Hello all, I've tried to keep track of the alterations and changes to the Joe Maphis Mosrite Special presented in 1954 to Joe at the Pioneer Club in California but there have been so many it just wasn't possible. I think there are 3 major iterations. The first version had inline 6 head stocks. 2. It wasn't long (maybe a year) before these were changed to the rosewood "M" style heads. These were not new necks. New blocking was added to the head stock and the new outline cut out. This is evidenced in the octave neck that Elaine Frizzel had at CAAS. You can see the added blocking and the filled in tuner peg holes. 3. The new version created sometime in the early sixties sported new necks with an update scooped, black and white "M" head, New white pickguard and sleeve guard. This is the one in the CMHOF
Aside from the 3 major mods. there was constant changing of the pickups, switches bridges and tailpieces.
The original octave neck that Elaine brought to CAAS was on Joe's motor home as a door pull for sometime. This was thought to be lost to eternity until it surfaced at Andy Moseley's home only a few months ago. I don't think anyone knows what happened to the main neck.
Semie built Joe a second double neck when the original went to the CMHOF. The 2nd one is in the the Kern County (Bakersfield) Museum
Terry McArthur
