Nokie Model Mosrites

[88Mosriteman]

Could someone give a history of the Nokie Model Mosrites of the late 1980s-early 1990s? Date of first production, date of end production, colors produced, approximate number produced, models (if more than 1)... Were any produced without vibratos? Thanks!!

[Dennisthe Menace]

88 Mosriteman,
There's a few Members on here that have info on the "Nokie" Models.
They will chime in as soon as they see your post ...................

[Desert Surfer]

I do not known much about this particular model but had conmunicated with Steve Erickson who owns one of these prototype guitars. I don't know how many were made but I think this was the last project which Nokie and Semie worked together. I have written to Steve and received his pemmission to reprint his e-mails and show the photos of his guitar. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Steve for his kindness and generosity of sharing this precious information.

.....Vincent: I'm always glad to hear from a Mosrite or Nokie fan. I don't have a web site where I show my guitars but I have enclosed a couple of pictures of the Nokie for you to look at. I got it back at a guitar show in New York City in 1988. There would be several Nokie models to follow but this one is from the very first group that had Nokies name on it. A friend of mine (Skip Henderson) owned a music store in New Jersey and he knew that like yourself, I was a lifelong Nokie / Ventures fan and he told me that Semie Moseley and Nokie would be at the guitar show. The Ventures 1988 and The Nokie models were the only guitars that Semie had brought with him. It was very nice to meet him and his wife Lorretta. I looked over the guitars and of course they were stunning. I'd owned several Mosrites before but didn't have one at the time. I picked out the black sparkle and told Semie I'd take it and gave him the cash. He told me the guitar was fully guaranteed for his lifetime. When he signed the receipt, he also said after he kicked the bucket, his signature might be worth a few dollars. He looked at the guitar for a second and played it then handed it to Nokie to play it. They both said it passed inspection and had a little laugh. It just so happened that it was serial number N 0002. This meant it was the second one ever made. Serial number 0001 was not available for sale. Semie had donated it to some people that were going to raffle it off for medical research. Semie had made these guitars himself as he normally did with a new model prior to production. I asked Nokie to sign the pick guard. He looked at me and said "really?" Like he was going to spoil it or something. I said yes, really. When I got home I covered it with laminate and it's still on there (it says "Thanks, Nokie Edwards). The only problem I could see with the guitar was that the truss rod rattled around in the neck pocket. I asked Semie about it and he said that he had made the neck "too straight" but it would work itself out in time and really wasn't anything to be concerned about. So I took the guitar and that was that. As it turned out, it was fortunate that I had paid for the guitar in cash. Lorretta had her purse stolen and the money I had paid Semie for the guitar was all the money he had to get him back home to North Carolina (he was making guitars in Jonas Ridge at the time). I would later buy one of the Ventures 25th anniversary models and needed a part of two and I called Semie to get them. He remembered me from the show and sent me the parts for free.....

[ElTwang]

I wonder how many where made too? That's a nice guitar there in Black Sparkle. I remember there was one in Red Sparkle on ebay a couple of months ago.

[mosman]

Back in the mid 90's here in Sydney I saw a sunburst Nokie model with a maple fretboard.
And to think I passed it up!
Oh if I only had a time machine.

[Desert Surfer]

Yeah, we all have a lot regrets! Those we did not buy, or those we sold.... AND THOSE WE BOUGHT BUT DIDN'T LIKE...

My wife too, on stock..

[GattonFan]

Are there any more members with pix of these models? I'm interested, because one of the bodies I'm looking at from Curtis is a Nokie model. Any pix would be helpful.

Dennis

[dubtrub]

Here's one of my favorites of Nokie pickin' some country blues on a Nokie Model. YouTube

Also, I believe there were other style changes with Nokie models. One of them has a weird and uncomfortable looking upper arm bout and there was a Japanese Nokie model by Fillmore that had an upside down horse shoe inlay on the fretboard.

I'll dig through my disc of photo's and see what I can find.

[GattonFan]

Thanks, Danny ... it's hard to come up with photos of this model, and like you said, there are several variations on the body style. Strange ...

[Dennisthe Menace]

Here's one of my favorites of Nokie pickin' some country blues on a Nokie Model. YouTube

Also, I believe there were other style changes with Nokie models. One of them has a weird and uncomfortable looking upper arm bout and there was a Japanese Nokie model by Fillmore that had an upside down horse shoe inlay on the fretboard.

I'll dig through my disc of photo's and see what I can find.

Danny,
THIS is the 'NOKIE' Model that I remember. Loretta had sent me a Giant '91 Calendar
that had the Blue flake with the 'smooth' Humbuckers on it, as well as the fancy Maple
Fretboard.....