The Ventures were my first favorite band; I had a half dozen of their albums before getting any Beach Boys or Beatles.
Bill Frisell’s recent Guitar In The Space Age album is very Ventures-like, but rather disappointing (I’m a Frisell fan, but this album is imo pretty mediocre).
Booker T & The MG’s are amongst the best of the best; I made their song "Green Onions" the ringtone on my cell phone. Dylan employed them as his backing band for one tour (I think Neil Young did as well). Much better in that role than were Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Speaking of The Heartbreakers: Mike Campbell is a big fan of instrumental combo Los Straitjackets, and arranged for them to open for Petty & TH at their 1999 Irvine Meadows show.
An unusual take on an instrumental album is Moontan by Telecaster-maniac Evan Johns. The album contains 12 songs, 6 instrumentals alternating with 6 vocals. Evan is backed on the album by instro-band The Hillbilly Soul Surfers; their bassist had left the band shortly before the recording of the album to join Los Straitjackets.