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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: Category: Music
Apr 15, 2020

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

 

Apr 6, 2020

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.

Support the Fretboard Journal by getting a digital subscription for just $30: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer
 
See our entire (and growing) lineup of #FJFest content here, including shop tours with TJ Thompson, Mark Stutman of Folkway Music and others: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/tag/fjfest/
 
Mar 28, 2020
This week's podcast is about a lot more than guitars: In the midst of a global pandemic, Richard Hoover, founder of the Santa Cruz Guitar Co., joins us for a candid conversation about running a successful small business, innovations in lutherie, his "bank of goodwill," being open-source, and so much more. We hear about his childhood growing up in California's San Joaquin Valley, the influence of the Whole Earth Catalog, the perils of dulcimer building, the serendipitous path that led him to guitarmaking, and even the books Richard is currently reading. He also offers us all a "logic array" that may help you re-frame your thinking through these challenging times. 
 
Note: There is unfortunately some Skype latency around the 49 minute mark. It only lasts a minute but we decided to leave it in to keep this conversation intact. 
 
https://santacruzguitar.com
 
Other Santa Cruz Guitar Co. content from the FJ that you may enjoy: 
Richard Hoover on the Fretboard Journal Podcast #116: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/podcasts/podcast-116-richard-hoover-santa-cruz-guitar-company/
 
Richard Hoover profile from Fretboard Journal #1
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/richard-hoover-santa-cruz-guitars
 
Support the Fretboard Journal by getting a digital subscription for just $30: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/collections/downloads/products/fretboard-journal-digital-subscription-offer
 
Mar 19, 2020

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

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

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

Mar 1, 2020

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... 

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

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

Feb 17, 2020

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.

Feb 10, 2020

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.

Jan 30, 2020

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.  

Jan 8, 2020

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

 

Dec 27, 2019

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.

Dec 14, 2019

"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.

Dec 3, 2019

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.

Nov 21, 2019

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. 

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.
Nov 14, 2019

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

Nov 4, 2019

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

Oct 24, 2019

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.

Oct 14, 2019

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

Oct 4, 2019

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.

Sep 23, 2019

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.

Sep 17, 2019

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.

Sep 10, 2019

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.

Aug 31, 2019

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.

Aug 21, 2019

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

Aug 9, 2019

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

Aug 2, 2019

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. 

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