mosriteforum.com

Hello!

I just received this 2015 "Mosrite Original" Mk II from Front Porch Music. I just wanted to share an album of photos as well as overall first impressions of the guitar.

I swore off buying new guitars two years ago, but just couldn't pass this one up. I've wanted a Mosrite since I was young, have owned lots of copies and inspired-by's, and gave up on ever owning one a long time ago. This is certainly close enough for me.

Right out of the box, after tuning it up, it plays great. I setup all my own guitars, have for years, and this was easily just as good, if not better, than any setup I've done.

As far as weight goes, I don't own a scale (is that weird?), but I do have two hands. Putting this guitar in one hand, and my vintage 1964 Jazzmaster (my lightest guitar) in the other, this guitar is significantly lighter. It makes my 2007 Fender Jaguar AVRI feel like a sack of bricks. It's light, but doesn't feel cheap because of it.

Speaking of that 2007 Jag.. that was the last guitar I purchased new. It was AWFUL out of the box, no setup by the shop at all. The neck was shimmed with wadded-up cardboard. I've done all kinds of mods (Mastery Bridge, Novak pickups, changed the pot values) and I'm still just not happy with it at all. It was my first *expensive* USA-made Fender, and I was truly disappointed. Being similarly priced, the Mosrite wins.

The pickups sound a little thin, and I'll be replacing them. There's no Dana signature in the pickup cavity (nor was that implied), and I believe the pickups to just be whatever Fillmore uses. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Fit and finish is great. Assuming the paint is a modern poly/plastic abomination, but it looks good and seems to be much thinner than modern Fender finishes. I usually strip all my modern guitars and do thin nitro refins, but I'm not sure if I'll do this one.

I'm going to stop before this gets too long, but check out the album and let me know if you have any questions or want to see photos of anything else.

The photo album (I hope this works):
https://flic.kr/s/aHskN8JWMS
(One of the nuts from the bridge was missing during these photos, but I found it later in the included gig bag)

A photo (I hope this works too):

I thought all Mosrite Originals were USA assembled. That one even says "Made in the USA".

That's what I thought as well, but I know Dana has made it very clear that if she didn't sign it, she didn't build it.

There was a black one-pickup Mk II that was available, and sold, right around when I bought this one. That one was advertised as being built by Dana. Same headstock decals.

Here's that listing.
https://reverb.com/item/1569518-mosrite-mark-2-black-reissue-dimarzio-usa-assembled-dana-moseley-serial-number-1

Ha, mine is serial number 1 too. MS001.

Very cool!

Obviously that looks like a Johnny inspired model. If you want that sound, put a Dimarzio FS1 in the bridge and get you some Marshall Super Lead or JCM 800 stacks.

Yeah, I'm not usually one for signature models or anything, but heck, Johnny's guitar was pretty cool.

I usually put Fender Custom 54's wherever single coils are needed, but I went ahead and ordered an FS-1 to try out in the bridge.

Pulled the neck off to triple-check for a Dana signature, and nothing. It would appear that all the "Mosrite Original" guitars have not, in fact, been assembled by her.

As far as I understand, she only provides the pickups for these. Someone may correct me on this.
Dennis

"Fit and finish is great. Assuming the paint is a modern poly/plastic abomination, but it looks good and seems to be much thinner than modern Fender finishes. I usually strip all my modern guitars and do thin nitro refinish, but I'm not sure if I'll do this one."

Can you elaborate on the reason for this ?
Dan

Elaborate on stripping finishes?

Modern finishes are basically plastic. They're extremely durable and cheap to do, but they don't age, and they hurt the overall resonance of the guitar. Some Fender guitars I've stripped have had a finish on them that was almost 1/16" thick. There's lots of information throughout the internet on the topic.



Back to the topic at hand though, anybody else have a "Mosrite Original" that isn't signed by/assembled by Dana?