German Carve

[gplayer]

When discussing Mosrite guitars, the term "German Carve" is always brought up to describe the design of the body. Is this a made up term that ihas been associated with Roger Rossmeis? When researching the term, nothing specific is ever found describing "German Carve" as a particular form of woodworking craft. Just wondering where this term got it's beginnings.

[oipunkguy]

good question. I don't know. I may be mistaken, but I think this term was used for Rickenbackers as well, were Semie use to work. maybe the name came from Rickenbacker....

[Deke Dickerson]

Hi guys, in response to the question about the "German Carve," it's more of a general term.

When I talked to John Hall at Rickenbacker about Roger Rossmeisl, he told me the style of guitar lutherie that Rossmeisl studied in Germany. it is a specific style that some luthiers have used in Germany for at least a hundred years. (I can't remember the specific term, dang, but it's a german style of lutherie)

Essentially, it is a "harsh" archtop gradiation of the top, whether on an acoustic archtop or a solidbody guitar, where a line is drawn paralleling the outside edges of the guitar, and a harsh-sharp-steep arch is made, unlike the gradual gentle arch of a typical archtop guitar. This style was used on many different German guitars, including Hofners, Hoyers, Framus, Roger (built by Roger Rossmeisl's dad), etc.

Roger Rossmeisl moved to the USA after WW2 and began working for Rickenbacker after F.C. Hall purchased the company in 1953. He began implementing this "German Carve" style on all the new solidbody and hollowbody electrics that Rickenbacker started making around 1954. Rossmeisl single-handedly brought the style to the United States.

Semie Moseley learned his craft from Rossmeisl and began putting the German Carve on his Mosrites from the very beginning. If you look at all the photos on this list of Semie's instruments from the mid-50's through the 1970's and 80's, you can see he did a lot of experimentation but always came back to the German Carve.

One explanation of this is that the German carve can be "roughed" out very quickly with a pin router or a drill press, unlike a real archtop which can take weeks to properly plane down a top. In Semie's primitive workshops, being able to rough out a top in an hour would certainly dictate why he used the German carve on all those guitars. Terry McArthur can tell you, the router did almost all the work.

Other aspects of the german style of lutherie include the heel behind the headstock, the raised bridge and pickups (ever noticed how much higher Mosrite pickups and bridges sit than their Fender or Gibson counterparts? that's why) and probably a bunch more minor details I've never picked up on.

Deke

[oipunkguy]

thanks for the history lesson Deke. this is exactly what made me fall in love with the ventures one style body, even more so then the slab ventures 2 construction. mosrites are the easiest guitar to palm mute while playing fast, and I never thought a design for that kind of playing could beat a les paul until I picked up an 88 model, and I was permanently hooked to mosrite ever since!

[KRamone27]

Yeah the carve that Terry put on his guitars is very beautiful. Too bad there's not a lot of people that still carry on that craft.

[gplayer]

In some ways I wish the Hallmark had the full "German Carve". Although, it is very comfortable to play, as is.

[sleeperNY]

The Hallmark is more like the M88 design.

Jim

[dorkrockrecords]

The Hallmark is more like the M88 design.

Jim

Am I missing something? The M88 has NO German Carve, its edges are just rounded off. Do you mean V88?

[Dennisthe Menace]

The Hallmark is more like the M88 design.

Jim

Am I missing something? The M88 has NO German Carve, its edges are just rounded off. Do you mean V88?

I'm sure that's what Jim had meant. I've seen a lot of folks get these 2 models mixed up from the 80's .

[sleeperNY]

Am I missing something? The M88 has NO German Carve, its edges are just rounded off. Do you mean V88?


Sorry, It was late and you are right I meant to say the V88.

Jim