Around the age of 14, my father took me to a local Amateur Radio Relay event at a local park. I was incredibly interested in electronics at that point and I met a guy by the name of Tex Wynn who told me I could have some old radios if I would just pick them up. By playing with those radios, I learned so much about electronics and I had a blast with them for years! In fact, I still have them.

A couple of years ago a guy came into my guitar shop and said he wanted me to build a Resonator guitar for him. While he did not recognize me, (I look a little different now, long hair, a beard and I am 55 now!). I sure recognized him! It was TEX WYNN!

Tex brought me some of the most beautiful ash with a really gorgeous grain that was from a tree on his family farm. He also gave me a basic blueprint of what he wanted. I used the ash for the sides and back and used curly maple for the top. I used rosewood for the binding, fingerboard, headstock, and inlay. This guitar utilizes a state of the art Quarterman Resonator and was tuned acoustically similar to the tuning of a speaker cabinet. This is a very loud but smooth and balanced guitar, unlike the standard resonator instruments that I find lacking in the “low end” frequencies.

This was truly a labor of love and pleasing someone I have so much respect for means so much to me.

Tex took his Resonator to Nashville as soon as I was done with it and showed it off at a Dobro convention.

The following is a letter I received from Tex after the Convention:

Rod,The resonator guitar was a big hit at the Blue Grass Ridgetop Jam Festival this weekend. Several people were interested in it. You should put pictures of it on your website ASAP. We told them about your web site.

The sound and look of it got a lot of attention. The Gibson Guitar people were not impressed with the attention it got. They were trying to sell theirs but everyone wanted one like yours. It has a very clear sound and rings true when played. The sound carries very well and is much louder than any other one I have. (Tex owns an old National, a Sho Bro, Tri cones and a Dobro resonator guitar. All the best!)

Chris Scruggs of the BR549 band played it and loved it. Leroy Troy of Hee Haw fame also played it and was also quite impressed. The Festival Manager Sam Jackson loved it.

I had several offers to buy it and a marriage proposal. I am sending pictures of the festival.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mac Wiseman and other Blue Grass greats.

All in all we had a great time showing off the Resonator and anywhere I sat down to play it drew a crowd. It got a lot of OOOHs and AHHHs. I will see you when I get back and will talk more then.

Thank You

Tex Wynn

Here are some pictures from the festival:

The following is a letter I got from Chris Scruggs (Earl’s Grandson):

This is Chris Scruggs who played the resonator steel guitar of yours a while back. You bet you can use my photo. I think it’s a fine instrument.It’s not as bright as typical resonator guitar’s sound. As an electric steel player, I like that it has a warm, smooth Hawaiian tone to it.

You should make more of them!

CS

This is a picture that Tex took at the Bluegrass Festival of Chris playing the resonator.

We at Tunesmith Guitars are dedicated to making our customers proud owners of truly heirloom quality instruments made by lovers of music, exotic woods, and the guitar itself!

We use the very best possible techniques of the past, artistically blended with modern, state of the art methods to produce a truly “no compromise” instrument. I have been working with guitars for 36 years and have acquired a rather large database of just what makes an instrument excel.

We are sure you will find our line of instruments as entertaining to play as they are to hear, and as unique and expressive as the artists who play them.

Respectfully,

Rod Tuggle