I’m here in the woods in chilly Maine, farther north in the state than I’ve ever been, spending time with my pal Adam Tober. Adam is one of the most knowledgeable guys in the world when it comes to Mosrite guitars. He is definitely THE resource of knowledge when it comes to the guitars that Semie Moseley made in the 1970s and 1980s, an era I’m not as familiar with. Adam has a killer collection of some of the rarest and most interesting guitars from that era. Adam also speaks fluent Japanese, which makes him a guitar sensei, someone I’ll rely on intensely when we go to Japan for the final research trip of the Mosrite book journey.
Adam’s got some cool guitars. But the one that literally takes my breath away every time I see it is the 1979 “Lost Wax Casting” guitar that Semie made for his business partner Robert Gentry. I think the “Lost Wax Casting” guitar is Semie’s finest work—a staggering piece of playable art. Everything on this guitar is completely over the top and shock-and-awe. I’ve seen and held more Mosrite guitars than you can imagine, but this one is his apex. it’s his ne plus ultra. It’s completely insane if you start looking at the attention to detail.
In 1991, when I first moved to California, I saw the “Lost Wax Casting” guitar at a shop in Santa Barbara. It was for sale for $800. Even at the time, I knew that was a great price, but I couldn’t afford gas or groceries in those days. I memorized every detail in my mind of how crazy that guitar was when I got to hold it that day, thirty-four years ago. The guitar was sold into the Scott Chinery collection, and was featured in many books. When Chinery died, it found its way to Adam’s collection. And here I am, looking at it again today.
Maine is about as far as you can get from Bakersfield, California, in the lower forty-eight states. But here I am, surrounded by more incredible Mosrite guitars. Thanks, Adam!
See a bazillion more guitar photos at Deke’s original Facebook post!
