badash
Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 02:08 PM
JohnnyMosrite
Badash,
It's like comparing a Plymouth Road Runner to a Dodge Charger - same body, engine, and drive train...then the differences pop up (interior, handling..etc) Same holds for Hallmark vs Mosrite... the feel and sound of the guitars are different. One is an apple the other is an orange. The Hallmarks are very well made. I've had early Mosrites that had issues that had to be fixed. One doesn't really expect those same issues to pop up as much with today's manufacturing tech.
Case in point from my own stash.. A Mosrite Combo vs. a Hallmark Deke model ==> an absolutely totally different feel and sound. And isn't that the bottom line?
My 2 cents
JM
So I guess by the criteria I set up, not being an expert or having a vintage to A/B with, the quality would mean that you would end up with a good guitar that had the look, and your tone, would depend on your sound reinforcement skill. Because I have to tell you, I was able to get a very Mosrite tone, using the recorded live Ventures Mosrite tone as a baseline, with a jazzy and a treble boost.
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ProfessorJim
Joined: Aug 26, 2008
Posts: 90
Philadelphia
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 02:13 PM
It wasn't a theory, just a joke. Jeez, you don't need to take things so seriously. There's way too much fighting on these boards lately.
Sorry, Brian. 
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 910
New York City area
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 02:20 PM
Bad
If you have enough toys to run your signal through, I have to think you can get any sound you wanted. I'm just using straight guitar to amp comparison criteria.
With a Hallmark, you get the look of a Mosrite.. as far as playing, the feel is actually a bit easier than the earlier Mosrites. The edgy 60s Mosrite sound is close (but "no cigar") on a Hallmark. It's a bit too clean. I've played the Japanese Mosrites. They are a bit thin sounding for my tastes. Replacing the stock pickups with vinatge ones - if you can - alleviates that issue.
JM
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 910
New York City area
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 02:26 PM
ProfessoerJim..
Your original thread:
I'll just leave this here... followed by the Wikopedia url.
I always like to expand on my sense of humor.. but I just missed yours.
So were is your joke in that thread?
JM
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badash
Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 02:35 PM
JohnnyMosrite
Bad
If you have enough toys to run your signal through, I have to think you can get any sound you wanted. I'm just using straight guitar to amp comparison criteria.
With a Hallmark, you get the look of a Mosrite.. as far as playing, the feel is actually a bit easier than the earlier Mosrites. The edgy 60s Mosrite sound is close (but "no cigar") on a Hallmark. It's a bit too clean. I've played the Japanese Mosrites. They are a bit thin sounding for my tastes. Replacing the stock pickups with vinatge ones - if you can - alleviates that issue.
JM
I prefer straight reverb unit to amp, but I'm not above a treble booster, or a little subtle overdrive/preamp/boost to fatten a too clean guitar tone. As long as one non-modeling pedal does the trick, it's not cheating 
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ProfessorJim
Joined: Aug 26, 2008
Posts: 90
Philadelphia
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Posted on Feb 20 2010 03:20 PM
JohnnyMosrite
ProfessoerJim..
Your original thread:
I'll just leave this here... followed by the Wikopedia url.
I always like to expand on my sense of humor.. but I just missed yours.
So were is your joke in that thread?
JM
Well "I'll just leave this here..." is a common setup for a joke on the internet. And the url...well I guess all I can say is if your initial response is to go and read the whole article than you obviously don't get it.
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 910
New York City area
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Posted on Feb 22 2010 10:10 AM
Badash,
Getting the sound that way is fine.. i've done it myself on later and modern Mosrite models.. I've found that, by and large, the early Mosrites have that "overdriven" sound right out of the box because of those overwound pickups. I really haven't come across anything yet that does the same thing without adding anything to the signal mix (effects).
ProfessorJim ,
Hmm... You really didn't give me a straight answer.. which got me to thinking and looking:
For your reading enjoyment - right from wikopedia no less.. how about that?:
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avoidant_personality_disorder
And I also "will leave it there".
JMo'
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Strat-o-rama
Joined: Oct 23, 2007
Posts: 385
Boca Raton, Florida
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Posted on Feb 23 2010 08:58 AM
The Mosrite of classic, Mosrite of USA are from Fillmore in Japan. If you are looking for true Mosrite appointments..ie. the slim, narrow neck, then these are the way to go. If you want more authentic pickups then check out the Mosrites that are Fillmores that are assembled in Bakersfield by Semie Moseley's daughter, Dana. She hand winds the pickups the way Daddy taught her. Call Front Porch Music in Bakersfield where they are available. I believe you can get a "Dana-Mo" for under 2 grand there, as a starting point. Talk to Artie. This is the closest thing you'll get to a vintage Mosrite.
I do not own one, but would if I could. I have a Hallmark Custom 60 and it serves my purposes very well. The neck is more Fender-like in dimensions, so it has a more familiar feel if you are accustomed to Fender. The fretboard is flatter with low, small frets, but is Fender width at the nut.
So far, no one is distributibng the Mosrite Excellents and Super Excellents in the USA and it is extremely difficult to purchase them from Japan. It would help if you can speak and write Kanji, and still some of the Kurokumo (Excellent lines) dealers in Japan do not want the hassles of overseas sales.
To summarize:
Hallmark 60 custom- Under a grand and you are 80 percent of the way to a Mosrite.
Fillmore Mosrite from Front Porch Music--Dana Moseley handwound PUs and set up. Closest you can get to a new Mosrite.
Kurokumo (Excellent models)--NA in USA.
Vintage- big bucks for the real deal
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