com. They were incredibly helpful, quick, and got me the exact guitar I wanted with a case for the cheapest price I've seen on the internet. Plus it's one of the models with the VEntures logo on the headstock. I don't know if there was a warrenty.

I'm 29 and I've been playing guitar for 11 years now and playing out and touring in bands for just as long. in bands. Ilove vintage guitars and am especially enamoured with Mosrite guitars. I feel the guitars Semi made are of the highest quality. The alwyas play quickley and beautifully. They are built solidly, they're tanks! They sound incredible. The pickups are warm and loud. I bought this so that I could leave the older ones at home durings shows, but I'm just not satisfied with the sound. It's a beautiful looking guitar and it plays really well, I just can't quite get the sound I want out of it. I've been debating since I got it selling it and getting another Jaguar since I'd rather play out with a cheaper more replacable guitar. I just hate to let gear go. With as much as I've bitched about this guitar, I'm just nitpicking. This is a decent guitar and worth the money in sound and playability, it's just not necessarily replace an original.

This Excellent is assumed to be 2004 since THEY ALL are not stamped with serial numbers or dates or anything for that matter which makes one Excellent different from another. Made by Mosrite Japan (Nihon Dentsu). I've played many Mosrites and by far these are THE BEST in sound, playability, and overall quality. Even better than the official Fillmore reissues!
Thin, bound neck w/ 22 low "banjo" frets. Tiny double, triple, and single dot markers on a rosewood fretboard. Chrome plated brass nut. Curvaceous "German scalloped" body style. A very beautiful 3-color sunburst color (on the top, back, neck, AND sides of headstock!). 3 way switch, vol, tone, 2 single coil Mosrite pickups. Neck pickup is slanted with the neck cut to accommodate. The finish is very smooth and shiny. Came with black hard case w/ blue plush lining & cable.. cool!
The neck is slightly narrower than my Fender Jazzmaster. Since the frets are so low, you can't play this unless your fingernails are short, but the action is GREAT!
Roller Bridge is vibrato, but I bypassed this for more sustain by switching out the spring with a metal cylinder. Also, the nut will accept most string sets up to about .48

Phenomenal! This is one of my favorite guitars and nothing else sounds like it. I won't ever need to change out the pickups for something better because these are fantastic. Hum does exist as these are med-high output single coils, but only noticeable with high gain.

Shipped from Japan to Los Angeles California with .009s & set up great! Pickups required little adjustment. The only flaw I could find was a finish flaw on the back of the neck near the joint, but this hardly noticeable. The hardshell case is a little wimpy, but does it's job well and looks great.

Everything on this guitar is Grade-A! Great looking polished & stamped chrome bridge is way better than those Fillmores. I would say that it is immaculate like most things made in Japan.
Since the neck is so thin and prone to pitch bending when I put excess pressure on it, I switched to thicker strings so it would stay in tune better.
Gig without a backup? Yes.

No warranty. Suga Music was very helpful and prompt at answering my questions via e-mail. They don't sell these in America so you will have to mail-order one or go get it yourself from Japan.

I am so very satisfied with this guitar!
Mods:
* I did have to cut the nut larger for the 3 wound strings to allow for heavier strings
* I shielded every cavity with copper for better noise rejection

Cons:
* I wish the tone control wasn't so quick to go from "bright" to "dull".
* The nut would be great if it came with larger slots.
* It would also be great if they made several neck widths for different sized hands. This one will seem small to many, but normal for one used to a Mosrite. I just wish it were a hair wider.

I've been playing for 13 years and sold a Gibson RD Custom to get this. I play it through a Mesa/Boogie Trem-o-verb & Fender Super Reverb. It feels great, plays like a dream (unlike any other Mosrite, vintage or new), and it looks awesome. Likes thick strings and behaves well when detuned. Worth every penny and I don't miss the RD one bit.

I cant really grade "features" on this guitar properly as you dont buy this guitar for features, you buy it because of what it is. Anyway the above reviewers will have said all that needs to be said in terms of pick ups/wood etc.
Mine is a metallic red excellent 65 from Japan which I bought recently in a shop in Finland (I found it purely by chance at a great price). When I got back to Scotland I did some research and discovered that its quite in demand (especially since the Japanese have lost the license to make them). Understandibly I am very happy with my purchase!

Sounds better than any guitar Ive ever played. Really shows off its 60's heritage with a mixture of the phat, the metallic and the smooth. I run it through a re-issued uk VOX valve amp (from the 70's I think?) and so I get a wonderfully warm but big sound from it. I use it mainly with my small home studio in my compositions and it really adds life to my arrangements.

This guitar, for me, is a mixture of great things: 1960's Americana with modern Japanese precision. You can tell immediately it is made by people who loved the original. The finish is flawless. It sits in the corner of my studio and literally shines. It truly is a beautiful looking instrument. I love the unusual nature of it and the fact that it isnt 'perfect'. As one reviewer wrote it reminds him of an e-type Jaguar. The e-type had awful brakes and gave awful mileage (around 14 to the gallon in the 5.3litre!) but it is a beautiful vehicle. This guitar is my e-type jag (and they both sound wonderful!).
I never usually get attached to inanimate objects but if this guitar was to be stolen I would be totally gutted.

No idea yet but it seems very well and solidly built.

I bought it from a shop in Finland and they were very helpful so any problems and Im sure I could sort it out.

This is a Mosrite Excellent from 2002. These are made in Japan. I own 3 other Mosrite guitars, an early 60's Ventures model, a Joe Maphis and a combo. If I was blindfolded, I could not tell the difference between the Japanese one and my authentic Vintage Mosrites. Of course ,when you take off the blindfold, the japanese one looks 10 times better because it's new. I might be tempted to say it is even better made than the originals but I would not want to get slammed by the hardcore Mosrite crowd. Perfect nut, Klusen tuners stamped with Mosrite, totally exactly like the oringal tailpiece and bridge except stamped with Excellent. Apparently they have anothe model for about $300 more that says Vibramute instead. I got a lot better things to do with 300 bucks.

The pikkups on this guitar sound perfect. Again, it seems they might even be a bit better than the original, but who knows with age of my Ventures model, perhaps they are not performing up to scratch. This Excellent version just plain sounds awesome. much bette rthan I expected. I bought this mailorder from www.myrareguitars.com so I was a little worried, but the reviews on it have been good, and I was not let down at all.

It plays like butter right out of the case. I'm not sure the gage of strings, but I'm thinking of putting a heavier gage on it, like 11's.. I'm a little worried that it might need a heavier spring in the tremolo, but I don't know yet. Has anyone out there tried this? The finish is too good to be true. After playing a beat up old 1960's Mosrite for years, it is a dream to have a new one, especially with a finish that is better than most $3000 guitars these days. The neck is a perfect copy of the original. You can tell that the builder is to quality by the detail of the neck. It is breathtaking to play.

I just got it 2 days ago, so I have not gigged it yet. judging by the look and feel, this guitar is going to last me a long time with hard gigging. Time will tell, but I'd be surprised if I am let down here.

As i said, I got the guitar 2 days ago, and the guy at www.myrareguitars.com has been really good as long as I've know him. 5 days. I checked his EBAY feedback and it was perfect, so I'm guessing the customer support will be really good in th efuture.

I've ben playing for 25 years. I have a dozen or so guitars. 3 other Mosrites, 2 Les Pauls, a few wierd 60's things, a Strat and a Jaguar. Apparently this is one of the last 14 Mosrite guitars from Japan. Mike at www.myrareguitars.com apparently bought up the last of them. So I suspect the color selection will not be too great, but even if it's not the color you want, these guitars are so good I would play a flaming pink one if that was all he had left. Yes, if it was stolen i would replace it, but I don't know where I'd get one.

As in the previuos review, my new Mosrite is a 2002 "Licensed Japanese remake" of the Mosrite Ventures model from a Japanese firm licensed by Loretta Moseley to make them. During conversations with my contact during the purchase of this guitar, I was informed that this firm has been licensed and producing these for over 20 years and their models are superior to any others produced in Japan. I have played a Mosrite in the past and this one is a dead ringer in all respects. I even went to the expense of putting the "Vibramute" vibrato on mine. I have taken this guitar to 2 vintage dealers in my area and they both agree that this guitar is awesome. Both of them have owned Mosrites and both say this is better made than the originals.

The first song I learned to play completely was Walk Don't Run. That will tell you how long I have been playing. I believe that the Ventures were the greatest instrumental group of all time and it is a shame that they are not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This guitar gives the sound for their type of music. I play mostly oldies and instrumentals and this guitar suits me just fine. As noted earlier, the 2 vintage dealers I took it to liked it. They both agree that the pickups are extremely powerful and sound great. One of them could not believe the response from the bridge pickup. This thing kicks the &*^%$@*& out of my Fender Strat (1996 American made) I also have a Mosrite Celebrity made in 1967. It doesn't catch my Ventures model for obvious reasons.

The setup was diferent than a factory setup as I had the vibrato changed. It had 9 gage strings on it. I had 10 gage strings put on it and had it set up. A half an hour later it was ready to go. It just plays smooth. some players I know that have never played one can't get over the neck as it is like butter. Mine is the classic sunburst finish. Absolutely beautiful in every detail. It's a thing of beauty.

The finish and hardware are A-1. The neck is very thin and as I stated earlier, some of the other players I know couldn't believe haw smooth this thig plays. One of my vintage dealer contacts said that the neck on this guitar is absolutely dead on to the originals. As I stated earlier, I have a Mosrite Celebrity. The neck on that one is the same as the Ventures Model. One dealer even asked me if it could be played as it is so thin and so low. His next two words were "HOW MUCH". I will not sell it or my new one. Strings are easy to bend. The guitar is staying in tune just fine, even with vibrato use. Everything on this guitar is A-1.

My dealings with the supplier were very good. He is very knowledgeable for a young man and was helpful. If I have a problem I have enough contacts to get the help I need. Besides, if you take care of your instrument it will last forever. This is very evident by the condition of my 1967 Mosrite Celebrity.

I have been playing for a number of years. I played from 1961 to 1970 and then stopped. I took it up again in 1998. At this stage of my life I play for me only, although my brother and I hook up every couple of weeks to play all the Ventures music we know (about 30 tunes). I also have a Mosrite Celebrity with a Moseley vibrato tailpiece (1967 pot dates) in a sunburst finish. It is absolutely in munt condition. I also have a 1996 American made Fender Strat in a sunburst finish. I guess you could say they are my 3 sons. I call them Nokie, Don, and Bob after the 3 guitarists of the Ventures. The strat is great but the Mosrite Ventures model plays a lot smoother. The sound of the Mosrite is more to what I want to play. The Mosrite guitars will be willed to my family when I go. Not for sale, ever.
during conversations with KTM guitars, there will not be any more of these from Japan after August. If you have any doubt about these instruments, put them aside. You can't buy these at any better price anywhere. I used the Buy It Now on e-bay to acquire this one. I have seen the ones the are "Made in America" on the web site of the person who is selling these and the prices are double what KTM is asking. Also, there are none with the Ventures model on the headstock. another web site has an original 1965 that looks identical to mine and they are asking $5500.00. I can justify the price I paid. I don't have the money for the original and I am completely satisfied and happy with my guitar. In closing, AAA GGG FFF A just sounds great on my new Mosrite Ventures model.

This is a 2002 "Licensed Japanese remake" of the Mosrite Ventures model. This is from a Japanese firm licensed by Loretta Mosely (Semie's widow) to reproduce the Mosrites exactly. The sole exception is the name "Moseley", which she would not allow used in the 1965-and-later vibrato, hence the name "Excellent" on the vibrato base, which is also their model name for the guitar, though it is a dead-on 1965 Ventures model (more on the vibrato later). I agree with the other reviewers, and I grew up playing guitar in the sixties. The first Mosrite I played was a 1965, and most of the ones I played after that were '65-'67 models. The Japanese have a fetish about this stuff, and every bloomin' detail is *exactly* correct. They even use the exact same Phillips screws, the exact gauge of copper wire and exact number of turns of wire on the pickup bobbins. It is a DEAD-ON '65 Ventures model - it's just new, and made in Japan. Features have been well (if in some cases erroneously) reviewed by others. One difference: This particular model is advertised as having a two-piece maple neck, whereas the models above it in the line are advertised as one-piece. This instrument has a one-piece maple neck, with the *slight* exception of the inward curve on each side of the headstock - those are little "glued-on wings", but seamlessly so. Unless that's what they meant. Overall, the features are exactly suited to the instrument, and extremely well done. Sole thing I would have liked to see different is the intonation screws on the bridge saddles - they're very difficult to access (though that's typical of a lot of electric guitar bridges).

I grew up and learned guitar in the Sixties. My gods were Chet, The Beatles and The Ventures. Nokie Edwards of the Ventures was and is the most incredible guitarist of his kind I've ever seen. The Ventures made many albums in the sixties (they averaged one every 4-5 months for years!) but their "Golden Age" was 1963-1966. And, not coincidentally, that's when they were using the Mosrite guitars.
The Excellent IS "that sound" - it is absolutely unmistakable through
a good amp (mine is a Fender). A Fender Jazzmaster gets into the ballpark, but isn't the same. For the classic Ventures sound, this is the instrument. Half of my playing even today is 60's surf/instrumental, and this is the guitar made specifically for that.
Very wide sound spread between solo neck-combined-solo bridge. Wide-range and effective tone control. The Mosrite pickups are
hotter than hell, and on volume "10" some broken glass creeps into the sound that is fantastic for some things in this genre (it is easily tamed by backing off on the volume knob just a whisker). As someone else mentioned, GREAT guitar through an effects pedal, especially classic fuzztone. The biggest fault of the Mosrite sound? It's not terribly versatile. It is the most perfect guitar ever designed for
rock instumental work. However, while it's more than adequate for general rock playing, it takes a back seat to a lot of other guitars for that. For instrumental/surf, though - it stands alone. A Strat sounds anemic in comparison for this type of music.

This instrument came to me with the untouched factory set-up, I'm guessing, and I did not like it. It was set up with nines, as almost all new electric guitars are, and I prefer tens. The neck had ZERO - and I mean ZERO - relief. 5/16ths of a loosen on the truss rod brought the relief to nine thousandths - there we go! Intonation was very nearly dead-on though - only the low "E" string needed a tweak there. Like any moderately short-scale guitar (it's 24 3/4"), it's almost impossible to get *exactly* intonated, like you can easily with a 25.5 inch scale. But unless you enjoy stewing over less-than-flawless intonation instead of playing, you can get it plenty close enough - just as with any other guitar of this scale length. Finish (mine is CA red) is beautiful, as were all of Semi's back in the 60's. Fit and tolerance is excellent (no pun intended). There is no shim in the neck pocket - and none needed, that's how close they got it.

Hardware, finish, etc. are all top-flight. And here's a good place to talk about the neck, feel, and vibrato.

My opinions here are going to differ from a lot of the other reviews you will read. In my defense, I have been playing 37 years, and have played everything imaginable at some time or another. You hear repeatedly that the neck is ultra-thin. Yes, it's thin, but I have a G&L S-500, and the Mosrite neck is almost identical: Width, profile, feel, etc. You read that the frets are low. Yes, they are,
but not "ultra low" (A Les Paul "Black Beauty" had the lowest frets I've ever seen, and I do think the frets on this Mosrite are a tad higher than the ones Semie made, but I could be wrong about that).
You read that "it's almost impossible to bend on them". Where do people get this stuff? You can bend *fine* - no problemo! The very flat neck radius (I think it's 14", but not sure) prevents "noting out" on high bends (a problem that plagues "classic" Fenders with the 7.25" radius unless you really raise the bridge). And about the "Excellent" vibrato:

I was there, folks. This is the exact 1965-and-later "Moseley" vibrato. There isn't a thing "cheesy" about it. The sole differences are the name, and the fact that the "Moseley" had a redundant center mounting screw on the bottom under the name, besides the left and right mounting screws. It's not needed, and not present in this design. The action is famous (Semie was noted for the "feather touch" vibrato). The roller bridge is a joy, and a dream to palm mute with.
It does, however (at least with 10 gauge strings) take a while to stretch in the strings. You'll know when the strings are done stretching - a deep dip on the vibrato handle, and all six strings come right back into tune. Until they are fully stretched, this doesn't happen (though you can easily "hurry" the process along after re-stringing). When use of the vibrato doesn't throw a string or two out, they're ready for the stage. But don't restring a Mosrite 15 minutes before you are scheduled to do a gig! I would gig it without a backup, yes, though a backup is always prudent.

This is pretty much a non-issue, as these are made in Japan, and the
American seller (besides the satisfaction guarantee, I mean), can provide little help. You take the good with the bad, and I wouldn't want to be in the position of trying to get customer support for one of these - online parts specialists would be your best bet. But with good care, the instrument should last a lifetime. Read the reviews of the original Mosrites from the sixties - the theme of "still going strong" recurs over and over.

I've been playing 37 years, and play every style you can imagine except the head-banger stuff. I also do a lot of pit orchestra work, club/bar stuff (mostly acoustic), and my first love is Beatles and Ventures. I have a Gretsch Country Gentleman, a G&L S-500 (best all-around guitar in the world, and will SMOKE any Fender Strat, see my review), a Rickenbacker 360-12, A Martin HD-28, and a Seagull S12+.
I also have a Fender 62RI MIJ Jazzmaster, which I love, but I may sell that, as that was the closest I could get to a Mosrite back when I thought I'd never get the Mosrite. Having one now, I doubt I will play the Jazzmaster much, and guitars should be played. Haven't decided firmly yet, but may sell that one, as I said. If this Mosrite were lost or stolen, I'd be heartbroken, as the chances are slim I could land another one (more on that in a minute). What do I love about it? The look, the overall design, the vibrato (best single-spring there is), the playability and THE SOUND - the cutting torch sound of those pickups, especially the bridge pickup, must be experienced for oneself. I don't hate anything, but I do wish it had a full-scale neck - but it's an exact re-creation of the original, and the original didn't. And on the subject I said I'd get back to . . .

This review is being written in early July, 2002. In mid-August, as I understand it, the very last licensed Mosrites will be imported from Japan. What happened there is a bit murky, but an American guitar builder with a vested interest in his own instruments seems to be a player in the story - as I said, I don't know the whole story myself, though. In other words, unless you can turn one of these used (expect to pay about $750-$800) or can turn an *original* sixties one (expect to pay $2,500 - $5,000), you may be out of luck if you are reading this many months after it was written. An American builder (referenced above) is supposedly turning these out again now "made in America!!". That doesn't mean they are better than the one I just reviewed. They don't *get* any better than the one I just reviewed.

The Mosrite Excellent is a very faithful Japanese reissue of the original California made Mosrite Ventures model circa '65. Mine was made in 2002. I believe that almost every feature on the Mosrite Ventures model (new or old) is just wrong and yet I love this guitar. As other reviewers mention, the neck is thin (too thin for me, even thinner than a Rickenbacker), the frets are too low, the cutaway is backwards (at least in appearance), the single coils are over-wound, and I don't have much faith in the vibrato unit ("mosely", "vibromute" or "excellent"). The bottom line is that it does not excel as a "players guitar". But if you are playing classic surf, or Ramones, it's got a very high cool vibe in terms of looks and sound. The finish is beautiful to behold!
Some reviewers have reported that the "Excellent" vibrato bar is "cheesy". But, in terms of operation and quality, this is simply not true. The Excellent whammy is no cheesier than the original mosely and vibromutes I?ve played. But it does have the ?Excellent? moniker and if your intention is to hang the guitar on the wall, then spend another 150 for the word ?Mosely?.

I play this guitar in an instro/surf band. Our second guitarist has an original Mosrite Ventures model. We plugged them both into the same channel of a Fender Twin and the guitars sound exactly the same! This is no exaggeration. I use the guitar with a Fender Super and/or a Fender Twin. The over-wound single coils really drive this thing so that it is easy to be heard above the band and without the need to over crank the amp. I prefer the center position on the three way pickup selector, where it's not too bright and not to bassy. I do get some buzz from the d-string but this does not come through when the gutiar is amplified.

The set-up and workmanship direct from the factory are the best I've seen on any of the several electrics I've owned over the years. I think these guitars must be designed and manufactured by true Ventures fanatics who have outdone themselves trying to get everything just right. I can find no flaws other than the d-string that buzzes at the bridge (the buzz is not heard when the guitar is amplified).

The guitar is very beautiful on arrival and came with a very high quality alligator case. The strap buttons were solid. It appears that the finish and hardware are all road worthy.

I got the guitar from an online distributor called ktmguitars.com
They sell the Excellent for less than other on-line sources. They do a fantastic job of packing and quick shipping. They won't answer all of your "detail" emails, but if anything is wrong, I get the impression they will respond immediatly. They also have a positive ebay rating.

If you are a Ventures fan and a practicing musician, then the Excellent is a wonderful and useful addition to your arsenal. If you are buying the guitar as a Ventures artifact and to play only occasionally or you are a practicing musician and wealthy, then go for the more expensive Super Custom with the word "mosely" on the trem.

This is a new Japanese made remake. I have an original Mosrite bought in 1967 and this Japanese version is completely comparable. I understand they have the rights to the Mosrite trademark so it is a legitimate remake. It sounds exactly like my original. My original is red, this one is Pearl White and is gorgeous. The case it came with is a hardtop case but the handle feels cheesy and it certainly isn't like the original case but you can get one of those for extra cost. The tailpiece says Excellent on it where the original said Moseley. SOmeone else in this column commented that he bought a Japanese made Custom 64 or 65 and that the Excellents had some cheesy features. I paid $1000 for this and that is still a lot for essentially a carved piece of wood with a few mass manufactured pickups. For $1000, the tailpiece shouldn't be cheesy so I agree with that other reviewer. I am having the tailpiece replaced with the Vibramute

It has a rich full sound, very heavy on the 6th string as on my original. The whammy bar is exactly like my original, the strings pretty much stay in tune as long as I don't really push the bar to the body. I play some surf stuff, but also like jazz. Clearly this isn't a jazz guitar but geez it looks fabulous

It has the great, fast Mosrite action. Itseems very well set up, the sound is great so the pickups were properly adjusted. There do not seem to be any finish flaws to it although since I have never seen a Moseley made Pearl White Ventures model, I don't know how close the finish is to the original. Someone, From Japan I think, commented on some website that these remakes were not exact color matches to the originals so I don't know about that. But I love it. It is an exact duplicate body-wise and sound wise

Strap buttons seem solid and I intend to use it in live gigs. Haven't yet so I cannot really comment but it seems solid enough

I bought this from an outfit in Seattle called Guitarpunk and I have to say they were just great. Very responsive on email, returning my messages the same day. A guy named Flav, there, is very easy to work with and should be commended for making this long distance purchase (I am near Philadelphia, PA) for me very,very satisfactory. I would not hesitate to buy from them again

I wish I had asked if Guitarpunk could switch the Vibramute for the Excellent tailpiece and I would have paid the extra $150 to have them do it. I also own a Gibson ES295 supposedly owned or played by Brian Setzer at some point in the early 1990s. I have a picture that came with it of him playing it or another very similar and the pickguard was signed with his name.

I also have a 1990 reissue Les Paul Goldtop 1960 Classic, and my original Mosrite