I can definitely hear a difference. I think in a band environment, the new bridge would be way better in the mix. That brightness lends to clarity. But to just sit and play alone, I think I would prefer the duller, rounder sound of the old bridge. I think the key is they are "different" but in a vacuum, neither is better; it just depends on what you want for the sound. Having options is nice!
Reminds me to when I changed the trem block of my strat to a brass one. It made it sound so different, that it became the best clean guitar ever... sadly I never played clean
Completely agree, more sustain and eq has shifted, now brighter and midrange has changed, but I think the cast bridge sounded dirtier, which to me was more in keeping with blues. Probably originals in 1920’s didn’t have cnc parts
I appreciate both versions. Big contrast. The cast iron is mellow and sweet but the new on has more of a percussiveness/punch to the initial transient of the sound.
I’d stick with the machined bridge if it was mine, definitely sounds richer/livelier and more vocal! I hear ya about keeping the old bridge on hand though, still sounds great in its own way
Weight of the bridge and rigidity of the alloy used. The billet the new one was made from was rolled. This adds tension and stiffness to the metal that remains in the part that is milled out. The cast one has no tension when it is made so is "floppier". The mass is less on the new one so the metal part is easier for the string vibration to move. I changed the biscuit on my reso for a much lighter one and the difference was similar.
Honestly I thought I was listening to fresh vs old strings the first time. Then Rhett said they were both fresh sets. It is a lot brighter with the new piece! The old piece definitely had a bit more of that swampy dark sound to me, but the new piece probably sits better in a lot of band mixes and has better articulation. It’s cool that you can swap it fairly easily now! Options are a good thing and for Rhett that makes a lot of sense!
I like the tone of both bridges. You can't go wrong with any of the Mule guitars and I hope to own one someday. After listening a few times with headphones, I do prefer the new bridge a little more, because of the punch and sustain. It's like mixing in a little of what a single cone would offer, but having much more sustain, in my opinion. That may work in a mix better, but it's good you decided to keep both.
I am not surprised AT ALL... I see this very little in the youtube world, but changing a bridge on electric guitar makes almost as much difference as changing pickups. its HUGE, way more than the wood, for example (in my personal "testing"). So here I leave my suggestion to Rhett - get good quality but different material bridges for one of your favorite guitars and make the test. I`m very sure you`ll be very surprised, as in this video. In my case I changed both a LP Special and a Japanese v1 Revstar for ABM bridges, machines in Germany very high quality stuff and both guitars sound changed massively.
Rhett, I think you nailed it with the sound difference. The old bridge is a little warmer, the new bridge a little bit brighter and probably projects a little bit better. It did seem a little bit louder but definitely brighter. Definitely keep your bridge hanging around but in a bad situation, the new bridge will punchthrough in my opinion. It’s kinda like Peter Green‘s nasal med position sound that he employed so well on his guitar Greenie. The dobro is a different sound than Peter Green, but you get my meaning it’s that nasal higher pitch residence that punches through.
I inherited a 1936 Dobro from my grandfather and had it restored by the Dobrio Bros in Orange County CA. They tried to "buy" my resonator in that Dobro and "upgrade" it with a modern and "improved" one. I was expecting this, of course, and politely refused. It was really surprising to me that the original config on that Dobro included a rubber bridge saddle. I was happy to replace that with a bone saddle. All of that said, it looks like your resonator was taken to an entirely different level..
I thought the original one sounded fuller and sounded good on it's own. But the new one had more mids and probably cuts through a mix better. Would have been nice hearing them with drum and bass tracks. Like you said, no one was better, just different. 😊👍
I'm not a mechanical engineer (I'm an EE), but my assumption is that because cast aluminum is much softer and less dense, it can't transfer high frequencies nearly as well as the harder, more dense billet aluminum piece. Being "softer" it will absorb more high frequencies.
To me , that sounds like right in the sweet spot between parlor and banjo: bright, but not too bright - warm, but not too warm tending to be mellow/dull. Love it!
Great work Rhett, one of my favourite instruments in the right hands e.g. Ry Cooder, Leo Kottke or your good self 🥰 I think you will be glad you have the option of swapping the bridges in the future to suit recording or performing requirements depending on whether you want a cleaner sound (new) or a more gritty, complex sound (old) 👍
One difference that jumped out to me was the new CNC'd bridge made the guitar sound warmer....could listen larger... easier on the ear..what a real change.. loved the video and the whole changeover process
Oh man! I like them both! The CNC bridge gives you that "stand out front in a crowded mix" tone. The cast bridge is warmer and smokier. More for backing up a singer. . .
The cast piece has a more soulful sound to it. Makes you feel like you went back in time and can picture yourself being there. The new piece makes it sound like you're at a live studio really crisp. Depends on your flavor and what crowd you're playing too. Guess you'll need to get another guitar and keep both sounds. Great Video content I enjoyed it a lot.
I believe the cast bridge sounds darker because of its shape, the milled bridge is flat on the back side, the cast one has indentions from being pressed, so it changes how the sound moves through it. It also could be a weight thing, generally heavier objects seem to sustain lower frequencies better. Likewise, in order to cast something, you first have to melt it, the way it flows & then cools actually changes the structure, and can make metals stronger. Those are my 3 hypotheses. Mind you, I’m no metallurgist, I just took shop in school years ago.
Great video Rhett! Resonator guitars are just fascinating beasts. As you and I tend to like a lot of the same kinds of music, I would steer you to Chris Whitley’s “Dirt Floor” album which is all solo resonator laying recorded live to one mic. Also, the amazing Bruce Cockburn has a great solo resonator song “Sunrise on the Mississippi” in open C which is a great showcase piece and easy to learn. There was a transcription of it in Acoustic Guitar magazine years ago that you can track down
The weight of the bridge piece is probably a big contributing factor to the sound. Objects with less mass absorb vibrations much easier than something with more mass, so a lighter bridge would probably resonate more than a heavier one. I'm curious to know how a wood or even carbon fiber bridge would sound.
Its that, and actually how the material is processed. Its a porosity problem. Essentially, more porosity in the material=more vibration absorbtion. When casting a metal, porosity is common, whereas when machining a material from a billet, porosity is minimized. This is also why brass saddles, steel trem blocks, etc will have more sustain. Also, another cool factoid: vibration absorbtion is also dependent on the joints between two materials. If you have two similar materials being joined together, they will vibrate relatively evenly, whereas with two dissimilar materials distortions in the vibrations will occur at the interface of those two materials. This phenomenon explains why neck thru>set neck>bolt on in terms of sustain.
@@thecompanyfront5935 Yeah, the grain structure of cast aluminum and something like the very common 6061 aluminum used for machining are very different from each other...cast is very uneven and loose, sort of like an asphalt road, and 6061 is more compact and tight like a concrete road...both are made with rocks and binding agents, but one is clearly stronger and denser than the other...
Remins me of one time talking to a very good luthier who was rebuilding my strat - he was shimiming the neck with a piece of maple and told me that he'd had a late 50s strat in with a shim made from a folded cigarette packet. He cut a new maple shim and fitted it, then took it out and replaced the cardboard becaue it sounded better. In this case I liked the funky cast bridge.
This guitar really works just like a banjo so it can cut through the orchestra. I have a luthier built tricone for around 25 years which is great for slide - but the action is very difficult to adjust unlike a conventional acoustic. Such a changeable bridge unit where by a different bridge height can be changed/ adjusted would be great> i use very heavy strings and tune i open C
Whenever I hear this 1:38 I imagine a movie where the camera's panning across a dusty desert with tumble weeds rolling by, a squeaky sign creaking, an old pickup truck pulling up to an old fashioned gas pump...
Casting aluminum is a vanishing art. Sand casting is the most common, and I can't fault Mule for going that way. There are two primary issues with sand casting. 1: The sand can get drawn into the metal, causing inclusions. The sand is also filled with air, which can bubble through the metal as it cools, causing more inclusions. 2: The metal does not cool at a consistent rate everywhere. This means there are hard spots throughout the cast. Billett metals have the advantage of uniform curing. This makes the crystalline structure uniform. They are also made in a manner to eliminate inclusions. If you have a yen for experimentation, start sanding down the T-bridge. Round off a sharp edge. Thin down the arms on the underside by .010". Sand off the casting scale. I wager your bass response will improve.
I love Mule guitars. Their Mavis Mule is one of my favorites ever. I don't know if my playing skill level will ever get high enough to justify spending that much money for a guitar though since I'm just a hobby player. Also I still miss the 'there is no plan B line". It was unique to your channel.
I like the old bridge but I listened closely with good headphones and suggest maybe going up one string gauge with the new bridge to adjust to brighter tone. Great video Rhett!
You could sell that cast bridge as a "played by Rhett Shull" piece of gear and I'm sure the Mule devotees would scramble for it. This was an interesting compare and contrast between original and updated, I assumed that resonators were resonators and the only thing that gets switched out are the strings. Cool to see Mule continuing to innovate.
Very cool. I’ve never seen the inside of a resonator. Son House lived in Rochester and worked for the NYC railroad and played one. Different alloys might affect it too. Also you should anneal after machining Al. A company I previously ran made optical components and different alloys responded very differently. Most needed annealing after machining or else we’d find they changed dimensionally over time. Also coatings can play a role. Consider a hard coating on the part.
At first I thought is had a bit more clarity to the sound. But it being louder with a bit more mid and high range notes with the bass reduced in it made since. That's where I was getting that clarity from.
Trying to explain this big difference: at first, it is noticeable at 4:59 that the bridges designs differ. The CNC design and the cast design may have different overal stiffnesses and masses, and therefore different natural frequencies, so they vibrate diferently in the guitar. The CNC looks stiffer and sounds stiffer when you "ring" them. Regarding to a difference in material, material specs are not mentioned, but you potentially have a more accurate microstructural control on a big slab of aluminum to be machined. The cast one may have some sort of micro porosities so to say (it is a rough guess, though), that could damp vibration a little. I'd guess it is a combination of both design and material. However, in my opinion, both sounds are perfectly usable as mentioned. Thanks for your videos.
A bit of an educated guess but the density would make a huge difference along with the crystalline structure of each material. The process for making a billet of solid material requires controlling cooling times for desired properties/crystal size. Not a metallurgist but thinking that may be a direction to explore.
Interesting. Like most things with guitars, not exactly new technology. In manufacturing, casting is good enough for most things. Billet is one step up if you need more strength. Forging is best but most expensive start-up cost. Seems like changing the saddle material would make a bigger change in the sound.
Yep, the crystalline structure of a material is key to the attack, sustain and frequency response. Like tonewood 🫢. Green wood is dull in attack, sustain and frequency response. Once dried, the resins crystallise and attack, sustain and frequency response all increase. Better or worse is up to the individual
So the big chunk of aluminum, the billet, how was that made? A lot of molten aluminum poured into a bigger mold? Then they carved a bridge piece out of that? And that is different than pouring molten aluminum into a mold that is already in the shape of the bridge ? I know it will look different, but how is the material different? OK - found the answer , someone said (markguitar?) that the billet was rolled in the process making it, causing more stiffness than just casting does.
I think both sounds are every usable. In terms of the ‘night and day’ difference between them, I don’t know, it might be one of those feel things. In the end if the new sound inspires you to write new music, perfect!
Hi Rheet, You might also like to try Callahams CNC machined steel ABR-1 bridge for Gibson style guitars. It also transforms the tone of those instruments in a similar way. I have been using one in my Ibanez AS 103 for over ten years now. It definitely makes a massive difference to the sustain, attack and brightness to each of the instruments that I have installed them in. Its offers a very different sound and feel if you want to explore something unique. Thanks everything you share, it's inspiring.
Huge différence! I obviously don’t know what it feels like in hands, but when listening to the guitar being recorded, the cast bridge sounds way better for my taste.
Well, I'm no expert, but if I had to guess as to why there is such a difference, I would say the majority of it is from the physical 3D shape of the new bridge. Lesser contributing factors would have to include alloy composition, material consistency, and probably the smooth/polished finish vs the rough dull cast version. I like them both. Good call of keeping the old one. Can't hurt to have variety in the studio.
Milled aluminum is stronger and lighter than cast aluminum, but the cool part is that it transmits sound more efficiently because of its crystal structure. The uneven cooling intrinsic to casting produces a strain on the metal as it cools and results in defects in the crystal structure of the piece. Each defect is an area where the atoms aren’t packed together as tightly, meaning they don’t hold onto each other as strongly or transmit vibrations as well.
Cool vid. Mules are great. Met Matt last year at a small guitar showcase where I live. Cool dude. Didn't have a fancy booth or anything, just two guitars on a foldout table. An acoustic and electric (mavis). I want both so bad now. The Mavis had the best neck I've ever put my hands on. I dream about that neck (soft v).
The Cast bridge has more air in the metal. That reduces the sustain. Also more bottom end is there is less highs. Bass travel's through the metal and the highs get cut off by the air trapped the the cast metal. The CNC one is most likely oxygen free aluminum.
to my ears the original bridge sounds old and venerable, and the new version sounds young bright and open to adventure! they're both beauties, and i agree with you wanting to keep the veteran. i love resonators but never knew what was going on inside - so thanks for this vid.
Like Rhett said .... it gives him different sounds based on what he needs ... old cast bridge had the more old time sound and the new bridge was a little sweeter and articulate. For a player like Rhett having different options based on what is needed is awesome
I do appreciate the clarity and sustain of the machined bridge. Personally while I like the sustain more, I don't like the tonal change. I don't think it's away from being a resonator, but at least for the songs played I do like the swampy dirty dark sound of the cast bridge.
Cast could be more porous and darker depending on the alloy or single metal used in the casting. Aluminum is brighter and lighter generally and since it's milled, likely a continuous piece of metal with a tighter structure being from a solid block. The True metallurgical guys will likely be able to articulate this better.
There's probably two big things that affect the tone: The weight of the bridge which is probably the biggest and affects everything from the energy needed to make everything resonate to how long it resonates, second thing is the actual connections, the fitting of the wooden bridge to string tension and machined resonator spikes instead of separated spikes. The material itself can play also some part if there's a different alloy used and what has been the manufacturing process so is the aluminum annealed or work-hardened, but I don't think it plays that big role compared to the clear design differences between the parts. I would compare the machined aluminum vs cast aluminum to discussion between carbon fiber stiffened neck to just solid wood, as in, it can affect the tone but the real difference is elsewhere (stability, design possibilities, strength, manufacturing...).
I am waiting to get my hands on 3D printer to experiment with different materials. Ever since I put a brass nut on my cheap LP copy and was completely floored by the change in sound. I'd love to see someone make chambered bridge and nuts out of bell material.
I preferred the Cast Bridge by far, as it had the Old Timey Resonator sound that I like.
Same
I agree. Lol original had a more slightly "scooped" tone.
I can definitely hear a difference. I think in a band environment, the new bridge would be way better in the mix. That brightness lends to clarity. But to just sit and play alone, I think I would prefer the duller, rounder sound of the old bridge. I think the key is they are "different" but in a vacuum, neither is better; it just depends on what you want for the sound. Having options is nice!
Huge difference! Personally, I would keep the cast piece
I am with you. the clearer sound of the cnc is not what to look when playing a resonator
completely agree, old one sounded better. darker, muddy
Yep, agreed. Less warmth with new bridge. Me no like
same!
The CNC bridge makes it sound more “modern” to my ear. I like it…
Reminds me to when I changed the trem block of my strat to a brass one. It made it sound so different, that it became the best clean guitar ever... sadly I never played clean
I actually really liked the extra warmth of the cast bridge
Completely agree, more sustain and eq has shifted, now brighter and midrange has changed, but I think the cast bridge sounded dirtier, which to me was more in keeping with blues. Probably originals in 1920’s didn’t have cnc parts
With the new bridge, it sounds more like a banjo. I liked the old bridge better.
I, for one, share this opinion!
Agreed, old bridge - Mo' Better Tone!
I liked the old one better too
Yeah, I thought the same thing.
I appreciate both versions. Big contrast. The cast iron is mellow and sweet but the new on has more of a percussiveness/punch to the initial transient of the sound.
I like it. The tone appears a little brighter, it's also clearer, more definition. Definitely keep it.
I’d stick with the machined bridge if it was mine, definitely sounds richer/livelier and more vocal! I hear ya about keeping the old bridge on hand though, still sounds great in its own way
Weight of the bridge and rigidity of the alloy used. The billet the new one was made from was rolled. This adds tension and stiffness to the metal that remains in the part that is milled out. The cast one has no tension when it is made so is "floppier". The mass is less on the new one so the metal part is easier for the string vibration to move. I changed the biscuit on my reso for a much lighter one and the difference was similar.
Sounds pretty good. With the right slide, I bet Josh Scott could really make it sing.
Thanks so much, first time for me seeing inside a resonator guitar! What a brilliant video :) Really love your content Rhett 100% lovin it
Honestly I thought I was listening to fresh vs old strings the first time. Then Rhett said they were both fresh sets. It is a lot brighter with the new piece! The old piece definitely had a bit more of that swampy dark sound to me, but the new piece probably sits better in a lot of band mixes and has better articulation. It’s cool that you can swap it fairly easily now! Options are a good thing and for Rhett that makes a lot of sense!
Machined maintains better/more uniform molecular structure, hence better transmisson of sound...similar to uniform grain in wood and its effect. Cool.
BEAUTIFUL Gift. Resonators are so unique and so nice to chill with. Very nice.
I like the tone of both bridges. You can't go wrong with any of the Mule guitars and I hope to own one someday. After listening a few times with headphones, I do prefer the new bridge a little more, because of the punch and sustain. It's like mixing in a little of what a single cone would offer, but having much more sustain, in my opinion. That may work in a mix better, but it's good you decided to keep both.
EQ & volume balanced nicely across the board. Mids sound great.
I am not surprised AT ALL... I see this very little in the youtube world, but changing a bridge on electric guitar makes almost as much difference as changing pickups. its HUGE, way more than the wood, for example (in my personal "testing").
So here I leave my suggestion to Rhett - get good quality but different material bridges for one of your favorite guitars and make the test. I`m very sure you`ll be very surprised, as in this video.
In my case I changed both a LP Special and a Japanese v1 Revstar for ABM bridges, machines in Germany very high quality stuff and both guitars sound changed massively.
Rhett, I think you nailed it with the sound difference. The old bridge is a little warmer, the new bridge a little bit brighter and probably projects a little bit better. It did seem a little bit louder but definitely brighter. Definitely keep your bridge hanging around but in a bad situation, the new bridge will punchthrough in my opinion. It’s kinda like Peter Green‘s nasal med position sound that he employed so well on his guitar Greenie. The dobro is a different sound than Peter Green, but you get my meaning it’s that nasal higher pitch residence that punches through.
I inherited a 1936 Dobro from my grandfather and had it restored by the Dobrio Bros in Orange County CA. They tried to "buy" my resonator in that Dobro and "upgrade" it with a modern and "improved" one. I was expecting this, of course, and politely refused. It was really surprising to me that the original config on that Dobro included a rubber bridge saddle. I was happy to replace that with a bone saddle. All of that said, it looks like your resonator was taken to an entirely different level..
I thought the original one sounded fuller and sounded good on it's own. But the new one had more mids and probably cuts through a mix better. Would have been nice hearing them with drum and bass tracks. Like you said, no one was better, just different. 😊👍
Long live the Mule! I love those guys.
I'm not a mechanical engineer (I'm an EE), but my assumption is that because cast aluminum is much softer and less dense, it can't transfer high frequencies nearly as well as the harder, more dense billet aluminum piece. Being "softer" it will absorb more high frequencies.
To me , that sounds like right in the sweet spot between parlor and banjo: bright, but not too bright - warm, but not too warm tending to be mellow/dull.
Love it!
... and the metallurgy is evident in the differencce between the two brigdes 🙂
Great work Rhett, one of my favourite instruments in the right hands e.g. Ry Cooder, Leo Kottke or your good self 🥰 I think you will be glad you have the option of swapping the bridges in the future to suit recording or performing requirements depending on whether you want a cleaner sound (new) or a more gritty, complex sound (old) 👍
Coolest part of the video is the Ampeg fridge cabinet 🤘🏼
Dude, you sound brilliant with each one, no difference
I can hear a difference. The new bridge makes it project more, with more clarity and personality.
I love the new sound!! much clearer and brighter
Nice to see the reso again Rhett!
One difference that jumped out to me was the new CNC'd bridge made the guitar sound warmer....could listen larger... easier on the ear..what a real change.. loved the video and the whole changeover process
Very cool. And your choice of what to play for this video were quite tasty.
Oh man! I like them both! The CNC bridge gives you that "stand out front in a crowded mix" tone. The cast bridge is warmer and smokier. More for backing up a singer. . .
i like your review - that's why i still watch you and have dropped others.
Thank You Greatly...Ive Been Dreaming of This !!! Cheers AAA
3:27. In My Time of Dying!! Awesome Rhett!! Thank you!! So I can die eeeesy... 🎶 🎵
The sound is much smoother!
The cast piece has a more soulful sound to it. Makes you feel like you went back in time and can picture yourself being there. The new piece makes it sound like you're at a live studio really crisp. Depends on your flavor and what crowd you're playing too. Guess you'll need to get another guitar and keep both sounds. Great Video content I enjoyed it a lot.
I believe the cast bridge sounds darker because of its shape, the milled bridge is flat on the back side, the cast one has indentions from being pressed, so it changes how the sound moves through it. It also could be a weight thing, generally heavier objects seem to sustain lower frequencies better. Likewise, in order to cast something, you first have to melt it, the way it flows & then cools actually changes the structure, and can make metals stronger. Those are my 3 hypotheses. Mind you, I’m no metallurgist, I just took shop in school years ago.
Great video Rhett! Resonator guitars are just fascinating beasts.
As you and I tend to like a lot of the same kinds of music, I would steer you to Chris Whitley’s “Dirt Floor” album which is all solo resonator laying recorded live to one mic. Also, the amazing Bruce Cockburn has a great solo resonator song “Sunrise on the Mississippi” in open C which is a great showcase piece and easy to learn. There was a transcription of it in Acoustic Guitar magazine years ago that you can track down
Chris Whitleys Dirt Floor truely is a master piece. Great recommendation! To me it was the reason to get into resonators 15 years ago :)
I personally liked the old bridge better. Cheers!
New one is much brighter sounding , I like it it a lot better then the old one.
The weight of the bridge piece is probably a big contributing factor to the sound. Objects with less mass absorb vibrations much easier than something with more mass, so a lighter bridge would probably resonate more than a heavier one. I'm curious to know how a wood or even carbon fiber bridge would sound.
Its that, and actually how the material is processed. Its a porosity problem. Essentially, more porosity in the material=more vibration absorbtion. When casting a metal, porosity is common, whereas when machining a material from a billet, porosity is minimized. This is also why brass saddles, steel trem blocks, etc will have more sustain.
Also, another cool factoid: vibration absorbtion is also dependent on the joints between two materials. If you have two similar materials being joined together, they will vibrate relatively evenly, whereas with two dissimilar materials distortions in the vibrations will occur at the interface of those two materials. This phenomenon explains why neck thru>set neck>bolt on in terms of sustain.
@@thecompanyfront5935 Yeah, the grain structure of cast aluminum and something like the very common 6061 aluminum used for machining are very different from each other...cast is very uneven and loose, sort of like an asphalt road, and 6061 is more compact and tight like a concrete road...both are made with rocks and binding agents, but one is clearly stronger and denser than the other...
Remins me of one time talking to a very good luthier who was rebuilding my strat - he was shimiming the neck with a piece of maple and told me that he'd had a late 50s strat in with a shim made from a folded cigarette packet. He cut a new maple shim and fitted it, then took it out and replaced the cardboard becaue it sounded better. In this case I liked the funky cast bridge.
First tought "is my hearing that bad", then I saw others also prefered the old, cast bridge.
This guitar really works just like a banjo so it can cut through the orchestra.
I have a luthier built tricone for around 25 years which is great for slide - but the action is very difficult to adjust unlike a conventional acoustic. Such a changeable bridge unit where by a different bridge height can be changed/ adjusted would be great> i use very heavy strings and tune i open C
Whenever I hear this 1:38 I imagine a movie where the camera's panning across a dusty desert with tumble weeds rolling by, a squeaky sign creaking, an old pickup truck pulling up to an old fashioned gas pump...
Personally I liked the sound of the cast piece better. That darker tone ❤
Casting aluminum is a vanishing art. Sand casting is the most common, and I can't fault Mule for going that way. There are two primary issues with sand casting.
1: The sand can get drawn into the metal, causing inclusions. The sand is also filled with air, which can bubble through the metal as it cools, causing more inclusions.
2: The metal does not cool at a consistent rate everywhere. This means there are hard spots throughout the cast.
Billett metals have the advantage of uniform curing. This makes the crystalline structure uniform. They are also made in a manner to eliminate inclusions.
If you have a yen for experimentation, start sanding down the T-bridge. Round off a sharp edge. Thin down the arms on the underside by .010". Sand off the casting scale. I wager your bass response will improve.
Awesome video as always dude. 👌
I love Mule guitars. Their Mavis Mule is one of my favorites ever. I don't know if my playing skill level will ever get high enough to justify spending that much money for a guitar though since I'm just a hobby player.
Also I still miss the 'there is no plan B line". It was unique to your channel.
I like the old bridge but I listened closely with good headphones and suggest maybe going up one string gauge with the new bridge to adjust to brighter tone. Great video Rhett!
I’m so glad I can just order my Mule with the new T-bridge now. I know I would try and do it myself and make a mess of things 😂
You could sell that cast bridge as a "played by Rhett Shull" piece of gear and I'm sure the Mule devotees would scramble for it. This was an interesting compare and contrast between original and updated, I assumed that resonators were resonators and the only thing that gets switched out are the strings. Cool to see Mule continuing to innovate.
I like the lighting you have there. I think lighting helps with creativity.
Damn you, Rhett! Now I want a resonator! 😂
Ordered one for my mule!
Very cool. I’ve never seen the inside of a resonator. Son House lived in Rochester and worked for the NYC railroad and played one.
Different alloys might affect it too. Also you should anneal after machining Al. A company I previously ran made optical components and different alloys responded very differently. Most needed annealing after machining or else we’d find they changed dimensionally over time. Also coatings can play a role. Consider a hard coating on the part.
Both sound great, but I do prefer the cast bridge. Though I can imagine the CNC being easier to bring out it a mix.
Thank you for teaching me how resonators work rhett
it is a huge difference!! idk what i like more... i dont think i really have a preference. I like it both!
At first I thought is had a bit more clarity to the sound. But it being louder with a bit more mid and high range notes with the bass reduced in it made since. That's where I was getting that clarity from.
Apples and oranges. I like 'em both. Nice channel Rhett.
Nice slide work! And the guitar sounds great.
I like it. It got that punchy high midrange just like a National now.
Trying to explain this big difference: at first, it is noticeable at 4:59 that the bridges designs differ. The CNC design and the cast design may have different overal stiffnesses and masses, and therefore different natural frequencies, so they vibrate diferently in the guitar. The CNC looks stiffer and sounds stiffer when you "ring" them. Regarding to a difference in material, material specs are not mentioned, but you potentially have a more accurate microstructural control on a big slab of aluminum to be machined. The cast one may have some sort of micro porosities so to say (it is a rough guess, though), that could damp vibration a little. I'd guess it is a combination of both design and material. However, in my opinion, both sounds are perfectly usable as mentioned. Thanks for your videos.
A bit of an educated guess but the density would make a huge difference along with the crystalline structure of each material. The process for making a billet of solid material requires controlling cooling times for desired properties/crystal size. Not a metallurgist but thinking that may be a direction to explore.
Honestly, it's hard to tell over the internet. So I'll have to take your word for it. 😎
Interesting. Like most things with guitars, not exactly new technology. In manufacturing, casting is good enough for most things. Billet is one step up if you need more strength. Forging is best but most expensive start-up cost. Seems like changing the saddle material would make a bigger change in the sound.
Nice to have options, but can also be a mind bender!
I have had a craving for this guitar for a really long time. :) ❤
Density, in a word. The difference in density causes different resonance frequencies. Also the crystalline structure of the metal when made.
That’s exactly what I was gonna say
Yep, the crystalline structure of a material is key to the attack, sustain and frequency response. Like tonewood 🫢. Green wood is dull in attack, sustain and frequency response. Once dried, the resins crystallise and attack, sustain and frequency response all increase. Better or worse is up to the individual
Super interesting Vid ,Rhett. Thanks for sharing that. I have often wondered what the difference was between these resonator guitars.
I like the Cast
So the big chunk of aluminum, the billet, how was that made? A lot of molten aluminum poured into a bigger mold? Then they carved a bridge piece out of that? And that is different than pouring molten aluminum into a mold that is already in the shape of the bridge ? I know it will look different, but how is the material different?
OK - found the answer , someone said (markguitar?) that the billet was rolled in the process making it, causing more stiffness than just casting does.
I think both sounds are every usable. In terms of the ‘night and day’ difference between them, I don’t know, it might be one of those feel things. In the end if the new sound inspires you to write new music, perfect!
Hi Rheet,
You might also like to try Callahams CNC machined steel ABR-1 bridge for Gibson style guitars. It also transforms the tone of those instruments in a similar way. I have been using one in my Ibanez AS 103 for over ten years now. It definitely makes a massive difference to the sustain, attack and brightness to each of the instruments that I have installed them in. Its offers a very different sound and feel if you want to explore something unique. Thanks everything you share, it's inspiring.
Huge différence!
I obviously don’t know what it feels like in hands, but when listening to the guitar being recorded, the cast bridge sounds way better for my taste.
It made a difference. But for better? Great video. Thanks!
Well, I'm no expert, but if I had to guess as to why there is such a difference, I would say the majority of it is from the physical 3D shape of the new bridge. Lesser contributing factors would have to include alloy composition, material consistency, and probably the smooth/polished finish vs the rough dull cast version. I like them both. Good call of keeping the old one. Can't hurt to have variety in the studio.
that sounds beautiful
Brilliant difference.
Milled aluminum is stronger and lighter than cast aluminum, but the cool part is that it transmits sound more efficiently because of its crystal structure. The uneven cooling intrinsic to casting produces a strain on the metal as it cools and results in defects in the crystal structure of the piece. Each defect is an area where the atoms aren’t packed together as tightly, meaning they don’t hold onto each other as strongly or transmit vibrations as well.
Super clean & warm, more like a dobro due to your playing technique. More Mark Knoffler than Johnny Winter.
The old bridge had a warmer sound, new one is brighter
Expect another massive change in tone when you swap out the maplewood bridge insert for one made out of ebony, rosewood, bone or graphite ...
Cool vid. Mules are great. Met Matt last year at a small guitar showcase where I live. Cool dude. Didn't have a fancy booth or anything, just two guitars on a foldout table. An acoustic and electric (mavis). I want both so bad now. The Mavis had the best neck I've ever put my hands on. I dream about that neck (soft v).
As usual Rhett, awesomely interesting with a wonderfully choice of tune samples so as to make your point!! In other words, Another Good One Rhett!!
The Cast bridge has more air in the metal. That reduces the sustain. Also more bottom end is there is less highs. Bass travel's through the metal and the highs get cut off by the air trapped the the cast metal. The CNC one is most likely oxygen free aluminum.
to my ears the original bridge sounds old and venerable, and the new version sounds young bright and open to adventure! they're both beauties, and i agree with you wanting to keep the veteran. i love resonators but never knew what was going on inside - so thanks for this vid.
and the dog just makes this even better
the dog is liking it!
Like Rhett said .... it gives him different sounds based on what he needs ... old cast bridge had the more old time sound and the new bridge was a little sweeter and articulate. For a player like Rhett having different options based on what is needed is awesome
I think the dog loves it😄
I do appreciate the clarity and sustain of the machined bridge. Personally while I like the sustain more, I don't like the tonal change. I don't think it's away from being a resonator, but at least for the songs played I do like the swampy dirty dark sound of the cast bridge.
Cast could be more porous and darker depending on the alloy or single metal used in the casting.
Aluminum is brighter and lighter generally and since it's milled, likely a continuous piece of metal with a tighter structure being from a solid block.
The True metallurgical guys will likely be able to articulate this better.
There's probably two big things that affect the tone: The weight of the bridge which is probably the biggest and affects everything from the energy needed to make everything resonate to how long it resonates, second thing is the actual connections, the fitting of the wooden bridge to string tension and machined resonator spikes instead of separated spikes.
The material itself can play also some part if there's a different alloy used and what has been the manufacturing process so is the aluminum annealed or work-hardened, but I don't think it plays that big role compared to the clear design differences between the parts. I would compare the machined aluminum vs cast aluminum to discussion between carbon fiber stiffened neck to just solid wood, as in, it can affect the tone but the real difference is elsewhere (stability, design possibilities, strength, manufacturing...).
I am waiting to get my hands on 3D printer to experiment with different materials. Ever since I put a brass nut on my cheap LP copy and was completely floored by the change in sound.
I'd love to see someone make chambered bridge and nuts out of bell material.
LOL, I hadn’t heard Rhett say “sweeter” yet
Smoother too
I like the brighter tone of the new bridge