What makes a great luthier tick? On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we attempt to find out. Recorded live at the 2024 Fretboard Summit, guitar repair gurus Evan Gluck, Tyler Geske, Trevor Healy, Mark Stutman, TJ Thompson, and Joe Glaser talk candidly about the personality traits that drove them to working on guitars. We hear about their atte…

It's the 138th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we pay tribute to Angela Instruments founder and former guest Steve Melkisethian (1950-2024); talk resistors and transformers; catch up on the 2024 Fretboard Summit; and much more. Want to be a part o…

On this week’s podcast, we talk to Alister Atkin, founder of Atkin Guitars. Alister and his growing team are building vintage-inspired flattop acoustics in Canterbury, England. During our chat, we talk about the company’s history, its ongoing growth, the aged finish that Atkin instruments are known for, how they've penetrated the US market, and eve…

Jayne Henderson and Sarah Weinberg join us to talk about Women in Lutherie, an online community and mentorship program connecting female instrument makers from around the world. Jayne is based in Asheville, North Carolina and is a second-generation guitarmaker. (Her father, Wayne Henderson, is a legendary builder of acoustic guitars and mandolins.)…

This week, we’re sharing one of the highlights from our 2024 Fretboard Summit: Joe Henry in conversation with Blake Mills. During their chat, these two acclaimed producers and singer-songwriters discuss working with legacy artists (Blake has famously worked with Joni Mitchell; while Joe has worked with everyone from Joan Baez to Solomon Burke), the…

Detroit-based guitarist Nick Shillace joins us this week to talk about discovering the music of John Fahey, running a successful music school, and his excellent new album, A Rich Boy’s Measured Blues. Nick is one of dozens of musicians and luthiers attending our 2024 Fretboard Summit, taking place August 23-25, 2024 at Chicago’s Old Town School of …

It's the 137th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! This week, we talk to special guest, Steve Carr of Carr Amplifiers! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Our sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Ampl…

Two of Nashville’s finest guitarists – Tom Bukovac and Guthrie Trapp – join us this week to talk about their new album, IN STEREO. We chat about what brought them to Nashville way back when, the making of the album, the gear they used on it, tube amps, and so much more. Order IN STEREO: https://bakedalaskarecords.com Our 2024 Fretboard Summit takes…

Toronto's William "Grit" Laskin has been building acoustic instruments since 1971. Best known as one of the world's foremost inlay artists, Grit painstakingly crafts wildly ornate fingerboard and headstock creations that serve as one-of-a-kind tributes to his clients and their passions. When he's not building, Grit has also run a record label, perf…

It's the 136th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Our sponsors: Emerald City Guitars, Amplified Parts, StewMac, and Grez Guitars. Don't forget, we have a Patr…

In our 54th issue, Eric Pooley shares the story of Maya de Vitry going solo after her lengthy stint as one third of the Americana band The Stray Birds. It’s a poignant interview about starting from scratch, being vulnerable and taking chances. On this week’s podcast, we hear even more about Maya’s journey with her collaborator Anthony da Costa. May…

Today we share an hour-long interview with one of the true greats of guitar-making, John Monteleone. Collectors and musicians around the world have sought out John's archtop creations, resulting in six-figure price tags, a quartet of guitars at the Met (the Four Seasons), and even a song penned by Mark Knopfler (simply titled, "Monteleone"). He's a…

Meet Scott Tsai, founder of Philadelphia's Queens Vintage Guitars. Queens Vintage Guitars may just be the newest brick & mortar vintage guitar store in the country. On today's podcast, owner Scott Tsai tells us about its inception, its community focus, and so much more. https://queensvintageguitars.com Scott's story is fascinating: His love for gui…

It's the 135th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amps. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Some of the topics discussed this time around: 1:24 Another hopeful story; Winters, California 7:44 The fift…

We just premiered Mikkel Ploug's beautiful arrangement of Bach's Art of the Fugue for guitar on our YouTube channel. Today, we hear all about it. Ploug talks to us about how he turned to a Gibson ES-330 and an Estey-era Magnatone M-14 for this recording, his arrangement process on the Bach piece, and so much more. We talk gear, European jazz, and t…

The Decemberists' Colin Meloy joins us this week to talk about the band's new, long-awaited album, 'As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again.' Longtime readers of the magazine will remember Colin gracing the cover of our 45th issue. This time around, we chat about why there was a six-year break Decemberists albums, the tedious side of touring, the joys …

Bluegrass banjo legend Tony Trischka joins us this week to discuss the making of his new album, 'Earl Jam.' He also gives us a mini-masterclass into the world of Earl Scruggs. The story behind 'Earl Jam' is truly remarkable: Upon receiving a USB drive full of never-before-released Earl Scruggs home recordings from the '80s and '90s, Trischka decide…

Meet Sofia Wolfson, a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, writer, and Fretboard Journal contributor who just released an incredible album called 'Imposing on a Hometown.' This project features a bunch of former Fretboard Journal subjects and contributors, including Meg Duffy of Hand Habits, Mason Stoops, and Harrison Whitford. Mostly though, it's a c…

It's the 134th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp. This week, we're joined by jazz guitarist Jonathan Stout where we talk EH-150s, field coil speakers and more! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com.…

Guitarist Ethan Sherman returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new acoustic album, 'Passages.' This contemporary bluegrass-inspired record features Ethan alongside Wes Corbett (banjo), Rob Ickes (Dobro), Thomas Cassell (mandolin), Avery Merritt (fiddle) and Ethan Jodziewicz (bass). During our chat, Ethan explains why banjo recor…

When guitarist Dr. Molly Miller isn't teaching music at USC, she's touring the world with Jason Mraz or recording with her own Molly Miller Trio. Or, as we learn today, she might be over at the tennis courts. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, Miller walks us through a week in her life, talks about the gear she uses, and hints at hosting a t…

It's the 133rd episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp! Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Some of the topics discussed: 1:14 Skip's 1950 Ferguson tractor, the Truth About Lawn Mowers 7:28 A zebra on …

On this week's show, we have a candid chat with Seattle indie rock musician-turned-podcaster (Roderick on the Line, Omnibus) John Roderick. The Long Winters frontman was an early Fretboard Journal subject and guest on our podcast. This time around, we talk about John's break from music-making, the new songs he's been writing, the perils of pedal co…

For the last several years, Los Angeles-based musician Ryan Richter has served as a touring guitarist for Dijon, Ryan Beatty, Lizzy McAlpine and others. Years ago, he was also one of the Fretboard Journal's earliest employees. Ryan recently released his first solo project - a fascinating one-track, 20-minute long album called "As Good A Place As An…

This week, JHS founder Josh Scott joins Jason to talk about guitar media, following your passion, marketing, work/life balance and so much more. We talk about how JHS was founded, the JHS Show on YouTube (and the work that goes into it), guitar media, printed matter in 2024, events, social media, the enduring power of Facebook (and paper books!), m…

Singer-songwriter John Smith joins us this week to talk about his moving new Joe Henry-produced album, 'The Living Kind.' We hear about the British folk scene and John's time with John Renbourn and others; his guitar collection (including a rather unusual custom Fylde, his Mule guitars and others); the making of the new album; his thoughts on strea…

No guests or special theme this week...just an all-new, old-school episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, where amp tech Skip Simmons fields your questions on all-things-tube amp. Want to be a part of our show? Just email us a question or voice memo to podcast@fretboardjournal.com. Some of the topics discussed: 1:31 What's on Skip's workbench: Va…

Scott Ballew is an Austin, Texas-based filmmaker and musician. For years, he’s directed unforgettable videos and documentaries for Yeti and others. In 2020, he decided to take up songwriting and recorded his first album just a year later. This week, Ballew releases his third album, Rio Bravo. It’s an exceptional work that somehow combines Ballew’s …

Six-time Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer John Leventhal joins us this week to talk about 'Rumble Strip,' his long-awaited debut solo album! John tells us why, after five decades in the music business, he decided to make a solo album. We chat about his writing process, the home studio he and partner Rosanne Cash have in …