BLUEPRINT: Mule Resophonic Guitars
Resonator guitars occupy an unusual place in guitar mythology. Nearly all players find them attractive as iconic designs – and it’s hardly a surprise as they not only conjure up the world of pre-war Delta Blues but also troubadours of the rock era such as Rory Gallagher. Despite this allure, however, they are often pigeonholed as niche instruments that are only good for playing slide on. Thus, though they occupy a hallowed place in our imaginations, they’re much less often found in the average player’s guitar collection than flat-top acoustics.
This is rather a shame as a good resonator can work so well for fingerpicking – as in Mark Knopfler’s intro to the Dire Straits track Romeo And Juliet. And that’s something not lost on a newer, post-White Stripes generation of guitarists who have drawn on the folk, blues and roots music of America to carve out a latter-day take on the gutsy, emotive blues recordings of the 30s. For such players, a resonator is not a quaint antique but a powerfully expressive instrument with a punch, resonance and percussiveness that commands attention.
One such artist is Chris Turpin of the band Ida Mae. Drawing upon deep musical roots in blues, folk and country, the band’s new album, , is somehow powerfully contemporary yet as authentic and soulful as any Memphis-waxed 45. And a key component of that sound is Chris’s use of resonator deserve a renaissance and that Mule guitars lead the way in offering modern players vibey old sounds in a guitar built for the modern stage.
