The "Real Thing"

[billywrecker]

So are the vintage Mosrites that were not built by Semie not the real thing?

Also it seems to me that the Japanese have a lot of respect for the man originally responsible, it's not like they are putting out a lot of poorly built guitars to make a quick buck or just building what ever and selling it under the Mosrite name!They seem to truly like his guitars as much as we do!

[jtr654]

The guitars made during his lifetime are real. Thats 1955-92 the video from 88 shows just how hands on he was. Did Semie sell the rights to the Mosrite to these other manufacturers I don't know? Was he as hands on at his factory in the mid 60 ??? They (MOSRITE) has not been offered as a brand continuesly in the USA LIKE both Fender and Gibson have been you can't be serious about comparing them to Mosrite. If you want to compare it to another USA guitar company maybe BC RICH would be a fair.

[thunderhead]

The guitars made during his lifetime are real. Thats 1955-92 the video from 88 shows just how hands on he was. Did Semie sell the rights to the Mosrite to these other manufacturers I don't know? Was he as hands on at his factory in the mid 60 ??? They (MOSRITE) has not been offered as a brand continuesly in the USA LIKE both Fender and Gibson have been you can't be serious about comparing them to Mosrite. If you want to compare it to another USA guitar company maybe BC RICH would be a fair.

The guitars from the time you quote were the "Original Run". I own an all original 1965, I don't know if Semie ever touched it. I also own a mid-80's from Jonas Ridge made entirely by Semie. Is it more "Real" than the '65???? I also own a 1991 fron Arkansas, great Guitar but finished in Poly like a MIJ. It is almost identical to the current Fillmore Guitars. Is it not "Real" because it's not a California Guitar, or handmade by Semie????? There was a short time in the 1980's when Fender had no USA model!!! Are the USA Guitars after that "Real"??? So what is your opinion of Dana Mosley's involvement with the current Fillmore Mosrite's????

[jtr654]

What don't you understand 1955-92 is the timeline when Semie had something to do with with Mosrite. Do we agree on this or not.As for Dana's '' guitars are more like Charvel where they take premanufactured parts and put them together in a way to get the best guitar that you can make with said parts. Correct me if I'm wrong but she (Dana) make the pickup only.

[Veenture]

Guys, I don't think we can apply a 'scientifically correct' formula to what a "real" Mosrite is. This discussion isn't new and probably wil not end any time soon. The vibe and personal 'Mosrite sentiment' surely plays an important part too in the 'mix' (I can't say 'formula' simply because there isn't one). The Japanese Fillmore Company produces guitars bearing the name "Mosrite" and in their endeavour to try to come as close as one can to what Semie made they seem to be quite successful IMO.

Personally for me a "real" mosrite would be a vintage 1963 side jack -but that's because The Ventures (who made it big) are my guitar heroes. But that double neck Joe Maphis played is real for sure also. And whether parts come from other countries or not nowadays does not particularly worry me -quality does. Hey, and Semie did some importing of parts too for his products, let's not forget

I think it was stated before; perhaps we should try to differentiate between "Vintage" and "Modern" -or perhaps tie some kind of significance to a date...in an attempt to catagorise if we must...

Oh, and the Brand issue: Fender for instance has been owned by various companies since Leo started his Company but I still consider my 2009 reissue '57 Strat a Fender guitar, even if it is made by "The Fender Musical Instrument Co." My son's 1973 CBS Stratocaster (which was mine first) also bears the name "Fender" -a "real" one too as far as I'm concerned.
To me "quality, loyalty and respect" for Semie's creation should be key ingredients in the making of a Mosrite guitar of today also.

[MWaldorf]

I think the only real differentiator you can have is "made by Mosrite pre 1994" - ie made by the company Semie owned, including the time when Loretta tried to keep the factory going after Semie passed. Vintage / Modern gets confusing because Japanese companies started making Mosrites in the late 60s. Made in USA doesn't exactly work because there are Mosrite branded guitars made from factory left overs or even constructed entirely from scratch.

[bakeoboy]

When I worked at the Mosrite factory in Bakersfield,I rarely saw Semi working on any guitars.He did keep an eye on the work that the employees were doing,but almost all of the work was done by someone else. Semi was the boss,and he would jump right in and show employees, at any stage of building,how he wanted it done,but there were still plenty of bodies and necks that were seconds and thirds.these were the ones that were sold in piles at auction when the factory closed,and later assembled by various builders around bakersfield,including Gene Moles,and Ed Elliott,Bill Gruggett,and others.Semi only wanted first quality guitars to go out on the market,After all it was his reputation at stake!

[GTSP]

I can't believe I'm reading this tired old argument again on here. The lineage is clear, Fillmore makes real Mosrites. The Japanese are really particular when it comes to their Mosrites. The are the true owners of the copyrite and the quality is the same. The big difference is that Semie is no longer alive; but it is his product, his design and at the same quality. It just comes down to the Semie era of the Mosrite name & the post Semie era.

For goodness sakes, I see a ton of Fords on the road, but Henry Ford has been dead forever.

If you don't agree...great, don't. This is myopinion. If yours is different than yours is different. But you should think twice before getting on our forum and tell those of us that love these guitars that these are not "real". If you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em.

[Veenture]

I can't believe I'm reading this tired old argument again on here. The lineage is clear, Fillmore makes real Mosrites...//...It just comes down to the Semie era of the Mosrite name & the post Semie era.But you should think twice before getting on our forum and tell those of us that love these guitars that these are not "real"...//... If you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em.

To be fair, I think most of us sooner or later must come to grapple with this argument when first getting a deeper interest in the Mosrite Guitar. Danny says it in a nutshell IMO...

The current Fillmore Mosrites are as real as the current Fender guitars. Neither are being made by Semie or Leo anymore. Whomever owns the patent and name is what defines them as 'real' regardless of where they are built.

It took me a few years to accept that logic.

[edit]...and I don't think lostventure means it as harsh as it sounds...

[JimPage]

We probably just have to admit that the Mosrite history is complicated. It is more complicated than that of the Gibson company and the Fender company.

Probably the only guitar firm that is strictly linear is the CF Martin company, and even they have turned out some real clunkers. I've seen some 1980s Martins that I wouldn't care to own if someone gave them to me. And there are some guitars being made now, by companies like Santa Cruz and Collings and by one-man shops, that are unabashedly based on classic Martin guitars and are really great guitars. They don't say Martin on the headstock, but they are darn close to some 1930s Martins that are so high-priced that the average person couldn't afford one.

In my opinion, there are some wonderful guitars being made now that are taking the Mosrite formula, to use Sarah's very apt expression, to different places, and we, as guitar players, are lucky to have such a variety to choose from. We can buy brand-new guitars that are branded as Mosrites, and are well-made, and we can buy brand-new guitars that have other brands on the headstock and are also well-made and very close to the Mosrite formula.

It's all good.

--Jim