Early Mosrite Electric Dobro Resonator Guitar - 1966 Plainsman Electric Model

Early Mosrite Electric Dobro Resonator Guitar - 1966
Plainsman Electric Model
Serial # 60432
C style Resonator, Like Nationals with an Inverted Cone & Biscuit Bridge.
When I first played this acoustically, I could close my eyes & think it sounds like a wood bodied National. (So, here’s a way to pick up a National sound for a fraction of the price.) But, when I plugged it in I opened my eyes to see if it was the same guitar. Moseley was well known for his pickups & necks; this guitar shows why. It’s neck reminds me of his electric guitars, great action on a thin profile, really easy to play. And the pickup shines like few others. I dialed in sustain like “Running on Empty” & clean like Hawaiian, Country or Bluegrass. When boosted, I controlled feedback like I’ve experienced with few pickups. And Duane Allman/Derek Trucks/Warren Haynes tones are there as well. Pretty darned versatile & impressive.
In our opinion, Moseley/Moserite Dobros are the best of the modern era Dobros. Semie Moseley was a master of his craft & combined attributes of his brand to Dobro bodies in ways that improved an already great guitar.
Gardena made. When Semie Moseley owned & operated Dobro, at first he used left over stock and operated out of the old Dobro facility in Gardena, CA. Later moving Dobro production to his facility in Bakersfield, CA Semie purchased the company that manufactured Dobros, and, according to Moles, “we had Dobros coming out of our ears.” Still, Moseley expanded his line: the Ventures model; the Celebrity 1, 2 and 3 acoustic models; a larger thick gospel-acoustic model (Semie gave away dozens to churches across the country); the Serenade acoustic; and the electric Californian, which had a Mosrite neck and a Dobro body.
A short Mosrite History: By 1956, the Moseley Brothers started Mosrite of California. When Semie, who built guitars for L.A.-based Rickenbacker, proudly told co-workers he was making his own product, he was fired. It was sink or swim now. At first, it was all custom, handmade guitars, built in garages, tin storage sheds, wherever the Moseleys could put equipment. In 1959, Andy moved to Nashville for a year to pitch the Mosrite name. “We sold a few to Grand Ole Opry people, and to road musicians,” Andy said. “And that’s how we kept the factory going at the time: custom guitars.” Mosrites are collector’s items today. The first three 1963 production-line guitars, originally sold to Rich, Moles and Edwards, are said to be worth over $30,000 each. And Bakersfield-era Ventures models are worth $8,000 to $10,000 in new condition. There’s still a certain demand for them. “They really represented some of the finest craftsmanship in guitar-making anywhere,” said Artie Niesen, owner of Bakersfield’s Front Porch Music, and a collector who owns more than 100 Mosrites. “They were great guitars.”  
*Please see our other listings and store for many other Vintage Lap Steel Guitars and Amplifiers. We currently have Alamos, Bronsons, Dickersons, Dobros, English, Fenders, Gibsons, Kays, Maestros, Magnatones, McKinney, Nationals, Oahus, Rickenbachers, ShoBud, Supertones, Supros, and White Lap Steels.*
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