This week we're joined by Mike Ball of Seattle's Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. 

We go deep into their history, how they grew from a garage operation to a beautiful storefront in Seattle, and so much more. Mike walks us through the daunting world of Japanese-market Fenders, explains why Epiphone Casinos are hard to keep in stock, and talks about how they find their vintage inventory. 

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and get our new 53rd issue with Ben Harper, Joanna Sternberg and much more:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

Registration is now open to attend our 2024 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/

If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and consider joining the Fretboard Journal's new Patreon page.

Thank you to our sponsors: Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off of your Izotope order. 

Brace yourself for one of the wildest musician stories you’ve ever heard.

Amarillo, Texas' Hayden Pedigo makes gorgeous fingerstyle guitar music inspired by the likes of Will Ackerman and John Fahey. But Hayden has broken every mold imaginable when it comes to his career in music. 

The son of a truck stop preacher, Hayden worked at local Amarillo banks, recording music after-hours and aggressively reaching out to his music heroes to see if they wanted to collaborate (they often did). He finally ditched the life of a bank teller, got signed to indie label Mexican Summer, and - thanks to a quirky internet video - found himself running for Amarillo city council (he came in second). As if that wasn't unique enough, at some point, Gucci spotted him and recruited him to be in a fashion show. 

Stranger still, here's a working musician with a guitar and string endorsement deal (Yamaha and D’Addario) and an NPR Tiny Desk concert under his belt whose only touring to date has been opening for big indie acts like Jenny Lewis and Devendra Banhardt.

We talk about growing up in Amarillo, his Opus acoustic guitar, his recent signing to Yamaha, and so much more. You’ll love it and you'll love Hayden's unique approach towards his art.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and get our new 53rd issue with Ben Harper, Joanna Sternberg and much more:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

Registration is now open to attend our 2024 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/

If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and consider joining the Fretboard Journal's new Patreon page.

Thank you to our sponsors: Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off of your Izotope order. 

Matt Sweeney downplays his success as a guitarist and producer to the fact that he simply says "yes" to a lot of projects. Whatever the case; it's working. After playing in Chavez, he performed as Superwolves with Will Oldham and served as a guitarist-for-hire on numerous acclaimed albums, including Cat Power's 'Covers' record and the Rick Rubin-produced Johnny Cash 'American Recordings V' and 'VI.'

Matt is also one of the greatest guitar interviewers around. His Guitar Moves series, originally produced for Vice's Noisey channel in 2013, set a high bar for how to interview musicians. Like the late Anthony Bourdain, Matt is total rock & roll, but also approachable, funny and curious. Most importantly, he gets his subjects - including Keith Richards, Blake Mills, and Billy Gibbons - talking. 

After a long hiatus, Matt has decided to take ownership of Guitar Moves, share old installments, and record new episodes. On this week's episode, we talk about how it's all about fingerpicking (thanks to his friend Sam Dylan of Supreme Dicks), his plans for Guitar Moves going forward, the old Richard Thompson instruction video (YouTube link) that served as the show's inspiration (and that Richard himself hated), and so much more.

Be on the lookout for a feature on Matt in early 2024 in the pages of the Fretboard Journal.

Watch Guitar Moves: https://www.youtube.com/@guitar-moves

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal and get our new 53rd issue with Ben Harper, Joanna Sternberg and much more:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

Registration is now open to attend our 2024 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/

If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and consider joining the Fretboard Journal's new Patreon page.

Thank you to our sponsors: Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off of your Izotope order. 

Vashon Island, Washington-based guitarist Jamie Stillway joins us to talk about the latest addition to the Fretboard Journal podcast network, Guitar for Introverts! 

Registration is now open to attend our 2024 Fretboard Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/

If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and consider joining the Fretboard Journal's new Patreon page.

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

Our podcast is sponsored by Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings(get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off of your Izotope order.