Mule

Things that vibrate the most mean the most. In order of importance. Strings, including gauge -Body size- biscuit/saddle - (top for wood guitars) -cone - back - body material. Everything affects tone- at least in theory. And...

  A little different than a wood bending form, eh?   After the back has been flanged we place it on this beastly thing.  The sides locate on tops of the toggle clamps to the correct height.  Using steel cauls we clamp the...

  When the motivation to make a steel resonator guitar dropped in from above I had never cut a piece of metal, nor attached one piece of metal to another by means of tapping and threading, soldering, welding or the like....

Adventure. After three years of looking for a spinning lathe, an instagram acquaintance, Brian Alfonsi, found a sweet score. A spinning factory is going out of business and unloading their machinery. He's going down to pick...

Why yes we do....

Some will spend $8000 on an instrument only to hang it on a wall or in a glass box to display the craftsmanship - and while craftsmanship is important, it should always be in service to the sound. A beautiful car without an...

This is a wonderful photo of Charlie Parr and his Mule, taken by Jason Marck....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3QIG8GY8yI...

Authenticity is a lie. Ok, that's an extreme way of breaking down my point. I don't usually say things that needlessly blunt so I wanted to try it. It felt good! I'll keep going. Authenticity is a distraction. (That's more...

The other day at lunch I made sure to not get on my phone. I just ate and then when I was done I just sat there. Didn't think about anything or do anything, just sat there. I felt uniquely rested when I went back to work. We...

I heard a really great phrase the other day. The context was chemotherapy medication but I think it can be applied elsewhere usefully - the "Optimal Minimum". Because chemotherapy can have negative consequences you can't...

So after 10 years of working factory jobs save for a precious few at Huss and Dalton, I had a long wait list and was building guitars full time.  The wait list grew to 80 in two years, and even though I have a real shop and...

A guitar we just finished up.  Tasty looking fingerboard.   -Matt ...

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about The First Equation.  The idea being that if you want to go venture out and do something you need to find the math equation that tells the story.  We want to hide our heads in the sand and...

If you work with other people or have people who work for you or work on your own - so everyone- remember: there are things only you can do. Why spend your time doing things everyone else can do? You have a skill set,...

Courtesy of James Mann....