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The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

Each week, the Fretboard Journal interviews some of our favorite musicians, instrument builders and historians.
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The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast
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Now displaying: 2025
Mar 21, 2025

This week, we talk to writer Jamie Etherington about his latest project, the Luthier's Tool Box.

The Luthier's Tool Box is the Fretboard Journal's first hardcover book release. It's an anthology featuring guitarmakers from around the world sharing the stories behind their most cherished tools. What began as a Fretboard Journal magazine article quickly evolved into a full-fledged book with nearly 100 contributors and full-color photographs. If you like our magazine or podcasts, you'll love this book.

Order the book here: http://fretboardjournal.com/tools

We also talk about Jamie's life in Australia, his love for traditional and acoustic music from America, his interview with illustrator Annie Elliott, and so much more.

Follow Jamie: https://www.instagram.com/jamie.etherington.35/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

https://fretboardsummit.org/

https://www.fretboardjournal.com

Mar 10, 2025

Did you watch 'A Complete Unknown' and wonder where all those vintage instruments came from? 

If so, you're in luck. This week, we're talking to Buzzy Levine of Lark Street Music. Over 20 of the instruments featured in the movie came from Buzzy himself and we hear all about the process, his reaction to the finished film, and how he avoided a 'Hateful Eight' situation while his guitars were on-loan. 
 
We also chat about the store, the unlikely story of how its location is cherished by Hollywood, and much more. 

Want to be a part of our next Summit? Registration is now available for our 2025 Fretboard Summit, taking place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Attend and enjoy three days of panel discussions, all-star concerts, jam rooms, interviews, exhibitors, workshops and surprises...created just for like-minded guitar fanatics.

https://fretboardsummit.org/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mar 2, 2025

How do you make a new acoustic guitar sound slightly more "vintage?"

This was the nebulous premise that Jason posed to three great builders at the 2024 Fretboard Summit: John Slobod (Circa Guitars), TJ Thompson, and Steve "Nully" Nall from Collings.

In this live panel, we hear these luthiers' thoughts on the topic, including wood, the importance of aging (even with a brand new guitar), the hardest body style to make sound period correct, and so much more. It's 45 minutes of great insights from three exceptional makers.

http://www.circaguitars.com/

https://proluthiertools.com/

https://collingsguitars.com/

Want to be a part of our next Summit? Registration is now available for our 2025 Fretboard Summit, taking place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Attend and enjoy three days of panel discussions, all-star concerts, jam rooms, interviews, exhibitors, workshops and surprises...created just for like-minded guitar fanatics.

https://fretboardsummit.org/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Feb 22, 2025

D'Addario founder and Fretboard Journal 55 cover subject Jim D'Addario joins us this week for a fascinating talk about strings, innovation, and so much more. 

We talk about Jim's first mentor, Mario Maccaferri; Jim's relentless work ethic, where he sees forthcoming innovation in guitar strings; and much more. It's a great chat with one of our favorite FJ subjects.

Check out the new issue of the Journal featuring Jim here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/whats-inside-fretboard-journal-55/

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register today:  https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/08-21-2025-fretboard-summit-2025/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Feb 14, 2025

Frequent Fretboard Journal contributor Cameron Knowler returns to the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his forthcoming new album, CRK. Inspired by classic Terry Allen and Ry Cooder records, CRK features expansive acoustic guitar playing and atmospheric touches that evoke Cameron’s Southwest roots.

We also go deep on good vs. bad guitars; horse trading with Norman Blake; the groundbreaking technique of Riley Puckett; drummer Jay Bellerose and more.  

Pre-order CRK and listen to Cameron’s new single, “Felicity,” here: https://worriedsongs.bandcamp.com/album/crk

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register today: https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/08-21-2025-fretboard-summit-2025/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Jan 26, 2025

Ella Feingold is a Grammy-winning guitarist who has performed alongside Queen Latifah, Erykah Badu, Bruno Mars, and numerous other heavyweight musicians. She's also one of the most inspiring musicians we've ever met, a trans artist who shares her love for funk and rhythm guitar on Instagram on a near-daily basis with fans around the world.

On this week's podcast, we talk to Ella about her life as a recording artist, a music historian, and a video game orchestrator. We learn about the life-changing magic of inverted tuning (and how a couple of former Fretboard Journal subjects hipped her to it), the only amp she needs, the power of Fred Rogers and so much more. This is one of our favorite interviews to date and is filled with insights. We hope you love it.

https://www.instagram.com/ella_rae_feingold/

https://feingoldmusic.com/

https://www.patreon.com/feingoldmusic

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal: http://fretboardjournal.com/subscribe

Watch the video from this interview over on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Fretboard_Journal

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register today: https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/08-21-2025-fretboard-summit-2025/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Collings: Check out their new Hill Country series of guitars: https://collingsguitars.com/hill-country-series/

Jan 17, 2025

Guest host Sofia Wolfson introduces us to Renny Conti, a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter/producer. They discuss Renny's introduction to music, the influence of Big Thief (Sofia just interviewed Adrianne Lenker for our 55th issue, btw), the beauty of cowboy chords and more. 

Renny's self-titled album is out today (January 17, 2025). Check it out on Spotify or Apple Music.

https://rennyconti.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/rennyonline/

Host Sofia Wolfson: https://sofiawolfson.bandcamp.com/album/imposing-on-a-hometown

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal: http://fretboardjournal.com/subscribe

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register today: https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/08-21-2025-fretboard-summit-2025/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Collings: Check out their new Hill Country series of guitars: https://collingsguitars.com/hill-country-series/

Jan 11, 2025
This week, we're joined by Mike Nelson, Martin Guitars' VP of Global Marketing. 
 
Mike has a coveted job: He gets to tell the story of one of the world's most loved guitar brands.
 
We talk about the challenges Mike faces in his role, the yearslong planning process for new Martin models, where he sees growth in the industry, the Martin Custom Shop, NAMM, and more. 
 
It's a unique take on the business of guitar. 
 
Martin: https://www.martinguitar.com
Martin's Custom Shop: https://www.martinguitar.com/about-martin-custom-shop.html?srsltid=AfmBOor0gH2rquaP_2ZQOYJxOALmzB6uprJCvpqFqfrSVMrSDGHo5qEz
 
2025 LA Fire Relief: 
Musicares Fire Relief: https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief
LA Mutual Fire Aid Resources: https://www.fireaid.info/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZX8rVNnTmxCs5y7FxfKVC7MPMztRiLJp_fWMzLcKsihzK82aF1mC8-DRI_aem_GS0GIyZN5hSAMVs8OdVRbw
LA Wildfires Help List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10Q387T4udLBFSEj5MJs16E8OwZNZHU9RemS39ZhSyt8/htmlview

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal: http://fretboardjournal.com/subscribe

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Register today: https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/08-21-2025-fretboard-summit-2025/

This week's show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)

Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Collings: Check out their new Hill Country series of guitars: https://collingsguitars.com/hill-country-series/

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