The Mossman Guitars Prophecies...the intense story of the first Boutique acoustic guitar brand

[@scottbaxendale323]

Here is a link to the movie about Mossman Guitars. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWqcZ5Siea14iLs

[@JeremySheppard]

Thanks, Scott! I want to learn more. We're these during your time or before? Let's do a collab on your conversions.

[@scottbaxendale323]

@@JeremySheppard I worked for Mossman from October of 75 until late 1978 then I owned the company from 1985-1990. I built 250 Mossman guitars during that time.

[@vyorkcsr]

My Name is Richard York (Currently in Wichita, KS) I became friends with Stuart Mossman AFTER the big fire at Strother Field, when he had a small shop on East 9th Street, in Winfield, KS. I have played guitar since age 7.5... playing flat pick, some jazz, fingerstyle with a flat pick (now called Hybrid Picking). On my days off, I spent many, many hours in Stuart's small shop talking about guitar building and musician stories. He had a ton of connections with pro musicians and lots of personal stories. Of course, he was one of the founding organizers for the Walnut Valley Festival, where the guitar champions compete every year. He put together a Winter Wheat for me. There was a rack on the East wall, that had approximately 30 guitars that were returned from the Conn marketing disaster. The necks were removed from all of the bodies, so you could actually select a body and a neck. The bodies all had various degrees of finish cracks and checking. They would have sounded great, but looked bad (but better looking than a old Martin that had been through hell and back)~! He hand picked the body for me because I had a light touch and he wanted me to have a boomier sound. He held the body up, and tapped it in various places until he found the perfect resonance that suited his ear. I told him about the guitars that I had and my playing experience. He wanted me to bring all of my guitars to his shop. One was a Gibson ES355 TDCSV (Gibson's most expensive jazz guitar). I bought that guitar when I was 16 and was teaching for Uhlik Music. I talked Phil Uhlik into getting the Gibson and Fender franchises and i opened up every shipping box and inspected and tuned every one of those guitars. Back to Stuart: He looked at the fancy red Gibson, and then handled it like a newborn baby. He was almost in tears. He looked at me and said that he learned how to make guitar necks while working for Gibson, and built necks for the ES 335 to 355 models. He looked at the date on the sticker and shook his head and said that he might have actually made the neck on my guitar. Hence, the feel of the necks on Mossman guitars is closely related to the Gibson's neck. He said that the shape of the head of the guitar is the guitar builder's person design. His guitar heads were actually similar, but different, than Gibsons. I had an old Gibson flat top from the 1955-60 era with a severely damaged top. He took me to the back room (South Side) where there was a stack of Sitka Spruce tops that were there, probably 70 or so. HE hand picked a top for me to put on the old Gibson, and said that he wanted me to get some experience by replacing the damaged top with his new one. It was the finest grain Sitka that I had ever seen. He liked me so much that he sold it to me for $20 and smiled, saying, "It's a great one, have fun." Eventually, I rebuilt that old Gibson, specifically for Chase Foster, who toured with Tommy Emmanuel, and later went on to be a music manager for Nick Jonas. Stuart personally introduced me to John Denver, Dan Crary and others. He had to get out of guitar building because of his damaged lungs, which was from the lacquer sprays. Well, enough of my talk. THANK YOU For showing the Mossman guitar and doing such a great job with your demo playing.

[@roberttkent]

Stuart Mossman was my friend. We traveled together around Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas in the early 1980s. He gave me a beautiful and unique 1977 Golden Era body/ Winter Wheat neck model that I cherish.the tone is powerful and yet gentle and sweet. I'd post a photo but see no way to do so. I miss him.

[@pilsonguitars]

I built my first guitar back on 2011. My parents lived in Sulphur Springs, TX and went to church with a guy that mentioned he builds guitars. My dad offered to take me over to his house to talk with him and maybe get some building tips and tricks. I ended up spending a few hours talking with Bob Casey, the owner of Mossman Guitars. The shop has no A/C, and no humidity control, so it’s amazing the quality he still manages to produce. At one point, I started audio recording the conversation because I knew I was getting a history lesson from a guitar building legend. I had never heard of Mossman Guitars at that point, but I walked away with a great respect for the process and validation in my first instrument build. I’ve been building ever since. To my knowledge, Bob’s still in the same place and still builds a few guitars a year.

[@randysrhythm]

Jeremy, I know Scott Baxendale very well. Scott went to work for Stuart in the 70’s as one of his famed luthiers. This Mossman journey needs to be told and I personally appreciate the fact that you did this video. For you and your viewers, Scott bought Mossman and moved it to Garland, Texas, in the 80’s. Ultimately, it went to a man named Bobby Casey, in Sulpher Springs, Texas. He and David Hallmark built a few guitars under the brand. Bobby passed away about a month or so ago. Michael Austell in Canton, Texas, now owns what is left of Mossman. He lives about 45 minutes from me and I recently reached out to him, but haven’t heard back from him yet. I also own the Tennessee Flat Top. I talked to Scott on Friday and he told me it was made around August of 75, right after the shop was rebuilt. Stuart Mossman was a genius. He was also the train engineer in the movie The Long Riders. He was very close to the Carradine family, which netted him a few small roles with David, Keith and Bobby Carradine. Great video, brother man 👍🏻 Just saw Scott’s comment. He is a killer luthier. He builds custom guitars and also rebuilds/rebraces old catalog guitars to which I own 2 of them. If you’re not that familiar with Scott, you should probably get to know him. He’s a good man 👍🏻

[@davestagner]

I have a Baxendale-era Mossman, and it’s a WONDERFUL guitar.

[@ronwhited1224]

Jeremy, all of these amazing comments are evidence enough of the incredible interest in Mossman guitars. I see an amazing opportunity for you to jump on this and put the story together of all these people who knew Stuart and Scott while they are still alive. This is major historical stuff in the world of acoustic guitars!

[@andrewbowen6875]

Can I just say big up to all the incredible comments on here. Just a treasure trove of invaluable stories of pure Americana. Being from the U.K. and loving the whole thing from the Bluegrass to Hank and beyond it’s mind blowing to read these comments

[@paulaleman2721]

I love Mossman guitars and I’m fortunate to own a 73 Flint Hills Custom and just last year, I finally found a Golden Era and it was (from what I’ve been told) one of 14 Golden Era Customs, mine is from 1972. I had to have three cracks repaired and a few other things done, but now it’s safe and sound in my home, when it’s not a stage. Thank you for the great video!

[@jeffreyroth6440]

This particular Mossman Tennessee Flat Top has a replacement top because it was smashed in by a "friend" of the original owner in 1994. That's why it looks so good, and Bob Casey, who replaced it, also scalloped the top braces so it sounds fantastic! Looking forward to getting it back sometime in December.

[@grene1955]

I have a 1976 Flint Hills that I bought new. I still have original hard case too. Paid $450. I was looking for a serious guitar, and Tom Rizzo at T Rizzo Music in Penfield, NY convinced that it was equal and then some to a Martin. He was right! It's my workhorse acoustic, nothing can touch it. I have almost 30 guitars now, but this is the queen of my collection. I still gig with it, and every now and then, someone who knows guitars, will stop me and say, "Is that a Mossman?" It's a loud beautiful sounding guitar that let's the room know it's there.

[@johnpeed5440]

Jeremy, I'm surprised you didn't mention the Golden Era. I have one that was obviously part of the Conn debacle, but has no body cracks and plays beautifully!

[@scottbaxendale323]

C.G.Conn was a music products distributor who were based in Ohio. The warehouse you say was in Nevada was really in Utah. The dispute was because it wasn’t clear when the inspection was to take place. They came to the factory and inspected 250 guitars that they then loaded into a semi truck and took to Utah and stored in a non climate controlled warehouse. The finish on all these guitars checked and then we’re rejected. Conn sued Mossman for poor quality and Mossman sued Conn for damaging the guitars.

[@OpenDGuitar]

Martin assisted Mossman at one point (Mike Longworth told me this). Some of the Mossmans were sold through the Martin factory store. Mossman had allergies to the finish materials. He sold it to Scott Baxendale (one of his former employees…and also a former Gruhn employee…Scott did the set up on a guitar I bought from Gruhn). He moved it to Garland TX…then he had some personal issues, and John Kinsey and Bob Casey bought it and took it to Sulpher Springs, where I apprenticed with them in 1993. Bob is in his 80s now. He narrated my documentary “The American Acoustic Guitar”. Their partner David Hallmark developed a hollowed out bracing method in 1992 (DH92 model). The Sulpher Springs owners were also among the first modern builders to reintroduce walnut as a body tone wood when the world was still crazy for rosewood. They also started using mahogany from the Lone Star Steel company…casting forms of Honduran mahogany…which I spend many days breaking down to get useful planks.

[@scottbaxendale323]

Martin never really assisted Mossman much. Dennis Longworth, Mike’s brother worked along side me at Mossman. Martin allowed Stu and a couple of other guys tour the Martin factory, but that was pretty much the extent of them helping Mossman. Martin did, however, admit that they wish they had come up with Stuart’s adjustable truss rod design. It unfortunate that when Martin did come out with their adjustable rod it was so poorly designed.

[@kenthughes6895]

@@scottbaxendale323 Thanks, Scott. I thought that "Martin selling Mossman" was questionable at best.

[@joeclark7082]

I can confirm that Bobby Casey was building Mossman Guitars for custom orders up until about 7 years ago. I had some repair work done in his shop that was located in Sulphur Springs Tx. Bobby Casey passed away in late April 2023. His friend Mike Austell will be taking over the Mossman Brand.

[@DavidHallmark-o3j]

I own a DH92 model. Need to ask my father David Hallmark Sr how many were made.

[@OpenDGuitar]

@@scottbaxendale323 I can only go by what CFM IV told me in a 1992 interview. I’m sure there are many aspects to any story.

[@jeffreyroth6440]

The South Wind/Great Plains hybrid in this video has been donated to Central Christian School in Kidron, OH for their upcoming charity auction on March 11, 2023. If you are near NE Ohio consider showing up and bidding to support the school's scholarship programs!

[@hsalaska]

I’m not sure when Mossman guitars went to Texas. Bobby Casey of Sulphur Springs, Texas has been building them for quite a few years. A friend of mine, who has several Mossman’s, and I spent a couple of days with Bobby and saw his one man operation. He is old now and is still building fine guitars. Though only a few a year. He is building to the original specifications and they are outstanding guitars. Mark Wheeler of the Marksmen Quartet has played a Mossman exclusively for years. Get your hands on a Mossman and you’ll have a treasure. Bobby told me he has someone to take over building these Mossman guitars when he hangs his tools up.

[@maxherron1376]

Bobby is making Mossman guitars in Sulphur Springs TX.

[@joewheatley8905]

Thanks for this post Jeremy. I believe this is the first time I've ever read every comment posted on any video! I have always appreciated the sound of Mossman guitars but have never owned one. I am considering buying one. Initially I believed the current price point of these guitars was inflated. That being said, your take on "adjusted for inflation" price struck a chord with me! I really appreciate Scott Baxendale for jumping into the conversation here. It appears the TN Flat Top is much easier to find than the Great Plains and higher level guitars. Thanks!

[@communitykyle]

I missed out 20 years ago on a player grade rosewood/spruce mossman for $900 in a small town guitar store. I was in college and couldn’t scrape it together but it was an incredible sounding guitar.

[@MrJackchap]

Jeremy, I have a 1975 flint hills that I was lucky to buy used in 1984. It is my pride and joy.I have been trying to find a golden era ever since.

[@jeffrobuck6338]

That Great Plains is a great guitar. Very good video, Jeremy.

[@calebbhawkins]

I believe Baxendale who currently mostly converts old Harmony guitars was the last owner of Mossman. Scott Baxendale has a KZbin Channel, maybe you can collab on something.

[@OpenDGuitar]

Bob Casey and John Kinsey bought Mossman from the Baxendale family in either late 80s or around 1990. Moved the shop to Sulpher Springs.

[@kenthughes6895]

@@OpenDGuitar Scott helped them move the shop and got them up to speed.

[@coolhandluke2310]

Awesome axe. Beautiful ❤

[@dakotaellis5601]

I appreciate you doing a video on mossman, I was gifted a ‘75 flint hills last year and have always wondered about when it was made in relation to the fire

[@davestagner]

I own two Mossmans (Mossmen!) - an ‘85 Baxendale, and a ‘76 Tennessee 12-string. I’d like to find another someday! I adore both guitars. The ‘85 has the nicest top of any guitar I’ve ever owned. It practically glows in the light. I have a ‘68 Martin D-18, and the top looks like an orange crate compared to the Mossman. More importantly, it’s one of the best sounding D-28 style dreadnoughts I’ve ever played. I A/B it to everything. The 12-string is fabulous, too, my favorite 12-string I’ve ever played.

[@jeffreyroth6440]

Thanks Jeremy for posting this video on these guitars! I hope to be in VA to pick them up sometime in December. I will try and bring along some of their provenance to document their lives up to this point in time. You mentioned Steve Mason in the video. He is my "go to guy" for repair of old Mossman's. He brought these two back to life after spending too much time in their cases over the last 45-50 years. Thanks Again!

[@pmscalisi]

Steve has done work on previous Mossman I’ve owned. Scott Baxendale in Athens GA also repairs them and he even owned the Mossman factory for several years

[@jeffreyroth6440]

@@pmscalisi you are correct about Scott Baxendale. He has done a Harmony guitar X brace conversion for me as well.

[@ericecklund676]

Jeremy, thanks for highlighting Mossman's contribution to the early Boutique scene. They perhaps grew a little too fast and got allied with the wrong sort of distribution partners. I agree with you that Brazilian rosewood is not two to three times better than EIR. It can be a little better than EIR. But in the hands of a master luthier even Osage Orange, Myrtle, and Walnut, make for a fine set of tone woods for the back and sides of nice guitar. Thanks for taking the time to tell this story!

[@ACOUSTIC_4LOVE]

I remember playing a few Mossman’ guitars around 1974/5. They were pretty much Martin Clones. Interesting that the small handful of folks that took up Crafting Flat tops in those early days. Most all were crafting Martin Style Dreadnaught’s. That’s a testament to the Martin Mania that persisted in the minds of people. During the years prior to Taylor and few others, Martin was considered the pinnacle of Acoustic Flat tops. I got caught up in that wave. The second Flat top I crafted was a Brazilian D-28 clone Dreadnaught much like a Mossman’. That was 1989. As time went on I began to realize that Martin wasn’t the pinnacle. Many Gibsons from the Golden Era ,and a few guilds were just as wonderful. Flash forward 40 years and there’s thousands of Small craftsman building a myriad of shapes and innovative designs. But the Martin Mania still resides- Collings,Santa Cruz, Pre-War and host of other makers still focus on the tried and true Martin Dreadnaught. Stuart Mossman’ and Gallagher’ were just following the recipe from the Early 1930s. I still have my Brazilian Dreadnaught -the 2nd guitar of just a handful I crafted. It’s pushing 40 years young now. I don’t play it as much as others. I play a little bluegrass , but mostly Blues,Jazz,Country folk and other stuff l. But if I need a bluegrass Cannon that sounds like a pre-war herringbone, The old guitar gets the job done. For a Golden Era factory Flat top-I would take a 1950s sunburst Gibson J-185 🇺🇸

[@2GoldensTosa]

I owned a Winter Wheat 6 and 12 from the Conn era. Definite neck issues right out of the gate. Beautiful guitars, but I was too young and stupid to know about neck resets and sold them both. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. 😞 GREAT video and insights! ❤️

[@jogo2000]

That tone is great! Awesome job recording it, too.

[@JeremySheppard]

Thanks a lot!

[@markvonwisco7369]

I have a friend who buys and sells a lot of guitars. He had a Mossman for a while. I remember it being a great sounding, well made guitar. On the Brazilian rosewood question, I'm not sure I 100% agree with you. I have both an EIR and Brazilian rosewood Larrivée D-09. While both guitars are nearly identical in sound, the Brazilian rosewood guitar sounds and feels just that little better to me. I don't think that it's just in my head. Is it possible that the difference is down to Larrivée putting a little extra time and care into their guitars made from Brazilian rosewood? I'm curious to see what other players think about this.

[@MrDaveKC]

Fascinating discussion. I started playing when I lived in Wichita, just a couple hours away from Winfield. That really makes me curious about the Mossman guitars and their history... And to always keep an eye open for them. And several cool Kansas references, such as Flint Hills and South Wind.

[@johnhiscutt1853]

fantastic guitars!,great story

[@pmscalisi]

I have a 1976 Timber Creek I’ve owned since new. It’s still all original with one neck reset 20 years ago. The Martins and Gibsons have come and gone. The Mossman is still here.

[@markbyrom2332]

I remember reading somewhere that Stuart Mossman had severe lung problems he attributed to working in his shop's spray booth without any kind of face mask or respirator. He became unable to work and it eventually lead to his early death. I also believe that Scott Baxendale acquired the name at some point and stared building guitars in maybe Garland, TX, a suburb of Dallas. I think I once saw a Baxendale Mossman dread with a black top. It was a striking instrument.

[@davehildebrand38]

That's a nice sounding guitar

[@larrylemons9747]

Two days ago, my son and I walked into McKay Music (now called Band House), in Sulphur Springs. A gentleman held the door for us as we came in. He was holding an acoustic guitar. We thanked him for holding the door and I asked him what he was holding. He said, “it’s a Mossman, S L Mossman. Have you ever heard of them.” I told him that we’d been trying to track them down since my son moved to SS about 2 1/2 years ago. He told me about his guitar and actually let me strum it a little while we were still standing in the doorway. I told him he had made my day. I got his name and hope we meet again on a return trip. PS- We were there to get my friend who is the drummer in our oldies rock band from McKay, where as Don Henley puts it, his mom bought him his first drum set, a red sparkle Slingerland kit. What a day of music history for this old music loving granddad, now 70 1/2 years old!

[@Darltornjacket]

I owned a pre-fire Mossman it was a great guitar. I got it in a sort of fire Sale I had a plainsman. I was offered a great price for it and trade Really sweet player

[@HayesTech]

My friend Randy, of KZbin channel Randys Rhythm, just picked up an older, used, Mossman and loves it. His is the more affordable model, which has less embellishments. His is also the mahogany model. They are hard to find because no one wants to part with theirs.

[@adamfusco3479]

Baxendale who does conversions of old harmonys now was a luthier for them.

[@sherryashberger5979]

We have a 000 custom model, made by one of Mossman's luthiers for his wife. The tuners are gold, it has extra mother of pearl inlays and the heal, where neck joins the guitar, is hand-carved by Mossman himself. We bought it when we lived in Winfield over 30 years ago. I've misplaced the letter, unfortunately, where Stewart gave his personal valuation of it. Do you have any idea of it's worth today? I know, you don't have a way of seeing it. Thanks

[@Lurksz]

000 Custom from S. L. Mossman in good condition should be worth more than a golden era. There is very little info about those. Maybe someone would be willing to pay between 5-15k who knows some collector could pay 100k.

[@rjwh67220]

I have Mossman sn 71-077, made in 1971, the 77th guitar Mossman ever made. I got it used in 1972 for $300, about $2200 in 2023 dollars. Made before they standardized their models, it’s a hybrid of a Flint Hills and a Great Plains. Brazilian rosewood sides and two piece back, Sitka top, mahogany neck, Grovers. It was built on the “old jigs,” the box is about one inch deeper than the guitars they made even just a few weeks later. It’s a wonderful guitar, crisp, excellently voiced, plays like a dream. Brazilian rosewood isn’t that much better? Have you had your hearing aids checked? Also a two piece back sounds considerably better than a three piece back.

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

My favorite recording of a mossman is Dan Crary's performance at I believe telluride 1977 or 1979. As a matter of fact many live recordings from the 70s and 80s have a warm sound that I don't hear in modern recordings, even of the same guitars. Imo microphones and processing play a huge part in acoustic sound. There's a live recording of Andy cahan at the port Townsend fiddle festival in 1985- he was overloading an old tape recorder mic and by the time it was put on KZbin I'm sure it had decayed several orders of magnitude further-plus KZbin's compression- but it sounds so powerful that I can't help but enjoy listening to it. There's so much that happens to an old live recording in it's lifespan that I think it's impossible to judge instrument quality from these recordings alone. I think investigation into the variables that create this magical lofi sound would be a much better investment than an $8000 mossman. You can get a used d-18 for 1500 bucks. Aside from better playability I don't know how much buying boutique is worth.

[@pmscalisi]

I wouldn’t pay $8000 for one either. My Timber Creek is currently going for about $2500 now. It’s the next model up from the Great Plains. In fact, I wouldn’t pay $8K for a Martin either.

[@Bill-tx9rl]

Brazilian Rosewood is not 3x better than other Rosewoods the same way a Corvette is not 3x better than a Corolla. That said it does things other tonewoods can’t.

[@davemoordigian6807]

I have a friend who knew Stuart back around 1979. Conn had sent back all the guitars and Stuart told him he was selling everything. I bought a new Flint Hills for $250 with a hard shell case and it's been a great guitar.

[@scottbaxendale323]

That’s not even close to what happened. After the lawsuit Conn got all the finished and partially finished guitars and Stuart got the name, all the tooling, jigs, fixtures and raw wood. That was the company I purchased from Stuart and moved to Dallas in August of 1985.

[@texhaines9957]

I agree that solid wood guitars generally sound better than those with laminate. And that plywood makes good concrete forms. I disagree with the Brazilian Rosewood comments or maybe add a caveat: who built it and possibly when was it built?

[@andrewbowen6875]

Lol Jeremy I’ve never heard of Mossman guitars but I totally understand what they were getting at about craftsmanship? They sound superb but re the Brazilian comment it really does come down to the builder since no magic wood will transform a guitar not built well. The story about thfire is heart breaking and I’m pretty sure it happened to Symogyi.

[@scottbaxendale323]

Mossman has a 25.5” scale length.

[@ronwhited1224]

I have wanted to own a Mossman for decades but the timing was just never right. I’d still love to own one

[@scottbaxendale323]

I worked at Mossman from 1974 until 1977 and then I owned the Mossman Guitar Company from 1985 until 1990. The old VG article is filled with misinformation and inaccuracies.

[@JeremySheppard]

Thanks for clarifying. Sorry it was based on flawed info.

[@scottbaxendale323]

@@JeremySheppard It’s amazing how that one poorly researched article from years ago has distorted the real history of SL Mossman guitars. We even did a documentary film a few years ago yet this VG article still gets referenced all the time as the authority on Mossman, but it’s all wrong. Stu built 5000 instruments and I built 250, including the Travis Tritt WB Superlative currently for sale on Reverb. I’m currently building and rebuilding guitars in Sante Fe NM.

[@kenthughes6895]

@@JeremySheppard Thanks for being open to these responses! Good to get valid info out there!

[@kenthughes6895]

@@scottbaxendale323 Scott's custom builds are incredible. As I stated, my '86 Bax built Mossman (EIR back and sides), crushes 50's D-28s with Brazillian. His Harmony/Kay conversions are outstanding!!!

[@robertwilson6144]

@@scottbaxendale323I recall visiting you in Dallas right after you moved there. I had always wanted a Mossman - every year I would test them out at Winfield, but by the time I could afford one, you had taken over and moved the shop. I recall you had a number of black topped instruments which I thought were ugly, and you just shrugged and said, “That’s what they want here in Texas.” You were working on a couple of giant guitars for the Hard Rock Cafe to become bar tops; you said if you could find strings long enough, they would play in tune. One was a Les Paul, the other a Strat I recall.

[@craiglangford7171]

Moved to Sulphur Springs, Tx. I'm told they then moved to Colorado.

[@pmscalisi]

Not true.

[@TinyTurboTuna]

I still believe the one that got away was an old mossman. The whole finish was cracked throughout. It sounded amazing, and loudest I’ve played. I wasn’t ready to give 1600$ for a brand I haven’t heard of, especially with the finish in such condition. But I went back the next day to take it home, it was gone. I bought a d-41 instead. Note: it also had writing inside with dates, Stu’s initials

[@rjwh67220]

How many sets of initials? Everyone who worked on a Mossman initialed the label. Mine has four sets, including Stu’s.

[@TinyTurboTuna]

@@rjwh67220 there were several Initial/scribbles. Not sure who honestly.

[@billdedrick1914]

Great playing, great tone...What strings used here and what Flat Pick and thickness? It sounds like a TS pick.

[@JeremySheppard]

Thanks! I was playing a triangle Primetone at 1.5mm

[@kenthughes6895]

@@JeremySheppard Love those!! Not as painful as losing a "boutique" pick...

[@jerrykeane1970]

You have to check out a great video about Mossman guitars, "Stuart Mossman: a Modern Stradivari" great video. I am lucky to own two mossman guitars....

[@davidgagnon2849]

What's up with the wonky tuners on the Tennessee flattop?

[@pmscalisi]

They’re Grover Rotomatics. They follow the curved shape of the peg head.

[@TheGuitarsquatch]

A while back I watched a video of an old man that took the reigns from Stuart and continued building Mossman's on into the 2010's, but I'm not sure of the quality of them. If you want to see an original one being used by a current artist, Willi Carlisle uses a Tennessee Flattop as his main and Nick Shoulders has used Willi's guitar a couple of times. You don't really see them being utilized outside of one off videos.

[@OpenDGuitar]

Bob Casey’s Mossmans are of exceptional quality.

[@kenthughes6895]

@@OpenDGuitar The quality started long before Bob Casey entered the picture...

[@kenthughes6895]

This is nonsense...

[@TheGuitarsquatch]

@@kenthughes6895 No one said it it did.

[@TheGuitarsquatch]

Saying one thing is good quality isn't saying the other isn't

[@ramonaviles1582]

Would love a vid like this based on LoPrinzi/Augustino guitars. They are cannons!

[@JeremySheppard]

I was thinking about them too! Fire, lawsuits and drama. I've played many Loprinzi's and wish I could own one.

[@ramonaviles1582]

@@JeremySheppard He moved to Clearwater, Florida at the end of the 70s. He built under the name Augustino Guitars. I stumbled upon one in a store in Tampa. Amazing find for 500 bucks. Dread with Sitka and EIR. I heard he is retired but his daughter still makes guitars and ukuleles.

[@IndigoJo]

Also have you ever seen the Sire Larry Carlton electrics, especially the 335? They ripped off that headstock totally.

[@leftwrite]

Great story. It looks like Mossman passed away in 1999 - only 56 years old.

[@johnwashburn3793]

All of those Kansas references, how did the Tennessee get in there? I suppose that the Flinthills is the only geographical point of interest in a rather flat and nondescript state. I drove through the area a couple of times and wasn't impressed, but I am a Missouri boy! The shirt arrived yesterday. Thank you.

[@kenthughes6895]

Most likely from the Johnny Cash song...

[@johnwashburn3793]

@@kenthughes6895 Yes of course, but it seems so out of place.

[@patrickroe5926]

Wouldn't we all like to have the best be sounding instruments. Money isn't even in the whole be story. The quality of materials may not ever approach what was available at a given point in history. Much of the success of U.S. companies in the past had to be do with materials available. The time available to make something certainly makes a difference as well.

[@BulldoggerJK]

Seems like they all need massive neck resets. Not just the angle. Structural repair. My father in law had one. It was a good guitar. He sold it and I saw it at a luthier’s a couple weeks later. He was dreading the work that needed to be done to the neck. One good thing is Mossman would cut the guitars he didn’t like in half and sell them to repairmen. One of our luthiers had cut up Mossmans to repair your Martin with.

[@kenthughes6895]

"They all need", spoken from lack of knowledge...

[@pmscalisi]

@@kenthughes6895 he’s not totally wrong about that. Most usually do. My 76 Timber Creek had a reset in 2004.

[@pmscalisi]

Do you know when the guitar was made?

[@kenthughes6895]

@@pmscalisi The majority, and most severe neck problems occurred in models before the fire. The are resets and there are “the agony of defeet” repairs.

[@pmscalisi]

@@kenthughes6895 definitely. My Mossmans that are ‘76 models the top is fine. They are Tennessee, Timber Creek and Flint Hills Custom 12 string. My ‘73 Flint Hills Custom 6 string had the agony and I had it repaired. That’s why I was curious about the build date of JK guitar

[@patrickroe5926]

Note, for as high and mighty as Mossman was, they no longer exist or exist on a level so minimal they are hardly noticeable.

[@kenthughes6895]

Interesting idea... I'll keep mine.

[@pmscalisi]

@@kenthughes6895 me also.

[@pmscalisi]

Who 💩 in your bowl of cereal?

[@CarlosGonzalez-tx4cb]

I have been saying that Brazilian rosewood isn’t that good. I tested some again East Indian and EIR won every time

[@davepounds8924]

That is why I would never buy from a small boutique company One day they are there the next day they are gone

[@bphh]

Why does owning a guitar from a defunct company a problem?

[@charlesbolton8471]

@@bphh It’s only a problem for those who buy with the intention to resell later. It doesn’t matter at all to those of us who buy keepers.

[@kenthughes6895]

Better research would help in this video. Depending on a single, misinformed Vintage Guitar article is silly...

[@JeremySheppard]

That's true. I was very limited on my time with the guitars. What would you have covered that I missed?

[@kenthughes6895]

@@JeremySheppard I appreciate that you spoke so highly of these guitars. There is some questionable info around but some more research would have helped. Scott baxendale was personally involved in 4 generations of Mossman guitar building. The original factory, returning to Winfield to help Stuart complete his obligations, purchasing the company and moving it to Texas and helping the later owners move to their location and comence building. He is an outstanding source of information. I love my Winfield Mossmans but, my "go to" dreadnaught is an '86 Baxendale.

[@davepounds8924]

Brazilian rosewood is over hyped There is not that much difference between them

[@davidscotbrown3241]

Not only is Brazilian Rosewood not worth the price, but after a luthier friend warned me about its nasty predisposition to cracking, I've stayed away. Oh, and there is no guitar on the planet worth the thousands of dollars being charged today (that would be the ones beginning with a 4 and above). But hey, luthiers spending around 130 hours to build a guitar deserve a decent wage and have to live somehow after all the associated expenses.

[@Edward1312]

I'll let you know a secret CF Martin guitars are not that great and certainly not 3 times better than Sigma guitars.