The Official Mosrite Appreciation Thread

[mynameisjonas]

i've been boiling over with mosrite GAS lately, so those of you who have 'em, it's time to flaunt!

i'll post some random pics to get the thread going:

[shadowplay]

I recently had a go on a Hallmark Mosrite alike and it was pretty amazing sounding, I don't know how accurate the pickups were but they sounded great. It played lovely too and the owner got it in a great deal in exchange for his Classic Player Jag and it me it was a couple of notches up in quality, feel and sound, I want it.

I once had a chance at buying a Mosrite and thought it was too expensive at £800...how wrong was I?????

The hallmark looked like this

Incidentally the Hallmark site has really interesting tort pickups and sells the vibrato separately.

[mynameisjonas]

yeah i've been looking long and hard at those hallmarks. the neck thing really appeals to me (original mosrites have too small necks for my taste).

[dug]

I've always wanted a mosrite or a copy.

[Stratelejazzuar]

here's my mosrite johnny ramone signature model (made in japan by fillmore):

[BoringPostcards]

I really love Mosrites. Here's a shot of teh Kurdtz's Univox Hi-flier Mosrite-clone from the heart-shaped box vid:

[BoringPostcards]

Mosrite Gospel. Also belonged to Cobain:

[shadowplay]

yeah i've been looking long and hard at those hallmarks. the neck thing really appeals to me (original mosrites have too small necks for my taste).

I was really impressed, I'd go as far as saying that for the money they are the best reissue guitars you can get. Considering you get a hardcase and they don't have Fender like economies of scale $900 seems pretty reasonable. I haven't really wanted anything since I bought my Gretsch but I really wanted that guitar, the vibrato action is really great. They are in a different league to Eastwood and the like.

I quite like the Swept-Wing too I think if you were playing in a sleazy garage band it would rule pretty hard. It would make a nice companion for Zai's Pink Monster guitar.

On their site they don't seem to rule out international shipping but they only have one shipping price when you go to check out.

D

[Strat-o-rama]

As the owner of a Hallmark 60 Custom (the model fashioned after The Ventures Mark 1 model Mosrite), I can vouch for the quality. You won't find a better clone for the $$$. The PUs are extremely close to the originals, with a few mods to help eliminate squeal and feedback, a problem for Mo's in high gain situations. Also, the fretboard is wider at the nut, and has higher frets than the original. The owner of Hallmark is a Mosrite expert/restorer, and his take on these guitars are a true reflection of someone who cares and is earnestly attempting to "modernize" some of the shortcoming of the originals.
Playing Mosrite is almost a state of mind. We are so trained to our Fenders and Gibsons, that the Mosrite slim neck concept seems uncomfortable at first. You really need to spend time with it, and you may find yourself liking the relaxed, lighter touch the Mosrite brings out. Some players even claim they start to play differently on the Mosrite from how they normally play on a longer scale Fender or wider fretboard Gibson/Gretsch. The Ventures model (Mosrite calls the Mark 1 Model) originally was slated to be the Joe Maphis, and was not designed with surf guitar style in mind. Semie Moseley really designed the PUs and slim neck with "speed frets" for country pickers, like Joe Maphis, Larry Collins, Phil Baugh, and if you know these guys you know they play fast and clean. If you want that fast neck/speed fret "experience", the Japanese clones from Fillmore and Kurokumo are top notch but expensive (Mosrites have never been inexpensive guitars through their entire history). If you want a more "Fendery" feel to the guitar, and you have a budget but still want Mosrite tone...you can't beat the Hallmark 60 Custom. Don't want to sound like an ad for Hallmark. As a Mosrite afficionado, Hallmark gets a big thumbs up from me.

[therizzla]

[BoringPostcards]

from what I hear Wosrites by Tym (Australian company) are pretty damn good too.
here's a link:
prices are in australian and look crazy, but I don't know the conversion so it might not be so bad.

http://www.tymguitars.com.au/pricelist_tymguitars.html

[frippy]

Don't want to sound like an ad for Hallmark. As a Mosrite afficionado, Hallmark gets a big thumbs up from me.

Where was your Hallmark made? The company appears to be based up the road from me in Greenbelt, MD but I presume their guitars are made overseas.

[Strat-o-rama]

They are made in Korea, but designed by Bob Shade, the owner of Hallmark. He worked closely with Bill Gruggett, who is an excellent luthier, and was the plant manager for Mosrite in the glory days. The guitars are set-up here in the USA. Mine had a perfect set-up right out of the box. Hallmark also offers restoration work on Mosrites, and customization of their designs if you want to spend the extra dough for something uniquely yours, such as custom paint jobs or hand winding the pickups.
Check out the new '59 model with the hand polished aluminum tremolo-just like the original Mosrites from the early 60s. No one else is offering anything like this for the pricetag.

http://www.hallmarkguitars.com/instrume ... custom.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[frippy]

They are made in Korea, but designed by Bob Shade, the owner of Hallmark. He worked closely with Bill Gruggett, who is an excellent luthier, and was the plant manager for Mosrite in the glory days. The guitars are set-up here in the USA. Mine had a perfect set-up right out of the box. Hallmark also offers restoration work on Mosrites, and customization of their designs if you want to spend the extra dough for something uniquely yours, such as custom paint jobs or hand winding the pickups.
Check out the new '59 model with the hand polished aluminum tremolo-just like the original Mosrites from the early 60s. No one else is offering anything like this for the pricetag.

http://www.hallmarkguitars.com/instrume ... custom.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you! The new 59 Custom is very sweet... guessing it's made in the USA or Japan b/c of its price.

I'm going to check out the 60 Custom as soon as I can. One in black with a bound body and tort pickguard would be ideal

[Strat-o-rama]

Frippy,
Call Bob Shade and get a quote on the Black w. tort guard. There will be an upcharge, but they do that kind of stuff all the time.