Installing Charlie Parr’s Billet T-Bridge. (honest opinion)

Charlie Parr recently brought his Mule Resophonic guitar in the shop, along with this new contraption made by Matt Eich over Mule called a Billet T-Bridge. A T-bridge is a curious little thing that puts equal pressure across the three cones of a tri-cone resonator guitar. We've pretty much been using the same design since the tri-cone was developed. So why change now? Take a listen for yourself and find out!
----------------------------
SUPPORT KYLE ON PATREON:
/ kostringworks
FOLLOW KYLE ON INSTAGRAM:
/ k.o.stringworks
INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE:
www.kostringwo...

[@jimmie999999999]

i just got my Mule and it's a beaut! I received it last week, on the day before my birthday which was my surgery day for cancer which was successful, So I named my guitar Lucky

[@kostringworks]

I love this so much. Happy bday and congrats on the success! Enjoy the mule dude, such a lovely instrument.

[@wheninroamful]

Great vid, yea, excited for innovations in the reso world!

[@kostringworks]

Thanks dude! Yeah it’s a really great time right now!

[@MuleResonatorGuitars]

Great video Kyle! Thanks for getting it swapped over! I think Charlie was one of the last flat fingerboards. We've used fingerboards with a 20" radius for 700 guitars or so. Which is still pretty flat!

[@kostringworks]

Ah thanks bud. Easy swap! Thanks for thinking of those little feet btw! It really takes the stress outta poking holes in the cones while you’re doing the setup.
Good to know about the radius update! Tbh I would have NEVER noticed it was a flatboard until having to make a saddle for it. Probably cause of your handshaped neck, this things just a cozy littler player!

[@tommytramp]

Very interesting video the Billet T and Ebony saddle sound loudest unless you were playing harder , all three saddles sound good to me ...Not that what I like matters, Charlie Was happy thats what matters but I think I like the ebony the best not because it sounds louder but I like the bass sound , it has more punch You can tell better than me through this lap top Thanks for the fun video

[@kostringworks]

Right! It definitely is louder, but could be a bunch of variables as far as mic placement and how hard I played, but I do think it is generally louder too. Thanks for checking it out!

[@danielroznowski8522]

🪬I loved working with Matt on this Project. What a solid dude. Warms the Heart to here life from man’s creation. 🫀

[@kostringworks]

Is this Dan “the man”?! Dude you made such a beautiful thing. I hope you’ve been getting the praise you deserve because you change the game of resonator guitars and now there’s going back.

[@danielroznowski8522]

Yup. That’s me. Thanks man. “Quality Gear” is something I strive to apply to all aspects of my life.

[@rogertinker1813]

A noticable difference in the sound, and a bit of work for you thanks

[@kostringworks]

Totally. It’s nice when the work pays off 😅.

[@dannywoody5497]

What kind of steel guitar was that? lovely finger picking at the end mellows Sounding really unusual Thanks for the video.

[@kostringworks]

It’s a stainless steel Mule!

[@Caligari...]

Maple was the choice after trying other hard woods like rosewood and ebony and even bone which fail to transmit the warmth of the bass and sound weaker then maple. John Dopyera states that quarter sawn maple clearly delivers the most volume and the best tone . The V shaped groove running under the saddle area in the bottom of the casting is there to decrease the weight of the T bar . Do Mule resonator guitars use National cones?

[@kostringworks]

I’m not sure what they do now, but in the beginning that’s what I was told anyway. Spinning cones is a trick!

[@jimjosefson2308]

Thanks!

[@kostringworks]

Thanks Jim!! Appreciate you!

[@danbgt]

The cast aluminum has air bubbles in it. The billet is actually solid.

[@kostringworks]

Yeah these things are so legit.

[@scottkidwell3601]

Well, dang...
Looks like I need to upgrade my Mule soon...

[@kostringworks]

Absolutely do! Lmk if the vid leaves you hanging on the install, I could make another one that better shows the whole process a little slower.

[@scottkidwell3601]

@@kostringworks - appreciate that. I'd likely hand the work off to a pro at this point.

[@puttsky7]

Has anyone tried carbon fibre saddles?

[@kostringworks]

That’s a good question. I worked in a guitar once that was one piece of C fiber, so the bridge and saddle were molded as one. That’s the only one I’ve seen.

[@TheRealUnknownMusician]

Billet aluminum saddle? Would that be too harsh ? Brass?