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Post by nordberg on Oct 24, 2020 19:57:57 GMT
As title, apart from the obvious aesthetic differences, what’s between the two models? Is one better suited to a particular style of music/playing?
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Post by stevie2sticks on Oct 24, 2020 20:30:03 GMT
Hi Nordberg what do you play and/or interests you? Steve Isle of Man
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Post by bonzo on Oct 24, 2020 20:34:31 GMT
Hi nordberg, as many forum members will attest, both are great guitars and owning one will almost certainly lead to owning the other!
Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by lonelyjelly on Oct 24, 2020 23:39:47 GMT
Hey
In a very simplistic way, and feel free to shoot me down here, the Blues = Son House, Bukka White et al, the Lightning = Tampa Red. Gritty and robust vs pristine. I believe but I’m not 100% sure that the steel of the Blues offers more guttural attack whereas the brass of the Lightning offers more sweetness and sustain. Both are great guitars and hands down the best for under £1500-£2500.
I have a Blues and it’s a superb guitar, standard tuning and open tuning finger style, and obviously a beast for slide. My friend Phil (Orbital on here) has a Lightning, which is for sale, and it blew me away when I tried it and was equally as awesome as my Blues aka “Speckles”. You can’t really go wrong either way 😎👍🏝🕺🏻🍷
Hope that was helpful and that you soon join the club.
Best Lew
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 25, 2020 10:07:11 GMT
Hello Nordberg,
Thank you everyone for such supportive comments and some good descriptions and advice.
Here are the differences as I see them between the two instruments.
MM Lightning - brass body, nickel plated, only comes a 12 fret instrument. Neck is mahogany with blackwood ebony type fretboard. (Blackwood is a technologically modified wood that exhibits the properties & appearance of African ebony & is compliant with the new CITES laws regarding endangered species).
The MM Lightning is based on an early 1930s National Style O Lightning Bolt model.
MM Blues - steel body, painted, comes as a 12 fret and a 14 fret instrument. The 12 fret MM Blues is based on early 1930s steel bodied Triolian and Duolian National guitars. The 14 fret MM Blues is based on mid to late 1930s steel bodied Triolian and Duolian National guitars. The neck specifications are identical to the Lightning.
Tone...
The Lightning has a more complex sound because brass creates more overtones and harmonics. It is a full warm sounding instrument with great bass, warm mids and sweet bright treble.
The 12 fret Blues is a big sounding instrument with fat bass and mids and bright treble. It still has overtones and harmonics, but not as prominent as the brass bodied instrument.
The 14 fret Blues is a powerful instrument. It has slightly less bass than the 12 fret, but that is made up for by the projection of sound. Mids are more prominent than on the 12 fret and the treble is bright.
Steel bodied National guitars are the sound that so many people associate with the blues.
All three models are loud and powerful.
All three are great instruments and whichever model you choose you would not be disappointed.
I am always very cautious when mentioning musicians names that are supposedly associated with the sound of particular models of guitar because so much of a person's sound is in their hands. However, it does no harm to listen to musicians that you know are playing a particular instrument. The safest way to do that to be sure that you are hearing what you want to hear is to watch videos of players.
I would also like to ask the same question as Steve did. What type of music are you going to play and who are the artists that you listen to?
Shine On Michael
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Post by nordberg on Oct 25, 2020 18:16:08 GMT
Hey, thanks everyone for your responses.
I’ve been playing guitar for getting on for 40 years and slide guitar is something that’s dipped in and out of my repertoire, but I’m a complete novice!
I’ve always coveted the album-cover style Nationals with their beautiful etchings and my only real experience of playing a resonator is with my uncle who has several original 1920’s Nationals.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, the Lightening totally does it for me! I think it looks amazing and I’d be happy just to have it hanging on my wall!
I’ve watched as many YouTube clips as I can find trying to get a feel for the different MM models, but I’m well aware that digital audio doesn’t tell the whole story and hearing them in the flesh will be a different experience entirely.
As for the style of music I’ll be playing - a bit of everything. I play mainly acoustic nowadays and have a very eclectic taste and repertoire. On the back of getting my mitts on a resonator, I’m intending on developing my slide skills with some Son House or Robert Johnson, but I’d also want to be able to knock out the odd rendition of Romeo and Juliet!!
There’s currently both a preloved Lightening and Blues on the market and I’m considering one of those or maybe even purchasing a new one. I just need to decide which model! My wife tells me I should choose the Lightening as it’s the “shiny one you’ve always wanted”!!
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 25, 2020 18:32:28 GMT
Hi Nordberg,
There is no question about it, you should get a Lightning.
Shine On Michael.
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Post by stevie2sticks on Oct 25, 2020 19:29:15 GMT
Hi Nordberg I am lucky to own both and they are solid work horse guitars.
Easy choice.
The Lightening is a stunning guitar, combine it with 15s Newtone Reso Strings and a Diamond Bottleneck slide and it will be hard to beat. Keep it in Open tunings.
I’d by this one new and have it set up for your requirements.
All the best Steve IOM
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Post by nordberg on Oct 25, 2020 20:57:13 GMT
Hi Nordberg I am lucky to own both and they are solid work horse guitars. Easy choice. The Lightening is a stunning guitar, combine it with 15s Newtone Reso Strings and a Diamond Bottleneck slide and it will be hard to beat. Keep it in Open tunings. I’d by this one new and have it set up for your requirements. All the best Steve IOM Thanks! Why do you prefer the Lightening? Also curious why you suggest keeping it in open tuning as I’ll definitely want to play it in standard as well..
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Oct 25, 2020 21:24:30 GMT
My wife tells me I should choose the Lightening as it’s the “shiny one you’ve always wanted”!! That says it all - you'll love the Lightning and your wife will still love you! PS - remember them two magic words "Yes, dear".
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Post by stevie2sticks on Oct 25, 2020 21:54:06 GMT
Hi Nordberg The Lightening has a massive presence when played, great tones, loads & loads of sustain and loads of wuff. 15-16 Resonator strings suit slightly lowered open tunings Open D, Open G. Great with a good quality slide. I’ve also finger picked it in Cross Note and DADGAD but 15s are a bit too heavy for that. Heavier strings gives loads of sound on the slide but too much tension for standard tunings. You could play standard in DGCFAD and capo. If you play it in Standard E you will need it with 13-56s, 13s are also ok for Open Tunings and slide but for me is definitely 15s. OR Buy both! Regards Steve
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 25, 2020 23:30:50 GMT
Just to make a comment about tunings and strings. 13/56 is what all MM guitars are strung with when we set them up. This is a regular medium gauge set that actually tunes to pitch at lower tension because they are round core strings. Many owners of MM guitars play in standard with 13/56 MM Newtone strings.
For open slack tunings I like to put a 15 on the top and all my guitars are strung that way.
13/56 is a great all round gauge for standard and open tunings.
Shine On Michael
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Post by resotonic on Oct 25, 2020 23:41:29 GMT
Was the Lightning ever made with rolled f-holes?
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Post by Stevie on Oct 25, 2020 23:58:14 GMT
I think at least one of the very first batch had rolled "F" holes but it/they were considered "experimental" or samples? MM will remember better than me.
e&oe ...
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 26, 2020 9:01:06 GMT
Was the Lightning ever made with rolled f-holes? Absolutely not. The long flat cut F holes cost me a lot of money and were an integral part of the original design. If anyone has seen a Lightning with rolled F holes, which I haven't, it would date back to the time when Busker Guitars were my distributor and I was not in total control of the MM output. I would never have agreed to that, even for experimental purposes. Shine On Michael.
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