Tried a Hallmark Custom the Other Day - My Thoughts

MozRite
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Tried a Hallmark Custom the Other Day - My Thoughts

Postby MozRite » Sun May 26, 2019 3:47 pm

It was a Custom 60. It was listed as an early model. The pickups didn't look like the current models do so maybe the early ones pickups looked different. I didn't plug it in, I saw it on the wall and only wanted to feel the weight, look at it up close and then feel the neck. It was well built, and was impeccable. The neck surprised me. I read so much how they are bigger and wider than the original Mosrites. With that said yes from memory of trying a couple of vintage Mark 1 models before I can say it does feel wider and bigger but not significantly. My Firstman Mosrite Avenger neck feels wider and bigger for sure but this Hallmark Custom 60 is not like my Avenger neck. Sure it's not as thin and narrow as a vintage model but really it doesn't seem so much bigger in feel as my Avenger. But overall it's a nice guitar. It came with original case and Nokie Edwards' signature is on it too. I like it but didn't get it because I have my Firstman Avenger already and I have a Fillmore Mark 1 circa 2005, give or take.
1966 Mosrite Mark V
1969 Firstman Avenger Mark 1
2007 Fillmore Mosrite Mark 1
1964 Gretsch Country Club
1962 Kay Swingmaster
2003 Fender Jazzmaster AVRI
2015 Fender Classic Player '60s Strat
1999 Danelectro Mod 6
2002 Tokai Jumbo Acoustic

Bob Shade
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Re: Tried a Hallmark Custom the Other Day - My Thoughts

Postby Bob Shade » Fri May 31, 2019 1:13 pm

Thanks for the review. That was the idea with the neck was to make it slightly larger than the 60's models but still keep the vibe of the original. So what you get is a guitar that feels different and fast that you can still play complex chords and bend notes etc.

You must be speaking of the guitar at Caveman Music? That is a cool one. It was from the very first 60 C run in rare black finish. And yes it has the Nike Edwards sig on it as a bonus. A buddy of mine consigned it there. He does not do Ebay.

MozRite
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Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:03 pm
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Re: Tried a Hallmark Custom the Other Day - My Thoughts

Postby MozRite » Sun Jun 02, 2019 3:38 pm

Bob thanks for your reply to my post. Yes you are right it is at Caveman Music. I love Caveman, he has a lot of very cool guitars there. He's like the Norman's Rare Guitars of unique foreign guitars, with of course some American guitars thrown in. Eric is the owner and he's very cool. I had a circa 1967 or 68 Zen-On Morales that I didn't need anymore so I brought it to him. I could have tried to sell on eBay, and like your friend I don't like doing that, although on occasion I sell on eBay or Reverb. So Eric gave me the choice to sell it to him or sell it on consignment. On consignment I would make more money, but although not broke or desperate, I just sold to Eric rather than put on consignment and wait for someone to buy it. I did suspect it would sell fast but I still didn't want to wait in case I was wrong. Within 3 days of selling to him someone bought it. So I was right it sold fast. It sold but I am sure there is a 30 day police hold to wait on before the owner takes it home. Actually the man's wife bought it for him for his birthday. That's a cool wife. Also Rick the tech here fixed up my circa 1962 Kay Swingmaster guitar. Rick did a great job too.

Sorry I digress.

I am very glad you kept the original vibe and feel of the vintage Mosrites but with some slight improvement to make them easier to play. The neck what you did with it is good because it's as you said not as narrow as a vintage model, which makes them hard to play, but you didn't make them really big either because that would take away from the vintage Mosrite vibe. My Avenger is great. It sounds great and feels awesome but it doesn't really feel like a Mosrite. The Hallmark at Caveman felt like a Mosrite since you kept the neck bigger but not to the point it doesn't feel Mosritey. My Fillmore I think has the same neck as a vintage one but the frets aren't as small. I do have a hard time going from open A Major to B-Minor on that one. My index finger misses the string most often so I have to practice a lot to get it down and if I don't play that in awhile I go back to missing on my index finger so I have to practice a lot to get it down as best I can. On the Avenger I get it right away but the Mosrite vibe isn't quite as it is with my Fillmore. I am sure with your Hallmark I can do that chord change no issues and it still feels Mosritey.

By the way when I am ready to get another Mosrite guitar I will get a Hallmark Custom 60. I want one with a set neck to have a set neck Mosrite like guitar since I have a Fillmore bolt-on and a Avenger as well. Oh I have my 1966 Mark 5 which is even harder to play but it's vintage and I like having a vintage Mosrite which were from Bakersfield, just about 100 or so miles north of me.
1966 Mosrite Mark V
1969 Firstman Avenger Mark 1
2007 Fillmore Mosrite Mark 1
1964 Gretsch Country Club
1962 Kay Swingmaster
2003 Fender Jazzmaster AVRI
2015 Fender Classic Player '60s Strat
1999 Danelectro Mod 6
2002 Tokai Jumbo Acoustic


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