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Post by uatru on Sept 13, 2020 9:38:46 GMT
I have mentioned before that I planned to sell my Mule Tricone. Here it is: Made for me in 2016 it is number 175. Brass body, NRP Hot Rod cones, Stew Mac tuners - it was the best spec I could get at the time. I am selling it because it needs to be played, and I am just not giving it the time it needs. And there is another guitar coming in.... It is in as new condition, having never been gigged. It is strung with 13-56 strings and is set for slide though you can pick on it (though in fairness if you were doing a lot of picking you might want to lower the action a bit). It sounds great... Here are a couple of videos (disclosure: it isn't me playing. I wish it was....) I plan to put it on eBay if it doesn't sell - I would like to get £2000 for it. I'll put it on in a week or so. If you want to play it - let me know - I live near Brighton, UK. PM me, but post here to say that you have otherwise I might miss it. Ask any questions too. Andrew |
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Post by uatru on Sept 13, 2020 9:58:36 GMT
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Post by lonelyjelly on Sept 13, 2020 13:41:00 GMT
Beautiful!!!
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mando
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 20
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Post by mando on Sept 13, 2020 20:38:34 GMT
Yep it's quite a beauty! I'd really like to get to play one some day. These guitars seem super loud.
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Post by snakehips on Sept 14, 2020 5:16:54 GMT
And no pictures of the back ?
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Post by pete1951 on Sept 14, 2020 7:57:10 GMT
I did a quick search and can’t find a pic of a Mule back. The back is the hard thing to get right ( if you wan to make a faithful copy of a National) The early Korean ones are very ugly, the newer Chinese much better,though not the same as ‘30s shaped backs. So, what does a Mule back look like
Pete
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Post by uatru on Sept 14, 2020 8:48:25 GMT
I’ll take a couple of pictures. I’m away for a couple of days so it’ll be Wednesday or Thursday.
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Post by slidefever on Sept 14, 2020 10:16:38 GMT
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Post by pete1951 on Sept 14, 2020 10:51:18 GMT
Interesting, do they get their backs from Korea? I have only been involved with the construction of 2 metal body resos and went to a lot of trouble to make them as similar to a 30s National as possible, hopefully they will improve the backs over time. ( Mules probably sound and play better than mine, but that is not the point, ) Pete what I think the back of a metal reso should look like. Mule have tried to produce a guitar that from the front looks like a National (and even sounds like one? I have never heard one live) but the back looks wrong, there maybe an improvement in tone, if so then I guess it would be worth it. These were ‘homemade ‘ I made a hardwood ‘plug’ for the back which had to go to a specialist press, but if I can do it so can Mule.  |
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Post by wezzywest on Sept 14, 2020 16:00:45 GMT
Interesting, do they get their backs from Korea? I have only been involved with the construction of 2 metal body resos and went to a lot of trouble to make them as similar to a 30s National as possible, hopefully they will improve the backs over time. ( Mules probably sound and play better than mine, but that is not the point, ) Pete what I think the back of a metal reso should look like. Mule have tried to produce a guitar that from the front looks like a National (and even sounds like one? I have never heard one live) but the back looks wrong, there maybe an improvement in tone, if so then I guess it would be worth it. These were ‘homemade ‘ I made a hardwood ‘plug’ for the back which had to go to a specialist press, but if I can do it so can Mule. Mule guitars are all made in house. |
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Post by uatru on Sept 14, 2020 17:03:38 GMT
As was mine. I didn’t think it was intended to be a National copy, but who knows?
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Post by lonelyjelly on Sept 14, 2020 17:09:05 GMT
In their general appearance it doesn’t really look like they’re meant to be copies of Nationals does it, but like Uatru diplomatically says, who knows? 🤔🙈😉
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Post by pete1951 on Sept 14, 2020 21:30:21 GMT
As was mine. I didn’t think it was intended to be a National copy, but who knows? I must disagree, the shape of the body, (this is the one pictured, I think Mule does copy other guitars) the shape of the F holes (they do have a nod to violin F holes but they are pretty close), the design of the cover plate , the slotted headstock, the use of the biscuit cone , the steel body are all copies of original Nationals, only the difficult to copy bits like the back, and the tailpiece are different. And the ‘funky’ finish rather than the slick paint or plating that National used to do (or NRP still does) Pete |
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Post by lonelyjelly on Sept 15, 2020 8:49:10 GMT
With the upmost respect, as you’re obviously quite an expert of resonator guitars and have no doubt spent a lot of time looking at them, I’m not sure someone else’s advert is the appropriate place to air your thoughts about the design of the guitar they’re selling. I might be alone here but it feels like pretty poor form to do so and a lack of etiquette.
I’m confident the guys at Mule would be more than happy to talk about the design of their guitars, including the back of the body, privately. Why don’t you message them...
I’ve seen and played this guitar a few times and it is in mint condition, sounds huge, and has superb resonance ~ especially with a phosphor bronze Daddyslide 😉
Perhaps other owners of Mule guitars, past and present, could chip in with their views and experience 🙂
Best,
Lew
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Post by pete1951 on Sept 15, 2020 9:55:12 GMT
Well this is a slide guitar forum, and you will get a lot of people with strong opinions (some ,like me, stronger than others) As I have said before, I have never played a Mule, my criticisms are about the look of thing, and the shortcuts the maker has made to produce a National copy. The only things that let you know it’s not a National ( from the pics, so weight, build quality and most importantly tone , all of which are difficult to tell from YouTube clips etc) are the $5 tailpiece with a strip of steel wrapped around it, the (probably) NRP cover plate ( National ones were not bolted on ) and the shaping of the back, the change to the top of the F hole and the cones which are also NRP.
Pete
Mule has become a successful brand, there must be something about the playability that sadly I can’t comment on.
There are several well known players who use them, I would love to see if their guitars are delux special order ones , and also how much did they pay for them?
I am very old and very cynical, and tend to look on the ‘dark side’ which may explain my criticism of these copies. NRP have tried to produce good copies as have Michael Messer and few other.
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