The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

On this week’s Fretboard Journal podcast, we’re sharing the talk that acclaimed luthier TJ Thompson gave at the 2016 Fretboard Summit in San Diego. This talk was billed as “Myth Busting with TJ Thompson” and had the following description in our program: Adirondack you say? What makes you think so? Is it possible to build a new guitar just like the old guitars? How long is long scale? Is hide glue really better? Should you have that popsicle brace removed? Internet bloggers who believe they know the answers to these questions beware, this lecture may not be for you.  This was easily one of the most candid talks at the Summit. By popular demand (and with his permission), we’re sharing it today. At the 2016 Summit, TJ was also on panels discussing vintage Martin guitars, vintage acoustic Gibson guitars and the merits of the PLEK machine. We’ll be sharing those in the near future, too. Please review us on iTunes if you haven’t yet and don’t forget to subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print edition. Our new issue (#37) is now mailing with Nels Cline on the cover.  This week’s podcast sponsor is TR Crandall, a must-see vintage guitar shop in New York City. The Fretboard Journal Podcast on iTunes: click here  TJ Thompson: https://proluthiertools.com TR Crandall: http://www.trcrandall.com Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine here. 

The last official talk at the 2016 Fretboard Summit featured three giants in the world of guitarmaking: Rick Turner, Dana Bourgeois and Andy Powers. This sprawling talk covers a lot of ground: What makes a great guitar? How long are guitars supposed to last? Will artificial intelligence take over guitar making? They also fielded plenty of enlightening questions from our audience. [Note: Audio is a little variable with audience questions – not everyone spoke into a microphone – but the answers should be plenty audible.]  The second Fretboard Summit took place October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego. Over the next few months, we’ll be releasing more content – talks, panels and concert footage – on fretboardjournal.com.  

Two old friends join us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast as we talk with guitar improvising legend Henry Kaiser and Andy Marshall of THD Electronics. During our sprawling chat, Kaiser tells us about his love for diving in the Antarctic and how being underwater in the cold has affected his sense of rhythm. He also tells us how he met Alexander “Howard” Dumble and how he obtained his #1 Steel String Singer in one of the great guitar deals of the century. Kaiser then walks us through his pedalboard’s entire signal chain, briefly demoing each pedal. The pair also discuss the magic of Bell & Howell Filmosound amplifiers and the future of Marshall's THD Electronics.  Must-watch video of Henry Kaiser swimming with the Weddell seals: http://www.inktalks.com/discover/741/henry-kaiser-music-of-the-seals And Kaiser playing slide on the South Pole:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KnwR17V1c Note: During this taping, we filmed a few videos with Kaiser and Marshall performing at the FJ. Look for those on fretboardjournal.com and on our YouTube channel over the next couple of weeks. http://thdelectronics.com http://www.henrykaiserguitar.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com  

On this week's podcast, we talk to Will Lowe and David Sheppard of Lowe Vintage. Lowe Vintage is a relatively new guitar shop based in Burlington, North Carolina. Despite their newcomer status in the world of vintage guitars, mandolins and banjos, they've already amassed an incredible selection of Gibsons, Martins and more. During our talk, Will Lowe tells us about how this store came about and where they find all these classic '20s-'40s era instruments. We also talk to David Sheppard about the repair work he does to these instruments, collector trends and more.  We're happy to announce that Lowe Vintage will be bringing many of their instruments to our Fretboard Summit, October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Attend and have an opportunity to play (or purchase) some of these remarkable gems.  http://lowevintage.comhttps://www.fretboardjournal.com http://www.fretboardsummit.com

Our Fretboard Summit OM guitar project is now nearing completion. On this episode, we conduct one last Skype conversation with luthier T. Drew Heinonen to talk about the instrument, where it stands currently and about some of the finishing touches Drew will be making to the guitar. He tells us a bit about pore fillers, the intricacies of UV finishes, how he prefers to glue the bridge to the body, the merits of Ironwood as a replacement for Ebony and much more. We’ll be unveiling this guitar for the first time at the Fretboard Summit, October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Join us for three days of music, guitar talks, interviews and panels if you can. We’ll even let you play this very guitar. It’s going to be a blast. Special thanks to Stewart MacDonald for sponsoring this and other Summit guitar episodes. http://www.stewmac.com http://www.fretboardsummit.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com http://www.heinonenguitars.com  

We don’t often cover religious music here at the Journal but on today’s podcast we talk to Paul Enns, a music pastor based in London. He walks us through his unique job, crafting music and playing acoustic guitar for church services; tells us about his wildly eclectic music tastes (here’s a player who can appreciate everything from Joe Henry to John Zorn and Albert Ayler); describes the life changing impact Springsteen’s The River had on him as a child and a lot more.  Also, Summit updates, some Southern California FJ reader meetups and more. Intro and outro music by Jon Rauhouse, who has a new album out with Eric Bachmann. www.fretboardjournal.comwww.fretboardsummit.com   Jon Rauhouse with Eric Bachmann: http://stores.portmerch.com/ericbachmann/featured-products/eric-bachmann-and-jon-rauhouse-lp.html

As Santa Cruz celebrates its fortieth anniversary, we’re sharing the talk that founder Richard Hoover gave at the first-ever Fretboad Summit. Richard tells us a bit about the SCGC operation, gives us his thoughts on how tonewoods affect what we hear, describes his specific builds for Tony Rice and much more.  The next Fretboard Summit takes place October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego, California. Once again, Hoover and many luthiers from around the country will be on-hand, fielding questions and explaining their craft. We’ll also have some of our favorite musicians, interactive exhibits, dozens of vintage guitars in a pop-up “guitar library” and much more.   http://santacruzguitar.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com http://www.fretboardsummit.com

Jim Olson is a legend in the world of acoustic guitar making. The Minnesota-based luthier is a cult favorite among guitar collectors around the world thanks to the instruments he's built for James Taylor (Taylor's Olson was once immortalized in cartoon form on a Simpson’s episode), Phil Keaggy and Leo Kottke. Due to their high demand, Olson’s new creations start at $15,000, a price that even he is a little embarrassed by. “I’m the Forrest Gump of guitarmaking,” Olson tells us. “I fell into here. I don’t think these things are any more special than anything else.”  During this candid talk, Olson tells us about the first guitar he built (with help from the classic Irving Sloane book), how Keagy ordered the first cedar guitar and how an early (and failed) distribution deal for his dreadnoughts in the late ‘70s resulted in his fanatical appreciation for tooling and build efficiency. “I’m sometimes more interested in making a new piece of tooling than a guitar,” he says. We also talk CNC machines, the creation of the Small Jumbo, tone woods, his fateful meeting with James Taylor and more. Subscribe to all the Fretboard Journal podcasts via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fretboard-journal-podcast/id394447340?mt=2 https://www.fretboardjournal.com http://www.fretboardsummit.com

These days, Otto D’Ambrosio is best known for his exquisite archtop guitars. But his guitar journey began long ago, when he stumbled into Mandolin Brothers as a 13 year old. He ended up working at Mandolin Brothers for Stan Jay, then for luthier legends Flip Scipio and John Monteleone. He did some time at the repair department of Guild’s Westerly plant and, eventually set out on his own as a luthier and repairman. On this week’s podcast, D’Ambrosio tell us about his background, describes the ongoing evolution of his archtop models and tells us about his ongoing collaboration with Eastman Guitars. After working for most of his life on the East Coast, Otto has now relocated to the West Coast to work out of Eastman’s California headquarters. It’s an informative and fun chat with one of the fretted instrument world’s best craftsmen. http://eastmanguitars.com https://www.fretboardjournal.com http://www.fretboardsummit.com

It's starting to look like a guitar! Luthier T. Drew Heinonen is hard at work on the OM guitar project we'll be unveiling at the 2016 Fretboard Summit. On this week's podcast, Drew tells us about his assembly of the guitar's body, gives us his views on bracing and bridge plates and much more.  The Fretboard Summit OM will be unveiled at the next Fretboard Summit, taking place October 14-16, 2016 in San Diego. Go to www.fretboardsummit.com for details.