This week, mandolin virtuoso and educator Joe K. Walsh gives us a mini master class on the art of listening and improvising as we celebrate the release of his new album, 'If Not Now, Who?' 

The project features Walsh with Matt Flinner (banjo), guitarist Grant Gordy, Ella Jordan (fiddle), John Mailander (fiddle), John Suntken (drums), and Karl Doty (bass). Walsh walks us through the process of recording the record, talks about what he's learned after years of teaching at Berklee, and gives us a rundown of his current mandolin lineup.

The album is now available here: https://joewalsh.bandcamp.com/album/if-not-now-who

Order the Fretboard Journal magazine here: 

https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-subscription-no-auto-renew

Order 'An Instrument Maker's Guide to Insanity & Redemption' here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/pre-order-an-instrument-makers-guide-to-insanity-and-redemption

Register for our 2023 Fretboard Summit here: 

https://fretboardsummit.org/

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings.

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we pay tribute to David Crosby. 

Croz was a dear friend to the Fretboard Journal magazine and all that we do. Over the last 15 years, we were lucky enough to interview him several times about his music, his guitar collection, and more. 

For this episode, we're sharing two of our favorite interviews with Croz: One that he and Joe Henry had at the first Fretboard Summit (originally aired as episode 92 of this podcast). We're also sharing a previously unheard interview that we did with Crosby in 2021 around the 50th anniversary of his solo album, If I Could Only Remember My Name. He tells us about the making of that seminal album, working with Jerry Garcia, his (at the time) new album, For Free, and his love for working with the Lighthouse band. We also chat about what he was listening to at the time (including Sarah Jarosz) and more. 

We hope you enjoy these two candid talks with a true music hero who kept pushing the creative envelope until the very end. If you enjoy this episode (or any others) please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and please share the show with friends. 

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings.

On this week's podcast, we're talking to singer-songwriter Lincoln Barr, who recently released a gorgeous new album, 'Forfeit the Prize.' Lincoln was a fixture of Seattle's music scene for years but currently resides in Lexington, South Carolina. That hasn't stopped him from assembling an all-star group of musicians - scattered around the country - for his latest project.

During our interview, we talk about his influences (including Burt Bacharach), how he assembled the lineup found on his record, his songwriting process, and more.

To coincide with this interview, we'll be posting a new video with Lincoln performing at the Fretboard Journal's Seattle headquarters. Follow us on YouTube to watch it. 

Guitarist Jake Eddy joins us this week for a lively conversation about bluegrass, guitars, social media, and more.

Jake was one of the big discoveries for many attending the 2022 Fretboard Summit at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk. During this week's talk, we discuss his bluegrass roots in West Virginia (including his first gigs as a banjo player alongside his grandfather), his recent performances with Andy Statman, why he hates being considered an internet guitarist, and why he recently signed on as a Yamaha artist. It's a great chat.

SEATTLE: The Fretboard Journal is presenting Jake Eddy at Seattle's Rabbit Box Theater in Pike Place Market this Saturday, January 7 at 6 p.m. If you're near Seattle, come see what all the fuss is about. Admission is free, but give a donation to Jake! 

Jake Eddy: https://jakeeddy.wixsite.com/website

Jake's IG (which you should all follow): https://www.instagram.com/thejakeeddy/

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal here.

Fretboard Summit 2023 tickets. 

Order our new book, 'An Instrument Maker’s Guide to Insanity and Redemption' here. 

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Stringjoy Strings.

Guitarist Jamie Stillway joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the making of her new album, 'Lullaby for a Stranger.' This meditative, effects-laden, and ambient-leaning record is a departure for Stillway, who is best known for her exquisite flattop playing.

From her new home on Vashon Island in Washington, Jamie tells us about the original inspiration for this project, the guitar that's transformed her playing style (a 15" archtop built by luthier Maegen Wells), why she wanted this release to come out on vinyl, and much more.

http://jamiestillway.com

Stillway has shared a new video for FJ Podcast listeners, featuring her playing "Wood and Windows." It was filmed by fellow guitarist and frequent collaborator Eric Skye. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFRNQbUn1f8

Get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal this holiday season. Our 51st issue mails this week! https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-gift-subscription

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

Get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal this holiday season. Our new issue mails this week! https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-gift-subscription

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

https://www.sierrahull.com

The Fretboard Journal is launching a Substack where we'll be sharing even more content, including photo outtakes, essays, and special podcasts. Be an early supporter here: https://fretboardjournal.substack.com

And don't forget to get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal this holiday season: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-gift-subscription

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

Author Kristina R. Gaddy joins us this week to talk about her new book, 'Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History.'

This is unlike any instrument history book you've ever read... and we can't recommend it enough.

Though it's widely known that the banjo was brought to the Americas via enslaved Black people, there's so much we still don't know about this instrument's earliest period. Through journal entries, books, art, surviving instruments, and some amazing detective work, Gaddy reveals that the banjo wasn't just a musical instrument for slaves... it was also a deeply important spiritual tool.

During our chat, we ask Gaddy about the making of the book, the unlikely places she found her evidence, and the construction of those earliest instruments. We also talk about the banjo's growing popularity with a new generation of Black musicians.

More on the book: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393866803

More on Kristina R. Gaddy (plus some cool bonus photos of early banjos): www.kristinagaddy.com/wellofsouls

Pete Ross (Gaddy's partner / old-time banjo maker): https://www.banjopete.com

The Fretboard Journal is launching a Substack where we'll be sharing even more content, including photo outtakes, essays, and special podcasts. Be an early supporter here: https://fretboardjournal.substack.com

And don't forget to get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal this holiday season: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-gift-subscription

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

The one-and-only Sam Bush joins us this week for an enlightening talk about John Hartford and so much more.

Sam has just released 'Radio John: Songs of John Hartford,' a tribute album to his old friend/mentor where he plays every instrument (acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, and fiddle). We talk about the inspiration behind the album, the Hartford tracks he chose, and his recording process.

Sam also talks to us about some of the unique gear he employed. In addition to his tried-and-true 1937 Gibson F-5 mandolin (dubbed "Hoss"), he used a Silvertone bass with 40-year-old strings; a low-tuned banjo on loan from Bela Fleck, and a Cat's Eyes / Tokai copy of a Martin D-42.

It's a great chat with a true bluegrass music legend. We hope you enjoy it.

Get Sam Bush's 'Radio John' here: https://folkways.si.edu/sam-bush/radio-john-songs-of-john-hartford

Get a digital subscription to the Fretboard Journal here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer

Pre-order An Instrument Maker’s Guide to Insanity and Redemption: Behind-the-Scenes Stories from the Instrument Making and Repair Community here.

Our podcast is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

A little over a month ago, UK guitarmaker Richard Waddell (Uberfrank Guitars) shared photos of his latest creation to Instagram: an electric baritone guitar built for musician and friend Daniel Marcus Clark. This wild instrument - featuring a unique offset body, a Charlie Christian pickup in the neck, a three-pole bass pickup, dual outputs, a built-in capo system, and even a secret compartment in the pickguard - made guitarists around the world take notice.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Richard and Daniel about their collaboration. We discuss the original inspiration for the body's shape (a vintage Coral Hornet), Daniel's unique live rig, the unlikely hinge that made the secret compartment work, the ideas that didn't make it in to the finished guitar, plus a lot more.

Daniel Marcus Clark's new album, 'I've been thinking,' is available now on Bandcamp if you want to hear this guitar (and musician) in action. https://danielmarcusclark.bandcamp.com 

https://www.uberfrankguitars.com

Love the show and want to support the Fretboard Journal Podcast? Pick up a digital subscription to our magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer

(It's just $30 annually and it goes a long way towards supporting the show...and you get to read the Fretboard Journal!) 

Pre-order An Instrument Maker’s Guide to Insanity and Redemption: Behind-the-Scenes Stories from the Instrument Making and Repair Community here.

Our podcast is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); and Calton Cases.

Grammy-nominated bluegrass musician Frank Solivan has led a fascinating life. On this week's podcast, we talk to the frontman of Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen about a bit of everything: the band's new album, 'Hold On;' his side hobbies of lutherie, pick making, and leather tooling; his songwriting process on the mandolin; and more. 

Frank is a true renaissance man. This is a great chat; we think you'll love it. 

http://dirtykitchenband.com

https://toneslabs.com

https://thesolworks.com

Love the show and want to support the Fretboard Journal Podcast? Pick up a digital subscription to our magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer

(It's just $30 annually and it goes a long way towards supporting the show...and you get to read the Fretboard Journal!) 

Our podcast is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; and Calton Cases.

Our Chicago Fretboard Summit was filled with highlights. Among them was TJ Thompson's return to the stage for another mind-blowing talk about following your heart, vintage guitar restoration, and so much more. 

During this 90-minute session, the acclaimed pre-war Martin guitar expert offered a bit of everything: Sage advice for new instrument makers; insights on how to protect the value of your acoustic guitars; life hacks that we can all learn from; and even a little beer koozie philosophy lesson. Toward the end of his session, TJ had some quick tips for fellow luthiers. A few benefited from a visual reference so we posted the video excerpts on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/xc02s7rp-bM

It's an unfiltered and candid talk from one of the guitar world's best.

For his talk, Thompson invited friends and clients David Ziegele and Al Drewes onstage. You'll hear them occasionally interject and offer their own personal experiences with vintage guitars. Apologies for the lav mic noise; we did our best to reduce it. Recorded live on August 27, 2022 at Old Town's Maurer Hall. 

The Fretboard Summit will return to Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music on August 24-26, 2023. We'll share ticketing information soon.

TJ's lutherie tool shop: https://proluthiertools.com

Donate to Linda Manzer's Sunflower Guitar for Ukraine: https://sunflowerguitar.com

Love the show and want to support the Fretboard Journal Podcast? Pick up a digital subscription to our magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer

(It's just $30 annually and it goes a long way towards supporting the show...and you get to read the Fretboard Journal!) 

Our podcast is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; and Calton Cases.

Special thanks to our 2022 Fretboard Summit sponsors: C.F. Martin & Co., Collings Guitars, Santa Cruz Guitar Company,  Henriksen Amplifiers, Yamaha Guitars, Reverb,  RØDE Microphones,  Galloup School of Lutherie, Acoustic Coffee and Calton Cases!

This week, we're talking to Simon Dunson, a young artist out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina who is pushing the mandolin to new and wild places. Dunson's debut jazz album, 'Chicken Bridge,' blew us away with its great playing, writing, and electric guitar effects... it's not at all what you think when you envision a "mandolin" record. Check out the opening track, 'Sydney,' here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfUHAQivGHI

During our talk, we hear how Dunson started out as a bluegrass musician but became enamored with jazz and genre-blurring musicians like Bill Frisell and Chris Thile. We talk about his time as a student at Interlochen Center for the Arts and the New England Conservatory's Jazz Studies program; the gear that he's using today (including Dunson's pedalboard and the custom pickup that he found works best on the 8-string instrument), and a lot more. It's a fun introduction to a player you'll be hearing about for years to come.

Julian Lage has stated, "I am constantly knocked out by Simon’s mastery as an instrumentalist, improviser, and conceptual artist."  We couldn't agree more.

https://simondunson.com
http://www.girouardmandolins.com

Guitarmaker and repair expert Eric Daw returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his recently released book, 'Solid Sound: 23 Schematics for Wiring Vintage and Modern Single-Coil, Solid-Body Guitars.' The book features Daw's favorite pickup wiring layouts for Fender-style guitars, including a few that he's closely guarded over the years, along with helpful charts and advice that will have you seeing your guitar in a whole new light.

During our chat, he explains how transformative some of these wiring changes can be to a guitar (even without swapping pickups) and how even a single-pickup Esquire could benefit from a non-stock wiring setup. We also discuss Daw's current guitar output, his repair work, and the call-in guitar repair podcast he hosts, the Fret Files.

Order Solid Sound here: https://www.solidsoundbook.com

The Fret Files Podcast: https://www.fretfiles.com

Burlington, Vermont's Zach Nugent has made a successful career out of emulating the guitar playing of Jerry Garcia and the music of the Grateful Dead. To accomplish this feat, he amassed an incredible collection of vintage gear ... allowing him to access whatever gear Jerry was playing during a particular era. Zach's attention to detail is only matched by his work ethic: He takes the music of the Dead very seriously and, contrary to what one would assume about a Jerry Garcia disciple, he's never touched drugs or even alcohol. 

Guitarist and composer Bill Orcutt has always worked on the fringes of music: He's crafted noisy punk as a guitarist in Harry Pussy, served raw blues-inspired acoustic music as a solo artist, and has even composed computer music.

With his new album, 'Music for Four Guitars,' he creates something completely different: 14 compositions for a guitar quartet that, as of now, doesn't really exist. Between Bill's mesmerizing, looped playing (on what turns out to be a Telecaster with two strings removed) and his DIY recording technique (Logic with a "pawnshop" amp plug-in), it's like nothing else you've ever heard. It harkens to the classic sounds of early Minimalism, but with an entirely new twist.

On the podcast, Bill sheds light on this beguiling record, talks to us about his recording process, and explains why he used only the bridge pickup for these compositions. He also describes how he re-created Randy Newman's 'Sail Away' album cover photo and hints at when 'Music for Four Guitars' will actually be played by four guitarists (himself being one of them).

Buy this album on Bandcamp and you'll get an 84-page PDF score of these compositions. Who knows? You and three friends may be the first to play them in their entirety.

https://billorcutt.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-four-guitars

Recorded live at the 2022 Fretboard Summit in Chicago: Steve McCreary, GM of Collings Guitars & Mandolins joins Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde for a candid discussion about the revered guitar and mandolin company. 

For over 20 years, Woody Platt served as a guitarist in the Steep Canyon Rangers. During that time, the band became one of the highest profile acts in bluegrass music and accompanied Steve Martin on innumerable dates. 

Earlier this year, Woody announced his retirement from the band. On this week's FJ Podcast, we talk to the musician about how he came to that decision, what projects he's currently focused on, his life as a fly fish guide, and some of the many life and stage lessons he learned from Steve Martin.

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) joins us this week to talk about his new album, 'Watkins Family Hour, Volume 2.' This project, inspired by the Watkins Family Hour monthly shows at Los Angeles' Largo club, features Sean and Sara Watkins in a studio setting alongside the likes of Lucius, Madison Cunningham, Jon Brion, Jackson Browne, Benmont Tench, Fiona Apple, and others.

We talk about the magic of Largo and the community that surrounds it; Sean's favorite guitars (and keyboards); his work as a soundtrack composer; and much more.

Listen to the album here: https://orcd.co/volii

Learn more about Largo here: https://largo-la.com

Love our podcast and magazine? Our Chicago Fretboard Summit takes place August 25-27 at the Old Town School of Folk Music. We have concerts with Molly Tuttle, Julian Lage, and the Milk Carton Kids, live podcast tapings, and a 50-exhibitor handmade guitar show. Go here for details: https://fretboardsummit.org 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

With the Fretboard Summit at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music just over a week away (August 25-27, 2022), Jason shares some last-minute updates on this sprawling guitar gathering, as well as a surprise announcement or two (any Dead fans out there?). We hope to see you there! 

https://fretboardsummit.org

The Summit will have 50 of the greatest handmade guitarmakers showcasing their creations, in addition to guitar experts and authorities, incredible musicians (Molly Tuttle, the Milk Carton Kids, Julian Lage), and lots of surprises. It's a rare opportunity to meet many former FJ Podcast guests in-person, including TJ Thompson, Steve McCreary (Collings), Richard Hoover of Santa Cruz Guitar Co., Andrew Enns of Yamaha, Maegen Wells, the Milk Carton Kids, Creston Lea, Duncan Price, and dozens more. 

Tickets are still available. We are now selling single-day guitar show-only passes, as well as single-day All-Access passes which get you into the lectures, workshops, evening concerts, and the occasional game show. 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Acclaimed luthier Linda Manzer joins us this week to talk about her latest creation, Sunflower Guitar for Ukraine.

This instrument, sporting a gorgeous sunflower inlay headstock and a Ukraine flag-themed Hoffee case, will be on tour for several months raising awareness for the war relief efforts in Ukraine and The $1k Project for Ukraine. Eventually, it will work its way to Ukraine so that guitarists in the country can record with it.

During our conversation, Linda recounts her inspiration for the guitar and how it was built. We also hear from Stephen Bennett, one of the instrument's caretakers, about his time with the guitar.

The Sunflower Guitar page: https://sunflowerguitar.com

Donate: https://opencollective.com/1kproject/contribute/flower-of-ukraine-guitar-by-linda-manzer-the-usd1k-project-for-ukraine-initiative-42653

Linda Manzer on the FJ's Sweep the Floor Podcast:
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/podcasts/sweep-the-floor-ep-1-linda-manzer/

See the Sunflower Guitar at the Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we introduce you to a young guitarmaker at the very beginning of his career, Asheville, North Carolina-based luthier Judson Riviere. Fresh out of high school, Judson enrolled himself in the Minnesota State College Southeast's Guitar Repair and Building program (aka simply as Red Wing). He then dove deep into guitar repair work for Steve Mason in Kansas and, for the last two years, has apprenticed under acoustic guitarmaker Jason Kostal in Arizona.

Judson is finally ready to start building guitars under his name. We talk about the skills he's learned along this journey, how Red Wing turned him into an acoustic guitar fanatic, what the apprenticeship for Jason Kostal looked like, his own guitars, and much more.

The Fretboard Summit, our three-day gathering for guitar fanatics, takes place in Chicago August 25-27, 2022. fretboardsummit.org

Get our 50th issue of the Fretboard Journal by subscribing here.

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we check in with Creston Lea of Creston Guitars.

We talk about his current guitar production, buying trends, how he utilizes a CNC on his builds, his website documenting every guitar he's built, and so much more. Creston also recounts his memories of attending the first two Fretboard Summits.

We'll be throwing a 2022 Fretboard Summit at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music (Aug 25-27, 2022) where Creston will be competing in our first-ever Nickel Wound Chef competition against builders Duncan Price and Meredith Coloma. As on the Iron Chef show, only one build will reign supreme.

crestonguitars.com

fretboardsummit.org

Get our 50th issue of the Fretboard Journal by subscribing here.

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Geoff Farina of the band Karate.

In the mid-'90s, the Boston-based group earned a cult following with their indie rock-meets-jazz sound. Geoff recounts the band's early days, when he was working part-time for Bill Finnegan assembling Klon Centaurs. He talks about life on the road, the group's breakup, and how they eventually were able to reissue their out-of-print albums on the Numero Group.

Most importantly, Geoff is just a rabid guitar nut: He's currently a music educator in Chicago, where he spends his free time buying and selling guitars (acoustic and electric) and building tube amplifiers.

July 2022: Karate is currently reunited and back on the road. Follow their tour dates here:
https://karateallston.bandcamp.com

To order the Numero Group's Karate reissues, click here. 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

To purchase our magazine or learn about the 2022 Fretboard Summit, visit us at www.fretboardjournal.com. 

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Andrew Enns, Senior Acoustic Guitar Builder at Yamaha. In case you didn't know, Yamaha has a workshop in Southern California, where Andrew and a small team are building the next generation of Yamaha's high-end acoustic guitars.

This is a fascinating chat on so many levels: Andrew is a largely self-taught guitarmaker and recounts how he started out building electric guitars on his apartment patio with the information he gleaned from the early days of the internet (including Ed Roman's legendary rants) and Stew-Mac catalogs. He then went on to work for Michael Kelly and Cordoba, where he immersed himself in classical guitar construction.

At Yamaha, Andrew's job is not only to make a great acoustic, but to constantly adjust, test, and refine his creations. Known for their high tolerances, the brand has Andrew go through dozens of prototypes for each guitar model he builds, often with the tiniest of differences. He shares some of the discoveries he's made over the years about top thickness, woods, neck joints, and more. We also talk about the new high-end dreadnought has Andrew designed for Yamaha, out sometime in 2023. 

https://yamahaguitardevelopment.com

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/index.html

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

To purchase our magazine or learn about the 2022 Fretboard Summit, visit us at www.fretboardjournal.com. 

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we're talking to Pharis and Jason Romero. 2022 is shaping up to a big year for the Romeros: This week, the duo will release 'Tell 'Em You Were Gold,' their seventh album, and their first project on Smithsonian Folkways. As if that weren't enough, at some point soon, Jason will be putting the finishing touches on their 500th banjo creation.

During our chat, we talk about how they balance their lives between instrument making, touring, recording, and family duties. We also talk about the secret tuning that Jason discovers with each of his banjos, how he builds his instruments, the making of their new record, and more.

Check out a behind-the-scenes mini doc on the making of the album here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9cHx2ReaHA&ab_channel=SmithsonianFolkways

And check out the documentary we shot nearly a decade ago here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/fretboard-films-trip-romero-banjos/

The banjo playlist that Jason curated can be found here: https://folkways.si.edu/playlist/the-brain-on-banjos-pharis-jason-romero

Order 'Tell 'Em You Were Gold' here: https://orcd.co/pharis-jason-romero

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

www.fretboardjournal.com

Imagine growing up without a father, but knowing he was alive, somewhere. Now imagine that same scenario but knowing that your dad is also a famous musician. That's the reality for Nabil Ayers - a drummer turned record label executive - whose father is legendary jazz musician Roy Ayers.

In his new book, 'My Life in the Sunshine: Searching for My Father and Discovering My Family,' Nabil describes his unique upbringing, the amazing job his mother did at raising her son, and the profound impact that music continues to make on his life. He also opens up about what it's like to be the only person of color in a mostly-white indie-rock scene, his few attempts to connect with Roy Ayers, and much more.

Order the book here.

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Jazz musician Snoozer Quinn (1907 - 1949) is one of the guitar world’s great enigmas. In his prime, he performed alongside Paul Whiteman, Bix Beiderbecke, the Dorsey Brothers, Louis Armstrong, and others; lore has it that even Les Paul even learned how to hammer-on and pull-off from Snoozer.

But today Snoozer is largely forgotten because his only attempt at solo studio recordings completely disappeared and he died young after a long battle with tuberculosis. To add insult to injury, the only surviving film footage of Snoozer playing guitar has no audio and the only solo recordings we have of him were literally taped from his deathbed.

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we take a look at Snoozer’s life and legacy with Katy Hobgood Ray and Dan Sumner, who just co-authored a book entitled Snoozer Quinn: Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Pioneer (Out of the Past Music). Half of the book features Katy’s exhaustive biography on Quinn (one of her distant relatives) with rare photos, while the other half features Dan’s transcriptions of eight Snoozer Quinn arrangements.

Over the course of our interview, we learn about Snoozer’s troubled life, how he got his name, his reputation among his peers, his Gibson instruments, and more. Then Dan sheds light on the Herculean task of transcribing the complex work of Snoozer from the available fragments and breadcrumbs, the guitarist’s unique technique and tunings, and a lot more.

Snoozer Quinn: Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Pioneer is available here. 

The Fretboard Journal is a reader-supported magazine. If you'd like to subscribe, support what we do, and get our 50th issue (now mailing), simply click here.

We're throwing a 2022 Fretboard Summit in Chicago, where for three days you can attend workshops, panel discussions, live podcast tapings, and try out rare and priceless guitars with the staff of the FJ. Click here for ticket information. 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

"Every guitar has some secret little thing it's going to tell you." -Bill Frisell

Guitarist Bill Frisell and the Fretboard Journal go way back. For this week's podcast, we catch up with Bill and learn about the exhaustive new biography on him, 'Bill Frisell, Beautiful Dreamer: The Guitarist Who Changed the Sound of American Music.' Bill also hints at his forthcoming album, discusses his composing routine, and talks about the guitars that kept him going through the pandemic.

We just posted a pair of videos from the same day this conversation took place:
"All the Things You Are"
"My Man's Gone Now"

Order the new biography on Bill here. And don't forget to check out his new album with Tim O'Brien and Dale Bruning (link). 

Bill will also be featured in our 50th edition, mailing next week. Subscribe now and get your copy. Click here. 

Want to attend the 2022 Fretboard Summit in Chicago? Click here. 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Musician Tray Wellington has a truly one-of-a-kind story: As a teenager trying to learn rock riffs on the electric guitar, he stumbled upon the music of Doc Watson. Soon after that, he heard the five-string banjo. 

For the last decade, Tray has devoted himself to that instrument, attending festivals, entering banjo contests, and even majoring in Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music studies at East Tennessee State University. He recently released his debut full-length album, 'Black Banjo.' It's a project where he gets to explore his passion for bluegrass, newgrass and beyond. He also reveals some not-so-traditional music influences, including interpretations of John Coltrane and Roy Hargrove compositions. 

Singer-songwriter and fiddler Lily Henley has a new album like no other: On 'Oras Dezaoradas,' she crafts new music for centuries-old traditional Sephardic Jewish ballads. It's a beautiful project, sung nearly entirely in Ladino, the near-forgotten Sephardic dialect that sounds more like Spanish than anything else. 

On this week's podcast, we talk to Henley about the making of 'Oras Dezaoradas,' her unique upbringing in music, her songwriting process, and much more. It's a great chat about a truly unique album. 

https://www.lilyhenley.com

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine and reserve your copy of our keepsake 50th issue, out soon. Click here.

Friends Rich D'Ginto and Mike Desiderio love two things: great guitars and great coffee. So they decided to combine their passions and create Acoustic Coffee Company, a new subscription-based coffee company with perks catering specifically to guitar fanatics. During our chat, Rich and Mike talk about some of the guitarmaking and woodworking pursuits leading up to the launch of the coffee project, where they see the company expanding and a lot more. 

A bonus episode of sorts: Jason describes what he has brewing for the 2022 Fretboard Summit, taking place Aug. 25-27, 2022 at Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music.

This unique in-person event will feature many former FJ Podcast guests and magazine subjects, live podcast tapings, hands-on displays, a game show, an array of great musicians (The Milk Carton Kids and Molly Tuttle are two of our featured artists), plus  a 50-exhibitor handmade guitar show. We hope to see you there. 

All-access tickets: https://www.oldtownschool.org/fretboardsummit/

Paul Bigsby is one of the most important figures in the world of electric guitar development. Of course, everyone knows about his namesake (and still enduring) vibrato design. But the ultra-rare creations he made before the vibrato took off - innovative lap steels, pedal steels, electrics, and neck conversions - are the stuff of legend. These instruments, primarily built for country stars in the '40s and '50s, helped usher in  and influence the modern electric guitar.

New York City's Retrofret Vintage Guitars recently posted what might be the last Spanish-necked guitar that Bigsby ever built. Previously undocumented, this guitar was finished on September 15, 1958 for a Midwest studio owner named Larry (whose name is still engraved in the pickguard). At the time, Larry's guitar order cost around $400.

Today's asking price? $750,000.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to the always-lively Steve Uhrik and Peter Kohman from Retrofret about it. We hear about how this guitar ended up at their store, Bigsby's incredible legacy as a guitar designer (and why it's so hard to copy one even today), the evolution of early electric guitar design, Bigsby's strained relationship with Leo Fender (and Semie Moseley), the skinny "hot rod" neck that Bigsby specialized in, and the time Merle Haggard bought Lefty Frizzell's Gibson J-200 from Retrofret (and the gamble with Haggard they politely declined).

We also hear about Retrofret's recent video shoot with Bill Frisell on this Bigsby guitar and what Bill thought of it. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOZ9eBrFZz0

This is an entertaining chat about both an extremely collectible instrument and the rich history of the electric guitar. We hope you enjoy it.

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and Calton Cases.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts. Click here.

On our 357th episode, we heard an incredible guitar safari tale from the Po' Ramblin' Boys' C.J. Lewandowski that involved a trip to Greece in the middle of a pandemic, an underground bank vault and the Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson mandolin he ended up bringing home. Today we're sharing the second half of that interview where C.J. talks to us about the Po' Ramblin' Boys' new record, 'Never Slow Down' (out now), his band's lineup, signing to Smithsonian Folkways, and much more. Yes, there's even another great mandolin lost & found story. 

This episode is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time).

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts. Click here.

Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas) joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about life on the road, his 2020 album 'Sad Hunk,' Bahamas' often hilarious Instagram feed and so much more. We also talk about his gear of choice (including the Nachocaster guitar he recently purchased), the importance of walking, and the perks of ending up on all those Spotify "chill" playlists. It's a fun chat with one of our favorite artists.

During Afie's visit, we also filmed him performing two songs. Look for those soon on fretboardjournal.com.

 https://www.bahamasmusic.net

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Mono Cases, Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time); and www.acoustic.coffee (use the code FJCoffee2021 and get a free bag when you order two or more). 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and get our 50th issue. Join us by clicking on this link. 

Norman Blake turns 84 this week. To celebrate, we’re joined by guitarist Bob Minner who is about to release an entire Normal Blake tribute album, From Sulphur Springs to Rising Fawn (Engelhardt Music Group). Minner, longtime guitarist for Tim McGraw and FJ contributor, recruited a who’s-who of virtuosos on the album, including Mike Compton, Chris Eldridge, Vince Gill, Trey Hensley, Kenny Smith and Tim Stafford. It’s a gorgeous album.

https://minnerguitar.com

During our chat, we talk to Bob about the project, his visits to Norman's house, the vintage guitars used on the project, and the Martin that Norman is currently excited about (it may just surprise you). Plus a lot more...

Whether you’ve been inspired by Norman Blake like countless others or you just want to hear about this unique American treasure (and all the cool instruments he’s championed), you’ll love this chat.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Mono Cases, Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time); and www.acoustic.coffee (use the code FJCoffee2021 and get a free bag when you order two or more). 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and get our 50th issue. Join us by clicking on this link. 

How far would you go for a great deal on the instrument of your dreams?

How about a 5,500 mile trip halfway around the world in the middle of a pandemic?

On this week's podcast, we meet C.J. Lewandowski, mandolinist and lead singer for the Po' Ramblin' Boys. C.J. just flew to Greece to buy a Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F-5 mandolin, dated July 9, 1923, just like Bill Monroe's.

He recounts the leap of faith he took to obtain it, the complexities of buying an instrument overseas, the condition of the mandolin when he finally obtained it (which had likely never played bluegrass prior to his ownership), and what's next.

It's the ultimate guitar, err, mandolin safari tale... all the way to Athens, Greece and back.

The Po' Ramblin' Boys have a great new album coming out March 25, 2022 called Never Slow Down on Smithsonian Folkways. We'll hear more about that on a future FJ Podcast episode.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Mono Cases, Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time); and www.acoustic.coffee (use the code FJCoffee2021 and get a free bag when you order two or more). 

You're going to love this hilarious and insightful chat with a true zen master of the music business, singer-songwriter Steve Poltz.

This is one of the wildest Fretboard Journal conversations we've ever had. Sit back and hear about Steve's excellent new album, 'Stardust & Satellites,' produced by Oliver Wood and Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers.

We also hear about Steve's childhood encounter with Elvis, some truly wild gigs with the Rugburns, why you should never take that gig opening for Styx, why record sales don't matter, the perils of cocaine (and elephants), and why Bob Taylor didn't want Steve to take "Smokey Joe" (his now-cherished Taylor guitar). Poltz famously co-wrote "You Were Meant for Me" with Jewel, but he continues to co-write with some of our favorite artists, including Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Anthony da Costa, and Sierra Hull. We hear about all that... and more.

"I've never quit. It gets better every year. I'm the most unjaded musician you'll ever meet..." -Steve Poltz 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time); and www.acoustic.coffee (use the code FJCoffee2021 and get a free bag when you order two or more). 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts. 

Musician Sam Weber joins us this week to talk about the making of his new album, 'Get Free.' The Canadian-born songwriter and guitarist crafted the album along with his partner, musician Mallory Hauser, and Danny Austin-Manning. Recorded in a Hollywood apartment, the album is full of unique old and new gear, including Kalamazoo amps, a rubber-bridged guitar built by Reuben Cox, a Partscaster and more. It harkens to the sounds of Bahamas, Blake Mills, Adam Levy and other FJ favorites, but with its own unique spin.

During our chat, we talk about the making of the album, Weber's quirky gear choices, the life of a Canadian musician, influences, and more.

Check out Weber's 'Get Free' here. https://orcd.co/samweber-getfree

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and the FJ's newest sponsor, BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time). Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts.

Singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan joins us this week to talk about her gorgeous new album, Age of Apathy. We chat about her  relocation to Florida, her writing process, working afar with producer Joe Henry, the comparisons she gets to Joni Mitchell, and much more. Aoife also hints at a forthcoming orchestral composition that we hope to hear soon. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars; Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your Izotope purchase); and the FJ's newest sponsor, BED|STÜ shoes (save 20% off with the code FRETXBS for a limited time). Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and support all that we do, including our growing family of podcasts.

Guitarist Chris Eldridge joins us on this week's podcast to talk about Punch Brothers' new album, 'Hell on Church Street.' This project is like nothing else you've heard: a track-by-track reimagining of Tony Rice's essential 'Church Street Blues' solo album.

During the course of our talk, Chris talks to us about the music - and life - lessons he learned from his time with Tony and why the band decided to tackle his influential album now. He also walks us through some of the arranging strategies they used on various tracks. It's a unique glimpse into how one of the world's most innovative acoustic ensembles ticks and we think you'll love it. 

*** Sorry for the occasional Zoom audio lag, but this interview was too good not to share. *** 

Heroes' Voices is a Bay Area-based non-profit with a simple mission: To inspire and connect veterans through the power of music and playing guitar. On this week's show, we talk to Larry Chung and Richard Harrell from Heroes' Voices about their unique, distinctly grassroots organization, the free guitars and music instruction they've been offering to veterans and the partnership they've created with Gryphon Stringed Instruments. We also hear from Jesse, one of many veterans participating in Heroes' Voices today.

https://heroesvoices.org

Happy holidays!

This episode is sponsored by Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% on their amazing software) and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Don't forget, beyond the magazine, the FJ now has an entire network of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording (and tube amps!): Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

Jake Doan is a Salt Lake City-based professional skier best known for his park and backcountry ski segments, where he turns the mountains into his personal playground. But Doan also happens to be a rabid guitarist and a member of the Pickpockets, a Utah-based Newgrass band.

He recently released a short ski film called Parallels where he merged his passions for skiing and playing music: He not only skied in the film, he performed and recorded its soundtrack. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Doan about his bluegrass roots, the Collings OM he just picked up, the art of scoring and editing an action sports movie, and a lot more. It's a fun chat with a fellow guitar geek.

Watch Parallels here.

The always-entertaining Mike Squires (Couch Riffs) joins us to talk about his unique and hilarious project spawned from the Instagram era, #2 Record. The "record" - which clocks in at under three minutes - is a collection of brilliantly executed original songs... that are all 15 seconds or less.

It's a recording that is equal parts writing exercise and social media commentary, but - most of all - it's filled with great (albeit quick) songs. "You get about 15 seconds of a [follower's] attention if you're lucky," he explains of the concept. "Why spend all that energy creating a product that will never be enjoyed? I'm going to cram it all into this 15 seconds of attention."

Squires is a prolific creator and a talented musician who has played in the Long Winters, Nevada Bachelors, Harvey Danger, and Duff McKagan's Loaded. He is one the most tireless people we've ever met: A touring guitarist who holds down a day job; hosts, produces and edits Couch Riffs (a must-watch video series on YouTube and a podcast); and hosts the Golden Shower of Hits podcast.

Mike's story is both funny and inspiring... we think you'll love it.

https://themikesquires.bandcamp.com/album/2-record-digital-book-flexidisc
https://www.couchriffs.com

Support the Fretboard Journal and our podcasts by nabbing a subscription to our reader-supported magazine. Use the discount code SMALL to save on your order.

This episode is sponsored by Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% on their amazing software) and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

We wrap up Courtney Hartman's week-long podcast takeover by interviewing her from her new home in Wisconsin. Courtney describes the influences that led to her new album, Glade. We hear about the making of her new record, the unique studio she built on her family's Colorado farm, some of the gear (and guests) on the project and a lot more.  

This episode is sponsored by Izotope (use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% on their amazing software) and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Courtney's website: https://www.courtneyhartman.com/home

Album Stream Links: https://link.courtneyhartman.com/GLa

Store: https://courtneyhartman.myshopify.com

Bandcamp: https://courtneyhartman.bandcamp.com/album/glade

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2jLbcCta4ORz1pnrSR24dj

To celebrate the release of Glade, the gorgeous new solo album from singer-songwriter and guitarist Courtney Hartman, we’ve handed her the keys to the Fretboard Journal Podcast. For the last week, Courtney has interviewed some of her favorite people in the fretted instrument world.

For her latest installment, Courtney interviews Austen Hooks, best known for his Filmosound conversions and tube amp tech wizardry for Blake Mills and others. After hanging out at the first Fretboard Summit, Courtney also became an Austen Hooks amp owner.

Courtney asks Austen about how got into repairing and building amplifiers, his design process, and how he repurposes industrial and military gear to have a second life making music. 

In a couple days, Jason will be back and talking to Courtney about her new album. In the meantime, check out Glade. Courtney recorded it on the Colorado farm where she grew up using an array of instruments and with some special guest cameos (including Gregory Alan Isakov). If you’ve only heard the bluegrass side of Courtney Hartman, you’re in for a treat.

Courtney's website: https://www.courtneyhartman.com/home

Album Stream Links: https://link.courtneyhartman.com/GLa

Store: https://courtneyhartman.myshopify.com

Bandcamp: https://courtneyhartman.bandcamp.com/album/glade

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2jLbcCta4ORz1pnrSR24dj

To celebrate the release of Glade, the gorgeous new solo album from singer-songwriter and guitarist Courtney Hartman, we’ve handed her the keys to the Fretboard Journal Podcast. All week long, Courtney will be interviewing some of her favorite people in the fretted instrument world.

She started the week off by interviewing Dana Bourgeois. This time around, she talks to Idaho-based luthier Lawrence Smart. Smart describes the role the outdoors has played on his creations, why he ended up building archtops (Courtney is often seen playing one), and why he’s embraced innovations like fanned frets.

There aren't many interviews with Lawrence available; enjoy this rare treat. 

Look for Courtney’s next interview installment in a few days. This weekend, Jason will be back and talking to Courtney herself about her new album, too. In the meantime, check out Glade. Courtney recorded it on the Colorado farm where she grew up using an array of instruments and with some special guest cameos (including Gregory Alan Isakov). If you’ve only heard the bluegrass side of Courtney Hartman, you’re in for a treat.

Courtney's website: https://www.courtneyhartman.com/home

Album Stream Links: https://link.courtneyhartman.com/GLa

Store: https://courtneyhartman.myshopify.com

Bandcamp: https://courtneyhartman.bandcamp.com/album/glade

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2jLbcCta4ORz1pnrSR24dj

To celebrate the release of Glade, the gorgeous new solo album from singer-songwriter and guitarist Courtney Hartman, we’ve handed her the keys to the Fretboard Journal Podcast. All week long, Courtney will be interviewing some of her favorite people in the fretted instrument world.

To start things off, she talks to Dana Bourgeois of Bourgeois Guitars. They discuss Dana’s initial love for the guitar, his fateful discovery of the Irving Sloane book, his relationship with Tony Rice, his build process and more.

It’s an insightful chat with two of our favorite people in the Fretboard Journal community.

Look for Courtney’s next interview installment in a few days. Later this week, Jason will be back and talking to Courtney herself about her new album, too. In the meantime, check out Glade. Courtney recorded it on the Colorado farm where she grew up using an array of instruments and with some special guest cameos (including Gregory Alan Isakov). If you’ve only heard the bluegrass side of Courtney Hartman, you’re in for a treat.

Courtney's website: https://www.courtneyhartman.com/home

Album Stream Links: https://link.courtneyhartman.com/GLa

Store: https://courtneyhartman.myshopify.com

Bandcamp: https://courtneyhartman.bandcamp.com/album/glade

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2jLbcCta4ORz1pnrSR24dj

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we chat with musician, educator, and FJ contributor Tristan Scroggins. 

Two of the Fretboard Journal's favorite acoustic guitarists - Eric Skye and Jamie Stillway - join us this week for a fun chat about the making of their long-awaited duo album, 'Home on the Midrange.' The project finds these two Pacific Northwesterners flatpicking through reels, waltzes, and jigs on a pair of uniquely matched Santa Cruz guitars. We talk about the gear used to capture the album (a pair of Neumann KM184s), Jamie's forthcoming "slow, spacey" electric guitar project (which will employ her Maegen Wells archtop), plus a lot more.

Learn more about the album here: https://jamiestillwayericskye.hearnow.com/home-on-the-midrange

This episode is sponsored by Folkway Music. 

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now available. Click here to read up on it and start your digital or print subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

Famed guitar dealer Rudy Pensa (Rudy's Music!) joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about one of the world's most noteworthy guitar collections ever assembled, Scott Chinery's Blue Guitar Collection. In the mid-1990s, inspired by the blue Centura Deluxe he ordered from Jimmy D'Aquisto, Chinery commissioned twenty-plus archtop guitar makers to do their own take on a "blue" guitar, all using the same finish tint. Famed builders like Kim Walker, Linda Manzer, Tom Ribbecke, Bill Collings and Bob Benedetto were included, along with contributions from Gibson and Fender.

The Blue Guitars would eventually be showcased at the Smithsonian and be the subject of a book, Blue Guitar. With Chinery's passing in 2000, the guitars have been out of sight but Rudy, at the request of the Chinery estate, is now auctioning off the collection (including the D'Aquisto) as a single lot. We talk to Pensa about the guitar collection, his personal love for archtops (dating back to when he was a child in Argentina) and much more.

The Blue Guitar Collection can be seen in its entirety at Rudy's site here, including videos featuring Jason Isbell, Joe Bonamassa and David Broza playing the guitars. It's also available for viewing at Rudy's store.

https://www.rudysmusicbluecollection.com

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now available. Click here to read up on it and start your digital or print subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan – the Milk Carton Kids – join us this week to talk about the tenth anniversary of their legendary debut album, Prologue. We chat about the build-up to that wildly popular record, the two guitars that they’ve based their careers on, and their songwriting process. We also hear about why they were forced to stop using a single microphone at their shows, their plans for a forthcoming album and a lot more. It’s an insightful and hilarious chat with two of our favorite musicians.

Get the Milk Carton Kids' 10th Anniversary Edition of Prologue here: https://stores.portmerch.com/themilkcartonkids/music-video/prologue-10th-anniversary-box-set.html 

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now available. Click here to read up on it and start your digital or print subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and  Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Folkway Music. 

Portland, Oregon-based guitarist Marisa Anderson joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about her latest release, 'Lost Futures,' a collaboration with fellow guitarist William Tyler. We also talk about her approach to composing, her favorite guitars, the importance of space, and a lot more. 

https://www.marisaandersonmusic.com/home

https://marisaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/lost-futures

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now available. Click here to read up on it and start your digital or print subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

For this week only, we're sharing with you an episode of another podcast we produce... Acoustic Voices.

Acoustic Voices is a collaboration podcast between the FJ and Breedlove Guitars, but it's just as eclectic and hype-free as everything we do. Our most recent interview for that show was with Lloyd Baggs, founder of LR Baggs. It's one of the best conversations we've had about guitars, inspiration and sound reproduction... and I wanted you all to hear it. 

Lloyd explains a lifetime of tinkering and inventing, describes an  eye-opening experience he had with Ry Cooder's Takamine, recounts the ups-and-downs of perfecting pickups, and so much more. He's also building guitars again! (Longtime readers may remember the piece Andy Powers did for the FJ on Lloyd's one-of-a-kind guitar creations.)

Acoustic Voices: A Guitar Podcast is an all-new collaboration between Breedlove Guitars and the Fretboard Journal magazine, can be found here: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/21oZrV2fkDGZPPBnDGnx1g

Apple Podcasts: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acoustic-voices-a-guitar-podcast/id1547322420

Tod Nelson was one of the first ten employees at Amazon. He started out packing books and, by the late 1990s, served as "punk rock editor" during the launch of that site's music store. After five years of working for the quickly growing company, he left and started a family on California's Central Coast. He'd eventually serve as the first executive director of Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Beyond his work life, Tod has been a lifelong guitarist and guitar collector with a passion for all-things-Gibson. He's also a survivor: In recent years, he's had not one but two lung transplants.

Tod's love for music and musical instruments has helped carry him through his recovery, culminating in his most recent project: A Song A Day for Acoustic Guitar. He's teaching himself one new song a day for the entire year... and he's looking for suggestions on what tracks he should attempt next (his current repertoire is available as a Spotify playlist here). Feel free to shoot me suggestions for Tod via podcast@fretboardjournal.com.

I've known Tod for over 20 years, but until this conversation, I had no idea just how important the guitar was to him or his recovery. I hope you enjoy this chat. It's unlike any other we've done to date. I hope you enjoy it.

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now available. Click here to read up on it and start your subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

You don’t need to be Jewish to appreciate the audacious project that guitarist Nathan Salsburg just pulled off: An album of vocal and guitar compositions created around passages he found in his copy of a bilingual Hebrew-English Book of Psalms.

“I opened a Psalm book at random,” he says of his original writing exercise. “[I’d] find some English text that appealed to me… and then just start playing around with it. All the melodies are my own.” The resulting compositions he wrote on his Bourgeois acoustic were a far cry from the last time he heard many of these passages… at Jewish summer camp when he was a kid.

Eventually, Salsburg recruited some of collaborators – James Elkington, Spencer Tweedy, Joan Shelley, and Will Oldham, along with Israeli singer Noa Babayof – to add their touches to the final album.

It’s a record unlike any other that Salsburg has released to date and we thoroughly love it.

Order Psalms here. 

Two pieces of music referenced during the conversation: Jonathan Harkham and David Brook's Darcho (Bandcamp link)

The Caretaker (YouTube link)

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now mailing. Julian Lage graces the cover. Click here to read up on it and start your subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

Chris Thile (Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek) joins us this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast for an introspective talk about the making of Laysongs, his new solo album. It's a project that has the groundbreaking composer/mandolinist meditating on themes of organized religion, god and church (he even recorded the project in a former Hudson, NY church). During out chat, we talk about the compositions found on the album, his vocal technique, Live From Here, and why even Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F-5 mandolins aren't perfect as-is. It's a fun and insightful conversation with one of our favorite musicians. 

https://www.christhile.com

Originally recorded May 13, 2021. 

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now mailing. Julian Lage graces the cover. Click here to read up on it and start your subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

"Everything flows from the music." - Dana Bourgeois

What happens when one of the world's most-loved domestic boutique acoustic guitarmakers joins forces with an expansive Chinese instrument maker? On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk about just that with Dana Bourgeois, founder of Bourgeois guitars. We hear about how Bourgeois' partnership with Eastman Instruments transpired back in 2019, how the two companies currently collaborate on projects and even get the scoop on some soon-to-be-released instruments that Dana is designing. Lastly, we learn about the new transcontinentally-built Touchstone Series guitars, designed and voiced by Dana's Maine-based team, but largely built overseas. The result is an affordable take on the kind of The FJ is proudly offering a Touchstone OM prototype for sale on August 16, 2021 via this link: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/merchandise/products/fj-exclusive-bourgeois-touchstone-om

Recorded June 10, 2021 via Zoom (sorry for the occasionally glitchy audio).

The Fretboard Journal's 48th issue is now mailing: Click here to read up on it and order your subscription.

Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

Maury Rutch, founder of Maury's Music, joins us this week for a candid talk about running an independent guitar store through a pandemic, his love for Martin guitars and his new short-form podcast (The Maury's Music Podcast). Rutch's story is a unique one: He left a factory job in the late '90s to sell bone saddles and guitar parts for Martins on eBay. Eventually, he added Martin accessories to his store's lineup and then, finally, the guitars themselves. Maury gives us a candid and honest peek at the ups-and-downs of running a guitar store, describes his perfect gigging Martin, plus a lot more. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. Our 48th issue has begun mailing to all subscribers. Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Scott Bass, co-founder of the forthcoming Headstock Guitar Lover's Festival, taking place November 6-7, 2021 in San Diego, California. 

https://guitarloversfestival.com

Scott tells us about his vision for the new show, the setting it'll be held in, some of the luthiers who have already signed on to exhibit, and a lot more. For years, Scott has produced events celebrating surfboard artisans around the world; it'll be fun to see his spin on what a guitar show looks like.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. Our 48th issue mails this week. Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

The Fretboard Journal... Book Club? Today, guitarmaking legend Richard Hoover of the Santa Cruz Guitar Company joins us for a unique conversation about reading, reflection and empathy. He shares the two books he's reading now and invites listeners to submit questions, thoughts or reflections on the pair.

We also learn about Richard's reading habits in general, his upbringing in California, how SCGC weathered COVID, the impact the scientific method had on his builds, and much more. It's a unique glimpse into the mind of one of the great acoustic guitarmakers of the modern era.

The books Richard is currently reading:
W.E.B Du Bois' 'The Soul of Black Folk' (Amazon link) 
'The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi' (Amazon link)

https://santacruzguitar.com

If you have a comment on this show, reach out to us via podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes, too.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Extra thanks to Calton Cases and Martin Guitars for sponsoring all that we do. 

A “labor of love.” That’s how Sam Plecker (Vista Kicks) describes Pulga Jams, the unlikely Beatles and power pop-inspired EP that he recorded during the pandemic while holed up in a resurrected California ghost town.

During this week’s conversation, Sam describes his one-of-a-kind quarantine situation (and how it came to be), the gear he lugged into the historic Pulga, California school house that he converted into a recording studio (including a Silvertone Jupiter guitar, a 1961 Fender Deluxe, and a vintage Tascam 388 eight-track machine), his musical upbringing in Roseville, California and a lot more. It’s a fascinating chat with a young musician on the rise.

Check out Sam’s EP here: https://withkoji.com/@SamPlecker?fbclid=IwAR0gjB7mC1uRYj6TWx1KpHr-GbP8Ab3VW56dYpEyJHZQxLklqAghNkXLjqk

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, Jason gets to grill another guitar podcaster, Blake Wyland (Tone Mob, Chasing Tone) about the world of boutique pedals, gear marketing trends and more. Blake recounts how he left a steady, but unfulfilling day job to jump into the guitar industry, first as a podcast host and eventually as a consultant to indie brands. We also chat about guitar media (YouTube vs. podcasting), the world of paid demo videos, gear (Grez Guitars, Jennings Guitars, Equitz Guitars, Benson amps), Stringjoy Strings, NAMM and the future of guitar shows, Josh Scott (JHS Pedals), and Blake's tips for building your own "shred shed" ... plus a lot more. 

Jackson Cunningham is a bit of a rarity in the world of acoustic guitarmaking. While countless luthiers do their best to emulate old Martin designs and shapes, Cunningham's biggest influence is vintage Gibsons. Over the years, this Virginia-based builder has crafted L-5, L-00 and even J-55-inspired guitars. He's also garnered praise from two of the biggest vintage guitar experts around: George Gruhn and Mark Stutman. 

Don't forget, the FJ now hosts an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Author/law professor/lecturer/musician/Fretboard Journal contributor John Thomas joins Jason for a long overdue check-in! We hear about the aftermath of his famed 2012 book, Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women & Gibson's "Banner" Guitars of WWII. John sheds light on some of his current guitar projects, including his recent trip to Kalamazoo, Michigan to visit the former Gibson factory... now partially occupied by Heritage and about to become a Hard Rock Cafe-affiliated hotel. We also learn about John’s recent health battles (in a single year, he battled both cancer, and COVID… twice) and hear about his next publishing project, which promises to be another must-have book for guitar geeks.

All told, it’s a fun chat with one of our favorite contributors.

Don't forget, the FJ now hosts an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Our 47th issue features James Taylor, Chuck Prophet, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here and subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine to support independent guitar journalism and this podcast. 

Jack Tarlinton's story is unlike any you've heard before. The Australian tinkerer and music lover started out in publishing (he co-founded the Skateboarder's Journal, a magazine not unlike our own, but for skateboarding); found himself doing carpentry and eventually worked in the prop department of a big budget Hollywood movie. He then caught the lutherie bug, thanks in part to the Fretboard Journal.

Over the last few years, Tarlinton has honed his craft as Wandering Boy Guitars, where he builds ladded-braced instruments inspired by the old Stella / Oscar Schmidt guitars of the '20s and '30s. His instruments look like time capsules, available in six, nine, and twelve-string versions, just like the originals. He then ages them using time-period correct relics like belt buckles and handcuffs, employing techniques he learned on the set of Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant.

Like we said, you definitely haven't heard a story like this before... we hope you love it.

wanderingboyguitars.com

https://www.instagram.com/wandering_boy_guitars/

Don't forget, the FJ now hosts an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Our 47th issue features James Taylor, Chuck Prophet, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here and subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine to support independent guitar journalism and this podcast. 

Richard Thompson joins us this week for a very special talk about the making of his new memoir, Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975. The book chronicles the first chapter of RT's music career - including his time in the Fairport Convention, playing with Sandy Denny and his first solo albums - and is a must-read for fans of the famed singer-songwriter.

During our chat, we talk about the times Jimi Hendrix sat in with the Fairport Convention, how the group unearthed all those old British folk songs, his relationship with Sandy Denny and how he gleaned at least part of his right hand technique from banjo-ukulele great George Formby. We also hear about Thompson's future recording projects, his Lowden guitars, and a lot more. 

This episode is sponsored by Caddis, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRETBOARD15OFF to save 15 dollars off your Caddis order.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. Our new, 47th issue features James Taylor, Jim Olson, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here. 

A very special bonus episode: We're sharing a recent interview  Jason and Skip Simmons from the Truth about Vintage Amps just did with Anthony Coscia. Coscia just completed one of the wildest passion projects ever: a working, 1/6 scale model of the Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound, the audiophile-grade PA system the band employed during their concerts in 1974. 

(If you already subscribe to the TAVA Podcast, no need to download this episode.)

Coscia, a Deadhead who makes speaker cabinets and guitars as Coscia Guitars (Facebook link) ended up spending over 200 hours building cabinets, individually soldering and installing 390 tiny speakers (some meant just for cell phones), and even creating a lighting rig for this miniature state setup. He posted the updates to followers on his "Petite Mur De Son - Mini Wall of Sound" Facebook page (link).

Upon completion, Coscia donated it to non-profit HeadCount, where someone contributed $100,000 to be the next Mini Wall's owner.

With momentum and a recent Wall Street Journal front page article (link) celebrating his accomplishment under his belt, Coscia is already plotting his next, even bigger Wall. It's the real life tale of one of best pandemic projects we've heard of.

Apropos of nothing, Skip and Jason also go over the Geloso G-18R discussed on Ep. 67 of TAVA. 

We hope you enjoy this joint Truth About Vintage Amps / Fretboard Journal Podcast bonus episode.

Support the show as a TAVA Patreon patron and get bonus episodes, in-depth articles on amp circuitry and other surprises.

TAVA Discounts: Use the discount code THETRUTH10 to save 10% off your order from Amplified Parts between now and April 15, 2021. 

Use the discount code TRUTHV150FF to save $15 off Caddis readers between now and April 30, 2021. 

Visit fretboardjournal.com for more photos and a partial transcription of this episode. 

Special thanks to our sponsors: Grez Guitars, Amplified Parts, Caddis, Folkway Music, Retrofret Vintage Guitars, and Mono Cases. 

In the span of just three years (1970-1973), Steve Kalb took up guitarmaking and ended up selling his creations to Leo Kottke, David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Robbie Robertson and Paul Simon. And then, with fewer than 30 guitars under his belt, he threw in the towel, sold off his tools, and enrolled in law school.

On this very special Fretboard Journal Podcast, we re-connect with this lost guitarmaking legend, now based in Southern California. We hear about how he took up instrument making upon reading Irving Sloane's influential 'Classic Guitar Construction' book, how he almost made a guitar for Bob Dylan, the financial (and personal) struggles that convinced him to give up lutherie to become a lawyer, and a lot more.

This is a conversation about more than just guitars: It's about the fragility of life, the perils of chasing perfection, and one guy's never-ending love for woodworking. Steve has a beautiful story that hasn't been told until today.

This episode is sponsored by Caddis, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRETBOARD15OFF to save 15 dollars off your Caddis order.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. Our new, 47th issue features James Taylor, Jim Olson, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here. 

Taylor Guitars' Andy Powers returns once again to the Fretboard Journal Podcast for an enlightening talk about some of the latest additions to the Taylor lineup. We talk the new GT (Grand Theater) Taylor models, hear about how he goes about exploring new bracing patterns, and learn how domestic woods like "Urban Ash" have helped buoy Taylor's output during COVID. Andy also tells us about the music that's inspiring him right now (including two very familiar names to FJ readers), talks magnets and a lot more.

This episode is sponsored by Caddis, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRETBOARD15OFF to save 15 dollars off your Caddis order.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. Our new, 47th issue features James Taylor, Jim Olson, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here. 

Bonus Episode: Jason launched a new podcast where he celebrates the makers of the world (not just guitarmakers). It's called Sweep the Floor. Every two weeks, he'll talk to an artisan, a craftsperson or a maker of some sort, doing fascinating work. Most of these subjects will have nothing to do with music. 

But, for his first episode, he did talk to a familiar Fretboard Journal face: guitarmaker Linda Manzer. On this bonus episode, you can hear the full interview. 

Linda Manzer is one of the greatest guitarmakers alive today. She pushes the boundaries of instrument-making and engineering with each of her creations and has a cult-like following among both collectors and world-class players like Pat Metheny, Julian Lage and Bruce Cockburn. 

During this chat, we talk to Linda about her development as a luthier, the fateful period she spent learning from archtop guitar hero Jimmy D'Aquisto, and hear about how her own creations continue to evolve. 

Subscribe to Sweep the Floor on Apple Podcasts here. 

Follow Sweep the Floor on Spotify here. 

Guitar great/singer-songwriter Ariel Posen just released a new album, Headway. 

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Posen about the making of the album, the art of cowriting (and how it's changed in the pandemic), why he loves his Two-Rock amplifiers, and his current gear lineup.

Posen recounts his early infatuation with slide guitar, thanks to the music of George Harrison, Ry Cooder and Kevin Breit (who we interviewed during on FJ Podcast ep. 304). We also chat about why he's begun to love Jazzmasters, why he prefers modern guitars over vintage, and much more. Jason also gives a recap on the ever-growing Fretboard Journal family of podcasts.

https://www.arielposen.com

Bonus Content: Posen has posted a video just for Fretboard Journal readers showing you how to play "It's You" from the album. Click here to watch it. 

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. 

Acoustic guitarist / composer Yasmin Williams just released a breathtaking new album called 'Urban Driftwood.' On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, she talks to us about the making of the record (most of which took place in the middle of the 2020 pandemic), how she took up guitar after beating Guitar Hero 2, her gear of choice (including her custom Skytop Guitar) and much more. It's a great chat with one of our favorite new artists. 

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

http://www.yasminwilliamsmusic.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. 

A few weeks back, we talked to Keith Calton, founder of Calton Cases (Fretboard Journal Podcast, Ep. 313). Keith, as you hopefully know, perfected a fiberglass "flight case" design decades ago that is still used by touring artists around the world.

This week, we're talking to Calton's current owner, Austin, Texas' Jeff Poss. Jeff explains how he ended up in the musical instrument industry, the evolution of Calton's construction over the years, their current-day output (including the non-guitar cases they produce) and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

Bob Minner returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast to walk us through his new album, SOLO. Recorded entirely on the newly-announced Collings CJ-45 T, the album is a must-listen for Collings fanatics or anyone who appreciates great flatpicking.

During the chat, Bob tells us how he's spent the last year off the road (he's usually found backing Tim McGraw on acoustic guitar, a job he's held for nearly three decades) and walks us through his home recording setup. We talk about Bob's love for slope-shouldered guitars, his appreciation for both boutique and vintage instruments (including "Frankie," his cherished 1936 Martin D-18), and why he dedicated a song to Collings employee (and former FJ Podcast guest) Bruce VanWart. Plus a lot more. 

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

Links: 
https://minnerguitar.com
https://www.collingsguitars.com/acoustic-guitars/cj-45-t
https://www.teegardenaudio.com (Bob used the PPC-125 mics, and the 2100 pre)

Today, some of the world's most valuable acoustic and electric instruments are protected by Calton Cases. What you may not realize is the colorful history of the case company or its founder, Keith Calton. On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Calton about his unlikely entry into the musical industry some 50 years ago, when he came up with the brilliant idea of a fiberglass guitar case and began tracing friends' instruments in his father's garage. Somehow, he stumbled upon a timeless (and nearly indestructible) design that is still considered the gold standard of flight cases. And, though he no longer owns the case company (it's going strong and is now based out of Austin, Texas), he's still hard at work making stuff out of fiberglass... these days for boat owners. 

We'll be interviewing Jeff Poss, current owner of Calton Cases, on a future episode.

https://www.calton-cases.com
https://www.caltoncraft.co.uk

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

Until we can convince legendary live sound engineer Robert "Nitebob" Czaykowski to host his own podcast, we'll just keep inviting him back onto the Fretboard Journal Podcast. This time around, Nitebob regales us with tales of early NAMM Shows, working with the New York Dolls, getting fired mid-concert, and more. We also hear more about his work for Walter Becker of Steely Dan, his advice for bands on the road, discover the one guitar brand he's not a fan of and much more.

If you missed Nitebob's first appearance on the Fretboard Journal Podcast, check it out here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/podcasts/podcast-301-robert-nitebob-czaykowski/

This episode is sponsored by Izotope, Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off your next Izotope order.

Johnny Sangster of Seattle's Crackle & Pop! studio joins us this week to walk musicians through some home and studio recording basics. Johnny will be the host of our newest Fretboard Journal Podcast, the Truth About Recording & Mixing. This all-new show aims to demystify the world of recording and will feature Sangster and an array of world-class engineers, producers and mastering experts fielding your questions on recording gear, technique and more. It's inspired by our extremely popular Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast and we can't wait to share it with you. Launches late January 2021.

Submit your questions or voice memos for Johnny to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. 

Subscribe to the Truth About Recordings & Mixing via Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-recording-mixing/id1545628110

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Martin’s Custom Shop is a unique anomaly: Within their large Nazareth, Pennsylvania production facility, a small crew of luthiers builds completely custom, one-off guitars for discerning customers around the world. From personalized inlays and wood choices to double-neck Martins (!!), nothing seems off-the-table. On this week’s podcast, we bring back one of our favorite guests, Fred Greene (Vice President of Product Management for C.F. Martin & Co.), to talk about the Custom Shop, the ordering process and what Martin will (and won’t) build. We also have a candid talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Martin’s 2020 output and get some hints at what new products they’ll be unveiling at the virtual 2021 NAMM Show.

Link: https://www.martinguitar.com/custom-shop/

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Mono Cases and Folkway Music.

Get a subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine and  support independent publishing and this podcast.

Danny Barnes returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the making of his 2020 Grammy-nominated album, Man on Fire (ATO). The album is full of surprising twists, right down to the lineup: Bill Frisell, Dave Matthews and John Paul Jones all make appearances. We talk to Barnes about the making of the Man on Fire, how he met Jones, and learn a bit about his creative process (beyond banjo playing and songwriting, Barnes is a talented visual artist and cartoonist). It's a great chat with one of our favorite boundary-pushing musicians.

Links:

Danny's Music page: https://dannybarnes.com/

Danny's Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/isotope709?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=911282867

Danny's interview with Bill Frisell for the FJ's fourth issue: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/listen-danny-barnes-new-awful-strange/

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Mono Cases and Folkway Music.

Get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine and  support independent publishing.

Jordan Tice and Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids join us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the making of Tice’s 2020 album, Motivational Speakeasy. The Pattengale-produced solo album is noteworthy not just for  Tice’s always-exceptional playing and vocals, but also for its stripped-down beauty. It’s one of our favorite albums of 2020.

During the call, we hear about the songs on the album, Pattengale’s recording process and Tice’s latest guitar acquisition (yes, he's doubled his guitar collection). Pattengale  - at the time hunkered down in a cabin in Eastern Canada - also hilariously describes the pandemic project he picked up in 2020, plus a lot more. It's a fun chat about the making of a great acoustic album.

Note: We've included a track from Motivational Speakeasy on our new Thirty for 2020 Spotify playlist, filled with some of our favorite songs from the year.

Recorded November 11, 2020.

http://jordantice.net/

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Folkway Music.

Get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine and  support independent publishing (and the occasionally hilarious podcast).

We make a rare exception on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast and talk to a drummer! Percussionist / singer-songwriter Joachim Cooder joins us to talk about his new album, Over that Road I'm Bound: The Songs of Uncle Dave Macon. It's a captivating collection of Macon songs performed on a rather unlikely instrument, the electric mbira. Joachim is also joined by his dad, Ry Cooder, on the banjo; Rayna Gellert on fiddle, Juliette Commagere on vocals; and Sam Gendel on bass-guitar hybrid.

During our chat, we hear about Joachim's first exposure to the music of Uncle Dave Macon as a kid, his own daughter's infatuation with this material, the versatility of the electric mbira, his pedal board of choice and a lot more. Whether or not you're a fan of Macon's decades-old original recordings, we can't recommend this new album enough.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Folkway Music.

Links:

https://www.joachimcooder.com/
https://www.arraymbira.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baEljguE2hI

Get a gift subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine and help support independent publishing.

Nels Cline joins us on this week’s podcast to discuss his new double-album on Blue Note, Share the Wealth. Share the Wealth finds Nels alongside the powerhouse lineup of Scott Amendola, Skerik, Trevor Dunn, Brian Marsella and Cyro Baptista. Inspired by the cut-up recording methods of Os Mutantes and influenced at least a bit by Miles Davis' electric period, it's one of his wildest projects to date. During our chat, we also talk gear (including the guitar that is closest to his heart while he’s quarantining during the pandemic, his pedal board and more), collaborator Julian Lage, forthcoming Wilco recordings and more. It’s a fun conversation with a Fretboard Journal favorite.

Check out some of our previous features with Nels: His interview with Ralph Towner for our 39th issue, our cover story on him in the FJ #37 (part one, part two), and our podcast with Nels and Lage.

Support what we do with a subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine: digital / PDF subscription / keepsake print subscription.

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Mono Cases and Folkway Music. 

Author and guitar collector John Stubbings joins us for a very special episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast to read from his monumental book, The Devil Is In It: A Story of Love, Obsession, and the American Acoustic Guitar. This hefty, slipbound-cased tome is equal parts history lesson, art book and memoir, showcasing John's love for the modern lutherie movement and all things acoustic guitar. It also features exquisite illustrations from FJ contributor Drew Christie. 

Listeners to the podcast can get a 50 GBP discount if they order now by using the discount code LONDON. Click here.

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Mono Cases and Folkway Music. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine and help support the show and all that we do: digital / PDF subscription / keepsake print subscription.

On his latest release, 'I Love You,' Kevin Breit does something truly monumental: 30 covers of his favorite songs performed entirely on vintage, mandolin family instruments. Performing all the parts, Breit himself becomes a one-man-band mandolin orchestra, while a different guest vocalist appears on each tune.

It's just the latest brilliant idea to come from the Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist and mandolin player. Over the years, Breit has backed the likes of Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash, Cassandra Wilson and Hugh Laurie. He's also released some truly high concept solo albums and 2019's 'Stella Bella Strada,' where he showcased his latest custom guitar from builder Joe Yanuziello.

During this week's podcast, we talk to Breit about his love for the mandolin, hear about the cool-looking pickups that inspired the 'Stella Bella Strada' album and much more.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine and help support the show and all that we do: digital / PDF subscription / keepsake print subscription.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases.

Links referenced:

Kevin Breit's 'I Love You' (Bandcamp)

David Gillis' 'Cooing With the Doves'

Kevin Breit on the Music Makers & Soul Shakers Podcast

Guitarist and composer Jim Fox has backed dozens of vocal luminaries over the years, including Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Rosemary Clooney and Dean Martin. During this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk about his start in music, attending Berklee, his early stint backing Bobby Vinton, and the numerous years he spent accompanying Frank Sinatra, Jr. We also talk about Fox's jazz albums, his friendship with late studio legend Bob Bain, and his obsession with the archtop guitars of Australian luthier Steve Gilchrist.

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Mono Cases. Want to support the show? Get a digital or print subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine. Digital subscriptions are just $30 per year.

Links:
https://jimfoxguitar.com/home
http://www.gilchristmandolins.com/
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/bill-frisell-with-bob-bain-and-dennis-budimir-a-musical-conversation/

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Mono Cases.

Steve McCreary is the GM of Collings Guitars and Mandolins and one of the most respected members of the musical instrument industry. Since joining Collings in 1992, he's helped helm the Austin, Texas-based company's growth into mandolins, electric guitars, and – most recently – their more affordable Waterloo line of instruments.

During this lengthy interview, we hear about Steve's unique background (he's a former stonemason), what it was like to work with the late Bill Collings (a larger-than-life character) and how the company is navigating the COVID crisis through 2020 and beyond. We also talk about Collings' ongoing collaboration with guitarist Julian Lage, hear about the '70s and '80s Austin music scene, and a lot more  

If you enjoy in-depth interviews with the people behind your favorite guitars, we’d love your support. Get a digital subscription to the Fretboard Journal for just $30 (click here) or a keepsake print edition subscription (click here). We know you'll love it.

Fretboard Journal #46 just mailed and our next issue will be out in early December 2020. Subscribers also get subscriber-only perks.

Previous Collings Interviews:

Bill Collings on the Fretboard Journal Podcast (link)

Bruce VanWart of Collings on the Fretboard Journal Podcast (link)

Our tribute to Bill Collings in the Fretboard Journal magazine (link)

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

Robert "Nitebob" Czaykowski is a legendary rock & roll sound engineer. For nearly 50 years, he's done front-of-house mixing for musicians both famous and infamous, consulted with musical instrument companies (there's a "Nitebob" setting on Fender Cyber-Twins), worked as a gear tech, and even served as Walter Becker's de facto "guitar pimp." During this sprawling talk (hopefully the first of many), Nitebob reflects upon years working for Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Iggy Pop, the New York Dolls, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Steely Dan, Lez Zeppelin, and REM (to name a few), talks about his early love for the guitar, explains what makes a great live mix and so much more. We think you'll love getting to know Nitebob.

The Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

Support our show with a subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine (get our digital/PDF version or the keepsake print edition). Our new, 46th issue is now mailing featuring John Leventhal and Rosanne Cash, Hubert Sumlin, luthier Steve Grimes and many other guitar greats.

Links mentioned: Nitebob on Roadie Free Radio; Nitebob on Joseph Arthur's Come to Where I'm From; Satellite Amplifiers on the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast; and the Fretboard Journal's tribute to the guitars of Walter Becker.

For our 300th episode, we're mixing things up with an informal Zoom conversation with two of our favorite people, jazz guitarists Bill Frisell and Anthony Wilson. During this hour-plus chat, these two friends riff on influences, the Los Angeles jazz scene, Dennis Budimir, Gerald Wilson (Anthony's dad), Gabor Szabo, and so much more. 

Watch Bill Frisell perform alongside Dennis Budimir and Bob Bain here.

Our podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

We are also sponsored by Izotope. Use the coupon code RUIN10 at izotope.com/ruinous to save 10% off any order.

The Fretboard Journal's new 46th issue is now available, with features on John Leventhal and Rosanne Cash, Hubert Sumlin and much more. Order or subscribe via this link.

Guitar great Adam Miller joins us once again (he originally appeared on Fretboard Journal Podcast #240) to talk about the making of his fantastic new electric album, Unify. Miller has had quite an interesting year:  He and his wife were all set to relocate to Los Angeles full-time when COVID hit and sent him back home to Australia. He recounts how Unify came together, the influence his California time had on the album and why he decided to re-record its guitar parts. We also hear about Adam's current gear of choice and a lot more.

Check out fretboardjournal.com for a new video featuring Adam playing the track "Leaving" from his new album.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Izotope. Use the checkout code RUIN10 when you check out at izotope.com/ruinous to save 10% off your next software purchase.

With Beginners (ANTI- Records), Christian Lee Hutson released one of our favorite records of 2020, so it only felt fitting to invite this Los Angeles-based musician back on the Fretboard Journal Podcast. During our chat, Hutson talks about the making of his album (including his previous failed attempts to record these songs); overcoming self-doubt; working alongside Phoebe Bridgers (who ended up producing Beginners and appearing on it); taking up the clarinet and flute in the middle of the pandemic and much more.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, Jason checks in with luthier and fellow podcaster, Michael Bashkin. It's an unfiltered and fun chat about the boutique guitar industry at large, the annual output of an independent solo maker, Michael's Luthier on Luthier Podcast and a lot more. Jason also asks Michael about guitar shows, Moon spruce and the realities of building production guitars overseas. It's a nearly 90-minute look at the state of the handmade guitar market.

https://www.bashkinguitars.com

Luthier on Luthier on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/luthier-on-luthier-with-michael-bashkin/id1208172851

Beginning in March of 2020, while most of the world was in lockdown mode due to COVID, Daniel Romano did something truly remarkable: He began releasing an album nearly every week on his Bandcamp page.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to the Canadian musician about his prolific output this year: from a track-by-track re-creation of Bob Dylan's Infidels album played as if the Plugz were Dylan's backing band, to his British folk-inspired Alias Ensemble album, and all points in-between. We hear about some of the self-imposed rules he gives himself when recording, his current gear of choice, his forthcoming (ninth) album for 2020, 'How Ill Thy World Is Ordered' (out Sept. 18, 2020 on You've Changed Records) and a lot more. Romano is one of our favorite musicians and it was great to get a peek at his creative process.

Further reading: The story of the Plugz and Bob Dylan's appearance on Letterman. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases. 

Support the podcast by picking up a PDF or print subscription to the Fretboard Journal. 

For forty years, Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) has carved out a nice existence for himself in the instrument making world as a tonewood supplier. His one-man operation is based in one of the most beautiful spots in North America (Washington State's San Juan Islands), where he sells spruce, redwood and other raw materials to mandolin and bowed instrument makers around the world. He's also a prolific musician. 

Musician and singer-songwriter Mac McAnally has led quite a life: As a teenager, he was a studio musician in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, able to jump from between sessions and studios as an in-demand acoustic guitarist. He soon started writing songs, got a record deal of his own and penned hit songs for Jimmy Buffett, Alabama, and other top country acts. Since 1994, he's played guitar in Buffett's Coral Reefer Band.

As you'll hear on this podcast, McAnally is as humble as it gets, but he's also a ten-time CMA Musician of the Year winner. In 2007,  he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

McAnally just released his latest solo record, Once in a Lifetime. On this week's podcast, he recounts his early days in the Muscle Shoals scene, tells about his gear of choice (including his cherished, slot-head Martin guitar), and we talk about the making of the new album. 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

As a kid, guitarmaker Sherwood "Woody" Phifer would tinker with everything, from model airplanes to his high school track shoes. "I would look at something and I'd be redesigning it as I was looking at it," he says. Eventually, he was taking guitars apart, which led to him building his own instrument and stumbling upon Charles LoBue's Guitar Lab in 1970. Within a couple of visits to that influential NYC shop, he found his passion for lutherie and his life's calling. During this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, Phifer tells us about that fateful trip to Guitar Lab (a shop that employed soon-to-be-legendary employees Larry DiMarzio, Charles LoBue, Ralph Novak and Steve Kauffman), walks us through some of his thoroughly original creations (including his archtop guitars, his chambered-body electrics, his unique bridge system and more), and describes what it's like to be one of the only Black guitarmakers in the country.

https://www.phiferguitars.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Earlier this month, Gibson announced a $59,000 reward for the safe return of their 1959-1960 shipping ledger, a book that, if it exists, has been missing for decades. If found, the ledger could shed light on the details of Gibson's production of guitars during a legendary period of time, including the variations found on all those famed, uber-collectible '59 and '60 'Bursts.

On this bonus episode of the Fretboard Journal podcast, we talk to Cesar Gueikian (CMO) and Mat Koehler (Head of Product Development) from Gibson about where they think the ledger might be, why they're on the hunt for it, and what they think they could learn from it. We also hear about some new and forthcoming Gibson projects, including collaborations with Jerry Cantrell and Adam Jones, forthcoming Flying V and white SG Custom Shop tributes to Jimi Hendrix, a Slim Harpo ES-330 reissue and a lot more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

Michael Millard of Froggy Bottom Guitars reflects upon 50 years of guitarmaking with one of our most insightful podcast interviews to date. Millard is a legendary figure in the world of musical instruments, using the lessons he learned working alongside Michael Gurian in the early 1970s to create one of the most collectible acoustic guitar brands of the modern era.

During this nearly hour-long chat, he talks about the unique ways Froggy Bottoms are made, describes his company's unorthodox business model, and announces his plan for retirement at the end of 2020. Millard was trained as a psychologist and his unfiltered thoughts on social injustice, the opportunities afforded him, and the danger of expectations are a breath of fresh air. 

For years, ragtime guitarist Craig Ventresco was one of the music world's best-kept secrets: The only way to see him was to catch him in his hometown of San Francisco, playing a solo show at a small cafe or with his gypsy jazz band, Gaucho. He seldom left the city and recordings weren't a big part of his career.

Like many others, when COVID-19 and shelter-in-place orders hit, Craig and partner Meredith Axelrod turned to the internet to keep performing. Here's where things get interesting: With a minimalist setup, Ventresco and Axelrod started live streaming their performances on Facebook... not once a month or weekly, but every single night. As of this interview, Ventresco and Axelrod were up to 100-plus shows. And their unique take on ragtime guitar is suddenly finding new fans around the globe.

On this week's podcast, we chat with Ventresco about growing up in Maine, getting turned on to 78 records, the years he spent busking around SF, his role on the 'Crumb' soundtrack, and his life online. We also talk about his Fraulini guitars, the music he's been obsessing over and much more. 

Links:
Meredith Axelrod's Facebook page (where Craig and Meredith perform every night at 8pm PT): https://www.facebook.com/meredithaxelrod

Their tip jars: Paypal.me/meredithaxelrod Venmo: @meredithaxelrod

Fraulini Guitars: http://fraulini.com

Fretboard Journal: https://www.fretboardjournal.com
(Use the discount code PODCAST when you check out and save $5 off any order)

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases. 

If you've read any guitar magazines over the last several years, you've probably seen the bylines of today's guests: Teja Gerken and Doug Young. The two Bay Area fingerstyle guitarists have written extensively about gear and technique for a variety of publications and today Teja is a partner at online music instruction portal Peghead Nation. On this week's podcast, they talk about their beautiful new instrumental album, simply titled Duets. They tell us about some of the unique guitars they used on the recording, give us tips for recording remotely via Zoom/Skype, and much more.

Check out Duets here: https://tejaanddougguitar.bandcamp.com

Order the Fretboard Journal's new Electric Guitar Annual here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/2019-electric-annual-pre-order

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Jontavious Willis is only 24, but he's already earned numerous accolades - and a Grammy nomination - for his mastery of the blues. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Willis from his home in Georgia about being a largely self-taught guitarist, the one standard tuning guitar lesson he took (just five years ago!), the gear he uses today (including his Fraulini 12-string guitar), and his love for original 78 records.

We hear about the influence that Keb' Mo' and Taj Mahal had on his career (Mo' produced 'Spectacular Class,' the album that earned Willis the Grammy nod) and Willis tells us how, even during COVID-19, a community of young Black blues musicians is mentoring each other through social media. Willis also explains the #RobertJohnsonChallenge, where he and fellow musicians Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Marquise Knox are interpreting Robert Johnson tunes online, every Wednesday. Inspired by the recently discovered third photo of Johnson, the challenge is required viewing if you're a blues fan. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.  

Watch Willis' most recent Robert Johnson Challenge contribution here: https://www.facebook.com/JontaviousWillis/videos/250502482919394/

Follow him here: https://www.facebook.com/JontaviousWillis/ or here: http://jontaviouswillis.com

Subscribe to the reader-powered Fretboard Journal here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com

Sarah Jarosz just released 'World on the Ground,' her first solo album in four years. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, she talks to us about the making of the album, working with John Leventhal (who produced the project and helped co-write a few songs), her favorite songwriting tools (including her Collings D1A and her Fletcher Brock-built octave mandolin), and much more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.  

https://www.sarahjarosz.com

For the last decade, luthier David Murray helmed an audacious project: Teaching the craft of guitarmaking to young Tibetan refugees in foothills of the Himalayas. It was one of the least hospitable places imaginable for a woodworking business (from both a climate and political perspective), but somehow the Dehradun Guitar Company steadily produced about one custom acoustic guitar a week. As David says goodbye to this chapter of his life – which we originally profiled in the Fretboard Journal #38 – we wanted to bring him on the podcast to hear what transpired. From Thailand, where his family currently resides, we talk about the challenges he experienced setting up Dehradun: the climate, CITES regulations, prohibitive shipping costs, an Indian government that threw his family out of the country and more. Despite all the above, Murray and his team were able to create around 200 amazing instruments and, he admits, “it was a dream come true.” We also talk a bit about the Fretboard Journal today, the influence Bob Taylor had on him as a builder and business owner, and what's next for the Murrays.

Twenty years ago, former president Jimmy Carter planted a grove of Paulownia trees on his Georgia property. Wood from those trees was recently harvested and, thanks to World Tree and FJ contributor/luthier Todd Lunneborg, some of that wood harvest is currently being turned into some rather special guitars.

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Lunneborg and acclaimed acoustic guitarmaker Jason Kostal about the project. Kostal recently completed his guitar featuring the Paulownia from Carter's grove and, thanks to a bit of a luck and some social distancing, he was able to show the former president his finished instrument. It's an unforgettable moment and a great story that we think you'll love. 

See pics of the finished guitar and of Carter with it here.

Enjoy this episode? Share it with friends and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Support the Fretboard Journal by getting a digital subscription to our magazine for just $30. 

This week's podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

Tom Power is a Canadian broadcasting great and frontman for folk band, The Dardanelles. He's also the host of 'Toy Heart: A Podcast About Bluegrass,' which has quickly become one of our favorite listens. On this week's FJ Podcast, we talk to Power about growing up in St. John's, Newfoundland, discovering bluegrass music through the 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' soundtrack, and his unlikely and fateful meeting with Blue Grass Boy Tom Rosenberg (one of only two other St. John's residents who played the banjo). Power walks us through his career in broadcasting (he hosts the popular, nationwide Q show), explains why he decided to travel through America interviewing bluegrass legends, and shares some of his favorite memories from meeting Alice Gerrard, Del McCoury, Bela Fleck and others. If you're into bluegrass music (or the roots of Americana), we can't recommend Tom's podcast enough.

Listen to Toy Heart here or through Apple Podcasts.

Support the Fretboard Journal by getting a digital subscription to our magazine for just $30. 

This week's podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

French-born, Rhode Island-based luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz (Atelier Rosenkrantz) is a tireless experimenter. Inspired by her years working in industrial lighting and design, she’s embraced some truly unique, sustainable and downright wild materials. She also, of course, makes many traditional steel and nylon-string instruments out of classic tonewoods.

During this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, Rosenkrantz walks us through some of the eye-opening projects she’s currently working on, including a ukulele constructed out of a mushroom, pickguards fashioned out of fish skin, banjo heads formed from kombucha mothers, and even an ondes Martenot. We also talk about working alongside archtop maker Otto D'Ambrosio, her appearance on Anthony Bourdain's show and more. Sit back and enjoy this conversation with one of the guitar world’s true mavericks and be sure to watch the video she just submitted of our shop for #FJFest here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/fjfest-rachel-rosenkrantz-atelier-rosenkrantz-shop-tour

https://www.atelierrosenkrantz.com

https://www.instagram.com/atelier_rosenkrantz/?hl=en

Fred Greene is the Vice President of Product Management for C.F. Martin & Co. in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. There, he oversees the research, development and production for Martin’s numerous guitar models and strings. Typically, our conversations with Fred center around the new models Martin is unveiling, but this talk is a little different. With guitar production at a standstill due to COVID-19, we instead have a frank talk with Fred about how the guitar community has come together during this pandemic, the fears he has about the industry as a whole, the issues he foresees in the manufacturing supply chain when Martin gets back to work, and so much more. Fred is one of our favorite people in the guitar industry and is a repeat guest on our podcast (we loved talking to him and Tim Teel for FJ Podcast #254, check it out).

If you enjoy this conversation, you may also like hearing our chat with Richard Hoover of Santa Cruz Guitar Co. from last week, where we discuss how his company is dealing with current events and much more.

Since 2005, Henriksen has created amplifiers for discerning jazz players. On this week's podcast, we talk to Peter Henriksen about the company his father (Bud Henriksen) founded in 2005, the specific needs jazz players have, and about some of the company's creations that cross genres and would appeal to players of all stripes. Peter is also the founder of the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival, which takes place every September in Arvada, CO. 

https://www.henriksenamplifiers.com/

https://www.archtopfestival.com

Want to support the podcast? Get a digital (PDF) subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and get six issues for just $30. Click here. 

A couple of years ago, Sacramento’s Tré Burt lugged his Flinthill acoustic guitar onto a bus from Northern California to Los Angeles to record some demos at a friend’s studio. When that was done, he assumed he’d turn around and get started on another record. What Burt didn’t realize was that those Dylan-inspired songs would end up being released on John Prine’s Oh Boy record label as his debut album, Caught It From the Rye. (Even more impressive, Burt is just one of two artists to get signed to the label in the last 15 years.)

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to this singer-songwriter about his start, his signing to Oh Boy, his countless evenings as a busker in California, Oregon and Australia, getting heckled by Prine and a lot more. It's quite a journey and Burt is just getting started... 

Want to support the podcast? Get a digital (PDF) subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and get six issues for just $30. Click here. 

Want to support the podcast? Get a digital (PDF) subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine here and get six issues for just $30. Click here. 

Christopher Paul Stelling joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the making of his new, Ben Harper-produced album, Best of Luck.

Stelling’s journey is a fascinating one and we hear all about it: Mowing lawns in Florida so he could get his first guitar; honing his chops on the open mic circuit; discovering his first nylon-string guitar; his ‘50s Martin 00-17; getting signed to Anti- records; and even a brief stint building instruments alongside Rono mandolins in Boulder, Colorado. 

This is one of our favorite interviews to date and we wholeheartedly encourage you to check out Best of Luck.  

Stelling will also be appearing in the Fretboard Journal #46, out in April.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

This week, we're sharing an epic conversation with one of our favorite musicians, guitar great Jim Campilongo. Jim shares stories about growing up in San Francisco, his early guitar lessons, his ever-growing LP obsession and some of the fateful encounters that helped shape his point-of-view as an instrumentalist. We then discuss his move from San Francisco to New York; his new, Sundazed Best of compilation; his ongoing collaborations with luthier Chihoe Hahn (Hahn's Model C tele-style guitar); plus a lot more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

Support the Fretboard Journal Podcast by getting a digital subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine for just $30 a year. You’ll get our new issue (#45) immediately on the house and get four more issues. Click here to join us.

Dan Erlewine is, quite simply, a legend when it comes to lutherie. Through his countless videos and articles for StewMac, he's helped thousands of aspiring and veteran guitarmakers hone their craft. On this week's podcast, he reflects upon two of his most famous creations: A Strat-style guitar he built for Jerry Garcia and the Flying V he built for Albert King. Erlewine is building all-new replicas of both guitars and had examples at the 2020 NAMM Show. We also talk about naming Iggy Pop (his former bandmate), Dan's latest guitar creations, taking lessons from Clarence White and a lot more. A must-listen episode... 

This podcast is sponsored by Mono Creators and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.  

Henry Kaiser and Rick Turner take over this week’s episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast to share H-13: A Tribute to the Santa Cruz Model H Guitar with us. This is a collection of newly-recorded tracks celebrating the musical life and legacy of Paul Hostetter (1945-2019).

Growing up in Detroit, Paul Hostetter took up guitar as a teenager, dropped out of high school and got a job at Joe and Mary Fava's music shop teaching blues and folk-style guitar. He knew Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye. He played rhythm guitar in recording sessions at Motown Records. And, while still in Detroit, he attended Monteith College, a liberal arts branch of Wayne State University, eventually earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy. His experience there was broader than it sounds. He worked in a range of disciplines, among them metal-smithing, a skill that enabled him to support himself designing and making wedding rings.

In addition, Paul was the inspiration for the SCGC Model H guitar. These instruments exist in 14-fret, 13-fret and 12-fret versions. All of the tracks on this album are recorded with SCGC Model H guitars. Most of the musicians were friends with Paul and chose tunes and musical modes of expression that would have made Paul smile.

Beyond the incredible playing, this album is a tremendous showcase of just how varied one guitar model can sound, thanks to differing tonewood choices. It’s also fascinating to hear Kaiser and Turner’s expert commentary between songs. We hope you enjoy it.

Track Listing

1  Martin Simpson – "When First Unto This Country" 3:30
2  Rick Ruskin - "Medley: Buck Dancer's Choice / Arkansas Traveler"  1:45
3  Happy Traum - "He Was a Friend of Mine" 4:42
4  Bruce Molsky - "Lasitera"  3:06
5  Josh Michaell - "Evening Reflections by Laguna Creek" 4:04
6  Kevin Carr - "Foliada de Bearducido" 3:27
7  Jody Stecher - "The Spider Hop" 4:57
8  D'Gary - "Mpiarak' Aomby" 4:39
9  Tony McManus - "Bach Cello Suite #1: Prelude" 2:20
10  Michael Gulezian - "Oh! Suzanna" 4:48
11  Rick Chelew - "It Could Be an Antelope"  3:18
12  Ed Pettersen - "The Harbor Road"  3:44
13  Paul Kotapish & Dan Warrick - "Belgian Waltzes" 2:58
14  Rick Turner - "Smith Grade March"  1:47
15  Marc Silber - "Searching for Spence > Leavin' You"  4:40
16  Rev. Heng Sure - "She Carries Me"  4:47
17  Eric Thompson - "Shake Shake Mama" 2:51
18  Henry Kaiser - "Hard Time Killin' Spoonful Blues" 7:25

Professional snowboarder Russell Winfield has had quite a life, filled with both sports and music. On this week’s podcast, he talks to us his early love for the Grateful Dead; how he discovered guitar playing on roadtrips with fellow snowboarders; some of the influential music moments he had growing up; and his new project, Shout the People.  

Follow Shout the People here. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

"It wasn't like I was looking to make pedals my career, at all… it was just, 'I bet I can sell one to buy parts for this other one.'" –Robert Keeley, on his early work

On this week’s podcast, we talk to Robert Keeley of Keeley Electronics. When it comes to the world of effects pedals, Keeley is, quite simply, a legend. During our conversation, he recounts his early days flipping hi-fi gear he'd find at estate sales; explains why he never became an amp builder; outlines the importance of a great education for all of his employees; and walks us through the lifecycle of a pedal currently in development (the ECCOS delay/looper).

Whether you know Keeley for his old Tube Screamer mods or for his more recent, digital signal processing effects, you're bound to learn something during this hour-long chat.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

You may not know who singer-songwriter Odessa is, but chances are you’ve heard at least one of her songs. "I Will Be There," a tune found on her 2014 self-titled debut album, was used in a national car commercial and ended up being one of the most searched-for songs of the year. It also brought with it some of the headaches of the music industry: Managers, major labels… and expectations for another hit. "It was kind of a wild ride," Odessa tells us, looking back. "I'm still not exactly sure what happened."

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, Odessa walks us through what transpires when a major label and an artist have differing views on success and how one recovers to stay true to their vision. We also talk about Odessa's a new, self-released Jonathan Wilson-produced album called All Things. It’s an album that we can’t recommend enough.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases.

For years, Nelson, British Columbia's Craig Korth could be seen at bluegrass festivals sharing a trio of exceptional (and extremely pricey) instruments - his 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin, a 1937 Martin D-28 and a pre-war Gibson flathead 5-string banjo - with nearly anyone. But Craig is a lot more than just a laid-back instrument collector. On this week's podcast, he fills us in on his early love for bluegrass, how he accumulated a world-class array of instruments with a blue collar job (hint: a lot of hard work, hustling and trading up) and about the Nimble Fingers music camp he ran for many years.

We also talk about Craig's foray into lutherie, the lessons he took from archtop maker Bob Benedetto and how Craig is currently coping with focal hand dystonia. Whether or not you're a fan of bluegrass music, we think you'll love this episode and Craig's outlook on life.

Note: The first few minutes of our interview have some internet connection issues but it clears up very soon. 

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we’re talking to guitarist/instructor Jason Loughlin. Loughlin’s latest project is Sound on Sound, a rather unconventional TrueFire course dedicated to teaching the multi-track arranging of Les Paul. Over the course of the lesson, Loughlin walks students through a nine-guitar (!) arrangement of the jazz standard "After You’ve Gone." Though it sounds daunting, Loughlin is able to easily break down and demystify how recordings like this are made and reveal some of Les' favorite tone hacks, like emulating the sound of drums and bass via his six-string guitar.

We also talk to Loughlin about how to encapsulate those classic Les Paul sounds with modern gear, some of Loughlin's other loves – like early Sun Records recordings – and much more.  

This week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Mono and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. Don’t forget to also tune into the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, which is about to celebrate its first birthday.

Sound on Sound with Jason Loughlin: https://truefire.com/les-paul-guitar-lessons/sound-on-sound/c1442

Erick Coleman is known to thousands online simply as "tonechaser." But Erick’s story goes way beyond his social media posts: Coleman is an experienced luthier, a still-touring musician and the Senior Technical Advisor for Stewart-MacDonald, where he constantly develops and tests new tools for the company. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Coleman about his beginnings working on instruments, how he balances his work week and how he’s amassed a rather huge guitar and amp collection. We also talk about common mistakes people make on their first guitar builds, plus a lot more.  

Links:
Erick’s social feeds: Instagram / Facebook

Erick's band: The D-Rays

Stewart-MacDonald: https://www.stewmac.com

The instruments that luthier Eric Weigeshoff (Skytop Guitars) crafts are striking. For starters, his acoustic guitars don’t even have a traditional top soundhole. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Eric about how his guitar designs have evolved over the years, the challenges of being a solo luthier, his love for side soundports and some of the offbeat tonewoods he's employed.

Follow Eric and Skytop here.

In 1996, Jay Boone founded Emerald City Guitars out of a funky storefront in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. These days, ECG may occupy the same address but it has evolved into one of the world’s great vintage guitar destinations, a place where Dumble amps, Blackguard Telecasters and ‘Bursts line the walls alongside more affordable electric and acoustic guitars and amps. On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Jay about the growth of this family-run business; the sales trends he’s observed over the years; how a $400,000 'Burst gets sold; the vintage guitars he just can’t keep in-stock; plus a lot more. It’s a fascinating chat that covers a lot of ground: from vintage Gibson electrics to Martins, reverb.com and more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Mono Cases. 

Once again, we're bringing back one of our favorite subjects to the Fretboard Journal Podcast. Andy Powers should need little introduction to longtime FJ followers: In less than a decade, he's gone from being a solo luthier working out of his dad's garage to being the face of Taylor's guitar development to (as of a couple weeks ago) becoming a co-owner / partner in the company. During this week's conversation, we talk about all of the above, learn about Andy's work habits and hear about some of the daily decision-making that goes on behind-the-scenes at Taylor. 

Support the Fretboard Journal and our podcasts during our first-ever Subscription Drive: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/support

 This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Support the Fretboard Journal and our podcasts during our first-ever Subscription Drive: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/support

TJ Thompson is one of the most respected names in the world of vintage Martin guitars, a repairperson who can seemingly fix the impossible. Though he flies under the radar with no advertising and little publicity (aside from his occasional appearances in the Fretboard Journal), he has no shortage of work from collectors, high-end dealers and touring musicians. Occasionally, he even burns the midnight oil building Martin-inspired guitars under his own name. (As of this writing, he’s built 87 guitars from scratch.)  

TJ returns to the FJ podcast in a conversation that covers a lot of ground: his background (the '70s Martin D-35 with intonation issues that got him started in lutherie, his stints with Dana Bourgeois and Elderly Instruments); the inspiration that he finds from people and problem solving; and a few of the complicated guitar repairs he has recently tackled. Though there are plenty of guitar geek revelations, more than anything this is a chat about following your passion and finding mastery in your craft. Because of that, it’s one of our favorite episodes to date.  

Note: TJ also appeared in the Fretboard Journal #26 and has been on Fretboard Journal Podcast episodes 55, 97, 122 and 123.

Links: TJ's Pro Luthier Tools Shop 

The 1947 Martin D-18 with a crushed side referenced during this conversation: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rVQQvHVvD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Mark Stutman (Folkway Music) returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast for a sprawling conversation that covers the magic (and variables) of '30s vintage Gibson flattop guitars, his advice for aspiring luthiers, the allure of old strings (and what new strings he likes for old Gibsons) and much more. Stutman is a true authority when it comes to old Gibson and Martin guitar repairs and his restoration insights ("the enemy of Good is often Better") are invaluable for vintage guitar collectors.

The Fretboard Journal has just launched its first ever subscription drive. If you haven’t joined us yet, now is a great time. We’ll be sharing all-new podcasts, videos and articles all month long: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/support-the-fretboard-journal/

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

This week, we have a lively chat with graphic designer extraordinaire Aaron Draplin. Though Aaron is best-known as a visual artist – everything from magazines to books to concert posters to a US postage stamp – music is at the core of his work and upbringing. During our call, Jason talks to him Aaron about his music influences, his love for design of all stripes, his trajectory as a guitarist and the music lessons he’s taking from fellow Portland resident Pete Krebs and much more.

The Fretboard Journal has just launched its first ever subscription drive. If you haven’t joined us yet, now is a great time. We’ll be sharing all-new podcasts, videos and articles all month long: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/support-the-fretboard-journal/

This episode is sponsored by Roberto-Venn and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Singer-songwriter Joan Shelley talks to us about the making of Like the River Loves the Sea, her excellent 2019 full-length album. Shelley talks to us about the album's unlikely recording location (Iceland), her Collings guitar, her writing process and much more. 

Like what we're up to? Please support us by joining the Fretboard Journal via a print or discounted digital subscription. 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases.

Brent Mason is one of the most prolific and successful session guitarists of all time. He joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the life of a Nashville session musician, his guitars of choice, what he brings to the studio and much more. It's a fascinating chat about one of the lesser-known aspects of the music industry. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine via this link. 

This episode is sponsored by Roberto-Venn, Gibson, Martin and Carter Vintage Guitars. 

Richard Walter, curator for Phoenix, Arizona’s amazing Musical Instrument Museum, joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast. We talk about his background, his role at the museum and, most importantly, about MIM’s current exhibit, The Electric Guitar: Inventing an American Icon. The exhibit, which closes on September 15, 2019, gathers a wide array of historic and legendary instruments, including Speedy West’s Bigsby (profiled in a recent Fretboard Journal) and guitars from Alvino Rey, Bo Diddley and Les Paul.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases with special thanks to FJ presenting sponsors Carter Vintage, Martin Guitars and Gibson.  

Want to support the show? Get a discounted one-year digital subscription to our magazine for just $30. 

Most guitarists have seen a StringBender installed on a Telecaster at some point. But on an acoustic? That’s a pretty wild concept. On this week’s podcast, we talk to two of the finest flatpicking guitarists around - Trey Hensley & Chris Luquette – about the StringBenders that will soon be installed as an upgrade option on Preston Thompson Guitars. These two Thompson artists talk about the feel of a StringBender-equipped dreadnought, describe how it changes their playing and much more. Midway through the call, we patch in the one-and-only Gene Parsons, the device's storied inventor. He tells us how the StringBender was developed (thanks to Clarence White's inspiration) and even lets us know about a rather historic Martin D-18 that now has a StringBender installed in it.

Want to know more? Check out our video with Try and Chris here:

https://youtu.be/0SYOSsy4p20

Get a digital subscription to the Fretboard Journal magazine here:

https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer 

This episode is sponsored by Roberto-Venn, Gibson, Carter Vintage and Martin guitars. 

“Keep an open mind about [wood]. We’re not going to have these resources forever, especially if we’re not careful about them.” –Jayne Henderson

Jayne Henderson (EJ Henderson Guitars) joins us on this week’s podcast to talk about learning the craft of lutherie from her dad, Wayne Henderson. We also hear about her custom inlay work (and the thought process that goes into it); her affinity for sustainable woods (including oak); building a guitar for Doc Watson; ukuleles and much more.

Mentioned on the podcast: The Luthiers Apprentice blog, the Hampton Brothers cut Red spruce; John Arnold’s oak guitar. 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases with special thanks to FJ presenting sponsors Carter Vintage, Martin Guitars and Gibson.  

Want to support the show? Get a discounted one-year digital subscription to our magazine for just $30. 

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we sit down with Gibson CMO Cesar Gueikian. Cesar’s story is fascinating: Long before he began working for the legendary guitar company, he was a successful business person and self-professed Gibson fanatic. These days, he gets to combine his finance background with his love for all-things-Gibson and has been a big part of the new Gibson leadership. During the course of our candid chat, he walks us through the challenges Gibson faces, tells us about some of the new models he’s most excited for and much more.

This episode is brought to you by Mono Cases, Roberto-Venn, Carter Vintage, Martin Guitars and Gibson.  

Order the new Fretboard Journal 44 by clicking here. 

On this week's FJ Podcast, we talk to Paul Heumiller, founder of Dream Guitars. Dream Guitars is a highly-curated, online store featuring contemporary high-end, luthier-built acoustic guitars. At any time, they typically have over 100 new and pre-owned instruments from makers such as Wayne Henderson, James Olson, Leo Buendia and Jordan McConnell. 

During this chat, Paul tells us about the current market for these  instruments, explains what he thinks separates a great acoustic builder from the rest and much more. 

This episode is brought to you by Mono Cases, Roberto-Venn, Carter Vintage, Martin Guitars and Gibson.  

Order the new Fretboard Journal 44 by clicking here. 

A bonus episode this week! The Fretboard Journal's Ryan Richter talks to dobro, lap steel and pedal steel composer and instrumentalist Mike Grigoni. 

Ryan says, "In 2001, I had the good fortune of meeting Mike Grigoni on a Bainbridge Island beach. 'You gotta know this guy...' was the party line that day, and it was right on the money. Before departing Seattle, Mike and I collaborated on music, and though it never bore much tangible fruit, it was wildly informative for me. Mike's ample skill as a leader, accompanist, and composer was an invigorating force that's as much of an inspiration now as it was then. (When working on my own music, I often employ the 'what would Mike do here" postulate.') 

Mike's musical journey has taken him from traditional Bluegrass to Ambient music, a swing that could be a mirror reaction to his shift in academic focus from Ethnomusicology to Ethnography, a subject on which he's currently writing his dissertation in Durham, North Carolina. 

This week, we travel all the way to Nazareth, Pennsylvania to interview Fred Greene (Vice President of Product Management at Martin Guitars) and Tim Teel (Martin's Director of Instrument Design). The decisions these two individuals make have a huge impact on Martin's current (and future) guitar offerings. We chat about the behind-the-scenes process of making new Martin models, how Martin prepares for big unveilings like the NAMM Show, the influence guitar forums have on their output, the guitar-building community in general and much more.

This insightful chat is easily one of our favorite conversations about the guitar industry we've had to date.  

This episode is brought to you by Carter Vintage, Martin Guitars and Gibson. 

Order the new Fretboard Journal 44 by clicking here. 

Bassist extraordinaire Tal Wilkenfeld joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about coming to the US to pursue music, opening for the Who and about the making of her new album, Love Remains. We also talk about her gear of choice, including her rather unique baritone guitar (built in part by Jackson Browne). 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases.

Like what we're up to? Consider subscribing to the paper or digital edition of the Fretboard Journal. 

Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter Jacob Miller joins on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast. We talk about gear (including the lucky horse trading he did to get his cherished '40s Epiphone archtop), his debut album ('This New Home') and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases. 

http://www.jacobmillermusic.net

Mandolin great Andy Statman joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new album, 'Monroe Bus,' taking lessons from David Grisman, the influence of Bill Monroe, finding tone and much more. 

Portions of this interview can be found on the Fretboard Journal's online piece on Statman here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/interview-andy-statman-on-monroe-bus/

But Andy was so insightful during that conversation that we decided to run the whole talk as a podcast. We hope you enjoy it.

This episode is sponsored by Mono.  

Legendary singer-songwriter Steve Earle joins us this week for one of the best conversations we've had in years. Over the course of this nearly hour-long chat, Earle talks to us about meeting and working alongside his hero, Guy Clark, how sobriety changed his playing and his ever-growing guitar collection (135+ instruments as of this recording). Earle also discusses overcoming his fear of Telecasters, his love for the guitars of James Trussart, his favorite amps, gambling tips and more.

Earle's Guy Clark tribute album, Guy, is out now. We can't recommend it enough.

This week's podcast is sponsored by Mono Cases. Check out all their case and pedalboard offerings at monocreators.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast on iTunes and please leave us a review! 

Acclaimed luthier David Eichelbaum joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his restoration and repair work, guitarmaking and a lot more. Eichelbaum is based in Ojai, California and on any given day may find himself working on a pre-war Martin or a '59 Burst. He also talks to us about his own builds - historically-accurate Fender re-creations and his acoustic guitars - and what has to be one of the most unique car hobbies around. All told, it's a fun chat with a long-time friend of the Journal. 

Seattle's Greg Ruby lives and breathes jazz guitar. When he's not gigging with various ensembles, this former member of Pearl Django is a busy composer and music educator. Ruby's latest project is one of his most ambitious, Oscar Alemán: Play Along Songbook, Volume One. On this week's podcast, Ruby walks us through the unbelievable life of Alemán (a peer of Django Reinhardt's with an equally made-for-Hollywood back story). We also talk about Greg's early introduction to gypsy jazz and hear about the mammoth task he had in assembling this collection of tab/notation (the first dedicated to Alemán's music). 

http://gregrubymusic.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Damien Jurado joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the making of 'In the Shape of a Storm,' his incredible new solo acoustic album.

During our chat, Jurado talks about the inspiration he received from a no-name nylon-stringed guitar; walks us through the album's sparse production (just two microphones; recorded in just a couple of hours); explains why he moved from the Pacific Northwest; and speaks candidly about his relationship with the late, great Richard Swift. Plus a lot more... 

The always delightful Sam Amidon joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about music, the joys of touring by bus and much more. We also chat about growing up in a folk music-filled household, Amidon's take on the Harry Smith's The Anthology of American Folk Music and get the the story behind his cherished Martin OM-15.  

Check the Fretboard Journal site for our new video with Amidon performing "Juma Mountain." 

By popular demand, Folkway Music's Mark Stutman returns to give us even more behind-the-scenes tales of vintage guitar repair. We talk about Gibson acoustics and what it would take for new Gibsons to capture the coveted tone of their '30s and '40s predecessors. We also chat about the art of neck resets (Mark is featured in a feature on resets in the FJ #44, out soon) and much more. A must-listen if you love vintage acoustic guitars. 

https://www.folkwaymusic.com

Fingerstyle guitarist Kinloch Nelson joins us on this week’s FJ Podcast to talk about Partly on Time: Recordings 1968-1970, his new (and highly recommended) anthology on Tompkins Square. The backstory on these demo and previously unreleased recordings is simply incredible. Kinloch sheds light on the making of these long-lost recordings, his guitars of choice and the ill-fated session he was supposed to do with John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas, plus a lot more... 

Into high end acoustic guitars? If so, you should know about the Artisan Guitar Show, taking place April 12-14 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.   

https://artisanguitarshow.com

http://www.tompkinssquare.com

Guitarist Mike Baggetta stops by the Fretboard Journal to talk about the making of his incredible new album 'Wall of Flowers,' which features in the incredible rhythm section of Mike Watt on bass and Jim Keltner on drums. Baggetta describes the incredible influence Watt's music had on his playing over the years, talks to us about his gear of choice (including his Saul Koll-built guitars and Fryette amps) and much more. 

https://mikebaggetta.bandcamp.com/album/wall-of-flowers

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we celebrate the larger-than-life personality and music of Dick Dale, who passed away at the age of 81. 

We begin by talking to Matt Warshaw, surf historian and the author of the Encyclopedia of Surfing. Then we talk to frequent FJ contributor Jim Washburn about the time he spent with Dick Dale over the years. Lastly, we talk to John Page of John Page Guitars, who worked with Dick during his time at the Fender Custom Shop. 

Tim O'Brien (Hot Rize) joins us on this week's podcast to talk about his excellent new, self-titled Tim O'Brien Band album, out March 15, 2019. The album is features an array of covers, new tunes and even a co-write with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. We also discuss his guitar of choice (a 1937 Martin 00-18), his lengthy relationship with Mike Kemnitzer (Nugget Mandolins), how he balances his busy session work schedule and a lot more. 

Fingerstyle guitarist Adam Miller joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his music, growing up in Australia, the influence that Tommy Emmanuel had on his playing and the incredible collection of acoustic and electric guitars he's been able to amass. 

Check out Adam's excellent 2018 album, 'The Defining of Success' or the new acoustic EP 'Love/Home/Fight/Solo' on Spotify or wherever you stream music. 

This week's episode is sponsored by Vibes, the safer alternative to foam earplugs. Use promo code FRETBOARD to get 15% off plus free shipping at www.discovervibes.com. 

Love the FJ Podcast? Then you hopefully know we have two more podcasts in our family: Luthier on Luthier and the Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/luthier-on-luthier-with-michael-bashkin/id1208172851?mt=2

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-vintage-amps-with-skip-simmons/id1442046563?mt=2

Daniel Romano is an insanely talented (and prolific) multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from Canada. Over the last decade, he's released music that has varied from folk and country-inspired to power pop and punk. 

Romano came by the Fretboard Journal and talked to us about his varied sounds, his recording habits and, of course, his gear. We also shot a video of him playing two songs from his latest record, 'Finally Free,' which we'll be posting next week. 

Like the FJ Podcast? Consider subscribing to the Fretboard Journal magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/subscriptions

Andy Powers of Taylor Guitars stops by the Fretboard Journal offices to talk about the new Taylor Grand Pacific series of guitars, his influences and a lot more! Plus, NAMM updates, a great deal on Fretboard Journal subscriptions and a few surprises. 

In 1974, Minnesota-based musician / railroad brakeman Kevin Odegard was asked if he wanted to help out on a local Bob Dylan recording session. Little did he know that he would be sitting in on one of the great rock albums of all time, Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Odegard about that fateful invite, his previous encounters with Dylan, his guitar work on "Tangled Up in Blue" and much more. We also get the story of the ’69 Martin D-28 that Odegard used for the Blood session, which is currently for sale via Dream Guitars.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine and use the coupon code PODCAST to save $5 off your order.

https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/instruments/guitars/steel-string-guitars/flattop/1969-martin-d-28-from-bob-dylan-s-blood-on-the-tracks-251916.html

For over twenty years, Bob Minner has served as touring acoustic guitarist for Tim McGraw. But Bob’s day job barely scratches the surface of this fascinating multi-instrumentalist. On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to this acclaimed acoustic musician about his love for bluegrass music, what it’s like to tour with a country music superstar and we discuss his new solo album, Six String Sanctuary: The Acoustic Hymns Project.

https://minnerguitar.com/store
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Fingerstyle guitarist William Tyler joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new album, 'Goes West' (Merge Records) and a lot more.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Southern California builder Eric Galletta. 

Eric has been building electric guitars for over 25 years and has worked alongside numerous guitarmaking legends, including Wayne Charvel (Charvel Guitars) and Bernie Rico (BC Rich). But the focus of much of our conversation is Eric's love for the guitars of Paul Bigsby. 

Eric talks to us about his fateful encounter with R.C. Allen, the magic found in Bigsby-built guitars and about his own re-creations of these ultra-rare instruments. 

Memphis-based musician Liz Brasher stops by the Fretboard Journal to talk about her early influences, her gear and much more. 

Check out Liz's debut solo, 'Painted Image,' out on Fat Possum Records. 

Tommy Emmanuel and Jerry Douglas join us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about guitars, the art of collaboration and much more. 

Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids) joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new Martin Kenneth Pattengale Special guitar (available exclusively at Gruhn Guitars). This guitar has quite a backstory: Kenneth set out to make the ultimate American-made guitar for musicians on a budget, an homage to his '50s 0-15. After many twists and turns (and literally years of prototypes), Martin and Kenneth were able to design a unique guitar with a stained torrefied Adirondack spruce top, mahogany back and sides and dovetail neck joint for less than $2200. We also chat about Kenneth’s growing collection of vintage Martins, including his '55 0-15 and his shadetop 1932 0-17, music production and more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret, Lee Valley and Lowden Guitars. 

On this week's FJ Podcast, we're joined by Joey Landreth of the Bros. Landreth. We talk guitars (including his Alexander Sorokin-built instrument), coffee, career choices and more. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret, Lowden Guitars and Lee Valley Tools. 

This week, we’re joined by Folkway Music founder Mark Stutman. Over the years, Stutman has earned accolades from guitar collectors around the world as one of the finest vintage acoustic repairmen around, especially when it comes to Gibson guitars from the '30s and '40s. But he didn't start out wanting to fix 70 year old guitars: He originally wanted to build instruments just for left-handed players.  

During our podcast, we also discuss what it takes to run an independent guitar store in 2018 (and beyond), the mentors he’s found along the way, the unique quirks found only in Golden Era-Gibson guitars and some of his favorite instruments that have crossed his bench. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Lowden Guitars and Lee Valley Tools. Want to sponsor the Fretboard Journal Podcast? Drop us a line at fretboardjournal@gmail.com. 

Musician David Benedict was a bit of a late bloomer, not taking up the mandolin until he was 13 years old. Since then, David has become one of the most innovative and sought after mandolin players and instructors around. His new album, The Golden Angle, showcases his talents as an instrumentalist and composer alongside a team of great musicians, including Missy Raines, David Grier and Stuart Duncan. We chat about the making of the album, his Apitius Mandolin mandolin and a lot more. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret, Lee Valley and Lowden Guitars.

Guitarist Billy Strings joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about one of the more interesting instruments we’ve learned about this year, an electric guitar that his grandfather built in prison (check out the hashtag #prisonguitar on Instagram to see pictures). Billy and Scale Model Guitars of Nashville have spent the last several months restoring the handmade instrument and it’s finally finished. We also learn about his Preston Thompson guitar, the D-28 he purchased from Bryan Sutton and why he lugs a Fender Deluxe Reverb to all of his acoustic shows. 

At 22:32, we also get the heartwarming story of how Billy stumbled upon and recovered his father’s Martin D-93. 

We’ll be featuring Billy and the Prison Guitar restoration in the Fretboard Journal soon with all-new pics. Subscribe today and we’ll make sure you get the issue. 

Holiday shoppers: Remember that the Fretboard Journal makes for a great gift… we offer one, two and three-year gift subscriptions to our reader-supported magazine. 

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Lowden Guitars, RetroFret Vintage Guitars and Lee Valley.

A quick announcement for Fretboard Journal Podcast listeners on how you can help us! 

www.fretboardjournal.com/insider

Mandolin virtuoso Sam Bush joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about Revival: The Sam Bush Story, the recently-released full-length documentary on his life and music. We also talk about "Hoss," his 1937 Gibson F-5; learn why Sam has never owned a Lloyd Loar mandolin; and hear about his musical upbringing in Bowling Green, Kentucky. 

Revival is now available for rent or purchase via Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Revival-Sam-Bush-Story/dp/B07GQVHML2 

Longtime FJ readers may remember that Sam graced the cover of the Fretboard Journal #19, in a feature where he and Tim O’Brien interviewed each other. 

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Retrofret, Lee Valley and Lowden Guitars.

Amp repairman Skip Simmons calls it like he sees it. He joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about vintage guitar amp repair, why smaller wattage amps can be better for the average player,  and what bargains still exist in the world of amplification. We also talk Filmosound conversions, Alexander Dumble, repair horror stories and a lot more. 

Going forward, Skip will be hosting a monthly podcast called the Truth About Vintage Amps for the Fretboard Journal where he will be fielding questions from you, our listeners. Send any and all amp questions and comments to fretboardjournal@gmail.com!

Skip was featured in the FJ's 33rd issue. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, Lowden Guitars and Lee Valley. 

http://skipsimmonsamps.com

Composer/jazz guitarist/singer-songwriter Anthony Wilson joins us on this week’s FJ Podcast to talk about his forthcoming project, Songs and Photographs, a vinyl LP bundled with a 48-page book featuring his photography. We of course talk about Wilson’s gear (guitars and cameras) but we also dive deep into his songwriting process, the influence photography has had on his music and much more.

https://anthonywilson.bandcamp.com

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Lowden Guitars, RetroFret Vintage Guitars and Lee Valley. 

A re-broadcast of Episode 224 of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, the interview that started the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast. 

The original FJ Podcast description for this show: Amp repairman Skip Simmons calls it like he sees it. He joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about vintage guitar amp repair, why smaller wattage amps can be better for the average player,  and what bargains still exist in the world of amplification. We also talk Filmosound conversions, Alexander Dumble, repair horror stories and a lot more. 

Recorded November, 2018. 

A lot of acoustic guitarists have a favorite pickup that they install on their instruments. Singer-songwriter/guitarist David Wilcox has more like ten…and he uses them all at the same time.

On this week’s podcast, we talk to David about his very unique method for amplifying and recording his guitars, including the numerous pickups and mics he installs (Joe Mills, Sunrise, McIntyre Acoustic Featherand others!). We also talk about his signature model RainSong guitar and his forthcoming order with acclaimed luthier Jason Kostal.

Beyond all the gear talk, David walks us through his Custom Songs program (where he takes commissions from fans to write songs specifically about their lives), the fateful moment that inspired him to take up the guitar and a lot more.

This episode is sponsored by Lowden Guitars, Lee Valley Tools and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

John McEuen joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, learning from Doug Dillard, the creation of his solo album, Made in Brooklyn (and the unique way it was recorded), plus a lot more.

Check out the Fretboard Journal website to watch McEuen perform "Brooklyn Crossing." 

This week's episode is sponsored by Lee Valley Tools, Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Lowden Guitars. 

Guitarist Mike Squires went straight from the Marines to the Seattle music scene, eventually becoming a guitarist in Harvey Danger, the Long Winters and Alien Crime Syndicate. These days, he's living on the East Coast and dividing his time between a day job, playing guitar for Duff McKagan's Loaded and posting short music clips on Instagram under the hashtag couchriffs. 

On this week's FJ Podcast, we have a fun chat with Squires about his music journey, get his tips for how to land a gig as a guitarist ("be nice," "learn ALL the songs..") and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Lowden Guitars, Lee Valley Tools and RetroFret Vintage Guitars. 

Order the new Fretboard Journal Electric Guitar Annual here. 

Vermont-based luthier Adam Buchwald (Circle Strings) joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about leaving his family business to start repairing and building instruments, his time at Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Froggy Bottom Guitars, the launch of Circle Strings and his new budget acoustic line, the Iris Guitar Co. 

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Lee Valley. 

https://www.irisguitarcompany.com

http://www.circlestrings.com
http://retrofret.com
http://leevalley.com

National Flatpicking Champion and Grant Farm founder Tyler Grant joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast this week. We chat about the fascinating world of flatpicking guitar competitions and the strategies Tyler employed to win them, the formation of Grant Farm and his new duo record with Robin Kessinger, Kanawha County Flatpicking. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Jazz icon John Pizzarelli joins us to talk about Nat King Cole, his dad (Bucky Pizzarelli), his Radio Deluxe show and much more!

This episode is sponsored by Lee Valley Tools and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-subscription-no-auto-renew

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to one of the most popular guitar instructors around, Corey Congilio. In addition to Corey's contributions at TrueFire (where he has online lessons on soloing, blues licks and a lot more), we hear about his work representing makers like Martin Guitars and Fishman, the life of a session musician and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Lee Valley tools. 

http://coreycongilio.com

On this week's podcast, we talk to jazz guitarist Miles Okazaki about his epic new project, Work: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Monk. On it, he transcribes and performs the 70 known Monk compositions for solo guitar. We learn about his arrangement process, the guitar he used for the recordings and the rules he gave himself before tackling this huge undertaking. 

https://okazakiwork.bandcamp.com/releases

On today’s Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast, we’re talking to YouTube sensation Ryan “Fluff” Bruce. With his Riffs, Beards & Gear channel, Fluff has conducted deep dives into all sorts of gear questions, unboxed the cheapest guitars imaginable on Amazon and, most importantly, had a ton of fun. Along the way, he’s garnered over 250,000 YouTube subscribers.

We talk to Fluff about the unlikely career of a professional YouTuber (including the even more unlikely training he received as an editor of adult films!), his band Rest, Repose, and his signature model guitar built by Balaguer Guitars. Plus a lot more…

Use the coupon code PODCAST when you check out at fretboardjournal.com and receive $5 off your order.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Lee Valley Tools and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter/producer Joe Henry joins us to talk about his latest recording projects, his writing habits and more! 

This episode is sponsored by Lee Valley and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Brighton, England’s Gwenifer Raymond joins us on this week’s podcast. Raymond started playing guitar and drumming in punk and rock bands, but eventually stumbled upon Appalachian music, pre-war blues and John Fahey. Since then, she picked up a PhD, became a video game programmer and has just released her first album of Fahey-inspired American Primitive music, You Never Were Much of a Dancer (Tompkins Square). It’s a fascinating journey that we cover on today’s podcast, as well as her choice in gear and much more.

This episode is sponsored by Lee Valley, Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music.

Austin-based Tom Ellis is one of the world's most respected mandolin makers. On this week's podcast, we talk to him about how he got his start building instruments, the fateful day he showed Ricky Skaggs his second-ever mandolin and about the inlay work he does at Precision Pearl, Inc. today. We also chat about how Tom shared his shop with Bill Collings in the early '80s, talk about torrefied wood, discuss the merits of using CNCs in a high-end build and a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by Lee Valley and Retrofret. 

This week, we talk to Reverb.com's Dan Orkin. Dan recounts the company's early days, its explosive growth, some current marketplace trends when it come to guitars (including what's hot right now and what isn't) and a lot more. 

This episode is sponsored by Lee Valley and Retrofret. 

If you like the FJ Podcast, we hope you'll leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, iTunes or wherever you stream it. 

Use the coupon code PODCAST when you check out at fretboardjournal.com and save an additional $5 off any order. 

This week, we talk to one of the unsung heroes in the world of boutique guitars, Bruce VanWart of Collings Guitars. Bruce is the first official Collings employee and the one person who has touched nearly every instrument the company has produced since the late ’80s (almost 30,000 instruments). He reflects upon working alongside Bill Collings during the company’s earliest days, talks about his process evaluating wood for the company’s instruments and describes the 2018 re-launch of the Collings C-100. The C-100 was the brainchild of Bill Collings, a guitar with a dreadnought-sized lower bout with a skinnier upper bout and waist. Around 20 original C-100s were made in the mid-‘90s. They were reintroduced at the 2018 NAMM Show. 

Here's a video featuring Bob Minner playing one of the first Collings C-100s made in 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3d7izbaBZE 

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music, where there is an ever-growing inventory of vintage Martin and Gibson flattop guitars from the golden era.

Cory Wong is a force of nature: The thirty-something guitarist performs in Vulfpeck, the Fearless Flyers and on innumerable sessions. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Cory about the Minneapolis music scene (including his interactions over the years with Prince), why he loves clean amps and green screens, his impressive right-hand technique, Blake Mills and more. 

Cory’s second album, The Optimist, is available for pre-order with all sorts of cool perks: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Acclaimed guitar repair guru Tom Crandall of TR Crandall Guitars joins us to talk about the making of two gorgeous videos currently on fretboardjournal.com. In the videos, Tom is shown doing his magic to two vintage Stella guitars, a 12 and 6-string. Both guitars required extensive restoration work and a neck reset. Tom also talks about his background as a largely self-taught luthier, current projects he's working on and much more. 

https://trcrandall.com

This week, we welcome frequent FJ contributor Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate onto the podcast. Over the years, Riverhorse has penned some of our favorite articles for the FJ, including his features on Huey Long, Paul Buskirk and Darrell Scott. We talk to Riverhorse about the making of these features, his writing career (including his prolific work writing about fly fishing), his favorite guitars and much more.

Stephen Bishop - the guy behind pop hits "On and On," "It Might Be You" and "Save It For a Rainy Day" - joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk guitars (especially the gorgeous instrument that he commissioned from Danny Ferrington), movie making, songwriting and more. 

Sully Guitars founder Jon "Sully" Sullivan has had quite a journey: from growing up in Chicago, to attempting to be a rock star on the Sunset Strip, to building electric guitars full-time in Little Elm, Texas. Along the way, he raised a kid as a single parent, took on a few day jobs and eventually collaborated with one of his heroes, Grover Jackson. On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Sully about all his evolution as a guitarmaker, his decision to manufacture a series of guitars in South Korea (Sully’s Conspiracy line), his influential social media presence and a lot more.

Sully Guitars: http://www.sullyguitars.com

This episode is brought to you by Dying Breed Music: http://www.dyingbreedguitars.com

The Fretboard Journal’s first-ever Electric Guitar Annual will be out this August. Pre-order your copy now: 

https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-electric-annual

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to country blues guitarist Todd Albright. He tells us about his early infatuation with the acoustic guitar – from hearing Dave Van Ronk as a teenager to discovering Gamblin Woman Blues’ by Paul Geremia. The Detroit-based musician also tells about being signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records, his 12-string guitars – both built by Todd Cambio of Fraulini Guitars – and much more.

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Mass Street Music.

https://www.toddalbright.com

http://fraulini.com

https://shop.fretboardjournal.com

https://massstreetmusic.com

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to two of the most promising young guitarmakers we know: Meredith Coloma of Coloma Guitars and Isaac Jang of Isaac Jang Guitars. Coloma talks to us about how she's found a unique audience for her guitars thanks to her hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. She also talks to us about the creation of Vancouver International Guitar Festival, a weekend-long celebration of handmade acoustic and electric guitars. We then talk to Jang, a young luthier who already has a multi-year wait list for his acoustics. Both of these insightful interviews took place thanks to the La Conner Guitar Festival, which took place Mother's Day Weekend in La Conner, Washington. 

This week, we talk to visual artist James A. Willis. Why are we talking to an artist on the FJ podcast? Because Willis has plenty of guitar and music-related projects under his belt. He's at least partially based in Nashville, where he’s served as the "Artist in Residence" at Gibson, he's used guitar cases as canvases for his Saints series and he even worked at Zac Brown's estate. Most recently – and for reasons that still baffle us – Willis started a new podcast called James A. Willis reads the Fretboard Journal, where he talks to musician pals about the FJ and their guitar (and songwriting) habits. 

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Mass Street Music, based in Lawrence, Kansas. If you’re into boutique guitars, old Martins or just need a reliable repair team to tune up your guitars, check them out.

Check out James A Willis Reads the Fretboard Journal here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/james-a-willis-reads-fretboard-journal/id1355577648?mt=2

For our 200th episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, we take the show on the road and broadcast from our recent Fretboard Journal Live event from the Calton Case headquarters in Austin, Texas. You’ll hear our live interview with Steve McCreary (Collings Guitars), music from Redd Volkaert, Paul Glasse and Kym Warner (Greencards) and hear our conversation with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin about their new album, Downey to Lubbock. Closing things out, we hear a great tune with Anthony da Costa.

This episode is sponsored by Austin’s own Straight Frets Guitar Service, Exile Vancouver and Dying Breed Music!   

On behalf of all of us, thank you for listening to our podcast and for helping us reach this milestone! As always, if you like what we’re up to, please leave us a review on iTunes and share the episode with your friends.

Show notes
10:15 Steve McCreary (Collings Guitars / Waterloo Guitars) interview

16:10 Redd Volkaert / Paul Glasse

22:28 Kym Warner (Greencards) & Redd Volkaert

26:47 Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore interview

45:12 Anthony da Costa

For most luthiers, building and repairing six string guitars pays the bills. On this week’s podcast, we talk a luthier who has carved out an entire career for himself building just ukuleles, tenor guitars and the occasional mandolin. Portland, Maine’s Joel Eckhaus talks to us about his eclectic Earnest Instruments lineup, the fateful music lessons he took from Vaudeville music legend Roy Smeck and much more.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Mass Street Music. 

Mulit-instrumentalists and music historian Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) joins us to talk about his new record 'Black Cowboys' (Smithsonian Folkways) and a lot more. The record documents the music that black cowboys would have performed in the Old West, alongside some tracks inspired by that chapter of America's histroy. We also talk gear - and learn about Flemons' unique vintage banjo and Fraulini guitars - and a lot more. This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music. 

Links:
https://theamericansongster.com

https://folkways.si.edu/dom-flemons/black-cowboys

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Greg and Janet Deering (Deering Banjos) join us on this week’s podcast. Over the course of four decades, this husband-and-wife team has created one of the musical instrument world’s true success stories. Their company has produced over 100,000 instruments and continues to make around 30 banjos a day (all made in the USA). We talk about their early days at American Dream (the same cooperative that launched Taylor Guitars); how they grew their company; the banjo in popular culture; their array of instruments – from starter to collector-grade – and more.  

https://www.deeringbanjos.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

This episode's sponsor is Mass Street Music. 

On today’s podcast, we talk to guitar god Eric Johnson! We chat about using meditation to live in the present, Eric's new Fender signature model thinline Stratocaster, his new pedal board, re-creating the Ah Via Musicom album today and much more.  

https://www.ericjohnson.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Chris Smither joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new double-album, Call Me Lucky. We chat about his unique interpretations of well-trodden covers such as “Sittin’ On Top of the World” and “Maybellene,” learn about his guitar of choice – a custom Collings 000 with a 12-fret, short scale neck, a cutaway and a solid peghead that he purchased from the Music Emporium - plus a lot more.

This episode is brought to you by Carter Vintage. 

Guitar legend Duck Baker joins us this week to talk about his new compilation, Les Blues du Richmond: Demos & Outtakes, 1973-1979 (out this month on Tompkins Square Records). The album features both the early instrumental demo recordings that landed him on Kicking Mule Records as well as some lesser-heard tracks that he recorded in London in the late ‘70s. Beyond that, we chat about why so many guitarists in the early ‘70s were arranging ragtime music, learn about Duck's forays into avant-garde music and jazz, plus a lot more. It’s a fun chat with one of the music world’s most versatile players.

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams join us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about their latest recording; the challenges of being working musicians who happen to be married, guitars and much more! 

On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we’re talking to singer-songwriter Caitlin Canty and banjo wizard-turned-producer Noam Pikelny (Punch Brothers). We chat about the making of Cantry’s forthcoming album, Motel Bouquet (out 3/30), the great group of Nashville musicians that ended up on the finished record and more. We also cover their gear of choice – including Canty’s vintage Recording King acoustic guitar and Pikelny’s National Tricone plectrum guitar.

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music.

Remember: Order a subscription to the Fretboard Journal and use the coupon code PODCAST and we’ll take $5 off your order.

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to guitarist Glenn Jones (Cul de Sac). Glenn will be participating in the forthcoming The 1000 Incarnations of the Rose festival taking place April 13-15, 2018 in Takoma Park, Maryland. The festival is a three-day long celebration of the American Primitive guitar movement, as pioneered by John Fahey and Robbie Basho.

Over the course of our talk, Jones describes his lengthy relationship with Fahey (and Basho), why you probably shouldn’t befriend your music heroes, his guitars of choice for this style of music and the origin of the unique, one-off festival taking place in Fahey's old hometown.

To learn more about the festival, go here: https://1000rose.org

Glenn Jones' liner notes for The Epiphany of Glenn Jones, mentioned during this podcast, can be found here: http://www.johnfahey.com/pages/epiphany.html

Glenn Jones official website: http://www.thrilljockey.com/artists/glenn-jones

Today we’re talking to accomplished studio guitarist and composer Mark Leggett. Mark has led a fascinating life with credits that include the guitar solo from Martika’s “Toy Soldiers” to the playing with Dolly Parton, to doing music for My Name Is Earl. During our chat, we get the inside story on Leggett’s viral guitar videos – yes, he has a solo album brewing – as well as the guitars he loves and what it’s like to make a living scoring music for films and TV. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music. 

Reminder: Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. And, if you're anywhere near Texas, the Fretboard Journal will be hitting the road and throwing a gathering in Austin on March 27, 2018. Details here. 

Link: Mark Leggett's Facebook page

On this week's podcast, we catch up with longtime friends and music collaborators David Grisman and Del McCoury at Wintergrass 2018. We talk about the early days of bluegrass festivals, some of the larger-than-life personalities they worked alongside (including Bill Keith, Jerry Garcia and Mac Wiseman), Grisman's amazing work at Acoustic Disc, McCoury's DelFest and much more. 

http://acousticdisc.com
http://www.delmccouryband.com

The new Fretboard Journal #41 is out now, featuring David Rawlings, Jason Isbell, Red Diamond Mandolins and much more. Order it at fretboardjournal.com and use the coupon code PODCAST to save $5. 

Singer-songwriter Suzanne Santo joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about starting out in music, moving to New York City (by herself!) at 16, her work in HoneyHoney, the decision to put out a solo record and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music. 

Jim Herrington is one of the most accomplished music photographers of our time and the guy behind iconic shots of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and other legends of country, blues and rock & roll. He’s been a longtime contributor to the Fretboard Journal; you may remember the incredible short story and photograph he contributed on tracking down Mickey Baker in rural France.

Herrington has his first coffee table book out and, no, it’s not on music heroes. The Climbers is a photo-laden book that features unforgettable portraits of the icons of the climbing/mountaineering world. On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Herrington about his start in photography, his techniques for getting these incredible shots of artists and athletes and his plans for another book based on music. It’s an enlightening and fun chat with one of our favorite contributors. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music.

We talk to a lot of unique individuals on this podcast and luthier Larry Pogreba is certainly no exception. Pogreba divides his time between homes in New Mexico and an off-the-grid homestead in Montana and builds resonator guitars, Weissenborns and acoustics that often feature recycled / reclaimed metal, bullet casings for inlays and all sorts of other adornments that harken to American steel and the Wild West. His instruments have landed in the hands of Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, Cindy Cashdollar and others. In fact, one of the most prolific Pogreba instrument collectors around is the acclaimed Darrell Scott, who is featured in the new Fretboard Journal #41. On today’s podcast, we talk to Larry about how the Danny Ferrington book got him turned onto guitarmaking, how he splits his time between two homes/workshops, his unique guitar (and cannon!) builds and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Dying Breed Music. 

On this week’s podcast, we talk to legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn. Bruce was featured back in the Fretboard Journal #25 and he offers plenty of updates on his career, music and projects during our conversation. We chat about his Linda Manzer-built instruments (including the electric charango that she built for him), his memoir Rumours of Glory and the full length documentary on his life, Pacing the Cage.  

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Dying Breed Music, where you can find a bevy of great acoustic guitars from the Golden Era.

On today’s podcast, we talk to the members of legendary bluegrass band Hot Rize: Tim O’Brien, Pete Wernick, Nick Forster and Bryan Sutton. The quartet—currently celebrating their 40th year performing as a band—talks to us about the early Colorado bluegrass scene, the instruments they’re currently using, Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers, songwriting and more. It's an enlightening and hilarious chat with four bluegrass icons. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music.

On today’s podcast, we talk to Earnie Bailey of Wire Instruments. Earnie is a jack-of-all-trades who went from running a cafe in Seattle to being a guitar tech for Nirvana (and the Foo Fighters) and eventually building his own instruments. We talk about what makes his Wire Instruments unique, the inspiration he gets from unlikely predecessors like builder Dave Bunker and what the life of a guitar tech is like.

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music.

Use the discount code PODCAST when you order an FJ subscription and save $5. 

Today we're talking to Brooklyn-based guitarist and Matador recording artist Steve Gunn. Deeply inspired by John Fahey and the entire primitive folk movement, Gunn is equally talented as a singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and wild improviser. We talk about his background growing up in Philadelphia, the influence of Jack Rose and John Fahey on his music, his Gunn-Truscinski Duo recordings and, of course, gear. 

For a limited time, subscribe and get three years (12 issues) of the Fretboard Journal for just $99. Click here. 

http://www.steve-gunn.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

On this week’s podcast, we talk to bluegrass icons Del, Ronnie and Rob McCoury of the Del McCoury Band. We chat about Del's Martin's, including his dark top D-18, Ronnie's Loar mandolin, the rigors of touring and much more.

This podcast was recorded backstage at Seattle’s Triple Door venue.

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

On this week's podcast, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn stop by the Fretboard Journal and interview each other! 

This episode is sponsored by RetroFret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music. 

Need a last minute gift? Head over to fretboardjournal.com and use the coupon code PODCAST when you buy a gift subscription and you'll save $5 off your order. 

On this week’s podcast, we talk to filmmaker Drew Roller, the mastermind behind the new documentary ‘Acoustic Uprising.’ Roller tells us how, thanks to YouTube, he discovered the new guard of fingerstyle guitarists such as Andy McKee and Jon Gomm; what it was like to attend Thomas Leeb’s Austria Guitar Boot Camp; the enduring influence of Michael Hedges; and much more. He also recommends a handful of contemporary fingerstyle guitarists we all should check out. 

This episode is brought to you by Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Links mentioned: 

https://www.acousticuprisingfilm.com (now available for purchase/download)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GnAq6Znw

http://www.thomasleeb.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LquLVh1Cec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4

Need a gift this holiday season or just want to splurge on yourself? Don't forget to check out our webstore: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com

Kurt Bloch is a legendary figure in Seattle’s music scene since his formation of the Fastbacks in the late ‘70s. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Bloch about growing up in Seattle, the creation of his first bands, how he began tinkering with guitar gear, his work with Alejandro Escovedo and a lot more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Guitars.

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to the amazing guitarist Joel Paterson. Joel has just released a new record of instrumental Christmas songs called Hi-Fi Christmas Guitar (Bloodshot Records) that we can’t recommend enough. We talk about the making of the album, the insane amount of work that went into it, some of the gear that Joel used and the huge influence that Les Paul and Jørgen Ingmann had on his own playing.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Links: 

https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/hi-fi-christmas-guitar

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Few guitarmakers travel the globe as much as Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars. On any given day, he may be at Taylor’s massive El Cajon factory, at his ebony mill in Cameroon, on Hawaii replanting koa trees or offroading in Baja. On this week’s podcast, we catch with Bob (who was thankfully at home in California) to get his thoughts on CITES and the state of the guitar industry as a whole. We also hear about a guitar he recently built entirely by hand, learn about the impact that Andy Powers continues to have on Taylor’s product offerings and much more. 

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music.

Back in the 1980s, Lindy Fralin didn’t set out to be one of the world’s most-trusted pickup winders, he just wanted to earn a living as a guitarist. With a tight budget, he’d buy cheap guitars and fix them up for himself or do minor repair work for friends. Eventually, though, the pickups took over. Today, Fralin has seven employees, a growing product line of guitar and bass products and a bustling pickup repair shop. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Lindy about his early days, some of his latest creations, the intricacies of pickup winding and much more.

This week’s podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, who happen to have a brand new website. Check it out!

http://fralinpickups.com

Today we’re talking to guitarist Steve Marion, aka “Delicate Steve.” When his old band’s major label record deal imploded, Marion invented his Delicate Steve persona, crafting over-the-top rock instrumental records loaded with great playing, a ton of effects, humor and plenty of references to the musicians and genres he loves. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Delicate Steve about how these albums come together, why he prefers guitars that make him feel uncomfortable and about the time he was asked to play alongside Paul Simon.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Music.

On today’s podcast, we talk to stellar singer-songwriter Amy Helm about growing up in a musical household, working alongside her dad (Levon Helm of the Band), her forthcoming Joe Henry-produced album and much more. This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Music.

On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to the amazing guitarist Luke Doucet of Whitehorse. Doucet tells us about his upbringing in Canada and his relatively late start into the world of guitars, along with the fateful day he met his original guitar teacher in Winnipeg. We then hear about how Doucet is turning his own young son Jimmy onto music and guitars and how Jimmy (at the ripe old age of three) inadvertently helped shape the sound of Whitehorse’s 2017 album, Panther in the Dollhouse.

We also talk guitars, including Doucet’s Gretsch White Falcon, his Fender Custom Shop Jazzmaster, his Creston Lea offset and others.  

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

The Fretboard Journal Podcast welcomes its first professional athlete, tennis player / coach Murphy Jensen! Murphy and his brother Luke were considered the rock & roll duo of tennis during their heyday, eventually winning the French Open in 1993. Jensen tells us about his childhood growing up in Northern Michigan; his early love for rock & roll; his rise as a professional athlete; and why so many pro tennis players gravitate to the guitar. We also hear about the annual “Wimbledon Jam;” Serena Williams’ love for Nirvana; the time Jensen brought Roger Federer to the Bowery Ballroom the night before his US Open match; working with Val McCallum and much more. Trust us, it’s a great guitar chat even if you don’t know anything about tennis. Jensen also talks to us about his new Seattle-based healthcare technology company, Weconnect.

Links:
http://www.murphyjensen.com
https://www.weconnectrecovery.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

On this week’s podcast, we check in with legendary guitarmaker Ken Parker. The archtop creations that Parker has built over the last decade are truly works of art (in fact, one example is in the permanent collection of the Met). Parker was the subject of a mammoth two-part Fretboard Journal feature in both the FJ #38 and FJ #39, penned by author Joseph Skibell. On this week’s podcast, we catch up and hear about some of this builder’s more recent developments. He tells us about the importance of hide glue in his instruments; we learn about a new pickup he’s using that was developed by Bob Palmieri; and we hear about his recent acquisition of some wood from the famed “The Tree” and what he plans to do with it. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.  

Singer-songwriter (and former Men at Work frontman) Colin Hay is addicted to guitars. “Once the bug hits… you keep finding guitars that you can’t seem to live without,” he says. On this week’s podcast, he talks about his growing guitar collection, which includes not only Martins and Gibson but numerous luthier-built guitars. We also talk about songwriting, the music industry today and much more. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music.

This week’s podcast is a banjo double-header of sorts: First up, we talk to musician Laura Baird (the Baird Sisters) about her debut solo album, I Wish I Were a Sparrow. This mesmerizing album features both traditional and original ballads featuring just voice and banjo. Next up, we talk to author Richard Jones-Bamman about his new book, Building New Banjos for an Old-Time World. The book is a scholarly take on the contemporary world of old-time, open back banjo makers and their place in banjo history.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music.

Next week, we’ll talk singer-songwriter (and Men at Work founder) Colin Hay. Subscribe via iTunes to make sure you don’t miss it.

RIP Tom Petty.

Links: 

Richard's book on Amazon 

Laura's album on Amazon

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we’re joined by fingerstyle guitar legend Michael Gulezian. Michael is talking to us from his new home in Paonia, Colorado and offers us an insightful, thought-provoking glimpse into the life of a working musician. He tells us about his childhood and the impact that Middle Eastern music had on his own compositions. We also talk about his time with John Fahey, Michael Hedges and Robbie Basho and the sad downfall of Takoma Records. Michael also explains why so many great guitar players have come out of Minnesota, talks to us about his choice of acoustic guitars (built by frequent FJ contributor Todd Lunneborg) and much more.

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by our friends at Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Michael Gulezian's official site. 

This week’s podcast is a bluegrass double-header. First, we talk to the one-and-only Billy Strings. He’s about to release his first solo album, Turmoil & Tinfoil and we talk about the making of the record, his guitars of choice (he recently switched from his Noble dreadnought to guitars made by Preston Thompson) and a lot more. Over on fretboardjournal.com, you can hear a stream of “Pyramid Country” from the new album right now.

Next up, we talk to the IBMA’s Paul Schiminger about the organization’s mission, it’s annual World of Bluegrass festival (happening later this month) and the future of bluegrass.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Music. Check out their offerings and tell them the Fretboard Journal sent you.

Next week, we talk to fingerstyle guitar legend Michael Gulezian!

This week’s podcast is a bluegrass double-header: First, we talk to the one-and-only Billy Strings. He’s about to release his first solo album, Turmoil & Tinfoil and we talk about the making of the record, his guitars of choice (he recently switched from his Noble dreadnought to guitars made by Preston Thompson) and a lot more. Over on fretboardjournal.com, you can hear a stream of “Pyramid Country” from the new album right now.

Next up, we talk to the IBMA’s Paul Schiminger about the organization’s mission, its annual World of Bluegrass festival (happening later this month) and the future of bluegrass.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Music. Check out their offerings and tell them the Fretboard Journal sent you.

Next week, we talk to fingerstyle guitar legend Michael Gulezian! 

https://www.billystrings.com
https://ibma.org/world-of-bluegrass

Use the coupon code PODCAST when you subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine and you'll save an extra $5. Click here. 

Singer-songwriter Pieta Brown has had quite the journey. On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast we talk to her about unique upbringing (her dad is famed folk musician Greg Brown), her early attempts at songwriting and the fateful day her father showed her a vintage guitar. She also talks about Postcards, her 2017 album that features collaborations with Mark Knopfler, Calexico, David Lindley and others. Watch for a video with Pieta soon on fretboardjournal.com.

As an added bonus, we share a quick story David Rawlings shared with us about his Epiphone Olympic, featuring luthier Joe Glaser.

This episode is brought to you by Retrofret, Adam Levy’s Guitar Tips Pro and Dying Breed Music.

Use the coupon code PODCAST and save $5 off any Fretboard Journal subscription or order.

Our guest on today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast is Chris Young, founder of Union Tube & Transistor. Chris walks us through Union’s history, his current pedal lineup and the story behind his pedal collaboration with Jack White. We also hear about the time he gave a pedal to Tom Waits and about some of Union’s latest products, including their new Lab compressor pedal.

While Chris was in Seattle, we also took him to Johnny Sangster’s Crackle & Pop studio to do a quick video demo. Watch it on fretboardjournal.com. 

This podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Adam Levy’s new Guitar Tips Pro, where you can get great professional video lessons for as little as $5 a month.

The second installment of our interview with Zack Vex of Z.Vex Effects covers a lot of ground. Zack gives us an overview of Z.Vex’s current offerings, he then gives us his thoughts on the guitar effects industry today and he walks us through his latest invention, an all-new microphone that has to be heard to be believed. Plus a lot more... 

Listen to part one of this two-hour interview here. 

This episode is brought to you by Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine and use the discount code PODCAST to get $5 off your order. 

https://www.zvex.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

On this week's podcast, we talk to Zack Vex of Z.Vex Effects. Over the last twenty-plus years, Zack has been at the forefront of the boutique pedal movement. But, as you'll hear during our lengthy interview, his love for electronics and science goes way beyond just guitar effects. Zack walks us through his childhood, his first guitar repairs and the early days of his now-flourishing company.

On next week's episode, we'll hear about Z.Vex today and some of Zack's most recent inventions including the Candelas Vibraphase and a brand new (and mind boggling) microphone. 

This episode is brought to you by Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and use the discount code PODCAST to get $5 off your order. 

https://www.zvex.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Musician Christian Lee Hutson is one of the most impressive young songwriters we've talked to in recent memory. On today's podcast, we talk to Chrstian about getting hooked on guitar (thanks to Nirvana), dropping out of high school to pursue music and his latest recording projects, including a forthcoming album featuring members of Dawes. We'll have videos of Christian at the Fretboard Journal coming soon. In the meantime, check out some of his music performances online to get a sense of his unique songwriting or catch him  on tour opening for John Moreland. 

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Retrofret Vintage Instruments. 

http://www.christianleehutson.com
Watch: Christian Lee Hutson - "I Just Can't Fucking Do It Anymore"

On this week’s podcast, we talk to builder Todd Cambio of Fraulini Guitars. While a lot of guitarmakers focus on traditional Martin or Gibson-style instruments, Todd loves to focus on models built by more obscure vintage instrument brands, including Stella, Larson Bros., Lyon & Healy and Oscar Schmidt. During our talk, Todd talks to us about his start in lutherie and his love for early blues and 78 recordings. He then explains the research he did to recreate Lydia Mendoza’s 12-string guitar and his new attempt to create a replica of Lonnie Johnson’s 12-string guitar (both, it turns out, were originally built by San Antonio’s Acosta family). Cambio is equal parts luthier and history detective… it’s fascinating to hear how he cobbles together information and grainy photos to build some of these instruments. We hope you enjoy our talk.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music.  

Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. And use the discount code PODCAST when you check out at fretboardjournal.com to save an additional $5 off your order. 

Sam Amidon is, quite simply, one of our favorite musicians. His visionary music is mesmerizing, he somehow melds traditional Appalachian folk with experimental music. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Sam about his music-filled childhood (his parents are folk singers Peter and Mary Alice Amidon) and his transition from being a professional traditional fiddler to a groundbreaking solo artist. 

Sam tells us about his discovery of avant-garde music and free jazz, what it was like to get lessons from Leroy Jenkins and his time in the indie band Stars Like Fleas. He also discusses his collaboration with hero Bill Frisell (2014’s Lily-O), the energy he finds in primitive field recordings, why he wore a kung fu outfit to his first solo gig… and a lot more. Sam has had a fascinating musical journey and he walks us through it all.

Sam’s 2017 Nonesuch album, The Following Mountain, is his first recording to feature his own songs. We can’t recommend it enough.

Audio note: There’s some cell phone distortion in the first ten minutes of this call; it gets better as the conversation goes on. Stick with it.

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Order a subscription to the Fretboard Journal via our site and use the coupon code PODCAST to save $5 off any order. 

For guitar collectors, Zeke Schein is best-known as the long-time salesman you see at Matt Umanov Guitars. What you may not know is that Zeke is also the guy who discovered what may very well be the third photo of Robert Johnson ever unearthed (an eBay find erroneously listed as a BB King photo).

Since purchasing that small photo over a decade ago, Schein has had quite a roller coaster ride. He went through hurdles to get the photo authenticated, he gave the rights to the Robert Johnson Estate and he’s witnessed his unlikely eBay find get reprinted in national magazines. He’s also faced the wrath of blues historians, some of whom rabidly dispute that this is in fact a shot of Johnson at all.

Zeke has written a new book entitled Portrait of a Phantom: The Story of Robert Johnson’s Lost Photograph. Though ostensibly about the discovery of this image, Zeke’s book is about a lot more, too. He writes about his love for the blues, his time at Umanov’s, the New York music scene and why some of us are so compelled to learn more about our music heroes. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Zeke about the photo, his career selling guitars at one of the world’s most famous stores and much more.

This episode of our podcast is brought to you by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Need a subscription to the Fretboard Journal? Order today and use the discount code PODCAST to get $5 off your order. 

Our dear friend Bill Collings, founder of Collings Guitars & Mandolins, passed away on July 14, 2017 after a long battle with cancer.

We’re working on a tribute for Bill in the next issue of the Journal (and if you have any great Bill stories, we’d love to hear them). We also decided to share this talk he gave at the first Fretboard Summit in 2015. During this session, Bill was interviewed by Mark Stutman (Folkway Music). It was a lively, unfiltered chat full of laughs. We also fielded questions from the audience, talked about Waterloos and more.  

RIP Bill. We’re going to miss our chats with you. –Jason

Twenty years ago, Lluís Gómez heard Banjo Paris Session, an album featuring the playing of Jean-Marie Redon and Bill Keith. It completely changed this Spanish musician's life. Gómez would go on to obsess over the five-string banjo, eventually tracking down lessons with Keith, Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick. These days, Gómez is considered the “Spanish King of the Five-String Banjo.” He’s a prolific performer, educator and music promoter, bringing a distinctly American music to new audiences in Europe. On this episode, he tells us about the state of banjo in Spain today, his excellent new record Dotze contes, the instruments that he loves and much more.

This episode is brought to you by two of our favorite stores: Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

We are now shipping the Fretboard Journal #39. Use the coupon code PODCAST when you check out at fretboardjournal.com and get $5 off your order.

Lluís' site: http://www.lluisgomez.com/index-en.html

Today we’re talking to Jas Obrecht, acclaimed music journalist and editor. Jas is the author of the recently published anthology, Talking Guitar: Conversations with Musicians Who Shaped Twentieth-Century American Music. The book is filled interviews Jas conducted with music icons such as Nick Lucas, Ry Cooder, “Pops” Staples, Ry Cooder and Jerry Garcia. He tells us a bit about how it came about, what these amazing interviews were like, his days working at Guitar Player and much more.

The Fretboard Journal’s 39th issue is now mailing. Use the coupon code PODCAST when you check out and you’ll save $5 off any subscription, just for being a FJ Podcast listener.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Links: 
www.fretboardjournal.com
Talking Guitar: Conversations with Musicians Who Shaped Twentieth-Century American Music by Jas Obrecht (Amazon link)

Thirty years ago, luthier Dana Bourgeois (Bourgeois Guitars) and performer/vintage guitar dealer Eric Schoenberg teamed up to create a guitar that was at once both very traditional and very forward-thinking, the Schoenberg Soloist. The Soloist was Eric’s dream fingerstyle instrument – a traditionally-built Martin OM-style guitar built with a wider neck and a cutaway built into the body. On today’s podcast, we talk about the making of the Soloist and hear about the limited run of Soloist 30th Anniversary guitars that they’ve created. We also discover why Eric loves Martin necks from 1930; the tonal differences he hears between 12 and 14-fret guitars; and much more.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret and Dying Breed Music. 

On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to luthier Nate Wood, out of Springfield, Oregon. Nate regaled us with guitarmaking tales at last month’s La Conner Guitar Festival so we quickly hatched a plan to bring him on the show. Before launching his own guitar and guitar repair business (Stahman Guitars), Nate went to school at Roberto Venn and then honed his chops working for Ryan Thorell. His own inventive guitars are inspired by some of the funkier American guitar designs of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Nate is also a big fan of using reclaimed woods and eco-friendly materials. 

This episode is brought to you by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

The music of singer-songwriter Vikesh Kapoor has always defied logic. Here’s a 20-something artist—born in small town Pennsylvania to immigrants from India—who seems more inspired by Pete Seeger, John Jacob Niles and Woody Guthrie that any popular music from the last few decades. On today’s podcast, we talk to Kapoor about his upbringing, his influences and his favorite guitars. 

Kapoor has a new single out, entitled “Down by the River.” “It was one of the first songs that I wrote and I never had it recorded in a way that I liked,” he says. Kapoor wrote it while inspired by Seeger’s “Dink’s Song” in essentially a day, right before his 23rd birthday. 

We also talk about guitars, including the ‘70s Gibson J-50 Deluxe that Kapoor found in a local shop, almost by fate. It served as the primary songwriting instrument behind The Ballad of Willy Robbins [Kapoor’s 2013 album] and "Down by the River."

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is brought to you by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music. Kapoor’s new recording is available at all the usual digital music outlets and can also be purchased as a flexi-single from Mama Bird Recording Co.

As always, we hope you'll subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print edition. If you do, use the discount code PODCAST when you check out. And don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. It takes a few seconds and helps expand our audience.  

These week, we talk to acclaimed guitarmaker Mark Whitebook. In the 1970s, Whitebook had a cult following for his handmade guitars and a client list that included James Taylor, Carly Simon, Phil Keaggy and Clarence White. But in 1980, having built around 70 instruments total, Whitebook left the world of lutherie and pursued a career outside of the music industry.

Thirty five years later, Whitebook has returned to building instruments (he kept all of his original tools and equipment all of these years). During this two-hour long talk, we chat about his background, how he taught himself to build his first guitar (with help from Irving Sloane’s now legendary book on guitar construction), the Southern California guitar scene of the 1970s (including his time spent with David Russell Young and Chuck “The Duke of Pearl” Erikson) and how his dreadnought instruments stray from traditional Martin construction. We also learn just how hard it is to make a living building guitars. Whitebook is a near-mythical figure in the world of guitars; we hope you enjoy this exclusive chat.

This week’s sponsors are Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music. Check them out and tell them the Fretboard Journal sent you.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and save $5 just by using the discount code PODCAST when you check out.

For our 150th episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, we turn the tables: Luthier Meagan Wells (guest on episode #134) interviews Fretboard Journal publisher / editor Jason Verlinde. We talk about the origins of the Fretboard Journal magazine, Jason’s love affair with the musical saw, his favorite guitars, some of our most memorable video and interview sessions and a lot more. We hope you enjoy this little peek into the making of the FJ and all of our projects.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Follow Meagen here or via Instagram. 

Follow the Fretboard Journal via www.fretboardjournal.com. And, if you like our podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes. And don't forget to subscribe to the print edition! Use the discount code PODCAST and you'll get $5 off just for listening to our show. 

Minnesota’s Tom Nechville may very well be the closest thing the banjo world has to Leo Fender. For the last 30 years, he’s innovated the five-string banjo with revolutionary products like the Heli-Mount, the Cyclotronic Tone Ring and the Flux Capacitor. On this week’s podcast, we talk to Nechville about his inventions, his banjos (acoustic and electric) and some of the challenges of building forward-thinking products for a market that largely leans towards the traditional. Even if you’re not a banjo player, you’ll enjoy hearing about how Nechville found his calling in the world of fretted instruments and some of the R&D that he goes through with his instruments.

Like the Fretboard Journal? Order a Fretboard Journal subscription and use the coupon code PODCAST to save $5.  

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars, which has its own fair share of banjos, along with guitars, basses, mandolins and more.

http://www.nechville.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2

“I’ve always been into the older, cheaper Sears’ catalog-type guitars,” Nic Delisle of Island Instruments explains on this week’s podcast. That influence is clearly apparent when one looks at Island’s unique guitar lineup; you can see familiar Silvertone, Kay and Stratotone shapes but with refined hardware, ergonomics and pickups. During our talk, Delisle walks us through his numerous electric guitar models, explains his love for reclaimed materials (he recently made a guitar using reclaimed floorboards from the Boston Symphony Hall) and more. We also talk about the La Conner Guitar Festival, which took place May 12-14, 2017 in La Conner, Washington.

Check out Island Instruments here.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Want to become a professional luthier or repair person? Are you already a working in the field but want to up your game? If so, you’ll love this week’s podcast episode. We’re talking to luthier Bryan Galloup about his annual Northwoods Seminar, a four-day retreat where you can learn the finer points of guitarmaking and repair from some of the biggest names in the business, including Bob Taylor, Richard Hoover, Dan Erlewine, Andy Powers and others. This year’s event takes place August 21-24, 2017 and includes music performances by Bill Kirchen and Redd Volkaert. On the show, we also talk to Galloup about his Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair, his own guitar creations, the unique presentation he gave at our Fretboard Summit and more.

Galloup is one of many luthiers who will be on-hand at this year’s La Conner Guitar Festival, which takes place this weekend (May 12-14) in La Conner, Washington. The Fretboard Journal is proudly sponsoring this event. We hope to see you there.

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

Enjoying our podcast? Consider subscribing via iTunes and don’t forget to leave us a review.

Northwoods Seminar Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/409974032696325/ 

Galloup Guitars: 
http://www.galloupguitars.com

Fretboard Journal 
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

The first time Matt Hampton sought out to harvest Red spruce for guitar tops, he, quite simply, "searched Google Earth for dark patches on top of tall mountains." Matt and his brother Nate are now continuing the legacy started by Ted Davis and John Arnold and making a full-time living hunting down Adirondack red spruce for luthiers and larger-scale guitar manufacturers. 

Matt describes the process and how one tree can yield up to 500 tops, their unlikely start in the world of guitarmaking, their relationship with John Arnold and more. He also busts a few myths about spruce. We also hear about the brothers’ quest to find quality domestic back and side tonewoods. It’s a fascinating story, they sound almost like the American Pickers of trees.

Watch the Brothers harvest a Red spruce tree here on YouTube. 

You can contact the Hampton Brothers via email (hamptonbros@live.com) or eBay. 

Our sponsors today are Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music. Check them out and tell them the Fretboard Journal sent you.

Subscribe to our magazine here. 

Today we’re talking to the one-and-only Ben Harper. Ben tells us about a very special guitar he just received from luthier John Monteleone. It's the first lap steel guitar that Monteleone has ever made, a guitar that John has dubbed a Radio City Special Deluxe (see pictures and video at fretboardjournal.com). 

In addition to talking about the origin of his Monteleone guitar, we talk to Ben about his new Reverb store, some recent recording projects (including a session with jazz player Bruce Bishop) and a lot more.

Ben Harper's Official Site: http://www.benharper.com 

Please subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast on iTunes if you haven't yet and don't forget to leave us a review. 

Want our print edition? Go to fretboardjournal.com and use the coupon code PODCAST and save $5.00 off any subscription or order. 

Want to support our digital efforts even further? Click here to donate and support our ever-growing (and always free) podcast, video and digital content.   

Lastly, this episode is sponsored by Retrofret, one of our favorite vintage instrument dealers in the country. Visit them online or at their Brooklyn showroom. 

On today’s podcast, acclaimed luthiers Linda Manzer, David Wren and Tony Duggan-Smith gather around Manzer's kitchen table to talk to us about their new Group of Seven guitar project. 

The Group of Seven consisted of Canadian landscape painters Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael, Frank Johnston, F.H. Varley and A.Y. Jackson. These seven artist friends were prolific through the 1920s and early '30s and are now considered highly influential. 

Manzer saw similarities between the bond these seven legendary artists had and the one she shares with fellow luthiers and friends who studied under Jean Larrivee, decades ago. She decided to pay homage by having seven guitars built. Each luthier would focus on a different Group of Seven member.

The luthiers participating include Manzer, Sergi de Jonge, Duggan-Smith, Wren, George Gray, Grit Laskin and Jean Larrivée. The luthiers also built an eighth guitar as a group to pay tribute to painter Tom Thomson. 

The project launches May 6, 2017 at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection outside of Toronto and the guitars will be on display through October in a room right next to the art that inspired them. 

http://mcmichael.com/event/the-group-of-seven-guitar-project-summer-2017/
http://www.manzer.com/guitars/
http://www.wrenguitarworks.com
http://www.tonyduggan-smith.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Retrofret and Dying Breed Music.

Andy Powers is a force of nature. He’s a gifted musician, an avid surfer and, of course, a stellar guitarmaker. As Andy tells us on this week’s podcast, he’s always had the guitarmaking bug. In fact, he attempted to build his first instrument when he was still in elementary school and, when he was barely a teenager, he had enough of a guitar repair business brewing that he earned himself a letter from the IRS.

As an adult, Powers had a bustling business building archtops, guitars, ukuleles and mandolins and doing restorations out of his Oceanside, California workshop when he decided to switch gears and become a full-time Taylor employee. At Taylor, Powers has tirelessly worked on new lines and improvements, including the Grand Orchestra model, revamping the 600 and 800 series lines of guitars, the new Academy series of instruments and the GS Mini-e Bass. During our chat, we talk about these models, the recruitment offer he received from Bob Taylor, the state of affairs when it comes to Taylor sourcing wood, his R&D process and much more.

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is brought to you by Retrofret Vintage Guitars in Brooklyn, New York.

https://www.taylorguitars.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

On today’s podcast, we talk to Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. Chris tells us about growing up in Santa Barbara; starting out on guitar; his early love for metal; how he landed the Foo Fighters gig; why he started playing Telecasters; and the making of his new solo country album, ‘West Coast Town.’ Chris also talks to us about his weekly podcast, ‘Walking the Floor,’ where he’s interviewed a wide array of artists including Marty Stuart, Bob Mould, Lucinda Williams, Buddy Miller and others.

Watch our video with Chris playing "Goodnight Little Rock" from the new album here. 

For a limited time, use the coupon code PODCAST and save $5 off any Fretboard Journal subscription or order.

This episode is sponsored by Retrofret Vintage Guitars and Dying Breed Music. 

Tune in next week when we interview Andy Powers of Taylor Guitars. And don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. 

On this week’s podcast, we talk to Ethan Gruska (Belle Brigade) about his 2017 solo album, Slowmotionary. As Gruska tells it, he innocently recorded a handful of songs thinking they would serve as a sort of business card to remind musician pals that he could do session work for them. Little did he know he'd eventually synch up with producer Tony Berg, record an entire album steeped in ‘60s and ‘70s singer-songwriter sounds and end up releasing it on Sire records. Gruska talks to us about working with Berg on the project, Blake Mills (who plays guitar on the album's second track) and what it was like to co-write a song for John Legend ("Right by You" on Legend’s Darkness and Light). Though Gruska says “the guitar is a series of happy accidents for me,” he’s a stellar player. Watch our video with him playing “Reoccurring Dream” on fretboardjournal.com.

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Retrofret Guitars. Visit their website or Instagram and tell them the FJ sent you! http://retrofret.com

http://www.ethangruska.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

This week, we have a fun talk with Doug Kauer of Kauer Guitars, Titan Guitars and DRS racks. Doug tells us about how his family’s cabinetry business gave him the experience he needed to build instruments, why he utilizes CNC machines in his production facility and the unique business model behind the Titan line (an American-made electric guitar starting at $1300 with plenty of customization options).

This episode is brought to you by Dying Breed Music. Dying Breed has an amazing selection of Golden Era Martins, Gibsons and other instruments available: http://www.dyingbreedguitars.com 

www.fretboardjournal.com
http://www.kauerguitars.com
http://www.titanguitars.com
http://www.drsracks.com

Another highlight from the 2016 Fretboard Summit: Rick Turner, Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) and Dan Schwarz have a candid talk about the evolution of instrument amplification and tone from the 1960s to today. Casady talks about his desire for higher fidelity bass sounds, even as rock concert sound systems got bigger and bigger, and the electronic experimentation that ensued. Schwarz talks about the fateful day in 1973 when he walked into the Alembic guitar factory. Meanwhile, Rick Turner discusses the back-and-forth collaborations that happen between luthiers and their clients. It's a deep (two hours long) talk that covers a lot of ground...  

This episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Dying Breed Music. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here.

Banjo virtuoso Noam Pikelny joins us on this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new (and excellent) solo album 'Universal Favorite', some of the instruments in his growing collection (including his 1930 Gibson Granada, his 1941 Gibson TB-7, his 1953 Martin D-28 and his 1953 Fender Telecaster) and a lot more. 

Get Noam's tour dates and order 'Universal Favorite' here: 
http://noam.net

This episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music: 
http://www.dyingbreedguitars.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast via iTunes: 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2

Relic’d guitars are nothing new in the world of electric instruments, but they’re relatively unheard of when it comes to acoustics. Pre-War Guitars – the duo of Wes Lambe and Ben Maschal – hopes to change that. The pair of veteran luthiers are creating guitars that tap into the vintage sound and feel of Martins and Gibsons of the 1930s and ‘40s with hide glue, ultra-thin finishes and torrefied top woods. But they’re also adding scratches, dents and play wear to each of their new guitars (they offer a variety of distress levels based on a customer's preference). On this week’s podcast, you can hear about how this company came together, how they're constructing these instruments and why sometimes a little wear can result in a better sounding guitar. 

This week’s episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music. Check out their Gbase page here: https://www.gbase.com/stores/dying-breed-music

https://www.fretboardjournal.com
https://www.pre-warguitars.com

Don't forget to subscribe to us via iTunes and please leave us a review if you can. Our 38th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing... with features on Daniel Lanois, Leo Kottke, the first "Loar" mandolin and a lot more. 

If you love a good story, you’ll want to tune into this week’s podcast with luthier Wyatt Wilkie. Though he comes from a musical family, Wilkie is a completely self-taught instrument maker. He built his very first instrument, a mandocello, while working in New Mexico as a gravedigger. He then moved to a small town in Wales where he honed his craft and eventually found himself in Georgia apprenticing for archtop guitar icon Bob Benedetto. Wilkie is now nestled in the Comox Valley on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, where he divides his time today between mandolins and archtop guitars. Nearly all of his work is exquisite and custom… and no two guitars are alike.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Dying Breed Music: https://www.gbase.com/stores/dying-breed-music

Links mentioned:
http://wilkiestringedinstruments.com
http://laconnerguitarfestival.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/fretboard-journal-38-whats-inside/

On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to Jason and Pharis Romero of J. Romero Banjo Co. From the tiny town of Horsefly, British Columbia, the Romeros craft some of the most coveted new fretted instruments being made. They currently have a five year waitlist and, as they describe it, even getting on the waitlist is a bit of a challenge. The duo are also exceptional musicians and won the 2016 Juno Award for Best Traditional Album of the Year. 

In June 2016, a fire swept through the Romeros entire shop, destroying many of their new instruments as well as some of the prized vintage possessions. During our conversation, we talk to them about the fire, the help they received from the music community and how their rebuild process is going. We also chat about some of their latest banjo creations and innovations. 

http://www.romerobanjos.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/fretboard-films-trip-romero-banjos/ (our film on the Romeros original shop) 
Subscribe to the Journal here: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/fretboard-journal-subscription-no-auto-renew (use the coupon code PODCAST and save an additional $5 off your order) 

On this week’s podcast, we talk to luthier Maegen Wells. After years of working alongside famed archtop guitar and bass builder Tom Ribbecke, Maegen is now building her own guitar and mandolin creations out of her Forestville, California workshop.   

Wells has devoted nearly her entire adult life to learning the craft of lutherie and woodworking. Straight out of high school, she enrolled in Bryan Galloup’s Galloup School of Guitar Building and Professional Guitar Repair. She then went on to work at the Reverend Guitars warehouse and served as an apprentice to both Andrew White and Ribbecke.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast via iTunes and, if you can, leave us a review on iTunes to help us with our search rankings: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2

The Fretboard Journal’s latest issue, #38, is now mailing worldwide. Subscribe via fretboardjournal.com and we’ll start you off with this edition.

This episode is brought to you via sponsor TR Crandall. Check out their amazing inventory of vintage archtops, electrics and flattop acoustic guitars. And tell them the Fretboard Journal sent you: http://trcrandall.com

Links: 

http://www.maegenwellsguitars.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLYZL2xae8A (StewMac video featuring Maegen Wells creating a tortoloid pickguard for a Gibson archtop) 

On today's podcast, we talk to William Seeders Mosheim, the owner of Seeders Instruments. Seeders is an open-back banjo builder who has found success combining old world designs with new world craftsmanship. The Vermont-based luthier honed his woodworking craft at his father's furniture business but now has a multi-year wait list for his banjos. His custom creations can incorporate any number of tone ring styles, wood options and levels of ornamentation. 

This episode is sponsored once again by TR Crandall. If you're visiting their store or website, don't forget to tell them that the Fretboard Journal sent you.

trcrandall.com
fretboardjournal.com
seedersinstruments.com

Don't forget to subscribe to all of the Fretboard Journal podcasts via iTunes. And leave us a review if you can! 

This week, we talk to recording engineer Larry Crane of Portland’s Jackpot! Recording Studio about the new and expanded 20th anniversary reissue of Elliott Smith’s Either/Or, his friendship with Smith and what those original recording sessions were like. Larry tells us about Smith’s in-studio work habits, the gear they used, the work that went into remastering these songs and a lot more. We also discuss the economics of running a recording studio and Tape Op, the magazine that Crane co-founded with John Baccigaluppi. 

This week's episode is sponsored by TR Crandall in New York. 

Links Discussed: 

Elliott Smith's Either / Or (Expanded Edition) on Amazon

Elliott Smith helping build Jackpot! (pics)

Tape Op magazine

The Fretboard Journal

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal podcast via iTunes and leave us a review, please. 

This week: A double-episode of sorts! First off, we talk to Michael James Adams (aka by his social media handle, puisheen) about interviewing Nels Cline for us for issue 37. Michael walks through the interview process, Nels’ gear selections and more. Around the 20 minute mark, we share another session from the 2016 Fretboard Summit, this one on the next generation of guitar stores. On the panel: Adams (co-founder of Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar), Mark Stutman (Folkway Music), Reuben Cox (Old Style Guitar Shop), Will Lowe (Lowe Vintage) and Paul Heumiller (Dream Guitars). Topics covered: Using social media to sell guitars, finding your niche, and how these stores find their inventory.

This episode is brought to you by another relatively new store, TR Crandall.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal Podcast via iTunes here.  

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to singer-songwriter Paul Burch, who went from performing in rock and indie bands in the Midwest to working the honky tonks on Lower Broadway. Burch tells us about his years performing at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, focusing on “post-war, pre-Elvis” music; his classic country music influences; how his songwriting and singing evolved; and his latest project, Meridian Rising, an imagined, musical autobiography of Jimmie Rodgers.

Read about Burch on fretboardjournal.com here: 
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/blue-ode-paul-burch-channels-inner-jimmie-rodgers/

This episode is sponsored by TR Crandall. 

Yet another fun session from the 2016 Fretboard Summit! This week we hear John Thomas (Kalamazoo Gals), TJ Thompson, Mark Stutman (Folkway Music), Jim Baggett (Mass Street Music), Robb Lawrence (The Les Paul Legacy) and David Sheppard (Lowe Vintage) field questions on vintage Gibson acoustic guitars.

Topics include: the many variables found in most vintage Gibsons; solid linings versus kerfed linings; converting ladder-braced models to X-braced; repair headaches; finish thickness and much more. 

Sponsored by TR Crandall.

Use the coupon code FJHoliday when you check out at https://shop.fretboardjournal.com and get an additional 15% off any order. 

The wait is over!

Back on our 100th episode, we introduced you to T. Drew Heinonen, a young luthier who attended the first Fretboard Summit. We ended up ordering a guitar through Drew, using woods and materials we sourced through some of our favorite suppliers. Ever since, we’ve been checking in with Drew on the podcast as he builds the instrument. Well, the wait is over and at the second Summit (held in October 2016 in San Diego), Drew presented us with the finished guitar, a fine sounding koa/Lutz OM with surprising tone (for a koa instrument) and plenty of personal touches.

On today’s episode, we talk to Drew about how the guitar came together, how it’s opening up and what his plans are for 2017 and beyond. We also discuss the sister OM guitar that Drew built using Black locust and Red spruce. That instrument is currently for sale via Drew. 

Law professor, author and Fretboard Journal Field Editor John Thomas joins us once again to discuss some recent updates to CITES and the impact they will have on musicians, instrument collectors and builders. Specifically, beginning January 2017, all remaining species of Rosewood (beyond Brazilian, which was already protected) will be added to CITES Appendix II. This may not affect you at all if you keep your guitars in United States but if you ever plan on taking an instrument with rosewood across the border (or selling one to someone outside the country), you may have some work to do.  

We discuss the various steps that collectors, luthiers and dealers should take if they want to transport guitars with rosewood internationally; how builders can protect their wood stockpile; the expenses and timing needed to file all this paperwork; and a lot more.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal podcast for free via iTunes: 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2 and please consider leaving us a review or sharing the podcast with friends. 

If you’re holiday shopping and want to give the Fretboard Journal as a gift this year, use the coupon code FJHOLIDAY when you check out. You’ll get 15% off any order: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com

Intro/Outro music by Jon Rauhouse. 

Links Mentioned:

Today’s podcast is sponsored by TR Crandall:
http://trcrandall.com 

US Fish & Wildlife Link for Musical Instrument Passports:
https://www.fws.gov/international/permits/by-activity/musical-instruments.html

NAMM on CITES Updates: https://www.namm.org/issues-and-advocacy/regulatory-compliance/cites-update-action-rosewood-has-broad

The Fretboard Journal’s Guide to Musical Instrument Passports: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/musical-instrument-passports-new-cites-provision/

The FJ’s Guitar Lover’s Guide to CITES:
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/guitar-lovers-guide-cites-conservation-treaty/ 

League of American Orchestra’s CITES Protected Species Travel Tips:
http://americanorchestras.org/advocacy-government/travel-with-instruments/endangered-species-material/protected-species-travel-tips.html

On December 5, 1927, the day after Blind Willie Johnson recorded some of his most influential blues sides at an impromptu Columbia Records recording studio in Dallas, in walked an equally mysterious and haunting musician, Washington Phillips. Phillips carried a homebrew instrument - later described as a “dulceola” but, as we learn on today’s podcast, actually two zithers he fabricated together. The otherworldly music coming out of those zithers, combined with Phillips’ powerful singing and songwriting, created some of the most awe-inspiring and mysterious sounds ever recorded. It’s no wonder Phillips has been covered by Ry Cooder, Jorma Kaukonen, Will Oldham and others.

“Where did this come from? That still remains the mystery,” Corcoran concludes. “I still don’t know that… you really will never know the motivation of the artist…”

Discussed in this podcast:
http://www.pickaway.press/fz/wp.html (page dedicated to Washington Phillips’ instrument)

http://www.dust-digital.com/washington-phillips/ (Washington Phillips and his Manzarene Dreams)

You don’t need to be an offset guitar connoisseur to appreciate the beauty of Nels Cline’s beat 1960 Fender Jazzmaster, affectionately dubbed “Watt.” On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to the former owner of that guitar, Mike Watt himself. Watt reflects on his ongoing friendship with Cline, his ownership stint with the Jazzmaster (which was briefly owned by J Mascis before Watt bought it via Rick King at Guitar Maniacs), the Minutemen and more. We ask Watt about the recent release of Ring Spiel Tour ‘95, an amazing live document featuring Watt with Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and William Goldsmith.

Also discussed: D. Boon, EMG pickups, Floored by Four, the Black Gang, a potential signature model Mike Watt bass and more.

Referenced in the discussion: 
Nels’ tour diaries: http://hootpage.com/hoot_nelsclamblow1.html 
Nels’ tour diaries, pt 2: http://hootpage.com/hoot_nelsshinebox1.html 
Nels Cline’s Goo Pedal: http://www.toneconcepts.com/goo/
Watts' Gear: http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_gallery-thudstaffs.html
Dos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFrgJBCtCmE
Ring Spiel Tour '95: http://amzn.to/2gdyJqj
Nikon Coolpix LX830: http://amzn.to/2gdzsaV

Nels Cline is on the cover of the new Fretboard Journal #37, available now. Podcast listeners: Use the coupon code "podcast" when you check out. 
https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/all/products/subscription 

On this week’s podcast, we talk to guitarist Jon Herington. For the last several years, Herrington has performed guitar duties for Steely Dan, but his credits go far beyond that. He’s also an accomplished singer-songwriter and session musician. We also discuss his 2016 solo album Adult Entertainment, his Wysocki Telecaster, the rigors of touring and a bunch more. 

On this week’s podcast, we’re sharing the vintage Martin guitar panel that took place at the 2016 Fretboard Summit. Included on this panel were guitar experts Mark Stutman (Folkway Music), TJ Thompson, Jim Baggett (Mass Street Music), David Sheppard (Lowe Vintage), Eric Schoenberg and Joe Glaser (Glaser Instruments). Also joining in is Dick Boak from Martin. This episode makes for a nice bookend with Fretboard Journal Podcast #122 with TJ Thompson. Topics include: TJ’s background, the Martin “longscale” myth, proper intonation, hide glue, popsicle braces, slotted bridge pins, why you can’t make a new guitar exactly like an old one and much more. All-told, a fun and informative chat with six of the world’s best-known vintage instrument experts. 

Note: The audience was un-mic’d for this informal session so questions are hard to hear on this podcast. You should be able to figure out all the questions asked via the panel’s responses.

This episode is sponsored by TR Crandall Guitars. 

On this week’s Fretboard Journal podcast, we’re sharing the talk that acclaimed luthier TJ Thompson gave at the 2016 Fretboard Summit in San Diego. This talk was billed as “Myth Busting with TJ Thompson” and had the following description in our program:

Adirondack you say? What makes you think so? Is it possible to build a new guitar just like the old guitars? How long is long scale? Is hide glue really better? Should you have that popsicle brace removed? Internet bloggers who believe they know the answers to these questions beware, this lecture may not be for you. 

This was easily one of the most candid talks at the Summit. By popular demand (and with his permission), we’re sharing it today. At the 2016 Summit, TJ was also on panels discussing vintage Martin guitars, vintage acoustic Gibson guitars and the merits of the PLEK machine. We’ll be sharing those in the near future, too.

Please review us on iTunes if you haven’t yet and don’t forget to subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print edition. Our new issue (#37) is now mailing with Nels Cline on the cover. 

This week’s podcast sponsor is TR Crandall, a must-see vintage guitar shop in New York City.

The Fretboard Journal Podcast on iTunes: click here 
TJ Thompson: https://proluthiertools.com
TR Crandall: http://www.trcrandall.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. 

The last official talk at the 2016 Fretboard Summit featured three giants in the world of guitarmaking: Rick Turner, Dana Bourgeois and Andy Powers. This sprawling talk covers a lot of ground: What makes a great guitar? How long are guitars supposed to last? Will artificial intelligence take over guitar making? They also fielded plenty of enlightening questions from our audience. [Note: Audio is a little variable with audience questions – not everyone spoke into a microphone – but the answers should be plenty audible.] 

The second Fretboard Summit took place October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego. Over the next few months, we’ll be releasing more content – talks, panels and concert footage – on fretboardjournal.com.

Two old friends join us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast as we talk with guitar improvising legend Henry Kaiser and Andy Marshall of THD Electronics.

During our sprawling chat, Kaiser tells us about his love for diving in the Antarctic and how being underwater in the cold has affected his sense of rhythm. He also tells us how he met Alexander “Howard” Dumble and how he obtained his #1 Steel String Singer in one of the great guitar deals of the century. Kaiser then walks us through his pedalboard’s entire signal chain, briefly demoing each pedal. The pair also discuss the magic of Bell & Howell Filmosound amplifiers and the future of Marshall's THD Electronics. 

Must-watch video of Henry Kaiser swimming with the Weddell seals:
http://www.inktalks.com/discover/741/henry-kaiser-music-of-the-seals

And Kaiser playing slide on the South Pole: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KnwR17V1c

Note: During this taping, we filmed a few videos with Kaiser and Marshall performing at the FJ. Look for those on fretboardjournal.com and on our YouTube channel over the next couple of weeks.

http://thdelectronics.com
http://www.henrykaiserguitar.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com

On this week's podcast, we talk to Will Lowe and David Sheppard of Lowe Vintage. Lowe Vintage is a relatively new guitar shop based in Burlington, North Carolina. Despite their newcomer status in the world of vintage guitars, mandolins and banjos, they've already amassed an incredible selection of Gibsons, Martins and more.

During our talk, Will Lowe tells us about how this store came about and where they find all these classic '20s-'40s era instruments. We also talk to David Sheppard about the repair work he does to these instruments, collector trends and more. 

We're happy to announce that Lowe Vintage will be bringing many of their instruments to our Fretboard Summit, October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Attend and have an opportunity to play (or purchase) some of these remarkable gems. 

http://lowevintage.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com
http://www.fretboardsummit.com

Our Fretboard Summit OM guitar project is now nearing completion. On this episode, we conduct one last Skype conversation with luthier T. Drew Heinonen to talk about the instrument, where it stands currently and about some of the finishing touches Drew will be making to the guitar. He tells us a bit about pore fillers, the intricacies of UV finishes, how he prefers to glue the bridge to the body, the merits of Ironwood as a replacement for Ebony and much more.

We’ll be unveiling this guitar for the first time at the Fretboard Summit, October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Join us for three days of music, guitar talks, interviews and panels if you can. We’ll even let you play this very guitar. It’s going to be a blast.

Special thanks to Stewart MacDonald for sponsoring this and other Summit guitar episodes.

http://www.stewmac.com
http://www.fretboardsummit.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com
http://www.heinonenguitars.com

We don’t often cover religious music here at the Journal but on today’s podcast we talk to Paul Enns, a music pastor based in London. He walks us through his unique job, crafting music and playing acoustic guitar for church services; tells us about his wildly eclectic music tastes (here’s a player who can appreciate everything from Joe Henry to John Zorn and Albert Ayler); describes the life changing impact Springsteen’s The River had on him as a child and a lot more. 

Also, Summit updates, some Southern California FJ reader meetups and more.

Intro and outro music by Jon Rauhouse, who has a new album out with Eric Bachmann.

www.fretboardjournal.com
www.fretboardsummit.com

Jon Rauhouse with Eric Bachmann:
http://stores.portmerch.com/ericbachmann/featured-products/eric-bachmann-and-jon-rauhouse-lp.html

As Santa Cruz celebrates its fortieth anniversary, we’re sharing the talk that founder Richard Hoover gave at the first-ever Fretboad Summit. Richard tells us a bit about the SCGC operation, gives us his thoughts on how tonewoods affect what we hear, describes his specific builds for Tony Rice and much more. 

The next Fretboard Summit takes place October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Once again, Hoover and many luthiers from around the country will be on-hand, fielding questions and explaining their craft. We’ll also have some of our favorite musicians, interactive exhibits, dozens of vintage guitars in a pop-up “guitar library” and much more.  

http://santacruzguitar.com
https://www.fretboardjournal.com
http://www.fretboardsummit.com

Jim Olson is a legend in the world of acoustic guitar making. The Minnesota-based luthier is a cult favorite among guitar collectors around the world thanks to the instruments he's built for James Taylor (Taylor's Olson was once immortalized in cartoon form on a Simpson’s episode), Phil Keaggy and Leo Kottke. Due to their high demand, Olson’s new creations start at $15,000, a price that even he is a little embarrassed by. “I’m the Forrest Gump of guitarmaking,” Olson tells us. “I fell into here. I don’t think these things are any more special than anything else.” 

During this candid talk, Olson tells us about the first guitar he built (with help from the classic Irving Sloane book), how Keagy ordered the first cedar guitar and how an early (and failed) distribution deal for his dreadnoughts in the late ‘70s resulted in his fanatical appreciation for tooling and build efficiency. “I’m sometimes more interested in making a new piece of tooling than a guitar,” he says. We also talk CNC machines, the creation of the Small Jumbo, tone woods, his fateful meeting with James Taylor and more.

Subscribe to all the Fretboard Journal podcasts via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2

https://www.fretboardjournal.com
http://www.fretboardsummit.com

These days, Otto D’Ambrosio is best known for his exquisite archtop guitars. But his guitar journey began long ago, when he stumbled into Mandolin Brothers as a 13 year old. He ended up working at Mandolin Brothers for Stan Jay, then for luthier legends Flip Scipio and John Monteleone. He did some time at the repair department of Guild’s Westerly plant and, eventually set out on his own as a luthier and repairman.

On this week’s podcast, D’Ambrosio tell us about his background, describes the ongoing evolution of his archtop models and tells us about his ongoing collaboration with Eastman Guitars. After working for most of his life on the East Coast, Otto has now relocated to the West Coast to work out of Eastman’s California headquarters.

It’s an informative and fun chat with one of the fretted instrument world’s best craftsmen.

http://eastmanguitars.com