Lightning or Fiddle Edge?

[frankhond]

Hi, new user here. Need some advice... I play all kinds of stuff between country blues / folk / leo kottke / bluegrass. Fingers, fingerpicks, plectrum, hybrid picking, slide, whatever. Looking for a resonator that is versatile enough to explore possibilities... maybe including some dobro type playing in bluegrass jams.

I've been reading and it seems the cone can be switched between spider and bisquit in both models (is this correct)? So beside the default cone, what would the main difference be between lightning and fiddle edge? What to get and why?

Also, from a practical standpoint, is there extra taxes when shipping to the EU? And, can a pickup be installed?

Thanks in advance!

[stevie2sticks]

I’ve both.

If I were only buying one, Fiddle Edge easy decision.

I have found it more ‘flexible’ in use. Played it solo, acoustic and with pick up, played alongside an acoustic guitar, bottleneck slide, fingerstyle, no issues.

I’ve used a Krivo pick up on both resonators and they work as they should, but acoustic it’s an awesome guitar. 

Steve
Isle of Man

[Michael Messer]

Hello Frank,

Welcome to our forum.

Steve, Thank you for your positive and kind words about the MM Fiddle Edge.

The MM Lightning and the MM Fiddle Edge are completely different instruments as the Lightning is a copy of a 1930s brass bodied National guitar with a 9.5" biscuit bridge National-style resonator, and the Fiddle Edge is a copy of a mid 1930s brass bodied Dobro with a 10.5" spider bridge Dobro-style resonator. These instruments do produce quite different tones. You are correct in saying that you can fit a 9.5" National-style resonator into the Fiddle Edge, but this is not something you would want to do every week. Both resonators require a separate setup, so when the guitar is ordered it would require two setups, one for each resonator, and then how often are you going to change it? Resophonic guitars don't like being opened too often as it unsettles everything. It is good to know it can be done and I do sell guitars with both setups, but it is not like changing a set of strings, it is a serious job that should not be done too often. So the idea of changing the resonator from biscuit to spider when you are going to a bluegrass jam is not really feasible. Having said that, the Fiddle Edge does sound great with a biscuit bridge resonator, much like a mid 1930s 14 fret National Style O. My personal choice and belief is that the Fiddle Edge should have the Dobro-style spider resonator because that makes its unique tone that is so lovely to play - sweet and warm with amazing sustain when using a slide, and of course being brass it has those colourful overtones that only brass and German silver can do.

The Lightning is also a wonderful guitar and has that classic sophisticated National tone - loud and punchy like a steel bodied National, but sweeter and more sophisticated with lots of colourful overtones. The Lightning is a 12 fret guitar, whereas the Fiddle Edge is almost a 14 fret guitar. The Lightning has been in the MM range since the beginning in 2008 and over the years has been a great success. I have sold many hundreds of MM Lightnings. The Fiddle Edge is a special one-off never to be repeated limited run of 220 guitars. The project of creating these guitars was a true labour of love that took me six years to bring to fruition.

My choice, having read your message would be for the Fiddle Edge, but as it is a more expensive guitar I am beginning to sound like a salesman, which I can promise you I am not. I am talking from a musician's point of view and not as a salesman. I have no reason or need to do that because the demand for MM Guitars is greater than the supply. As completely handbuilt guitars they take time to build and I always run out of stock between every order, and have done for the past sixteen years since I started the company.

Shipping from the UK to EU countries changed when we pulled up the draw-bridges in 2020. There are now import duties of 25% of the total cost of the shipped item including the shipping costs. So if a guitar costs €10.00 and the shipping is €2.00, you would be taxed on €12, which would be approximately €3.00

Yes a pickup can be installed in both guitars. MM Sixtus pickups cost £120.00 GBP fitted.

I am currently out of stock of MM Lightning guitars until early October. I do have some beautiful B-stock Fiddle Edge guitars in stock that I am selling at very attractive prices.

If it looks like I have favoured the Fiddle Edge over the Lightning, that is absolutely not the case, but my typing energy is a little down on a Sunday morning!

I hope this is all helpful information and makes sense

To discuss further, please email me at [e-mail]

Thank you for your interest in MM Guitars.

Shine On
Michael

[leeophonic]

I am fortunate to have one of Michaels fiddle edge guitars with the spider set up, a vintage fiddle edge with a biscuit cone, a Beltona with a biscuit cone and two to three other spider cone guitars, some wood and some metal. All are different, the fiddle edge has the ability to play different parts, it is complex in tone, closer to a tricone not as strident as Biscuit single cone guitars but longer sustain. And there is the option to change to an alternate setup and cone. Realistically get the fiddle edge, and keep saving as the lightening is a bargain, I have had discussions and think they should be in a higher price bracket So as they say get them whilst they are cheap....

Regards

Lee

[frankhond]

Thank you all for the great info! Looks like a fiddle edge is the one then. Those import taxes must really make life difficult for small UK businesses.

[blueslover]

Having looked into the same choice I am going for the Fiddle Edge which Michael is currently arranging for me - I cannot wait to get it and start playing!