Mule Resophonic Guitars

A couple weeks ago I attended the mighty fine Dallas Guitar Festival.  First time in Dallas and it wasn't as hot as people make you believe. Friends were made, guitars bought, and gifts of whiskey offered. I always accept...

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

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...

Owner-Makers lend your ears. This is a series of blog posts and stuff I screwed up and how I fixed it. Use as you wish. Simplify. When I got over the initial hump of, "How do I cut metal?" and then make a resonator from...

Being a maker/small business owner is one of the ultimate goat rodeos.  Making things at a high level, learning new skills, and also running business is a lot of goats to rope. Fixing problems once and for all is essential....

The most memorable voices are the most unique. There's a timbre to Dylan's voice that should make it bad. But it's not. Maybe it is, but it doesn't matter. It's his and he owns it. That's the sound he wants and goes and...

Eating is good. Eating too much is bad. Working out is good. Work out too much and you get hurt. When it comes to our physical bodies we understand balance. When it comes to our minds it's kind of a free for all.  Sure...

A few years ago when I got done busking in Chicago I was talking to a grizzled veteran of musician who we affectionately referred to as Crazy Uncle Ken.  I told him that it was a great busking day, as far as they go, where...

Today a group of grade schoolers came to the shop.  When you ask, "who wants to use the spokeshave?" and five hands go up you have a good group.  I was a bit nervous I would let them down, but they asked insightful...

Sawstop makes a tablesaw that stops when your finger touches it.  Bosch makes a saw that swings the blade out of the way when you touch it. Sawstop sued Bosch. Bosch might have a better opportunity patent infringement  or...

I was on a road trip once and we were driving in and being followed by a nasty snowstorm. Do we stop to let it pass? How many days would that be? Would it be quicker to drive south to try and get out of it? Would we get stuck...

When you work, work. When you rest, rest. When you play, play. If any of these mix you end up just dinking around. Often times we find ourselves resting while at work. But for the majority of us our jobs are not as hard as...

Owners- if you show up to a supplier with money and they don't get back to you, or take your money and don't get your stuff, or say it will "be done next week" but isn't they are holding you hostage. And you're letting them....

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,...

The progression goes like this: See someone do something awesome. You like awesome and also want to do it. They've been doing it for a while.... a long while... and you have not. Emulation is a way to learn so you...

"The Fighter" is one of my favorite movies. Great acting by everyone involved. One of the best scenes is the one where Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams sit down with his family to tell them he's going to train in Las Vegas with a...

Answer this question first. What do you want from work? You will get more than nothing and you can't have everything, the rest is up to you. Stay thankful. You've been given an opportunity. You are entitled to nothing....

If you buy a Mule it was made by these three people. Me - on the left, my twin brother Phil, and the mighty Smithers. The metal resonator guitar has been done the same way since 1928. There was of course a 60 year hiatus...

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...