Happy Upgraded Dillion Mosrite copy day!

[vintage clubber]

I traded my Nelsonic Lester for this Dillion Mosrite copy a few months back and finally got the parts to upgrade it.

 

Pickups are the new Kent Armstrong alnico poled soapbars. They recently added an RW/RP version of this pickup which is what I was waiting for.

 

 

P90 PICKUP BLACK 8.5K/5.6K DUAL VOICED ALNICOItem #: WPU90T

A recreation of the original P-90 from the 1940's. 6 individual round Alnico V magnets. This single coil pickup has a tap wire along the winding (similar to a selectable impedance tube amp output transformer.) To allow an 8.5 K full coil or a 5.65K tapped coil. Can be wired directly or through mini switch WDE9 or pullpot etc.

 

 

I also replaced the tuners (one of them was kinda busted) with Kluson Mosrite replacements with the split safety posts.

 

 

 

I added a mini switch for the coil tap. I don't have any prior experience with tapped single coil pickups, but in the tapped position it was very low output. I'm not sure I'm really liking it or see the benefit from it on this set.

 

 

In the full power setting these pickups are very nice sounding. I have some more testing to do as it was quite late last night when I got it put back together. I will post a new you tube in the next few days hopefully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[notjonahbutnoah]

To be honest, I don't like that burst... I don't really like any bursts, but that thing is sexy enough to make me forget about it. Definitely an awesome guitar.

 

I'd rock it. You gonna make us a youtube demo?

 

I wanna see that bridge pickup scream out some Cretin Hop!

[jumpwin]

Mosrites give me a full on chubby! If only I could find (or afford!) a left handed one. My life would be complete.

You have a diamond in your grips sir!

[scuzzo]

now thats a cool guitar..

HNGD... toneish samples and such?

would like to hear the bigsby kinda deal

[vintage clubber]

To be honest, I don't like that burst... I don't really like any bursts, but that thing is sexy enough to make me forget about it. Definitely an awesome guitar. I'd rock it. You gonna make us a youtube demo? I wanna see that bridge pickup scream out some Cretin Hop!

 

I have one demo with it stock. I still have some adjustments to make before I youtube the modded version...

[vintage clubber]

 

Mosrites give me a full on chubby! If only I could find (or afford!) a left handed one. My life would be complete. You have a diamond in your grips sir!

 

 

Thank you! it is a cool and different guitar for sure!

[vintage clubber]

 

now thats a cool guitar.. HNGD... toneish samples and such? would like to hear the bigsby kinda deal

 

 

 

 

demo before mods:

 

 

[cratz2]

Nice! When I was a young lad, the Ventures were the only 'rock' album we had in the house. Bob is absolutely 100% the reason I started playing guitar and I've wanted a Mosrite ever since then. I'm managed 50 or so strats, but I've still never had a Mosrite or a copy.

 

I remember when the real things were $700 used at Charley's Guitars in Dallas. Now the Eastwoods are pushing that.

 

Very nice man. I best the pickups are a pretty decent upgrade as well.

 

Happy surfy new guitar day.

 

[vintage clubber]

Nice! When I was a young lad, the Ventures were the only 'rock' album we had in the house. Bob is absolutely 100% the reason I started playing guitar and I've wanted a Mosrite ever since then. I'm managed 50 or so strats, but I've still never had a Mosrite or a copy. I remember when the real things were $700 used at Charley's Guitars in Dallas. Now the Eastwoods are pushing that. Very nice man. I best the pickups are a pretty decent upgrade as well. Happy surfy new guitar day.

 

thank you! I really like this Dillion and would recommend it as a brand. I made the needed adjustments today and played it for a while tonight thru my bench amp - VC508. It sounded killer. I'm looking forward to hearing it through a larger amp with some reverb!

[GAS Man]

That's cool, I'm also a semi-proud owner of a Mosrite copy

 

 

But it hasn't yet inspired me to do any upgrades. The Wilson Brothers guitars were or are the official Ventures authorized models, but this one is the "import" version.

 

It's "okay" as is , but it would benefit from an upgrade on the p'ups, but not bad as is.

 

It was an "Not Factory Sealed" item back in the glory days of Music 123, i.e. before the Evil Empire bought them out, for $299.

 

Even though a Bigsby isn't quite right on a Mosrite copy, it's sure closer than the Fender style trem they used on these Wilson Bros.

[vintage clubber]

That's cool, I'm also a semi-proud owner of a Mosrite copy But it hasn't yet inspired me to do any upgrades. The Wilson Brothers guitars were or are the official Ventures authorized models, but this one is the "import" version. It's "okay" as is , but it would benefit from an upgrade on the p'ups, but not bad as is. It was an "Not Factory Sealed" item back in the glory days of Music 123, i.e. before the Evil Empire bought them out, for $299. Even though a Bigsby isn't quite right on a Mosrite copy, it's sure closer than the Fender style trem they used on these Wilson Bros.

 

those are sweet too! I wish they hadn't reversed the horn lengths on those, but maybe it was to avoid a lawsuit or something... How are the pickups on that Wilson Bros?

[cratz2]

I haven't played any of the Dillions or the Wilson Bros, but I've played two of the Eastwoods and, though they are bargain-priced, they are good enough that I would fully enjoy one... but of of the ones I played were bursts and, no offense guys, but I'd absolutely NOT want a burst... If any of the local ones were white, black, candy red or any surfy color with the trem and I would have bought one by now. I did have a Dillion SG that was very impressive so I wouldn't rule that out if one became available locally.

 

Some day... probably some day fairly soon.

[vintage clubber]

I haven't played any of the Dillions or the Wilson Bros, but I've played two of the Eastwoods and, though they are bargain-priced, they are good enough that I would fully enjoy one... but of of the ones I played were bursts and, no offense guys, but I'd absolutely NOT want a burst... If any of the local ones were white, black, candy red or any surfy color with the trem and I would have bought one by now. I did have a Dillion SG that was very impressive so I wouldn't rule that out if one became available locally. Some day... probably some day fairly soon.

 

my preference would have been the candy red, but this was a local CL trade deal.

[GAS Man]

those are sweet too! I wish they hadn't reversed the horn lengths on those, but maybe it was to avoid a lawsuit or something... How are the pickups on that Wilson Bros?

 

Interesting, I don't know if I'd thought about the horn length being off before. Makes you wonder, but I'd bet you're right. These are only licensed by "The Ventures", not Mosrite.

 

The pickups really are pretty decent. I think they are totally workable stock, but they do make you think that the whole rig would possibly sound a bit better with some top drawer P-90s for a more complex vibey tone. But as I mentioned above, I think the biggest offense is that they went with more of a strat trem instead of trying to get closer to a Mosrite trem. I'd rather even have the Bigsby since that would make it look more correct.

 

early Mosrite trem

'63 Mosrite Side Jack

[GAS Man]

a 3TSB is still my first love when it comes to a guitar finish.

[vintage clubber]

Interesting, I don't know if I'd thought about the horn length being off before. Makes you wonder, but I'd bet you're right. These are only licensed by "The Ventures", not Mosrite. The pickups really are pretty decent. I think they are totally workable stock, but they do make you think that the whole rig would possibly sound a bit better with some top drawer P-90s for a more complex vibey tone. But as I mentioned above, I think the biggest offense is that they went with more of a strat trem instead of trying to get closer to a Mosrite trem. I'd rather even have the Bigsby since that would make it look more correct. early Mosrite trem '63 Mosrite Side Jack

 

now that '63 looks pretty similar to mine (other than the trem assembly) - mine also has the jack on the side. I'm probably going to replace the football plate with an electrosocket jack assembly at some point though.

[GAS Man]

now that '63 looks pretty similar to mine (other than the trem assembly) - mine also has the jack on the side . I'm probably going to replace the football plate with an electrosocket jack assembly at some point though.

 

Wow, the inaccuracies of my Wilson Bros model keep stacking up. But actually the main draw for me with that guitar was that I got it back in the day when M123 was its own company (prior to the MF/GC buy out) and they used to have some killer deals on NFSs (not factory sealed). So that WB VM-75 was $299. Hard to resist a Mosrite copy at that price. What I'll do with it in the future is a whole other question.

 

I know that WB also has some higher-end models that are produced in the USA. I wonder if any of those are more accurate? It's been a while since I browsed their website.

 

So what do you think of the Dillion quality overall? I was looking at buying their Firebird copy, but then it went out of production. Ended up with a Gibby instead, but I was definitely thinking about picking up one at that time.

[GAS Man]

This was one purchase I made from M123 "back in the day". Each was a NFS deal.

 

But check out the DiPinto Mach IV.

 

The horns are closer to correct, but the guitar otherwise is more of a modern departure.

 

 

Oh, and note the album in the background.

[cratz2]

From 1979 - 1984 or so, Walk Don't Run and Sandy Nelson's Drummin' Up A Storm and Let There Be Drums were far and away the recordings I listened to the most. I didn't get any of my own music until 1984 and these three were by far the most 'rock' albums my mom owned... I'd borrow stuff like Bowie, Mick Ronson, Frampton Comes Alive, Alive, Tres Hombres from my brother in law, but Walk Don't Run and the two Sandy Nelson albums were without a doubt my biggest influences until I was about 12.

 

Oh, and note the album in the background.

[cratz2]

a 3TSB is still my first love when it comes to a guitar finish.

 

I know I'm in the minority, but when I see most 3TSBs, all I see is that red area which I despise with all of my being.

 

My first real American Strat was 3TSB and while it was a fine instrument, I absolutely hated hated hated how it looked and I think it forever scarred me.

 

 

Same thing with almost any of the Gibson bursts that have that prominent red area.

 

[vintage clubber]

Wow, the inaccuracies of my Wilson Bros model keep stacking up. But actually the main draw for me with that guitar was that I got it back in the day when M123 was its own company (prior to the MF/GC buy out) and they used to have some killer deals on NFSs (not factory sealed). So that WB VM-75 was $299. Hard to resist a Mosrite copy at that price. What I'll do with it in the future is a whole other question. I know that WB also has some higher-end models that are produced in the USA. I wonder if any of those are more accurate? It's been a while since I browsed their website. So what do you think of the Dillion quality overall? I was looking at buying their Firebird copy, but then it went out of production. Ended up with a Gibby instead, but I was definitely thinking about picking up one at that time.

 

Quality wise it is very well made and typical for Korean manufacture. the neck is bound which is nice. I did shim the neck a little bit so I could get the action down to a reasonable height while being able to use the bigsby. The new ones I see on ebay seem to be pretty pricey IMHO.

[vintage clubber]

made a new "after" video tonight:

 

[video=youtube;R4XLHSIrcdg]

[MyNameIsMok...]

Now I want a Mosrite. and a surfboard. and a beach shack in Cali. I already have a woody.

 

[vintage clubber]

Now I want a Mosrite. and a surfboard. and a beach shack in Cali. I already have a woody.

 

I really like this dillion copy!

[Verne Andru]

Thanks for this VC.

 

FWIW, Aria also makes a Mosrite copy that sells for around $300 new IIRC:

 

 

http://www.ariaguitars.com/english/products/dm-380