Mule Resophonic Guitars

30 seconds of Tyler Bryant playing a steel bodied single coil mulecaster and 30 seconds with a minihumbucker one. There’s a full video on YouTube comparing every guitar we make

This can’t be real life.

See y’all this week Bourbon & Beyond

Mango.
Looks gritty flame maple and koa.
Sounds like koa with some mahogany thrown in.

In what will be most likely be the most random post you see from a luthier this year it must be noted that customer Ben Jackson of Michigan drove to HQ last week to pick up his resonator guitar. In addition to also being bald and bearded his was traveling to Scotland this past week. I mentioned to him I was just there driving around Skye with Mule crew members David & the Devil | Swampy blues & pottery and Six String Tales and I established a manhood stone, the Leth-asal (Mule in Gaelic)stone. These historic types of stones are located across the world and there are stories and culture attached to the feats of strength required to lift them. Six String Tales was the first Mule crew member to lift it. And the mighty Ben Jackson, although being unable to lift it due to an untimely incident beforehand, receives the honorary title of being the first non-Scot customer to be part of this stone’s history.

Who will be in the first 5?

Not only are resonators rut busters but they make all your other guitars rut busters too. Let me explain.

If you’re stuck in a revolving door of gear that might be because you’re making small changes expecting big inspiration. If you’re not finding the inspiration you’re looking for you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Guitars like this wake up your ear, you can’t get away with your same ol stuff. Like listening to a mix and then taking a break, or brushing your teeth before drinking orange juice context matters. You’ll make different musical choices if you hear something really different.

Here’s the kicker: play a resonator only for a while. Listen to new players. Then go back to your dreadnaught. Now that’s waking up your ear. Round and round it goes. That’s putting your gear to work instead of randomly spending your money on something hoping something happens.

"Earlier this year, I went on the Mega Mule Bus Tour, which was an 18-day, 3,500-mile road trip, spreading resonator guitar fever across the land. A week later, I flew to Scotland to drive around the most beautiful place on the entire planet with a couple friends of mine.

And apparently, I flew home with blood clots in both my lungs—a double pulmonary embolism, something that my doctor called a 'house stealer’: he said if the doctor doesn't catch it, they’ll send you home, you d*e, and your family sues them for everything and takes their house.

Everything's cool now. But after a short time in the hospital and some time for reflection, I kept thinking about this kid from California named Austin.

I met Austin when he was probably 12 years old at the NAMM Show in California, and he was already a very impressive young man. After he left the booth, I talked to his mom, who was with him, and asked her if we could build him a resonator guitar for free as a way to encourage him on his path. We built him a guitar, he and I became friends, and it's been awesome to watch Austin grow into the even more impressive young man that he is. He's been to the shop here in Michigan, and he comes by the NAMM booth every year with his mom.

But here’s where this story takes a twist I could never have seen coming.

A couple years ago at the NAMM show, his mom and my dad were talking at our booth. She mentioned that her parents had lived in Michigan.

My dad asked her what city, and she said Alma—the city that I grew up in.

Then he asked her what her grandfather's name was, and she said John Sobel.

John Sobel was my next-door neighbor. He literally lived on the other side of the chain link fence. John played violin in the community orchestra, and one day John reached over that chain link fence and he handed me my first musical instrument: a violin. That violin started me on a path towards music, a path that led me to create Mule Resophonic Guitars and then, unknowingly, giving a guitar to the great-grandson of the man who gave a violin to me.

I kept thinking about that story. Music has an incredible way of showing us we are more similar than we're different. And where would I be had I not been given that instrument?

In honor of this story, we want to give some instruments to kids here in Saginaw. To do that, we are raffling this resonator guitar, and proceeds are going to benefit Major Chords For Minors, which gives free music equipment and lessons to Saginaw kids.

And to make it even bigger, we're partnering with American Musical Supply to get that gear. Buy as many tickets as you want — the more the merrier. This is about getting music gear to kids. So tell your friends, thanks so much, and see you on the road."

—Matt Eich, Mule Resophonic Guitars

Raffle link 👇👇👇

$3000 raised so far for the raffle for the Major Chords for Minors Monel tricone. Get your tickets at Muleresophonic.com “Buy Guitars” “Raffle Guitar”. Tickets are $10, buy more for more chances to win. Drawing September 30th.

Holy smokes it’s middle of August already! This week I’ll be in my beloved Chicago for Fretboard Summit and beef sandwiches.

End of September I’ll be back Bourbon & Beyond with Mules on stage: QOTSA LIVE Amos Lee Marcus King Dave Matthews Band The Steel Wheels

Last year the Mule banner was won by a young man who beat me in a handstand competition, I’ll be back with a new banner and warmed up shoulders to see you fine people in Louisville.