Stuart Mossman

Using old-world building techniques, top-quality woods, and a proprietary bracing structure, Mossman guitars entered series production in the early 1970s.

While Gibson, Martin and Guild were increasing production, imports from the Pacific rim countries were beginning to exploit the lower end of the market.

In an early catalog for Mossman guitars he stated: "The vile abomination is currently being perpetrated on the unsuspecting guitar-playing public on a grand scale.

[4] Golden Era Custom- This was Mossman's top line instrument and it featured select Brazilian rosewood back and sides, German spruce top, Ivoroid binding around box, Walnut neck, Abalone inlay around top and sound hole, Abalone floral inlay on fingerboard, Ebony fingerboard, Walnut burl peghead overlay, Ebony bridge, Ivory bridge pins with abalone dots, Abalone back strip inlay, Gold plated rotomatic tuning pegs, Ebony butt inlay, Ebony heel cap, Ivoroid bound fingerboard, Ivoroid bound peghead,Ivory nut and saddle.

All Mossman guitars include the following features: Light weight spruce struts and braces, Adjustable steel truss rod in neck, Rotomatic tuning pegs (12:1 ratio), Rosewood or ebony wedge butt inlay, Ivoroid position dot markers on edge of fingerboard;(Ebony dots on models with ivoroid bound fingerboard), Nickel-silver frets, Satin laquer finish hand rubbed to a deep gloss, Ivoroid binding around box Ivory nut and saddle.

Each Mossman guitar is individually voiced for maximum response and sonority by master craftsmen during the final stages of assembly.

We assume that anyone who needs an instrument of Mossman's quality is not an average guitarist, but one with specific ideas in rogard to the tone balance that he desires for his own individual style.

This is for the guitarist who plays in string bands and who desires en extra strong bass for runs and a ringing treble for rhythm.

It's all part of our plan to give you the instrument you want In 1975 a fire erupted in the finishing area, which contained a number of flammable chemicals, resulting in the loss of one of the company's buildings that was used for manufacturing and the assembly line.

No injuries or deaths were sustained during the course of the fire, and only a few guitars were incinerated; however, the complete supply of rare Brazilian rosewood was destroyed.

Fortunately, Mossman had secured a $400,000 loan from a government-backed Small Business Administration before the fire, so the money was used to rebuild and expand the production facilities.

[6] Responsibility and compensation for the loss of guitars was disputed between Mossman and Conn. Conn withheld payment for the instruments already purchased and this initiated a lawsuit between the two companies.

Mossman began to feel that his breathing was being affected by years of inhaling 'sawdust, lacquer fumes and ablaone shell fragments'.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support-not only for my efforts, but on behalf of many other small companies-and to express my sincere appreciation to your readers for electing me 'Best Luthier' once and 'Runner Up' several times.

I would also like to make special thanks to both Dan Crary and John Denver for their use of our instruments and the personal interest in us-a kindness that cannot be replaced.

These "final 25"[6] have become a tale of popular folklore as Mossman dedicated a lifetime of experience and the most selective woods to create the instruments.

Mossman frequently volunteered and performed at festivals and elementary schools, influencing younger audiences towards folk and bluegrass music.

Some notable performers who have frequented the festival are Jimmy Driftwood, Art Eskeridge, Glenda Bickell, Mance Lipscomb, Johnny Vandiver & Jo Wright, Harry Weldon, Poor Bill Miller, Doc Watson, Merle Watson, Charles Cloud, Shannon Singers, Very & Ray, Pat and Victoria Garvey and the Revelators.

[7] Keith Carradine's Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning song, "I'm Easy", which appeared in the 1975 Robert Altman film, Nashville was performed on his custom-made S.L.

Stuart Mossman: A Modern Stradivari, directed by Barry Brown, premiered at the 25th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, in February 2010[8] to a sold out audience.

[citation needed] In attendance at the screening were Mossman's wife, and his daughters who thanked the director and audience for the interests and support for their father.