Who likes Speed Frets?

[Veenture]

I'm glad you guys & gals took this and ran with it! I'm wondering, does anyone know when exactly Semie started filing the frets down, and making the necks skinny? Wasn't this what made his work sought after in the beginning (ie: Maphis, Collins, Etc..)? Or am I mixing up my history?

My guess is Rickenbacker has sumptin' ta do wid it too (gonna do some googlin' now...)

[thunderhead]

And brought Nokie to the table I still stand by the believe that the Mosrite Guitar with the Skinny Neck, Zero Fret, Speed Frets, Overwound Pickups, Three-Way Switch, Vibramute Trem{which he used fron subtle to dive bombing!!!!} Comfort and style took his playing to a whole other level. He came to Semie to get his Tele neck slimned down, right??? He came away with the Mosrite and didn't return to the Tele for years.I realize that by the late 1960's The Ventures had moved on. By the Late 1960's so had the Beatles but they will always be tied to Rickenbacker and Gretsch Guitars. When you think of George Harrison what comes to mind??? A Gretsch Hollowbody When you think of Nokie what comes to mind??? A Pearl White Mosrite MI. Now, that being said Speed Frets are obviously not for everyone and not all Forum members are into Speed Frets. Personally I like them and try and approach them as they were intended. They are not the best choice for big SRV Blues Bends but are excellent for fast runs ala Nokie on "Caravan". They take some getting used to and are an "aquired taste".

[TimR]

I agree with Billy -the small frets, not just the original "speed frets" Semie used, but even the relatively small frets/ slim necks of the Hallmarks -take some getting used to. Before I recently aquired my Hallmark C-60, I was primarily playing a MIM '57 ri Strat. Not only bigger frets, but a 7 1/2" radius compared to the Hallmarks' 12" -it was a drastic change. I loved the feel and sound of the Hallmark right off, but I noticed, I was making a lot of mistakes -my playing was not as smooth as on the Strat. But now, after a couple of months, the Hallmark has become comfortable and smooth. When I go back to the Strat, it now seems uncomfortable and awkward.

Back in the 60's, those of us that discovered the Mosrites thought we had really found something cool. We didn't talk about the neck being skinny or the frets being low, we just said they have the fastest neck ever! But gradually, like Nokie and others, we all migrated back to the Fenders and Gibsons, and somewhere along the line we started saying the frets were too low & the necks were too skinny. If you were a rythm player and did a lot of bar chords up high on the neck (like Don Wilson), this was true. If you were a chicken pickin lead player like Nokie, it was not such an issue. But most of us "rockers" were actually blues players, and it seemed we needed something more substantial to hang on to, and bigger frets to bend against. Plus, how many blues players did you ever see play Mosrites? Admit it or not, we're all influenced by players we like. Then, after 30 or so years go by, and all of a sudden there's a Mosrite at a guitar show. You pick it up and, whoa -there's the same magic you felt in the 60's -something special, inspiring, unique -like the guitar became a whole new instrument all of a sudden. But you were having so much fun, you didn't notice that you were making a lot of mistakes you wouldn't have made on what you were used to. If you put it back and said, yeah, Mosrites are so cool! -but I can't afford one, and went on, the memory would be one way. If you had the bucks and actually bought it and took it home -after a day or two, you would begin to notice -hey, I keep screwing up, what's the matter with me? Eventually you would come around to blaming the skinny neck and small frets, and you would fondly hang that Mosrite on the wall so you could admire it's beauty, and go back to your Fenders and Gibsons. BUT -if you kept playing the Mosrite, no matter what -like I have recently done with my new Hallmark -somehow your playing would adapt, and it would smooth out. Yes, it takes some getting used to. Where most guys go wrong, though, is trying to put heavy strings on and treat it like a Jazzmaster. You've got to keep the light strings and develop a light touch. It's all a part of the mojo. You either get it, or you don't..........

[Veenture]

Tim, I read your excellent piece of writing with great interest and much pleasure. What you said is well balanced and it really sums up nicely what many of us must be thinking IMHO. Since getting my Hallmark I experienced similar things when I played it (even with it's slightly wider neck and taller frets than a Mo') but I aim to devote equal time to my Fender USA '57 Reissue Strat (I've always been playing Fenders).
Since I love them both for what they are my reasoning is; if one has the ability to become bi-lingual, might as well become 'bi-guitar' also!

Thank you!

[TimR]

That's the trick Veenture, play them both regularly. I've known a few guys that had Mosrites for years & loved them. But they also had Fenders and Gretches and Gibsons -and that's what they always played @ their gigs, etc. Then, on rare occasions they would pick up the Mosrite, and it was always, "yeah, cool guitar. But those skinny necks & tiny frets ......." They never really stuck with it long enough to appreciate it. I guess I was one of them myself. My all time favorite guitar that I probably played more than anything was an old Gretsch 6120. It was probably my favorite cause I played it more than anything else. When I picked it up, it just felt like part of me. I now will see if I can get this Hallmark to be that way..........

[thunderhead]

You gotta put the time in on anything. I go from Vintage Mosrites to Jazzmasters to Gibsons to Telecasters to anything else lying around every week. It's all in the setup, IMO a Mosrite won't set up like a Jazzmaster. The Hallmark seems to be a compromise of the two camps though. I love mine

[Scotstandard]

I like my speed frets, but both my 65 and 66 are wore out a bit. Bends are super hard and thats really my only gripe. I wish i could bend on them better, but I have changed my playing to go with the mosrite. If they were factory brand new I bet i would like them better.
It took a good 6 months to get used to the mosrite neck and frets, I loved everything else enough to learn to play on it. My trem picking is a little slower on the mosrite than say a jazzmaster. Once i got used to it going to anyother guitar the frets and neck felt HUGE! I can now bounce around better but i love the neck and eveything else about the mosrite. I havent had a chance to play a later one or a hallmark yet but look forward to it.

We are playing with brutis nextmonth and look forward to playing his combo (for a minute) if he will let me he is of course welcom to play the pearl white.

[Strat-o-rama]

Scott, you and Brutus paired up on a show should make for a good evening of electrified sounds!
Get pics of you two together with your respective Mosrites.
Interesting comments about adjusting to the narrow necks. I would think landing on a chord properly when playing through some fast changes would be where the most mistakes would occur before aquiring the "Mosrite touch". Again, I have yet to play the real deal.

[Scotstandard]

I will shure try and get the shot of us together.

Landing on the right chord is the same on any diffrent guitar i think.
Spacing and bends are def the thing that needs to get used to

[brutus]

I have found if bends are problem just raise the string height a little so you get under the strings, with the small frets, fretting the notes won't be any harder even with increase in height.
Yes, I was hoping for some swapping of guitars during the show Scott. Be warned my guitar's frets are almost nonexistent. It's gonna be a fun show!! A Surf and Psych blow out. I hope we will have some vid and photos for all y'all. Speed frets forever!!