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
Singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham joins us this week to talk about the making of her exceptional new album, Revealer. We talk about her songwriting process, her favorite pieces of gear (including her forthcoming signature pedal from JHS), her guitar technique, and some of the influences who have shaped her along the way.
http://www.madisoncunningham.com
Look for a video featuring Madison playing "All I've Ever Known," the opening track from Revealer, on fretboardjournal.com soon.
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!
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.
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.
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.