Guitar
Maker
S. L. Mossman Guitars
Date1977
Place MadeWinfield, Kansas, United States, North America
ModelGolden Era / Dreadnaught / Dreadnought
Serial No.4662
SignedPrinted on paper label inside abstract foliate border, the serial number written in black ballpoint pen: S. L. Mossman / Winfield, Kansas / Golden Era / No. 4662 / [twenty sets of initials in black ballpoint pen along outside edge]Branded on back graft inside oval: S. L. MOSSMAN / FINE GUITARS
Gold stenciled logo on back of head: S. L. Mossman
Inlaid in abalone on head: M
Engraved on each tuner head: M
MarkingsBranded on end block: 77 4662
In raised lettering on each machine head shaft cover: GROVER
DescriptionIn the mid-1960s, the folk music boom resulted in increased demand for acoustic instruments. Stuart Mossman, who had begun making guitars in 1965, expanded his business in order to capitalize on market demand he saw for acoustic guitars made to high standards of craftsmanship from excellent materials, while remaining very competitive in price. A flatpicker himself, Mossman concentrated on instruments useful to that style of playing, including high-end dreadnoughts. After a fire in 1975, Mossman had to reassemble a collection of fine tonewoods, but the company’s stock of Brazilian rosewood could not be replaced, resulting in a switch to East Indian rosewood.
NMM 10862, a top-of-the-line Golden Era model, features sumptuous abalone inlay on the body as well as the classic “tree-of-life” inlay on the fretboard. Every worker who helped build the instrument has initialed the label, in the Mossman tradition. The instrument was won in a competition by Mark O’Connor, the celebrated fiddler and flatpicker, in 1977. O’Connor has been well-known in recent years for his own compositions and cross-genre collaborations with other famous artists, such as Yo-Yo Ma and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece spruce: fine grain broadening toward the flanks
Back: two-piece book-matched East Indian rosewood; back stripe comprised black and light chevron pattern with light, red, green, and brown hardwood pieces along center, surrounded on each side with one strip of light hardwood purfling
Ribs: two-piece East Indian rosewood divided by rosewood end graft strip (slightly wider toward top than bottom) surrounded by three-ply, thin light-black-light hardwood purfling on each side
Head: mahogany veneered with rosewood on front face, bound in white celluloid; floral abalone inlay with “M” logo
Neck: mahogany
Heel cap: rosewood
Binding: white celluloid; top trim comprised of abalone surrounded on each side by three-ply, thin black-light-black hardwood purfling strips; back trim comprised of three-ply purfling strips of black-white-black celluloid
Fingerboard: ebony; 20 nickel-silver frets; abalone tree-of-life inlay; bound in white celluloid; single black celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, and 17th frets; double black celluloid side dots behind 12th fret
Nut: ivory
Bridge: ebony with curved lower edge; angled, light brown celluloid saddle; white plastic bridge pins with abalone eyes
Tuners: six gold-plated steel worm-gear machine tuners by Grover with convex head surfaces and enclosed worm gear mechanisms
Endpin: missing
Rosette: wide band of abalone surrounded on each side by thin strips of four-ply light and dark hardwood purfling, in turn surrounded on each side with the same material, with natural wood in between
Pick guard: imitation tortoise-shell celluloid
Lacquer: clear; matte finish on neck
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners; end veneered in rosewood
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners
Top braces: spruce X-brace; transverse and finger braces with steeply tapered ends; rosewood bridge plate
Back braces: spruce back graft; six spruce back braces
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1040 mm (40-3/4″)
Back length: 506 mm (20-3/32″)
Upper bout width: 295 mm (11-1/2″)
Waist width: 268 mm (10-27/32″)
Lower bout width: 406 mm (15-3/4″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 96 mm (3-30/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 108 mm (4-13/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 118 mm (4-15/16″)
Head length: 166 mm (6-5/16″)
Head width, top: 83 mm (2-27/32″)
Head width, bottom: 62 mm (2-5/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 364 mm (14-1/8″)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-5/8″)
Neck width, heel: 56 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole diameter: 102 mm (4″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 650 mm (25-5/16″); low E: 653 mm (25-11/32″)
ProvenanceMark O’Connor
Published ReferencesRobert Shaw, Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art & Craft of Contemporary Guitars
(New York: Lark Books), 2008, page 9 & 148
Credit LineTony and Bonnie Vinatieri Family Trust, 2005
Object number10862
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