The 1950's style doubleneck a la Joe Maphis, Larry Collins..

[Deke Dickerson]

Since I posted a bunch of photos of other 1950's Mosrites, I figured I should post some photos to show the sort of guitar that Semie REALLY got famous for in the 1950's, his crazy custom doublenecks like the ones he made for Joe Maphis, Larry Collins, Bob Regan, and a few others!

The one pictured here was made by his shop assistant in Granada Hills, Terry McArthur, in 1959. You can check out my website at http://www.dekedickerson.com and look under "gear" for the whole story of this guitar. The basic version is that Terry was working (doing sanding and grunt work for Semie, of course) for Mosrite and built two doublenecks in his high school shop class. The first one was for himself, and is now lost, the second one was made for a local picker named Ernie Odum, and indeed when I got this thing it said "Ernie" on the neck, which I replaced with my own name, only because the guitar needed a total overhaul anyway. The finish had all been sanded off when I got it, the pickups were missing etc....you may notice it has a vibrato from a Celebrity on it, that's because Terry had originally made a homemade vibrato that didn't work very well....

Anyway the reason that I'm showing this guitar is because to my knowledge NONE of the original 50's doublenecks exist in their original form anymore. Semie was famous for always "updating" his instruments for his star performers every few years and as such, Joe Maphis' and Larry Collins' doublenecks now have 60's pickups and hardware on them.

But with all this talk about Semie's 1950's guitars, I figured that I would post a photo of what Semie's famous doublenecks looked like in the 1950's...

Deke

[dubtrub]

Deke, have you checked out the Joe Maphis double neck on display at the Kern County museum? It's been a while since I saw it and didn't really examine it for updated parts. My impression was it appeared to be the same guitar I saw and got a chance to strum a few chords on at Semie's shop in '59. That was on my list of things to show you when you come to Bakersfield. Unfortunately they don't allow photo's to be taken inside the museum.

[Deke Dickerson]

Hey Danny!

The one that is in the Kern museum is actually a second doubleneck that was built for Joe after Joe donated his original guitar to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in nashville in 1972 (and it's still there, if you want to go see it!).

This guitar was pure 1972 Semie, with humbuckers, black pickguards, truss rod covers, etc. and even a special "push button switch" that he was supposed to use when going from rhythm to lead...I still have no idea what that is under the pickguard!

The guitar is the one Joe played for the rest of his life. it was supposedly about half the weight of the first one. I've got some pics of it somewhere, but not on my computer handy.

The funny thing is that I've got some videos of Joe on Hee Haw in the 1970's where he's playing the new doubleneck with humbucking pickups through a solid state Barcus Berry amp, and you know what? IT SOUNDS EXACTLY THE SAME. The Joe Maphis sound was all in his hands! he could make anything sound like that.

Deke

[Strat-o-rama]

Okay, I've got a total guitar geek question: After looking at Lorrie's acoustic with the Bigsby-style neck, and Larry's current double neck, and Deke's double neck made by TNM, are the nut widths the typical 39mm Semi liked to use so often? The story I picked up somewhere was that the narrow width came about from Semi making a guitar for his first wife, who played in a church band, and it was scaled to her hands. Anyone (Deke?) know the real story behind the skinny necks?

[Deke Dickerson]

The nut width on the TNM Custom is thankfully the same as a Gibson guitar. Terry didn't like the skinny nut width, and neither do I, so that guitar is perfect for me.

All of the 50's guitars I've seen have teensy weensy nut widths. I think even narrower than the later Ventures models. I'm not sure of exact widths in millimeters but let me tell you, they are tiny.

I hadn't heard the story about his wife, but it's possible. I know that Semie had these humongous hands, I mean, hands as big as country hams, and he could play these guitars with little skinny narrow necks on them with no problem.

But I think Semie could have had more success with Mosrite if the necks had been a more standard width at the nut, or at least if he had offered options like Fender did...."A", "B" or "C" widths....

Deke

[Dennisthe Menace]

The nut width on the TNM Custom is thankfully the same as a Gibson guitar. Terry didn't like the skinny nut width, and neither do I, so that guitar is perfect for me.

All of the 50's guitars I've seen have teensy weensy nut widths. I think even narrower than the later Ventures models. I'm not sure of exact widths in millimeters but let me tell you, they are tiny.

I hadn't heard the story about his wife, but it's possible. I know that Semie had these humongous hands, I mean, hands as big as country hams, and he could play these guitars with little skinny narrow necks on them with no problem.

But I think Semie could have had more success with Mosrite if the necks had been a more standard width at the nut, or at least if he had offered options like Fender did...."A", "B" or "C" widths....

Deke

ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!! With that, also have the option of speed, medium, or (dare I say it?) Jumbo Frets.

[MWaldorf]

The nut width on the TNM Custom is thankfully the same as a Gibson guitar. Terry didn't like the skinny nut width, and neither do I, so that guitar is perfect for me.

All of the 50's guitars I've seen have teensy weensy nut widths. I think even narrower than the later Ventures models. I'm not sure of exact widths in millimeters but let me tell you, they are tiny.

I hadn't heard the story about his wife, but it's possible. I know that Semie had these humongous hands, I mean, hands as big as country hams, and he could play these guitars with little skinny narrow necks on them with no problem.

But I think Semie could have had more success with Mosrite if the necks had been a more standard width at the nut, or at least if he had offered options like Fender did...."A", "B" or "C" widths....

Deke

ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!! With that, also have the option of speed, medium, or (dare I say it?) Jumbo Frets.

He also might have had more success if he built Stratocasters or Les Pauls.

Seriously, part of what I like about Mosrites is that they're different, and, at least for me, bring out different aspects of my playing. Besides, Rickenbackers have plenty of fans as well and they've got narrow necks.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Just found this one, looks as though it may be from at the earlist '62,
judging by the Binding on the Headstocks, the later Mosrite Pickups,
a White Fender Jag in the Background, and..oh yeah..Larry and Lorrie
looks to be a little more grown up....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZhVUws9hQ

[dubtrub]

Deke, with so many to choose from, what is your main guitar for performances and what is you favorite guitar to play the rest of the time? I asked this because I have several guitars and love them all. I find that my style may get in a rut playing one too much and all it takes is to change from one of my custom built clones to my '62 Strat or Jazzmaster and I'm in an altogether different gear.

[Deke Dickerson]

Hey first of all that Collins Kids clip from "Star Route" is too much! I hadn't seen that before. That is the double-cutaway doubleneck that Semie built Larry probably around '62-'63.

To answer the other question, I am a Gemini and some hippie chick told me once I'd never be happy doing just one thing. So when it comes to guitars I tend to think that a good mechanic always has a lot of tools....I love Mosrites of course, but the Joe Maphis style instruments with the Carvin pickups don't work so well for surf and blues....and the Ventures style instruments don't work so well for rockabilly and country. I also have Fenders and Gibsons and Danelectros and lots of other things like that for when the job calls for them.

Deke