Genuine 1965 Mosrite "Ventures" Bass

Description

Semie Moseley, the founder of Mosrite Guitars, was an innovator and master luthier. Not copies of Gibsons or Fenders, his instruments were different and entirely original. To that end, almost all components for Mosrite instruments were made in-house at their factory in Bakersfield, CA.
Moseley initially struggled to get traction with his products however a chance introduction in 1963 lead to an endorsement deal with the world's most popular surf rock band, The Ventures. The company developed a line of guitars under a dual Mosrite / "The Ventures" logo with a unique look and features including ultra-slim necks, zero frets, high output handmade pickups, custom built aluminum hardware, and a double cut-away body shape featuring a longer lower horn.
This new design and exposure put Mosrites ‘on the map’ and these unique new guitars were embraced by a number of popular bass players including the immortal John Entwistle of The Who.
Nonetheless, only approximately 2,000 total Mosrite “Ventures” bass guitars were made during the short four years of their original endorsement deal.
Date Codes: Serial #5369 (stamped in the heel of the fretboard) is an early and all original example. The neck and body are each date-stamped, “Jul 14, 1965” and “Jul 19, 1965” respectively. The matching original pots are also date-coded July of ‘65.
Mosrite #5369 has a nice aged, honestly earned patina incl some finish checking and a few small bruises. The sunburst finish is original as it appears are the frets, fretboard, saddle, alloy nut, bridge, knobs, binding, pickguard, tuners and tuning keys. There are no signs of prior repairs and its overall condition is Very Good.
Why buy a good but ordinary new American-made Fender bass when, for about the same price, you can own/display/play a unique piece of popular music history? This bass looks, plays and sounds great and, given its scarcity, is only likely to continue to appreciate over time.