MY FIRST CUSTOM JM-65 & MY FIRST GIG WITH IT WITH SUSAN RAYE

[EF@MosriteRecords]

After I received my JM-65 Serial # 006 Semie and I were talking about the wood
he used and would he build one for me a little lighter. He said right away that he had
made two prototypes. Serial 001 went to Rosie and he had a second made of Alterwood
and would I like it. I said yes but turn the Octave Neck pick up in the old style, turned
the other and put a Fiddle Tail Piece on it. A month later I had it in my hands serial
# was 001P I wil try here to blow up the guitar. Visit back a little later. Thank you so much.

I include a photo of the first gig I did with it as I remember. Pictured is of SUSAN RAYE
and Myself. She is a treasure in Country Music and who I love Dearly. She was a thrill to work with. Many remember her from HEE HAW Days and her days on The Buck Owens Show. She had LA International Airport and Pitty Patter Patter, My Heart Has Mind
Of It's Own & Etc all big hits on CAPITOL RECORDS. Enjoy

Elaine

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Here is the close up of this Custom JM-65. Notice that the Tailpiece Vibrado is seprate
from the Bridge. Again the main wood is Alterwood in the Body. The Fiddle Blonde Tailpiece
Cover. I do not remember the wood might, be Maple or again Alterwood ?. Octave Neck Pick Up tilted oppsite way of standard models.

Elaine



Elaine

[Veenture]

Octave Neck Pick Up tilted oppsite way of standard models.

Would it be right to suppose that a little 'mistake plate' was applied to cover up the pickup cavity already routed for standard use and that would otherwise be partly exposed? Wonderful stories, pictures facts and insights Elaine. I am responding while listening to Susan Raye on YouTube; thanks very much!

[edit]while watching on Youtube, 'found this one of Susan...with Buck -playing (holding ) a red white & blue Mosrite Acoustic!
>

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Yes Veenture. You are right on That's exactly what happened. Also this Prototype has only
one Darker Wood Stripe down the middle and not the Two Darker Wood stripes of the Standard Production. Still all JM-65's total around 20.

Yes Susan Raye is a Class Act. To play behind her was a blessing for sure.
Love the Video. I had all her great 45's & LP's long before I had the chance to
share a Stage with her. The Blessings I have had in 59 years in the entertainment
& Music business would fill a book. However there have been the hard times to. Sounds like
there should be a Country Song in there some place.

Luv
Elaine

[thunderhead]

Love the Guitar Elaine and thanks for the Video Veeture. Buck Owens and Susan Raye are tops in this East Tennessee Home!!!! My son Tyler {6 years old} and I watch Hee Haw every Sunday night after Church. We came Home tonight and it was pre-empted by the Rodeo, your Video Posting hit the spot.

[jfine]

Great pics, Elaine! That doubleneck is different from any Mosrite double I've ever seen. How much lighter is it than other doublenecks? The only non-production Mosrite doubleneck I've ever played was the one Joe Maphis let me play when I met him in '81, and that thing was heavy as a box of rocks!

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Dear jfine.

Joe's Original (1954) was close to 24-25lbs. After 1963 it weighed less. Semie removed
a lot of gingerbread and cut wood out from under that huge Pick guard and Armrest. The original pick guard & arm rest was removed and new necks & head stocks installed.

The guitar you held was the Second Double neck Semie Built. The First Guitar was
put on display at Hall of Fame here in Nashville cira.1973. The one you saw is in Bakersfield's Country Music Museum given 1986, Joe passed in June 86. Shown in Picture as ATTCH: The guitar on the left is the one you saw in 81. The guitar on left is what Joe's first one looked like , much heavier. In fact it is dead on as to Joe's original. Semie recreated Joe's original for me in the early 80's. And it's the only one he ever did. It weighs almost 25lbs, thats heavy. That guitar is on he Right. That's my guitar that
is the recreation Semie did with Joe's blessing and given to me in 1985. It took almost two years to build it.

Picture taken opening day at Bakersfield Country Music Museum. 1989.

Thanks

Elaine

[EFElliott]

Hey there Elaine,

I've been thinking about building some Custom JM-65 style E.F.Elliott Double necks.
Do you think there's a market out there with the Maphis pickers ??
Need to get a hold of an original one for a pattern guitar.

Thanks!

Eddy Elliott

[EFElliott]

Elaine, by the way,

I played a benifit show with Susan in 1979 or 1980 in Taft, California.
The Gospel group I was playing bass for opened the show, Susan was
a really nice lady, I think the band she was working with was the Garrett
Brothers Band, they had great harmony like the Gatlins.

Eddy

[EF@MosriteRecords]

Hi Ed
Great to hear from you. I think I can find a JM-65. Are you going to be
in Anaheim in Jan. for the Shows. It would be great to see you. I have in recent
years given a lot of my stuff to the kids. Brian will have his JM-65 at the Geek Fest
and NAAM. As you may know since 1986 when Joe passed there has been around
15-17 Standards (No binding). And a hand full of bound ones that were finished out
by Loretta. The market last I heard was $4500-$5000 Semie had already cut the Necks
and Bodies before he passed. I can remember my last trips to Jonas Ridge and Ark.
there were more in the rough than ever sold. I really do not know what the market
would be Ed. TNM is turning out Super Guitars. Hallmark's out there also. To Duplicate
the JM-65 I just don't know. I have been in Nashville for over 20 years now and the
48yrs in Calif. I have never seen a real Market develop. The pickers I have talked to say I'd love to have one, but don't know what I'd do with it.

Susan is one great lady. Great Country Singer. A Blessing to work with.

luv
Elaine