Mule Steel Resonator Guitar Thread
 

I started off five years ago here on the forum when I first hunkered into a basement to figure out how to build metal body resonator guitars. We are now coming up to our 500th guitar. It's been a total pleasure - seeing wonderful players light up when they hear an inspirational sound has been a humble joy. Being a part of that moment is my favorite thing. Inspirational tone is one that challenges you. It's the one that wakes up your ear and your hands. It shows you the ruts you're in- what you usually play may sound dumpy on a resonator. If you're willing to be patient, to hear differently, to explore that initial "What do I do with this thing?" you'll find new players - guys like Charlie Parr, and Jeffrey Foucault, and Doug Wamble, and Joey Landreth and... And then when you go back to your dread or telecaster your ear is fresh and newly informed. A revolving door of inspiration...

I'll be posting build pictures and final pictures here, along with sharing some videos of the guys mentioned above.

https://flic.kr/p/2bdhLpo
https://flic.kr/p/2cSWZ8G
https://flic.kr/p/2cSX459

Great to see you here Matt. I enjoyed meeting you at Woodstock and I also enjoyed hearing the various folks playing your cool looking (and sounding) guitars! Can’t wait to see you building one!

Mark

Hands down - The best resonators being built today, as well as ever.

Thanks Karl!

One thing I do that’s unique in the reso world is put a tricone in a single cone body. This is the way the very first National prototype was set up (by my understanding). I like the F holes and the sound is somewhere between the two designs, erring more towards what you would expect from a single cone. Tony Polecastro does a great job explaining it here.

https://youtu.be/74-r2yEhq3M

Very COOL stuff...
 

Congrats on your continuing success and on figuring out how to do it on your terms! I love the passion in your story.

I heard a while back that you might be considering some wood bodies. I would love to see a few coming down the pike!

I had one of your awesome steel tricone models but it was just too heavy for my 67 year old bum shoulder.

Carry on, Sir! And a most excellent 2019 to you and MULE

Paul

Hey Paul! Yeah the metal beasts are heavy! I’ve looked into different metals to try to save weight but alas... steel is steel. Wood bodies are being tinkered with as we speak !

Some pictures about how the plates are attached. Flange ‘em with a whacker-tool to make a surface suitable for soldering. Put in on the side jig and clamp the sides in position.

Attachment 17253Attachment 17254Attachment 17255

Soldering the top on. Soldering stainless steel requires a bit more presanding and a special flux for good joints.

Attachment 17370Attachment 17371

Thank you for posting pictures!

No.....
 

No safety goggles? Come on Matt!

Have fun

Paul

Attachment 17454Attachment 17455

Tricone and single cone soundwells.

Attachment 17539

Cutting relief notches for a cutaway.

Really nice. Interesting how you do a tri cone in a single cone body. Never would have thought of that, love to hear one. I have only made 3 resos ,one brass body biscuit bridge, one wood body spider bridge, and 1 wood body biscuit bridge. The last being my favourite sound.