mosriteforum.com

Want to see a Combo from every angle? Check out this Youtube video.

Thanks, Danny. It is a very nice vintage Combo.

From my shopping experience on line or at stores, Mosrite Combo is more reasonably priced than solid body Mosrites, vintage or new.

I think eBay has driven the prices of all guitars astronomical. Three or four years ago I would see an original vintage Mosrite Ventures model for $1600-$1800, and prices of a pristine Combo was $800-$1000. I recall seeing one with Buy it Now price for $800. At the same time used Japanese Mosrite copies were selling from $750-$1000. People having access to the internet from all over the world is driving pricing out of reach.

When I bought the guitar I sold to you I paid $1000 and it needed restoration. I felt that $1000 was way too much at the time. That's why I sold it to you so cheap. An absolute 'junker' sold the other day for over $1300. Now you see MIJ Mosrite's for $1500. Give me a break! They are only clones regardless of what it say's on the headstock. That is why I feel the Hallmark is the best buy on the market. It's as much a Mosrite as any MIJ Mosrite copy. From my understanding Semie NEVER authorized or gave consent to any company in Japan to legally license and make genuine Mosrite's.

Danny, I believe he actually DID give consent in the early 70s when he was trying to
resurrect Mosrite. For a short time, he had struck some kind of deal with Firstman.
Firstman Company, as you know, were made up of ex Teisco Employees, shortly after Kawai had bought out Teisco.........

Dennisthe Menace wrote:Danny, I believe he actually DID give consent in the early 70s when he was trying to
resurrect Mosrite. For a short time, he had struck some kind of deal with Firstman.
Firstman Company, as you know, were made up of ex Teisco Employees, shortly after Kawai had bought out Teisco.........

I had heard those rumors before but from what I've read anything coming out of Japan in the 70's were strictly copies. I don't know one way or the other, but would love to get a definitive answer. Albeit, I do not know how that could be confirmed since Semie is gone and it would only be second hand information. A lot of people have made claims to and about a 'true' Mosrite since Semie's demise. I can understand that it would have been logical to contract with a Japanese manufature after the fall of his manufacturing company, as there no doubt was a huge demand in Japan for Mosrites due to the Ventures fame. So it is possible that the rumors are true.

I found this on an E-Bay item dealing with an Early Avenger Model made by Firstman.
Forget about all the OTHER Responses, the 2nd one is the Shocker.....









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Questions from other members
Question & Answer Answered On
Q: Hi, this is absolutely definitely a 70's Japanese copy - I should know, I have an "avenger" combo and ventures, both of which I ordered from...more Apr-27-08
A: Is there any place on the guitar that says made in japan....ive had other people tell me that semi moseley commissioned some to be made in japan...
Q: Hi my name is Bob Shade of Hallmark Guitars. This model is a 70's offering by Mosrite of Japan. They had a temporary liscense agreement with Semie...more Apr-27-08
A: thanks so much....for the info..i have other people telling me they are very rare and collectable also.....thanks again...the ebay community has been very...more
Q: What you have is a very early Japanese made Mosrite made by the Fillmore Company. They were one of the first Japanese Manufacturers to seriously manufacture...more Apr-26-08
A: the serial number doesnt start with FC....it starts with EMC and the tailpiece says Moseley not Mosrite...ive also been told that if i look under the old...more

Let's try this again.......
Question & Answer Answered On
Q: Hi, this is absolutely definitely a 70's Japanese copy - I should know, I have an "avenger" combo and ventures, both of which I ordered from Japan. They are great guitars; hopefully your bidders don't think this guitar was made in Bakersfield because if they do they're going to feel ripped when they find otherwise. Apr-27-08
A: Is there any place on the guitar that says made in japan....ive had other people tell me that semi moseley commissioned some to be made in japan...
Q: Hi my name is Bob Shade of Hallmark Guitars. This model is a 70's offering by Mosrite of Japan. They had a temporary liscense agreement with Semie Moseley then when Semie needed the $ to produce these guitars in Japan. They were never supposed to hit US soil. They also never stopped making them which they were supposed to do. They still offer these today. I have not seen many of the Combo style in these 70's offerings so this is very rare to see in the US. Good luck with your auction. Feel free to contact me at http://www.hallmarkguitars.com Apr-27-08
A: thanks so much....for the info..i have other people telling me they are very rare and collectable also.....thanks again...the ebay community has been very helpful on this one....i just dont want someone to think im missrepresenting this thing....

darn 'puter is burping again.....
Anyways, this is the Firstman Avenger "Combo"
BTW, it sold for $1,125.01......

http://i10.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/ec/9d/353f_1.JPG

You two (Dennis and Danny) make for great reading material. I've learned a lot here!
Danny said:
That is why I feel the Hallmark is the best buy on the market. It's as much a Mosrite as any MIJ Mosrite copy.

A couple of the points I liked about the Hallmark was the fact that Bill Grugget had a hand in its design, and Bob Shade's true dedication to recapturing the vibe of the Bakersfield guitar makers from the 50's and 60's.

Strat-o-rama wrote:You two (Dennis and Danny) make for great reading material. I've learned a lot here!
Danny said:

Well, Thanks for the nice compliment. However, keep in mind that we are only sharing our points of view on these topics and not even close to being an expert on any subject. It would sure be nice if more folks would share the knowledge or even points of view as that is what this forum is all about. With exchanges of information, experiences, ideas and facts, we all learn. I am sure that there are visitors here that are laughing at some of our comments thinking 'they think the know everything', but that is not the case. A lot of information I have gleaned over the years has come from the internet, although some of it is personal knowledge. I'm sure that guy's like Arpsum, Desert Surfer and Dennis, are very knowledgeable about Mosrite's, but for me, I'm just a novice.