MozRite wrote:I see from your profile picture you have a Hallmark. Is it a 1965 or the 1959 model? How does the Hallmark and vintage Mosrite compare?
It's a 60 Custom.
After having a real Mosrite on my bench all taken apart, I'd say the Hallmark compares very very well. I've always believed the Hallmarks are the best Mosrite clones in the business, and I feel that I can confirm it now. I've been through my Hallmark too, and to me it seems Bob Shade has done it right. And in the Hallmark's favor, it actually plays more like a "normal" guitar with it's wider neck and regular frets. The Mosrite neck and frets is it's own thing. That's part of the charm of a Mosrite. But I'm also a fan of Gibsons and I can go from my Les Pauls and SGs right to the Hallmark and the necks and scale length feel pretty similar. There's much more metal adjustment going on when grabbing the Mosrite. I can't really comment on the pickups yet, but I think the Hallmark pickups are in the ballpark. I have a custom made bridge pickup in my Hallmark, but the stock ones do the fat hot single coil Mosrite thing very well. I haven't done any physical dimension measurements or anything, but besides the necks, I'd say they're very similar and the Hallmark totally nails the look and vibe of a Mosrite. And since most of the music I play is punk, the Halmark's playability really scores it highly in a comparison.