The beauty of SL Mossman guitars

[icuker]

Mine is Indian Rosewood, I believe and it's a two piece back, mine was built in 73-537. So it looks like we have the same year. I have pics on my work computer. I'll post on Monday. Did you have to have your neck reset? Mine went bad and I sent it to Scott Baxendale in Denver (at the time his shop was there) and he fixed the "Agony of De-Feet" as it was called. it's in great shape now. Since he joined the Mossman company about a month after mine was built and fixed my neck I had him and his son put their initials on the label also, thought that was fitting as he owned the company for a while.

Anyway, a great guitar. Usually my standard whenever I play other guitars, as I love the sound.

[Tube Sound]

Steve did reset the neck. Plus a new pickguard, new bridge, new nut, reglue back braces and a few more misc. It cost nearly as much as I paid for the guitar. Before he rebuilt it in 2010, it was completely unplayable. I considered sending it to Scott. It was a tossup. It's a wonderful guitar now. Beautiful tone and easy neck for my getting older fingers. I'll look forward to your pics.

[Steve0]

I am the proud first (and still) owner of a Mossman Flint Hills #75-1806. No work was ever done on this guitar. It's in great shape, though the action rides a little high for my rarely-playing-anymore fingers. I don't think that warrants a Steve Mason repair, though I wouldn't want a luthier who isn't familiar with Mossman guitars to touch it. There must be 30 initials on the inside sticker!

Let's see if I can post an image...

[Tube Sound]

Whoa Steve. It looks like even the guy sweeping up the saw dust signed yours! I wonder if anyone is alive that would know who all those initials belong to? That's amazing. What a cool idea that was, more of the lore.

[Lake Sagatagan]

Thanks guys. I've been concentrating on classical guitar studies, leaving my own Mossman hanging for a month or two. You've encouraged (or shamed?) me to take it for a walk 'round the block right now.

[JimmerO]

My buddy bought a Flint Hills a few years ago and I restrung it for him. Great sounding guitar.

I had my eye on a Great Plains for sale in the UK but couldn't convince the owner to sell it and ship it to me. I'm still looking.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Tube Sound

.......! I wonder if anyone is alive that would know who all those initials belong to? .............

Scott Baxendale might be able to identify a lot of them.

[Tube Sound]

Originally Posted by Athens

Scott Baxendale might be able to identify a lot of them.

Scott and Steve Mason. In an ideal universe, they put their heads together and take a crack at it. We have the internet, this is theoretically possible. Of course they would have to have the desire to help with history. This sounds like a project that SteveO or some crazy man should undertake. And does anyone know of any other Mossman staff who are currently known luthiers like Steve and Scott?? Hmmm....

TS

[Steve0]

If anybody wants to share that image with Steve or Scott, feel free to do it and enrich the Mossman lore.

I almost sent the guitar itself to Steve last year for a spa treatment anyway. We had a long conversation about how best to pack it up and ship it. I'm not having any problems with my Mossman, but it would be nice to have one of the original luthiers touch it up. It's just the cost...if only there were any other Mossman people closer by. Like TS said.

[Lake Sagatagan]

In 2010 I contacted Steve Mason regarding the initials on my Mossman's label. He kindly replied:

" SCMIV is me, Stephen C Mason IV. SO is Sam Ontjes. Ironically, I am fixing a crack in his mandolin and I just saw him last week. The last one would be JCM, Joe Murrett. I was the fifth one to join the crew. The other four had their corners on the tag, so I took top center. When Joe went back to farming, my initials moved to the top left corner. I'd love to see your guitar someday. I'm just full of stories about those early days.

Steve Mason"

So, among those names, maybe somebody who knows somebody can begin to fill in the blanks.

[H2O]

I have a 1976 Flint Hills model. It's a real beauty and sounds wonderful. One of my most treasured possessions actually...

[Tube Sound]

Very nice, H20. I like the dark bone saddle. Totally agree with the treasured. Oh ya, the Flint Hills sounds very nice. Thanks for the link.

[Tube Sound]

Originally Posted by Lake Sagatagan

In 2010 I contacted Steve Mason regarding the initials on my Mossman's label. He kindly replied:

" SCMIV is me, Stephen C Mason IV. SO is Sam Ontjes. Ironically, I am fixing a crack in his mandolin and I just saw him last week. The last one would be JCM, Joe Murrett. I was the fifth one to join the crew. The other four had their corners on the tag, so I took top center. When Joe went back to farming, my initials moved to the top left corner. I'd love to see your guitar someday. I'm just full of stories about those early days.

Steve Mason"

So, among those names, maybe somebody who knows somebody can begin to fill in the blanks.

Good info LS. What's interesting, in SteveO's image of the label in post #18, I don't see any of the three, SCMIV, SO or JCM. Stu is there, SLM and I see SB, which may be Scott Baxendale.

[Athens]

I printed the photo and took it over to Scott Baxendale's shop yesterday. He was kind enough to spend a few minutes with me. He was able to identify a few of the initials and provide a bit of history on the guitar and the company.

(Please forgive any mis-spellings that I might make.)

Starting in the middle;

HKL=Howard Locklear
SLM=of course, Stuart Mossman
WLB=Wally Buchard


Starting at upper left and working clockwise;

JSB=John Scott Buchanan
RFP=Rick Palsmeier

A bit of a gap, the next is on the bottom row just left of center
DTA=Dan Aiken
CJF=Chris Fisher
EH=Eddie Holick
GWS=GW Schmeck
GJP=Gary Palsmeier
and finally,
SB=Scott Baxendale

Scott told me that the company was rapidly growing and soon after had so many employees that having all of them sign the labels was problematic so they went to having just the department heads sign the labels.

This guitar, 75-1806, was one of, if not THE first built when they reopened after the fire.

Scott also mentioned that he has the first guitar built when he bought the company, SN 85-01, which he described as "the best guitar I ever built." He had stopped using the Mossman model names but described it as close to a Mossman Winter Wheat. It's for sale and Scott can be contacted through his web site
http://www.baxendaleguitar.com/index.html

Scott also has DVD's of The Mossman Story, again anyone interested can contact him directly.

Wow, that's starting to sound like a sales pitch, so I'll add the obligatory " I have no financial interest in any of the above."

Just trying to give folks access to a little Mossman History.

[Tube Sound]

Athens, above and beyond the call of duty. How cool you could actually just go over and talk to Scott. A very talented and busy man. Thanks for taking the time to help with Mossman history.