mosriteforum.com

There are two Mark I’s on ebay which have closeups of the frets. I’m trying to determine which is the accurate representation of speed frets. This one (Item number: 280455699317) looks like the frets are the real deal:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-1965-Mosri ... 500wt_1182

This one (Item number: 130360932426) claims to be a Fillmore reissue with “speed frets”. (Someone posted a question in regard to whether it is actually a Fillmore because of the “Mosrite of. California” on the headstock.) There is a closeup of the frets (hit enlarge for a really good view). The frets seem a little too big to be a reproduction of speed frets (a bit similar to what’s on my Canadian 1987 parts Mosrite)
http://cgi.ebay.com/1964-MOSRITE-MARK-I ... 499wt_1167

It looks like only original Mosrites actually have speed frets. Does anyone know?

The frets on the first one look like the frets on my Celebrity which are speed frets. The shiny red guitar looks to have different frets in shape and size than the first one. I think I read on this forum that eventually Semie went away from speed frets in production.

Please save any eBay photo's to your personal photo account, then post the photo's on the forum with your topic. Otherwise when the eBay auction closes the link with the photo's will disappear but this topic will last forever (without the photo's) losing it's continuity.

dubtrub wrote:Please save any eBay photo's to your personal photo account, then post the photo's on the forum with your topic. Otherwise when the eBay auction closes the link with the photo's will disappear but this topic will last forever (without the photo's) losing it's continuity.

Do you mind if I do this for new topics? I've been documenting auctions since mid August. I can link to pictures in my Photobucket account instead of posting them.

Austin

Links to permanent accounts where photo's are located are fine. It's links to auctions and Craigslist photo's that are only temporary that causes the problems. That's why we set up the eBay & Craigslist section of this forum, knowing that those are topics and photo's that will only last a few days, but yet many enjoy discussing them while they are available.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the Japanese producers have ever implemented speed-fretting.

The '65 is absolutely the real deal.

OK, here is a photo of Mosrite Speed Frets (actual vintage Mosrite "Ventures model" 1965)

Another view.

Here's a Gibson with frets filed down to 'speed frets'.



Here's a graphic explanation.



I have yet found a vintage Mosrite that has the frets crowned. They are all flat surfaced and many still have sharp edges as they were never crowned with the roll tops.

That last image shows nicely why a normal guitar won't intonate properly when the frets are worn. Are Mosrite speed frets compensated for this, by having a slightly different placement? If so, would refretting a Mosrite with standard frets make it play flat?