Anything that speaks against stainless steel frets?

[RJVB]

But the hand rest / bridge guard is very useful. Tricones are more susceptible to damage from pressure on the bridge than unicones. The resonator mechanism is more fragile and the trestle is a lever resting on the cones [...] I’ve had this one for about 20 years and have never even noticed the rest / guard.

I had to look up "trestle". If I understand the tricone design correctly I'd compare the cones themselves to trestle supports on which the t-bar rests. Probably doesn't make a lot of difference for the rest of your explanation.

I'm guessing you don't do a lot of palm muting if you never noticed the handrest, at least not to muffle (play pizzicato; mute on the saddle) rather than just stop notes (mute on the strings). The handrest of my biscuit reso only goes on when the guitar goes into its gigbag.

[ruger9]

Au contraire friend. Yours is a National Tricone. Mine is a Mule Tricone. Matt Eich builds his tricones in Saginaw, Michigan like the original tricone designed by John Dopyera. Same f holes and cover plate as a single cone/bisquit, which Mr.Dopyera used for the later development of the single cone/biscuit model. I always thought it was interesting that the tricone was invented before the single cone.

In my not so humble opinion Mule makes the best sounding and playing tricones in the world. Not as loud as a National but a more detailed sound. They can sound like a great flat top or archtop acoustic as well as a resophonic guitar. Bonus I think the f holes and chicken foot cover plate looks way better than the T bar and screened vents of a National.

Here are a trio of pics inside of my Mule stainless steel tricone as it was being built and completed.

I'd love a Mule Mavis, but I don't play that style enough to justify the cost.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I had to look up "trestle". If I understand the tricone design correctly I'd compare the cones themselves to trestle supports on which the t-bar rests. Probably doesn't make a lot of difference for the rest of your explanation.

I'm guessing you don't do a lot of palm muting if you never noticed the handrest, at least not to muffle (play pizzicato; mute on the saddle) rather than just stop notes (mute on the strings). The handrest of my biscuit reso only goes on when the guitar goes into its gigbag.

You’re obviously right - there’s no way to palm mute with a guard over the saddle. I’ve always muted with a combination of meticulous picking (I.e. being very careful not to strike unwanted strings) plus right hand fingers and my left index &/or middle finger resting on the strings behind the slide (which I use on ring finger). This keeps unwanted strings from sounding. But it falls short of proper palm muting, which I do miss for a thunky bass line on Piedmont etc.

I simply can’t get the full effect of palm muting when playing it conventionally. I play slide in standard tuning on my solid bodies, but I usually use an open G tuning on resonator.

[RJVB]

my left index &/or middle finger resting on the strings behind the slide (which I use on ring finger).

From what I understand that's as much to mute unplayed strings as to keep the string section on the wrong side of the slide from sounding.

Would palm muting on a t-bar saddle even work? FWIW, I've noticed it requires a more conscious effort with a floating archtop saddle, though that may be for different reasons (the saddle on a biscuit cone is also floating in a sense).

[RJVB]

@RJVB wrote ...

No he didn't!

[ruger9]

@RJVB wrote “I'd love a Mule Mavis, but I don't play that style enough to justify the cost.”

There seem to be more Mavis models in the used market than any other Mule model guitars. I think some people expect them to sound like an acoustic resophonic guitar, they only approximate the sound. You could try the used market or have you looked at having a Mule “Modest Mavis” built? The “Modest Mavis” cost is less. No difference between the Modest and a Mavis except bling.
.

I wrote that, not RJVB...

I don't expect it to sound like an acoustic reso; I love it's electric tone! That's why I want one! I'm not a "delta blues" guy anyway; I like resos for their unique textures; more of an ambient thing (think Ry Cooder)

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I don't expect it to sound like an acoustic reso; I love it's electric tone! That's why I want one! I'm not a "delta blues" guy anyway; I like resos for their unique textures; more of an ambient thing (think Ry Cooder)

I had a National style O with a biscuit pickup in it for many years, and I loved the amplified tone (as well as the palm trees”. I bought the tricone new, and I’ve never gotten around to installing a “proper” pickup system in it. I wedge a small high quality wireless lapel mic with a round foam pop shield on it into one of the holes in the top and run its thin cable to the little transmitter hanging from the end pin. The sound quality is excellent.

Inserting two mics on opposite sides or ends and running them in true stereo gives a huge sound that’s really beautiful. A resonator guitar is well suited to a wide variety of music - it’s not just for your father’s blues. It makes me aspire to be the Resonator Robert Randolph

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

[...] an ambient thing (think Ry Cooder) [...]

You probably relate to the soundtrack of Paris, Texas. For me Cooder is more "blues-based ecclectic Americana", from the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Beefheart's Safe As Milk over his solo oeuvre to the more "world" oriented stuff with Ali Farka Toure and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Your video reminds me more of the work of Daniel Lanois as well solo as well as a producer.

It sounds nice anyway.

[Stringswinger]

I once was called as a sideman to an all acoustic gig (no amplification was allowed at this venue). I brought a Gypsy guitar and the bandleader had an all metal resonator (I don't remember what brand, all I could see was that it had a round neck and, IIRC, 14 frets clear of the body). He could be heard loud and clear, while I could barely be heard over the drummer. I do not like the tone of a resonator guitar, but from a practical point of view, they certainly have their place.

That said I will stick with the oval hole Gypsy guitar. I'd rather be Django than Oscar Aleman.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

When I think of Cooder, my first thoughts are

And,

Fabulous musician.


Eastwood Guitars make a copy of the “Coodercaster” for $999.00usd. That is about the cheapest route to approximating Cooder’s sound.

Waterslide Guitars make a nice S-copy of the “Coodercaster.” It runs around $2200-$2500usd.

Below is a pic of a trio of Eastwood Coodercasters in and a Waterslide Coodercaster in Daphne Blue.

Stuff like the first clip with Buckwheat Zydeco is what enters my mind first when thinking of Ry Cooder -- though accordion-wise I always associate him with Flaco Jiminez. I wasn't aware that he has done so much soundtrack work.

I doubt that those guitars guarantee the "Cooder sound" without hours and hours of listening to a ton of records of blues and other music.

[RJVB]

To the OP and other readers, I apologize for the thread derailment. I love resonators and got carried away.

No apologies necessary (whaaaat ^^)
Lou Harrison: American Musical Maverick: A Musical Garden

(Justin Johnson used to sell a Mule Mavis as a signature guitar, now sold out I think. Personally I prefer the looks of the Resolectric but have no use for either )

[ruger9]

You probably relate to the soundtrack of Paris, Texas. For me Cooder is more "blues-based ecclectic Americana", from the Rising Sons with Taj Mahal and Beefheart's Safe As Milk over his solo oeuvre to the more "world" oriented stuff with Ali Farka Toure and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Your video reminds me more of the work of Daniel Lanois as well solo as well as a producer.

It sounds nice anyway.

Yes, "Paris, Texas" is a great example.

[alltunes]

One reason for the perceived increase in brightness that some hear with stainless steel is you just got back your instrument with not only a brand new set of strings but a more responsive fretboard/instrument which is why you needed the fret replacement in the first place.

[lammie200]

Another reason is that SS frets can make a guitar sound brighter. Just sayin'.

[Stringswinger]

Another reason is that SS frets can make a guitar sound brighter. Just sayin'.

Well that is just it. SS frets are different, not better or worse and for many of us they are suitable (and preferable), and for some of us they are not.