Mule

Hi, Matt--this may not be the proper place for a question, but didn't see a contact spot.  I just bought the Mule Single Cone #709 cutaway.  1) I kept hearing something clunking within the body--yesterday I was able to fish out what looks like a spruce? shim.....it doesn't look like it was ever glued, but you can see some compression marks on the wood like it was driven into a tight spot.....I haven't taken the cover plate off to look.....should I?  I've got a little buzz going on, but I believe it is the pickup...I'll tighten up......any reason to put the shim back in.....wherever it went?    2)A few days ago, I noticed that this same #709 was for sale out in Calif at Norm's Guitars about 5 months ago and the picture at Norm's shows that the upper left screw on the hand rest was missing in that shot.  If I sent you a few bucks, would you send me 1-2 of these (genuine) screws?  thanks---any info about the shim would be appreciated---Much thanks!! Greg Ward 6505  E. Triplett Rd  Guthrie, Ok 73044  405-315-8645

Matt - One thing that I noticed on my Mule was that I was getting a rattle from my tricone where the wooden part of the bridge was making contact with the side of the hole in my cover plate. I could tug on the strings and get it to stop, but eventually with hard playing it would start buzzing again. I watched this video to try and solve my problem. It took me a little while to figure out that my tailpiece was hinging/angling a little bit to one side causing the contact. I pulled/angled the tailpiece a little bit in the opposite direction to remedy this. There's a little bit of angular play in the tailpiece. Hope this gives anyone who is having problems one more solution.

Shane