Visit with Tommy Young

Joel Hill · From: Ridgeland, Mississippi, USA

I recently went to visit Tommy Young and check out the MAX-Tone modification I have heard so much about. I am not a professional picker by any means but I do know what sounds good and the difference between guitars with and without the Max-Tone modification is very apparent. I think Tommy is really on to something when an untrained person such as myself can identify these differences, in not ony the sustain but the tone of the guitar. Thanks to Tommy for a very nice visit and letting me play some very high quality instruments. Joel Hill

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

THANKS JOEL sorry i haven't seen this before now hope that you learned the facts about what i do and i certainly appreciate all the kind words. From your playing it was apparant that you are not a beginner by no means, but the better side of a real weekend warrior to my hearing. I certainly hope that others will come by or stop by one of my booths at some of the shows to hear and play some of the guitars that i have max-toned that is truely the only real way to know, see and hear the facts about what it is that i do to these guitars. Some have seen where i have had to repair guitars with specific problems and had to install some extra screws to a few of the older guitars to get them up to todays standards of sustain and tone and to keep them from detuning on the pedals.but the owners knew before hand that this had to be done, as you seen on all the guitars that was here none had anything visible to bellie ache about. only the best in TONE that could possibly be expected, again JOEL thanks for the kind words and thoughts feel free to bring some friends next time always

TOMMY YOUNG
MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS
WHEN YOUR GUITARS TONE HAS TO BE ITS VERY BEST
662-328-5742 tyoung52@wildblue.net

Mike Headrick · From: South Pittsburg, TN, USA

I just got my Zum back from Tommy about a month ago, and I LOVE IT! I really liked it before, but it has a much sweeter, clearer tone now. It ain't an easy thing to just turn your main axe over to someone for a mod when you can't hear what he's done until it's too late,but I took the leap and I'm sure glad i did!

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Tommy who ?

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Tommy what?

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

THANKS YOU GUY'S I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAVE HERD MY MOD SOME TO MORE EXTENT THAN OTHERS AS IN MR. HEADRICK
HE HAS GOT MY LATEST ADDITIONS

MR. BILLY CARR HAS JUST LAST WEEKEND HERD EVEN A NEWER VERSION THAT I AM TESTING BUT NOT STARTED PUTTING IT ON ANY YET.(((EXCEPT MY OWN )))

BOBBE SEYMOUR YOU HERD A REAL EARLY ON VERSION THAT HAS BEEN REVISED MANY TIMES OVER, SINCE YOU PLAYED MY MOD BUT IT WASN'T BAD THEN BUT OH SO MUCH BETTER TODAY, IT EVEN HAS SOME OF THE GROWL THAT YOU SO DEARLY LOVE. HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME I'M IN NASHVEGAS YOU AND I CAN GET TOGETHER AND GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT MY FRIEND HAHAHA

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Well, some DO have something visible on them. Here is a picture of mine, which Tommy confirmed by email he did. The screws not only don’t match, but the heads were too big to fit between the ribs on the changer, so as you can see in the picture, they were forced in there. If you look, you can see where forcing the screws in actually damaged the ribs on the changer. According to Mike at Mullen Guitars, the part is going to cost seventy five dollars plus shipping. The guitar is going to Bobby Bowman, I have no idea what he will need to charge me to install a new one, but in my opinion, this kind of work is unacceptable on a 2850 dollar guitar. I am not going to engage in long drawn out argument over this, I am just posting that my opinion of his work is much different

, which I was going to keep to myself until I saw this misrepresentation of the ability to see this butchered changer. I have the emails that went back and forth between Tommy and I where he simply states that this is his work and sees nothing wrong with it. I do, so let’s let others decide for themselves if this is acceptable to them. I will admit I was not educated enough to ask for detailed pictures when I treaded for this guitar on this forum. In fact, those screws were pointed out to me by someone else, as I didn’t know enough about steel guitars to even notice them. However, they are very visible from the top of the guitar. I was shocked when they were pointed out to me and I had to explain to a couple of people that I did not intend to misrepresent the guitar when I attempted to trade it for a single neck 10. I learned a valuable lesson about purchasing something this expensive via the internet. I will be much more careful in the future. I also will admit that Tommy did offer to buy the guitar from me for 550 dollars less than he posted it for and was willing to let me pay all the shipping to get it there. Now, I have posted my opinion in a respectful and civil manner and unless someone wants to see better pictures or the email correspondences between Tommy and I, I have said all I have to say about this topic. Any requests for more pictures should be directed to me by email. I have said my piece and will not be subjected to the “cross examination” that some people feel is appropriate on this forum. I simply think that making the statement that there is “nothing visible to bellie ache about” is not the same experience I had with this modification. Here is a picture of the tone mod on my Mullen Guitar; I will let them say the rest….James

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

James sorry that you bought this particular guitar, but this isn't part of my tone modification it was to prevent this changer from rising in the back and letting the pedals go out of tune, please don't misrepresent what was done for someone else and they didn't tell you why it was done, then you tell all that it is my """"""MAX-TONE MODIFICATION""""which it is not
but on """SOME"""" of the older MULLEN guitars they didn't put anything to hold the back of the changer down at all so this or something can be done after it gets older with age to keep the pedals in tune as aluminum doesn't return the same each time, thats one of the reasons they changed to the royal precision changer as they learned they fixed their problems sorry you don't understand these things the screws were taper cut and so was the hole that I put them into, I hope this gives you a better understanding of what was done and for what reason, ((((((((without telling something that is wrong and that i did this to """"YOUR""""" guitar which it wasn't when this was done)))))) this was done with permission from the owner at the time it was done my friend. if any blame is to be given it should be to the original builder, because he didn't foresee this when he first built the guitar 20 something years ago, twenty years ago this guitar wasn't having this problem, but over years and years of fatigue stress and strain has a way of weakening on aluminum and other related parts, sorry that you and others don't or can't see the forest for the trees getting in your way as those screws didn't bother the original owner, it really stopped the problem i hope the new aluminum does as well for you now

TOMMY YOUNG
MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS

PS;; AFTER SEEING THIS BY SEVERAL OWNERS THEY HAVE HAD ME TO FIX THEIR OLDER MODEL GUITARS SO THAT THEY COULD STOP THE PEDAL DETUNING AND LOW SUSTAIN PROBLEMS THEY WERE EXPERIENCING WITH THEIR OLDER MODEL GUITARS. SORRY YOU DIDN'T LIKE SEEING THOSE SCREWS DOWN ON THE CHANGER AT THE BACK OF IT TO HELP STABILIZE THE TOTAL ASSEMBLY

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Sorry, you told me it was part of your tone modification and I took you at your word. I fully understand that you think this quality of work is accpetable, I just feel like other people should see an example of your work. If you would do this to a guitar, instead of changing out a "fatigued changer", I shudder to think what else you might do to one. Best of luck with whatever it is you do Mr. Young, I certainly would never allow you to touch my guitar based on this example of your craftmanship.

From: "TOMMY YOUNG" <tyEDITED>
JAMES THOSE ARE PUT THERE FOR TONE ADDITION TO THIS MULLEN GUITAR. YES I KNOW ABOUT THEM THANKS AS I KNOW THEM VERY WELL SOME OF THE OLDER AND NEWER ONES NEED THESE TO GET THE UTMOST QUALITY TONE THANKS IF THEY DONT WANT THEM , DON'T SELL IT TOO THEM HAHAHA AS THEY DON'T LIKE TONE TOMMY

On Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 5:43 PM, <teleplayer> wrote:

Tommy, there are 2 scews that I never noticed before in the changer on the E9 neck...Someone asked me what they were and they dont look like they should be there...Can you send me your email address so I can send you this pitcure, maybe you can tell me what they are and why they dont match....Thanks...James

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

JAMES AS ALL CAN READ I HADN'T SEEN WHERE YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE HAS HAD THEM OUT AND BEEN WORKING WITH THEM SINCE I PLACED THEM ON IT AS I SEE WHERE THE SCREWS HAVE BEEN HITTING THE NECK ON ONE SIDE, """"THESE WERE INSTALLED BEFORE THE NECK WAS PUT BACK ON"""" SORRY YOU GOT THIS GUITAR AS THAT WASN'T DONE BY ME. BUT ANYTIME YOU INCREASE THE SUSTAIN AND STABILIZE ITS PEDALS IT IMPROVES ITS TONE TO SOME DEGREE YOU STATED IN YOUR ADD THAT THIS GUITAR HAD A """GREAT TONE""""BETTER THAN ANY GUITAR YOU HAD EVER OWNED YOU STATED BUT WHEN SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT 2 SCREWS YOU BECOME ILL AT ME, I DIDN'T SELL YOU THIS GUITAR YOU TOLD ME HE WOULD NOT EVEN RETURN YOUR E-MAILS AND NOW YOU WANT TO BLAME ALL THIS ON ME AND I WAS TOLD BY A MORE PREVIOUS OWNER THAN THAT TO """FIX IT """SORRY THAT YOU ARE HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE PLEASE ALLOW ME TO BUY IT AND KEEP IT, AS IT IS A GREAT SOUNDING AND PLAYING MACHINE OR WAS THANKS

TOMMY YOUNG

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Oh really ? Here is the email you sent me after you viewed the pictures I sent you. I edited this to remove email addresses and a forum members name who was not invovled. For you to remotely suggest I would do this and then blame you is a true show of your lack of integirty. This is the exact same picture I sent you. I dont know you and have nothing to gain by butchering a guitar and then blaming it on someone I dont even know. Why would offer to buy it if you didnt do this ? I dont understand that. If you want it, email me and I will send you an address and I will take the loss and move on down the road. Send me a cashiers check and I will ship it to you and provide you a tracking number.Its insulting that you would suggest I did this to this guitar when you specifically looked at these pictures and accepted responsiblity in private email. And I will have to admit, the guitar is wonderful sounding, I never said it wasn't. Its just like I told you when I first emailed you, I sent pictures to 3 people and 2 emailed me back about this unsightly screws and the 3rd never responded after getting pictures.

From: "TOMMY YOUNG" <b>

YES I REMEMBER THAT GUITAR THE CHANGER WAS RISING WHEN YOU MASHED THE PEDALS AND THAT STOPPED THE PROBLEM WITH IT HOPE THIS DOESN'T GIVE YOU A PROBLEM SELLING AS YOU CAN ONLY SEE THIS FROM THE TOP WHEN LOOKING FOR THEM, A LOT OF THE GUITARS HAVE THEM FROM THE FACTORY ONLY THEY ARE COVERED WITH THE END PLATES SOME ARE SCREWED IN FROM THE BOTTOM BUT IN THE CASE OF THIS GUITAR THEY COULDN'T BE DONE THAT WAY FOR SOME REASON, BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE CRITICAL OF EVERYTHING ANYONE DOES, I ALSO PUT SCREWS ON THE ROLLER HEAD SO YOU CAN SEE THEM IF YOU SHOULD ""LOOK""" BOLTED IT TO THE KEYHEAD THEY ARE SOCKETHEAD SCREWS THANKS HOPE THIS HELPS YOU OUT. """MULLEN""" BUILDS THESE GUITARS I JUST TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEMS AS THEY ARISE, THEY DIDN'T PUT ANY SCREWS ON THE BACK END OF THEI R CHANGERS BACK THEN, ONLY PUT THEM ON THE FRONT UNDER THE PICK-UP, SORRY """YOU""" ARE HAVING SUCH A PROBLEM ABOUT THIS THE GUY THAT I FIXED IT FOR ORIGINALLY """""AND HAVE HAD TO FIX MANY OF THEM SINCE """""DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE ROYAL PRECISION CHANGERS THEY PUT SCREWS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE STRINGS OVER IN THE CORNER UNDER THE NECK TO CORRECT THIS. SORRY THAT THIS GUY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE IS LOOKING AT OR TALKING ABOUT HE JUST WANTS TO START CRAP ABOUT SOMEBODY, SOUNDS LIKE EDIT TO REMOVE A MEMBERS NAME HE IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY AND TRYING TO START CRAP """"I DON'T WANT TO WORK ON HIS GUITAR PEROID"""

PS;;; THIS IS THE ONLY BRAND OF GUITAR THAT THIS HAPPENS TO THAT I HAVE WORKED ON SO FAR !!!! IF HE DON'T LIKE SCREWS HE SURELY DON'T LIKE A SHO-BUD WITH ALL THAT THEY HAVE STICKING OUT HAHAHAHA ---NOT EVEN UNDERNEATH THE EDGE OF THE NECK LIKE THAT ONE HAS THANKS

On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 10:58 AM, <teleplayer> wrote:

Here is a picture...

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

Better looking choice... remove and replace

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

ANYONE CAN READ JAMES'S THOUGHT'S ON THIS GUITAR SUBJECT ON PAGE 6 OF THE PEDAL STEEL SECTION UNDER GARY ARNOLDS POST """TOMMY YOUNG'S MODS""" PRIOR TO SOMEONE SEEING THESE 2 SCREWS AND SHOWING THEM TO HIM, LIKE AS IF I DID IT FOR AND UNTO HIM WHICH I DID NOT DO, THIS WAS DONE FOR A PREVIOUS OWNER UNDER THAT OWNERS REQUEST """ONLY"""

TOMMY YOUNG

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Tommy, you know James is a big time police officer in a major city in south east Texas, Better just be nice and lay low and let the shots go over your head.

I've known him a long while and this might not be the guy to start an argument with. Ask me, I know about those Texas courts! Whoa!

Bobbster

James Collett · From: San Dimas, CA

Bobbe, are they the kind that'll cut off your hand for stealing? I had an uncle that had both hands cut gone, but kept going at it. After a few more times getting caught, he was down to a head and a torso. Then one day we took him to disneyland and forgot to bring him back! Whoa!

_________________
James Collett

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

He'd better quit now ,,while he's still a head! Laughing

Bobbster

James Collett · From: San Dimas, CA

_________________
James Collett

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Tommy, in this thread alone you went from saying that this is your work to placing the blame on someone else. I am going to let this thread and the emails you sent me speak for themselves. We had several conversations about this guitar and now all of a sudden someone else did this? If that is true, how do you know those screws are taper cut as you posted in your first response in this thread? Why didn’t you immediately say this was not your work? It is obvious to me that you went from taking responsibility for this, to being untruthful about how this happened to this guitar. Again, I will let your posts here be an example of how competent and trustworthy you are. One only has to read through what you have posted here to see that you’re untruthful. You can read this thread and see where I openly said I didn’t know enough about steel guitars to know what to look for in the way of those screws. I am not hiding anything, I admit, I didnt know better. I did say the guitar sounds good, I said that to you on the phone, I said that in my ad, and I have said that here. However, I never played it before you messed with it, so I can’t honestly say you had anything to do with the sound of this guitar. I said that on page 6 of the pedal steel section under Gary Arnold’s post, thank you for pointing that out. I said it sounds good, I didn’t say you had anything to do with it. I openly said in post you are referring to that I don’t know what it sounded like before you tampered with it. Try as you may, you are not going to blame me for your incompetence and poor workmanship.

Mike Mantey · From: Eastern Colorado, USA

I don't know about anyone else but I am really getting tired of this tone mod thing...

There have been numerous accounts where the Mullen guitar has been getting cut down, saying it has defects and what not. It is really starting to rub me wrong. The Mullen guitar is built with the utmost quality. Your suggestion that the changer is failing over time from the use of the changer is ridiculous. That changer has the same integrity it did on day one. For your information there are screws in the back of the changer. They go all the way through the body, end plates, and changer.

Let’s keep going. I have had so many calls on this same exact problem... Tommy's mods. I have had some inquiries about fixing guitars that were directly modded. Now as many claim that this mod does work, it may, but at what cost. We could do things like your doing directly at the factory, but when you purchase a 3k + instrument, you do not want eye sores like this. There are over 3,000 of this particular model built, and I have heard from more people that got the mod, then ones who have not. Is this model guitar perfect with no flaws, maybe not. Have things improved over the years, most certainly. Will I ever tell people to mod there guitar.... absolutely not. With someone like Herby Wallace playing this guitar for over 20 years, which has never complained of a mod needed, or problems with the guitar, speaks highly to me as he is one of the highly respected players, with a taste for what the Mullen offers him.

Folks you are free to do what you want with your guitar, but please have the respect to tell future buyers and such if it has been modded and if there are unsightly screws. We will continue to repair these guitars, but hope that you will learn to live with what you have someone do to your guitar, not just Tommy either. I feel the Mullen guitar has been attacked with this mod from the very beginning and we are getting a little tired of it. If your Mullen is not good enough and has to have this mod to be good, then just sell it and buy a guitar that will measure up to your expectations, and let another person enjoy your Mullen guitar.
_________________
Mike Mantey
President and C.E.O.
Mullen Guitar Co., Inc.
(970) 664-2518
sales@mullenguitars.com
www.mullenguitars.com

Ga McDonnell · From: N GA, USA

"If your Mullen is not good enough and has to have this mod to be good, then just sell it and buy a guitar that.........."

Actually that's exactly what I did some 15-20 years ago. Had a custom top of the line Mullen D-10 that cost a lot for the times. It lacked both tone and sustain. Lifeless. Sold it within a year for exactly 1/3 of it's cost.
I guess if someone could have done something to make it sound good it would have been welcome. A couple of somewhat misplaced screws doesn't sound like too big a cosmetic sacrifice if that's what it takes.

The guitar certainly did look good and played easy.

James Collett · From: San Dimas, CA

Ga- that could have just been the way the guitar or pickup was adjusted, it doesn't mean the Mullen is a bad guitar.
_________________
James Collett

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

I'm wondering if one of the Mods shouldn't call a moratorium or something on this thread. This has gotten ugly.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Personally, I've always liked the MULLEN guitars. Matter of fact, the only reason I've never inquired about becoming a MULLEN dealer is because Music City Instruments in Magee, MS. is located about 30 minutes from my location, north of Seminary, MS. The folks that run MCI have been friends of mine since 1988, if I recall correctly. They are Emmons & Mullen dealers while I basically stick with Magnum, Carter Starters & Fessys. As far as the mods go, I've played Mullen and other brands, as well, that sounded good with a mod and some w/o a mod. I think the guitars built by Mullen have been and continue to be great products. Different players like different things. I'm yet to see anything but improvements with TY's mods. I plan on ordering myself a G2, as soon as I can afford one.

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Good call Steve. Let's stiffle the guy who takes exception to being called a liar. And if it gets "ugly' le's close the thread so no one can judge it on it's merit....James

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