Need advice on MM models

[slidincharlie]

Hi all,
I have been away from this forum for quite a while.
Now I need some advice because I'm in a serious resophonic distress...
Two years ago I had a chance to buy a vintage 14-fret Duolian at a low price (less than US$ 1500): a '35 body with a '36 neck. I posted about it here (http://michaelmesser.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tin&action=display&thread=3353).
At the beginning I was happy, but now I am not satisfied anymore. The neck is too narrow (44 mm at the nut), the fretboard is a little too much radiused (I have to set the nut slots in order to have the strings on a flat plane, but now the 1st and 6th strings are innaturally far from the fretboard). And, worst of all, it lacks TOTALLY the low end. The bass content of the 6th string sounds more or less as bassy as a 4th string!
SO...
I feel like buying a new reso. My 'gut' feeling is towards a recent National single-cone (Delphi vintage steel? Delphi Deluxe? Duolian? I have a few good second-hand occasions at hand), but I have also spootted a '94 Continental DP on ebay at about US$ 1300 (too expensive?)... and I have also seen the Michael Messer models.
My needs: a guitar that has lots of 'clang' (steel body?), as flat a fretboard as possible, to be played 90% with the bottleneck and open tunings with heavy strings (possibly .016-.059). My reso heroes: Bukka White and John Hammond.
Michael's (and others') enthusiastic words on MM guitars have almost convinced me to try the MM way to resophonic guitars...
PLEASE help me, keeping in mind my needs as described above.
--Carlo

[thebluesbear( al)]

Hi

Well I have 4 MM guitars and im fussy really fussy .......As many will say to you that MM guitars are great .
ie quite recently on this forum i noticed a comment , that i think was made about michaels personal MM blues ..
it said words to the effect of how well michaels MM blues held up against his other stage guitars..
There is on this forum alone many very happy owners of MM( and Busker ) Guitars .....
I can honestly say id not be without mine ....

A MM blues with 16 to 59 strings .. will get you where you want to be im very confident in that !!!

i hope this helps a little bit

al

[Michael Messer]

Hi Carlo,

Thank you for you interest in MM guitars.

The new Nationals are fine guitars, there is no question of that. The quality of their build with CNC equipment and hand-finishing, is absolutely excellent. You would not be making a mistake buying a new National.

However, many people have found MM Blues & Lightning guitars to be fantastic instruments and amazing value for money. Some players prefer them to new Nationals, because they say they are closer in feel and sound to original 1930s Nationals. MM guitars are not built with CNC machines, every component is hand-built to my exact specifications, using similar technology to the 1930s (I think this is an important component in the feel and authenticity of the guitars). Every guitar is thoroughly checked and set-up in our UK workshop, before being shipped to customers.

I have never claimed anything, apart from the fact that we believe MM guitars are the best 'affordable' National-style resonator guitars available. No other manufacturer of National-style resonator guitars, apart from National Reso-Phonic Guitars, has the understanding, expertise and experience that we do. I am probably the only person who has resonator guitars manufactured in China who has a real serious understanding of these instruments, and who has visited and spent time with the people who make them.

Al's comment about my stage guitars is a very interesting one (Thank you for your very kind and supportive words, Al, they are always very much appreciated). I usually take four guitars to shows these days - hand-built Fine Resophonic koa Triolian-style guitar, hand-built Fine Resophonic Tricone, 1938 National Havana - or 1936 Dobro M-32, and a 2009 MM Blues (that has had no modifications or upgrades).

The Continental that you have seen may be a good guitar, but I think it is quite expensive for what it is. If you are interested in this guitar, show me some photos and more detail and I will try and advise you.

I hope all that makes sense and is helpful.

Thanks,

Shine On
Michael.

[slidincharlie]

Thank you Al and Michael.
Of course having an instrument that compares to some extent to a 30's Duolian at a budget price is definitely very tempting. One of my main doubts about its sound is: do they have a nice (or at least 'normal') low end? Is a 12-fret better than a 14-fret in this respect?

On the other hand I have seen a very nice deal on a mint 2011 National Triolian, but the seller is not much willing to ship to Europe.

The Continental is here (pictures are attached below) - It has a repaired crack on the heel, btw:
www.ebay.com/itm/120912757920?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D120912757920%26_rdc%3D1 .

[Michael Messer]

Hi Carlo,

I would not pay big money for that Continental. It has not been built to correct specs - the body does not taper like a real National and therefore the sound will be different to a correctly built one. Also, the repaired crack in the heel shows that it has been dropped or knocked over, and who knows what other damage there might be. It would be a great cheap purchase, but not for that price (IMO). Even if you don't buy an MM or National, you could do better than buying that instrument.

The MM Blues with the best low end growl in its tone, is the 12 fret model. The bigger body cavity gives a BIG sound!

Best wishes,

Shine On
Michael.

[slidincharlie]

wow... thanks for the advice Michael!

[wolvoboy]

you wont go wrong buying an MM Blues or Lighning they are really great guitars,i have a vintage Duolian but i am really proud of my repainted MM Blues,its a loverly guitar,the best thing is they are cheap enough to do alterations on them
wolvoboy

Attachments:

[wolvoboy]

back view
wolvoboy

Attachments:

[slidincharlie]

One more detail I need:
does the MM fretboard have a 14 inches radius, as in earlier MM runs (see Guitarist magazine review in MM's homepage)?
hmmm... this would be a problem to me... I like a flatter fretboard since I play 90% with a bottleneck... and getting the strings parallel to the fretboard would affect the ability to strum 5 (or even 6) strings at a time while using a bottleneck...
Modern NRP guitars have a 16-inch fretboard.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Carlo,

We did have some MM guitars with completely flat fretboards, but found they were not as popular as the radiused ones. I too play 90% with a slide and often use the guitar as a lap steel, and even though my other guitars have flat fretboards, I do not find it a problem to cover all strings with the slide. Most MM guitars are sold to slide players, and all I can say is that everyone is happy with their guitars.

I would never try and sell you a guitar that you might not be happy with (my reputation for honesty and good guitars is more important to me than one sale), and from what you have told me about your playing and requirements from a guitar, I think you would be very happy with one.

If you buy one and don't like it, as long as it is still in 'new' condition, you can return it to us and get a full refund. (The return shipping would be your expense).

I am happy to advise and help you choose any guitar, an MM, National, or any other brand.

Best wishes,

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

Hi MM
Regarding your stage guits, you use a 14 fret MM (which I really like). Any reason why you use that as opposed to a 12 fret MM though?
TT

[Michael Messer]

Hi TT,

The 14 fret MM Blues that I have used on stage recently, just suits the songs I play on it in open E tuning and it is different to my 12 fret guitars. For a long time I used a 12 fret MM Blues on stage. In the films of me playing with Joe Filisko & Dan McCormack, and the promotional slide show on YouTube, I am playing the 12 fret MM Blues. I very rarely go out with my MM Lightning. There is no reason for that, it just doesn't go out very much! Maybe I will remedy that and take it out for a while.

I am very conscious of not turning my concerts into a promotional tool for MM guitars. My gigs are not about that at all, and for that reason I very rarely talk about them on stage, or draw attention to them in any way. Those who know might come and talk to me about them, and that is how I like it. The stage is where I play music for people to listen to, it is not a market stall for me to sell guitars from.

Shine On
Michael

[gouranga]

Like your mood Michael. Nice! Thanks.

MM Guitars OK!


Best wishes


Gouranga

[Michael Messer]

Thanks Gouranga!

Here is a film of me playing a 12 fret MM Blues (with no modifications or upgrades).



Shine On
Michael

[slidenpickit]

Hey Carlo,

I also like to fret notes behind the slide which generally requires all of the strings to be in contact with the slide. To achieve this, I use a bottle neck with a concave radius, as opposed to a flat one. I have NRPs and an MM Blues and it works really well on both. One may or may not require a tiny amount of extra pressure on the strings for the very slight difference in the radius of the fretboard. Try different bottlenecks and with good technique you will get good results on any resonator guitar.

MM guitars are excellent, and the best you will get for the money.