Who likes Speed Frets?

[thunderhead]

Part of the essence of a real 60's Mosrite are the speed frets and neck. Nokie had no problem bending strings on his because they were set up correctly. Light strings {round wound}and low action with a straight neck, that's the way they were intended. I came off of 20 years of playing Strats and Teles with .012 and .011 strung with high action ala SRV. It took me a good 6 months of dedication but it is now no problem. I go back to the Fenders every now and again and after a 1/2 hour I'm acclimated to it again. Give it a shot Mosrite Lovers

[Veenture]

Paul,
Although I haven't played an original from the 70s, it is my understanding that Semie quit filing down the frets down to the tang and those guitars are considered more playable.

I would love to have a '63 - '68 Ventures model (Sunburst please)...even for nostalgic purposes...should I prove to be unable to take to the narrow string spacing at the nut and the almost invisible frets. I think I understand a little better now -the popularity of Semie's '70s models and up as mentioned here and there on the forum. (Eddy Elliott loves them too I think).

Thanks Danny for explaining

[dubtrub]

Nokie had no problem bending strings on his because they were set up correctly.

Apparently Nokie didn't care for them either since his own design the Hitchhiker does not have speed frets nor has the narrow string spacing at the zero fret. Don Wilson tried to get Semie to make the neck wider with standard frets but Semie refused.

As for custom builders, Hallmark, Ed Elliott, TNM Guitars and myself all prefer the more user friendly frets. I have two vintage Mosrites in the closet as I type. I have tried for months on end to acquire a feel for these fretless wonders but it just doesn't happen. Oh, I can play them, it's just not as comfortable and natural feeling as playing when you can easily find the note by feel rather than guessing. I had this very same discussion with Semie in 1962. It took him until the 1970s to realize that those speed frets just wasn't as vogue as he thought the would be. He finally got it right with the Blues Benders and the Brass Rails.

[thunderhead]

Apparently at the time Nokie liked them, he used it for the Ventures pivotal years. And I still stand behind his performance on mid 60's Mosrites as heard on Live in Japan '65. No matter what he uses now, his mark was made with the Ventures and he will be forever tied to a Pearl White Mosrite with Speed frets. I also own a hallmark and love it but for me nothing beats the Real Thing

[dubtrub]

Apparently at the time Nokie liked them, he used it for the Ventures pivotal years.

He played Mosrites for as long as it was financially beneficial for the Ventures. Once the Mosrite contract dissolved, Noke found other guitars to play and never went back to a Mosrite.

Good discussion though.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Apparently at the time Nokie liked them, he used it for the Ventures pivotal years.

He played Mosrites for as long as it was financially beneficial for the Ventures. Once the Mosrite contract dissolved, Noke found other guitars to play and never went back to a Mosrite.

Good discussion though.

Danny, I think you forgot about "the Nokie Model" during late '89 and early 90, and don't forget
that Nokie discovered Semie when he was not finacially beneficial ......

[dorkrockrecords]

Boys, play nice. Yes, Nokie had a couple signature models towards the end and then another couple signature models with Fillmore. None had speed frets and I'm sure all had at least some financial motivation.

[Veenture]

Yes, Nokie had a couple signature models towards the end and then another couple signature models with Fillmore. None had speed frets and I'm sure all had at least some financial motivation.

I can understand Adam I think...what with still a large market in Japan and a demand for narrow necks to cater for many young (and not-so-young) slender Japanese guitar playing hands out there. They seem to take so well to a Mosrite; just look at all those video's on YouTube with young 'uns playing away seemingly effortlessly on a life-size Mosrite...-wanting me to take up a completely different hobby after watching

[Strat-o-rama]

Interesting thread. I must admit, one aspect of Mosrite that has held me back from making a purchase of a reissue, Fillmore or Kurokumo, has been the issue of a narrow neck, and tiny frets. I have Strats with both vintage and the 6105 frets, both with 7.25 radius boards, and frankly, while I feel the difference it is not enough to affect my playing. I enjoy playing Texas style roadhouse blues rock,(SRV, Johnny Winter, Freddie King), and the Strats are perfect. Even my '52 AVRI Tele is great with its vintage frets. For some reason, the Hallmark 60 Custom feels better for the surf stuff, instro rock, and I love it for dabbling in west coast jump blues/swing styles. I'm hardly a Peewee Crayton, Hollywood Fats or Charlie Baty, but working on it, and I feel a Mosrite would be great for this style. I have never seen any of the west coast/jump blues stylist use a Mo', but the 60 Custom is well suited, good for T Bone style bends and jazz chord vamping. I wonder how this style would work with one of those "authentic" narrow necks...hmmmm.
I know this sounds a little nutty, but I find the feel of a guitar makes me play a certain way, and the Hallmark 60 fretboard is taking me into some sort of blend of rockabilly-surfy-swinging jump blues. Speed frets? Heck, I've never played them. But I do wonder....As you can tell, I'm not gigging now, and must live vicariously through those of you that do.

[Dnepr]

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?