Buy a Mule

“I Picked up the Mule today. I love it! Acoustics, ergonomics, aesthetics… Fantastic! The neck profile just what I wanted. The Deed is a nice touch. Oh and thanks for the strap.

You need to raise your prices, brother! I worked in a high-end acoustic shop for five years, where I had my hands on many vintage and new Nationals. This Mule is far and away my favorite single cone. It’s a junk yard dog. It’s just plain mean. I am proud to own it. This Mule is inspiring and intimidating at the same time. Am I worthy of owning it? Not yet, so I better spend some time in the woodshed. Lastly, my two boys, ages 10 and 12, have already begun to argue about who gets it when I am gone. I think (hope) it’s a tad early to have that discussion, but it’s a nice compliment for you nonetheless.”

-Keith, Washington state

“The guitar made it here alright, no problems at all. In fact it was pretty close to being in tune as well. And, shoo-boy, what a stunner!! Such a beautiful thing, Matt! Just wonderful, between the wood choices and the way you’ve finished them, and the great metal-work work. Eeeh yow, I love it, I love it. The shape and size of the neck is awesome, too.   Now I kinda wish I had a steel-string guitar with that same neck on it. So comfortable in my hands. Yeah; a steel string with the Mule’s neck and a 12 fret joint. That’d be a good feeling guitar. Such a great sounding guitar, I love it. A musician friend of mine, Cahalen Morrison, was over here a few days ago and he played it and loved it, too. Both the sound and the look in equal measure, both awesome. He also (as do I) loved the fact that it was quite literally “The Mule.” We both figured you nailed that one right on the head.

Peace and Blessings,

Kelly Joe Phelps

Contact Matt at muleresonators@gmail.com to talk about options and pricing. Guitars are currently $1600 + shipping. $500 deposit required, which can be made via credit card or paypal here.  I cut out the steel plates I get from a steel shop in town and form them.  I get locally sourced maple boards and carve them into necks.  I apply the patina using a process I myself worked on for months.  These guitars are not imported and rebranded.  I make them with my own hands.

Comes with a hard shell case.  Ben Harper’s guitar will be done in about two months, and if the Kelly Joe Phelps and Black Keys guitars are indicators, the wait will increase when that instrument is done.

Guitars have a 1 3/4 is standard nut width and 2 1/4 at the bridge. Both these measurements can be adjusted if necessary. Maple neck, Honduran rosewood or ebony fingerboard. I love maple. It’s locally sourced and a very stable. I do three stages of staining to give it a beautiful and natural patina. The Grover open geared tuning machines are extremely nice. Smooth gearing, attractive machining on the gears.  Even the screw holes are countersunk so the screws are flush with the plate, a great detail.

Some options and pricing:

Slot head $150.

P90 pickup: $200

Cutaway: $200

Figured Ebony Fingerboard

Please use my e-mail to contact me, and not this page- my e-mail has been having issues with ending up in people’s junk mail folders. If you don’t hear from me same day, please e-mail again.  If I respond and don’t hear from you, you might get another message just in case.  My apologies.

I go through a lot to try and keep my instruments at an affordable price. I love to make them. I want to make one for you. I buy my steel and wood locally. That’s good for the economy, it makes friends.  Because I buy locally the people know me and are interested in these guitars as you are. They help me out a great deal.  I pass those savings on to you.  I use stainless steel fretwire, saving you hundreds in potential refrets through the years.  I work in a small shop which keeps my overhead very low. Hearing that I should be charging much more is the greatest compliment a builder can receive. I am blessed to live as I do, and I hope you see the value in that.

I’m very good at this. I built guitars for Huss and Dalton and have that wealth of experience. I believe these instruments to be unique works of art. I want to make them for a very long time.  By purchasing an instrument you become part of  this story too.

Cones

I use Continental cones.  They are big and full and compliment the deep and rich tone the Mules have come to be known for. Clear and articulate. National cones are good as well.  A bigger bass and a bit mellower. +$60

I make my own biscuits with a wider bridge piece so I can compensate them like an acoustic guitar. I use Honduran Rosewood, a very dense wood used for marimbas. I think it transfers the string energy to the cone quite well.

If you have any more questions, please let me know.

Matt

Matt

 it’s been exceptionally well received! First with the “Martin Dorks” and then I had some alone time with it last night and again this morning.

First of all it’s absolutely a gorgeous piece to look at. Really beautiful.

The neck is so darn comfortable for my hand. up and down the fretboard….smooth, easy. again, for me, perfect spacing.

Is it ok if I say the sound is rough, jangly and warm?…all at once? or does that just sound stupid?

soulful is over used and vague, but also appropriate here..

Can’t believe I have No. 20.

The workmanship….the fit, the finish, the finesse all represent an experienced, meticulous artist…

Congratulations on a guitar well built. You really have  something here to be proud of

Thanks again

Rick

Matt,

Okay, here’s the deal…  I let the guitar acclimate a bit, and at around 11:00 p.m. last night I decided to open up the tweed case (which is very cool by the way) and spend a few minutes with the guitar before I headed off to bed.  I finally got to bed at 2:48 a.m.–I just couldn’t put it down!

First the craftsmanship is superb, and the guitar is just beautiful in an old-school kind of way.  The neck is possibly the nicest I have ever played on any guitar, EVER!  Really smooth & fast with a super comfortable shape.  I don’t know what you call this neck geometry, but just keep making ’em like that because it’s amazing (what is the fingerboard bound in? Very nice as well!).  I tuned it up to standard tuning (someone at Maple Leaf must have been playing it in open D), and just started playing conventional stuff, and I just love the tone.  Tried out the slide (which is high quality and a nice surprise), and again, the tone is killer!

I can’t wait to get back to it today, and I just know it’s going to open up new horizons for me.  I will have SO MUCH fun with this guitar!  I just couldn’t be happier, Matt…you have a really good thing going on there, and I sincerely wish you bucket-loads of success.  I would like to give you an endorsement on the Acoustic Guitar Forum and I’m wondering if it’s okay if I use the pics of my guitar that are on your web-site to include in my post?  I can take my own, but they definitely wouldn’t be as cool and artistic as yours; however, if you’d rather I didn’t, that’s just fine.  Again, fantastic job…I’ve been smiling since 11:00 p.m. last night!

Take Care,

Dale

Hey Matt,

 So yesterday I finished a 12hour night shift in the early morning and stayed awake another 12 hours waiting for fed-ex to deliver the Mule. One of the hard case locks had been sacrificed on its long journey to the UK, but thats no problem, I tore it out of the cardboard box and placed the case on the floor outside while taking a huge breath before opening it and revealing the machine inside….I was stunned,

 I just fell on my arse looking at it in the case for quiet some time, I have no words that could do it justice to describe the beauty in every detail you have created with this work of art, With that said I had to hear it, A little tuning and it was so much more than I’d hoped for, The cone had jumped around a little but after correcting that, It was alive !

 The neck profile/feel and look are perfect in every sense, An ease to play Slide but also to Fret, Keep doing whatever you are with these necks !!

 The Metal work is mind-blowing Matt, Certainly letting the natural materials show it’s true beauty.

 This Mule howls ! Every little detail had given it so much personality, Hard to believe it was only completed two weeks ago, This continental cone inside does exactly what you said ”It Dominates”, Played a few steel resonators in time and they always seemed to have a dull tone or no tone at all, yet still cost you an arm and a leg, The little videos you put out on Youtube and Instagram give only a snippet of what these a capable of, I’ll be uploading what I can to pass that message on.

  It’s got tone ! It’s got balls ! Thank you so much for this Matt, It’d a dream come true, Also, for the Swish case, Plus the slide/picks/Sweatshirt, It’s been a great journey, talking guitars and travel with you along the way. I’ll certainly be back to order another one or two soon.

 All the best to the future, Now to start my own journey with the perfect equipment.

 I’m not surprised you we’re to busy to hand over the guitar in person, Either here in the U.K or when I’m jumping back and forth to Sweden over the year I hope to meet sometime.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Hick