Someone's Opinion of Hallmark JR Guitar + Ed Roman Response

[fishyfish235]

This was taken from Ed Roman's website itself: http://www.edroman.com/guitars/mosrite/counterfeit.htm

[101Volts]

JOHNNY RAMONE

Dear Ed -

Just wanted to drop you a line and point out this crazy Johnny Ramone Rip-off guitar from Hallmark Guitars.

Looks like they copied the Mosrite original, even down to the headstock. I looked at the history of the company and thought since they seemed to have ties to Mosrite that maybe the guitar might be half decent.

Imagine my surprise when I tried this guitar out and realized it was a cheap piece of crap. Had to be an Asian import, and the sound was nothing like the original!

It's on the market for less than a grand, but who cares when the quality is less than a $150 beginner guitar you can pick up at Guitar Center?

So how the heck does this cheap-ass imitation get made by Hallmark guitars?? How do they get the blessing of the Ramone Army to make this junk? Why didn't Mosrite get the deal to make these? At least it'd be the REAL DEAL!

Screw Hallmark and SCREW the rights holders of Johnny's estate for agreeing to put this cheap toy on the market with Johnny's name on it.

- Frank Jansen,
A pissed off Ramones fan

________________

Dear Frank

There are other people & corporations who control many artists names when they die. Johnny Ramone is no exception now that he is dead. Just like Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley & many others. If you choose to buy into that hype, I feel sorry for you, because in many cases, these people are simply profiteering on your idol. Be aware that Johnny Ramone, always throughout his entire career, played a Mosrite guitar. Anyone who tells you different is lying. Anyone that shows you a picture of Johnny playing a Mosrite guitar with another name on the headstock, The picture has been photo-shopped. I have seen such pictures and It makes me quite upset. I myself was there the day Johnny kicked off the Mosrite model named after him. I am positive that he would never have played anything but a Mosrite !!!!!
In this country we are fed so much Bullshit that eventually it becomes true, I can remember when people would never buy Chinese products. Nowadays our country owes the Chinese 15 trillion dollars because all the kids today have been "Dumbed Down" so that they would not recognize good quality any longer. For example Today, Everyone knows that Johnny Ramone played a Mosrite. But in 20 years from now whoever owns the name, will potentially reap the profits. Unless of course they go out of business before that.
Ed Roman
February 2011

The letter was either written by an obsessed, easily angered fan or Ed himself. No way of telling. The reply, however, doesn't directly bash Hallmark. It doesn't sound like Ed has played a Hallmark, Its just another one of his rants that's not really talking about Hallmark but about other things. These two quotes below are of interest though.

Be aware that Johnny Ramone, always throughout his entire career, played a Mosrite guitar. Anyone who tells you different is lying. Anyone that shows you a picture of Johnny playing a Mosrite guitar with another name on the headstock, The picture has been photo-shopped.

Now, This part isn't entirely wrong but it sounds like it is. He doesn't actually say that Johnny never played any other guitars in his career, Just that he never played Mosrite copies. I read that Johnny did play two Mosrite copies but they were built to the specs of a Mark II, Minus the pickups. These copies might have the Mosrite logo on the headstock though. So if they do aren't they "Fakes"?

http://www.rockometer.com/ramones/g_black1.html

http://www.rockometer.com/ramones/g_sunb.html.

I myself was there the day Johnny kicked off the Mosrite model named after him. I am positive that he would never have played anything but a Mosrite !!!!

This is where things get fuzzy. Does Ed mean he's sure that Johnny wouldn't play guitars made by any other company or does he mean that hes sure that Johnny wouldn't play any Mosrite copies after he endorsed Fillmore's reissues?

Austin

[mosriteforever]

Gee it's funny where these cheap Hallmarks show up!!

Hallmark Forever!!

[GattonFan]

Why would anyone write to Ed Roman as being the authority on Mosrites? He's like the Rush Limbaugh of guitar-talk - maybe some truth to what he says, but it gets buried in the BS. 15 trillion owed to the Chinese?!! Last figure I saw was @ 865 billion to the Chinese - unless he was just using hyperbole. At any rate, take everything from Roman's site with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.
Dennis

[huffman83]

I'm sorry but for a guy that's made an entire career out of sandbagging, it just looks like someone beat him to the punch of making somewhat affordable Mosrite copies. Even in all of his little dog posts about "those companies that are making Johnny Ramone guitars." He still mentiones "Oh I've still got some I made for sale!"

[mosriteforever]

http://www.edroman.com/guitars/mosrite/ramone.htm

I don't recall Johnny Ramone ever playing a CBGB guitar either and it should be noted that it is a matter of public record on the uspto.gov website how Mr. Yusa of Fillmore managed to purloin the Mosrite name from Loretta Moseley and that he even tried to get the Ventures name and the Ramones name as well to use on Fillmore guitars without having to pay royalties. You can tell a lot by the people you associate with.

Mosriteforever!!!!

[KRamone27]

I wouldn't put it past Ed Roman to fabricate something like this. Most of us know what he did with PRS and how he got ran out of town.

[dubtrub]

Just want to interject a word of caution before this topic goes south.

[mosman]

Considering that the last I knew the guitar in question hasn't even gone into production because of some licencing problems, I can't see how the author of the letter could have played one in the first place unless he had access to the prototype.

[MWaldorf]

This general topic has been hashed over many times. Ed Roman is Ed Roman, and that's pretty much that.