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Notts
Sep-26-2016, 10:03am
I know that this forum is for mandolins but I thought I would try to get some information on a guitar which has mandolin looks and features.
149943
I have what I believe to be a 1970 Morris Mando Mania and am trying to source some background information.
It has a Florentine scroll with twin pickups and the headstock reads "The Morris" and a name plate inside the f-hole reads "Morris Gakki Co. MORRIS Custom".
The only reference to it is that Pete Cosey played one in the 70's with Miles Davis and there are a few pictures on Google but that's it!
Any help would be much appreciated.

I can supply photos for authenticity if it helps.

gtani7
Sep-27-2016, 5:29pm
I don't know anything about that but here's Cosey in action at 5:30, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_XjZLisS5I

Nevin
Sep-28-2016, 12:24pm
I don't know about this one but at least some solid body Morris electric guitars were made for them by Yamaki in Japan.

mandolinstew
Sep-29-2016, 2:30pm
google Morris Mando Mania to get info on this 1975 guitar.Great to learn about Pete Cosey,never knew who he was.It looks like Eastwood is coming out with a copy.There's plenty of info at google.

Jeff Mando
Sep-29-2016, 4:08pm
Ibanez had a similar guitar in the mid 70's, the Custom Agent was basically a Les Paul with an F-5 peghead, solid body and no body points or curley-que.

Notts
Sep-29-2016, 8:16pm
Thanks for the feedback guys. I check on the Pete Cosey clip and it was recorded in 1973 that puts the guitar around 1970.
I also had an email from Mike at Eastwood Guitars indicating that there were very few of this model produced and consequently is quite rare but then so is the audience for such an instrument.
They did produce a model from 1975 built on the same lines but with modern humbuckers and flame maple top.

Mandobart
Oct-03-2016, 4:30pm
Eastwood is reissuing these in sunburst:

https://eastwoodcustoms.com/projects/1913/

Notts
Oct-14-2016, 6:24am
The plot thickens! I received another email from Mike at Eastwood with regard to the reissue of the Mando Mania and to his surprise the audience for such an instrument is far wider than was first thought and the sales for the guitar exceeded expectations 10 fold!
With any luck that might restore some research into the original 1970's model.

Jeff Mando
Oct-14-2016, 10:31am
The Eastwood looks great -- with the exception of the peghead, which to me, is kind of the whole point. Would be cooler if it were more true to the Gibson scroll and while they are at it, they might as well put binding on the peghead, as well. :cool: As it sits, just looks like some asymmetrical design and not a particularly good one, IMHO.

OTOH, the Ibanez nails the peghead, but fails on the body scroll and points. PEOPLE -- get with the program! (please) :cow: