1965/66 Mosrite Ventures Bass, Ink Blue

The Mosrite Ventures Bass is one of those wonderfully left-field mid-sixties designs that manages to look futuristic, elegant and slightly outrageous all at once. Built during the period when Mosrite was closely associated with The Ventures, these basses carried all the hallmarks that made Semie Moseley’s instruments so distinctive: the dramatic German carve, offset body shape, zero fret, narrow-feeling neck and that unmistakably sleek West Coast styling. 

Finished in a stunning Ink Blue metallic, this is a seriously eye-catching example. It is a colour that elevates the already striking design, and this one has aged with plenty of attitude. There is buckle wear to the rear and the bass has clearly been used over the years, but it still looks incredible and wears that honest playwear perfectly.

The spec is classic Mosrite - the maple neck has the large volute and is paired with a rosewood fingerboard with small dot inlays, a large metal nut and zero fret. Nut width is 40mm, so it has the typically slim, fast feel you would expect, while the neck depth measures 21.9mm at the 1st fret and 22.2mm at the 12th, giving it a pleasingly consistent profile up the neck. Mosrite necks from this period are known for their narrow, quick-playing feel, and that plays a huge part in the personality of these instruments. 

Electronics are nice and simple, with a single slanted neck-position single coil controlled by volume and tone. It is a cool and unusual setup that gives the bass a punchy, focused voice with plenty of clarity perfect for vintage pop, surf, garage and rootsy rock ’n’ roll.

The pots and solder appear correct, and it retains the correct adjustable bridge, wooden stoptail and nickel bridge cover, along with the correct open-back nickel tuners. As with so many of the best Mosrites, it is the complete package of design, feel and visual flair that makes it so appealing. 

These Ventures basses have a real cult appeal, and rightly so. They offer something genuinely different from the more familiar Fender and Gibson basses of the period, both visually and sonically, and this one has all the style you could want.

Rare, striking and full of personality, it is a fabulous mid-sixties American bass that would sit just as comfortably in a serious collection as it would in the hands of someone wanting an inspiring and very distinctive vintage player.