The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

Mandolin hero John Reischman joins us this week to talk about his new album, 'The Salish Sea.'

We chat about the influence the Pacific Northwest has had on his music-making, discuss his famed Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F-5 mandolin, and so much more. 

Check out the Salish Sea here or on your favorite streaming platform: https://johnreischmanandthejaybirds.bandcamp.com/album/the-salish-sea

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org

Our 58th issue of...

Every year during the holiday season, we chat with Guru Singh, a third-generation yogi and spiritual teacher who also happens to live and breathe guitars.

On this installment (Guru Singh's third visit), we go deep. This former Reprise artist and friend of Janis Joplin talks to us about the spirit of giving, the benefits of A.I. (even for musicians), how he stays optimistic during difficult times, and so much more.

We'll be sharing the video from this interview on our YouTube channel soon.

https://gurusingh.com/
https://www.fretboardjournal.com/
...

Today's podcast episode is with Liam Kazar, a Chicago-born singer-songwriter and guitarist currently touring in Jeff Tweedy's band.

Liam just put out a new record, Pilot Light, which he made at Flying Cloud Studios in upstate New York. Check it out and catch him on the road.

https://www.instagram.com/liamkazar

https://liamkazar.com

Our 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://f...

On today's episode of the podcast, Sofia Wolfson talks to TJ Hiemel, owner of Troy, New York's Love of Fuzz store.

TJ shares with us some of his favorite gear that has come through the shop, his role in the upstate music community, the magic behind his ever-evolving inventory, and much more. Be sure to follow the shop's Instagram to stay up to date with their inventory.

https://www.instagram.com/love_of_fuzz/

https://www.loveoffuzz.com/

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here t...

Vermont-based guitar hero Paul Asbell joins us this week to talk about his new book, 'Stages: Ruminations, Rants, and Reminiscences on a Life in Music.'

In 'Stages,' Paul recounts stories from early in his career when he worked as a sideman for legendary blues artists on the South Side of Chicago. We also hear about Paul's unique upbringing, his love for luthier-made instruments, why he left Chicago for Vermont, and so much more. 

Order 'Stages' here: https://paulasbell.com/product/stages-ruminations-rants-and-reminiscences-on-a-life-in-music-book/

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now m...

Musician and Fretboard Journal contributor Paul Burch joins us this week to talk about his just-published debut novel, Meridian Rising. The book, an imagined memoir by Jimmie Rodgers, is filled with insights on the Father of Country Music and some of the unbelievable collaborators he worked with. We talk about the making of the book, why Rodgers is so fascinating to Paul, Paul's new album ('Cry Love'), and so much more.  

https://paulburch.com/

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

Our next Fretboard Su...

Grateful Shred co-founder Dan Horne joins us for a chat about the making of the band, his love for the Dead (of course), and the tribute group's 2025 album, 'Might As Well.' We also talk about growing up in the Bay Area, Alembics and other gear, and so much more. 

Check out Grateful Shred on tour and see what all the fuss is about: https://www.gratefulshredmusic.com/

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at th...

Raymond Morin of Pittsburgh's Acoustic Music Works joins us this week for an insightful chat about running a guitar store, music and so much more.

At a time when things seem pretty bleak for mom & pop guitar stores, Pittsburgh's Acoustic Music Works is a true success story. They have just relocated to a new, larger space, focusing on a select range of premium brands and hosting occasional in-house concerts.

https://acousticmusicworks.com

We talk about Raymond pivoting career-wise into the world of guitars; the guitar-building class he took before he became a salesperson...

Guitarist Paul Rigby joins us this week to talk about his 15-plus-year collaboration with Neko Case and so much more.

We hear about growing up in Calgary (and why it's an oddly great town for guitarists); meeting Neko; writing for Broadway; songwriting help from the Black Stallion; and why his favorite electric guitar is a $123 partscaster.

https://www.instagram.com/paul.rigby003/

Neko Case's new album, 'Neon Grey Midnight Green, is out now. https://nekocase.com

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get i...

Guitarist Ben Garnett joins us this week to talk about the making of his new acoustic album, Kite's Keep.    Garnett's journey as a musician is one-of-a-kind. This former tuba player became infatuated with the guitar thanks to his uncle, Andy Timmons. He then discovered the Punch Brothers, immersed himself in bluegrass, and now has actual Punch Brothers on his new album. 

Give it a listen and then go check out Kite's Keep on all the streaming platforms.    https://www.bengarnett.net

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we're joined by New York City-based guitarist and composer Vilray Bolles.

Alongside Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive, he's one half of Rachael & Vilray, a duo with an uncanny knack for writing brand new songs that feel like they came straight from Tin Pan Alley. On their latest release, West of Broadway, the duo was inspired by both classic musicals and West Coast jazz. They even roped in Stephen Colbert for a cameo on the album.

During our chat, we talk about Vilray's love for jazz, his days of b...

Singer-songwriter/guitarist Courtney Hartman joins us again on the podcast to share the story of her forthcoming album, With You. The album – her first since becoming a parent – is a beautiful collection of songs with a unique backstory. To help finish the record, she turned to fellow songwriter moms in her orbit.

It's a beautiful record and a great talk. Added bonus: We're streaming her new single "Everything at Once" on our site right now: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/columns/song-premiere-courtney-hartmans-everything-at-once/

Follow Courtney here. 

Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now ma...

Melbourne, Australia-based guitarist Jacob Cole joins us this week to talk about his 2025 instrumental album 'Slow Gold' and so much more. We hear about his Cole's record-filled childhood, the guitar scene in Melbourne, recording in Tasmania (!), and his influences. It's an insightful chat with an artist we think you'll love.

https://jacobcole1.bandcamp.com/album/slow-gold

Read the poignant story Jacob's sister penned for the Guardian here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/07/i-spoke-for-my-brother-when-he-was-too-afraid-to-answer-now-he-speaks-in-melodies-and-i-have-learned-to-listen

Our new, 57th issue is now mailing. You can subscribe here to get it.

Our next...

On this week's episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, we introduce you to Brooklyn-based guitarist Isaac Stalling.

Isaac sits down with editor Sofia Wolfson to talk about his musical roots in Oklahoma City, moving to NYC, playing in dozens of bands at once, and his solo project. 

https://www.instagram.com/i_stalling_/?hl=en

Our new, 57th issue is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026 at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org

We a...

Ryan Richter, Dylan Day, and Harrison Whitford are wildly creative guitarists who happen to play with some of the most-streamed artists of the last few years, including Ed Sheeran (Dylan), Phoebe Bridgers (Harrison), and Lizzy McAlpine (Ryan). They are all based in Los Angeles. 

At the 2025 Fretboard Summit, we sit down with these three musicians to discuss their journeys as artists and collaborators. We hear about why they all landed in LA, how they work with big-name artists, the gear they are currently obsessing over, their solo recordings, and so much more. It's an introspective chat filled w...

Do guitars still sell in 2025? Is there a glut of unsold instruments? How have tariffs affected the high-end musical instrument space?

At this year's Fretboard Summit, we asked a handful of guitar retailers for their unfiltered thoughts on selling instruments in 2025. Included were Rebecca Jasso (Old Town School of Folk Music retail store), Joe Caruso (The Music Emporium), Matt Kappenman (Mass Street Music) and Nathan Schiller (Folkway Music).

Their thoughts on guitar retail may just surprise you, and their insights into how to take care of a customer (and stay profitable during these tumultuous times...

One last Fretboard Summit 2025 announcement: Jayne Henderson (EJ Henderson Guitars and Ukuleles) stops by the Fretboard Journal to tell us about the Asheville Guitar Project group build that she'll be unveiling at our annual guitar gathering. 

This group guitar build - combining the talents of Asheville-based luthiers Jayne, Kyle Landers, and Judson Riviere - features domestic blowdown woods from Hurricane Helene. 

We talk about the region and its recovery from the storm, the unique tone woods used for this guitar, what it's like to build a guitar with other makers, and so much more! 

C...

3Bender's Wade Back joins us this week to share the fascinating history of 3Bender and reveal an incredible new product he's unveiling at this year's Fretboard Summit, the Steelmaster.

The Steelmaster is a string bender that can be mounted to any Jazzmaster-style guitar. It requires no drilling and works with stock or Mastery bridges.

Wade's story is one of a kind. We hear about his love for steel guitar, meeting elderly guitar tech Bob Stafford, and about the Steelmaster's origin story (which involves Black Bobbin's Shelby Pollard and last year's Summit).

https://www.3...

"Here's what happens when you invite a mandolin company, with crazy curiosity, to a guitar show four years in a row." -Adrian Bagale 

Northfield's Adrian Bagale joins us this week for what has to be one of the most insightful industry chats we've had in years.

We talk about what the company is unveiling at our 2025 Fretboard Summit in two weeks – a new instrument for guitarists – but we also talk about so much more.

For nearly 20 years, Northfield has built superb instruments both in the US and China. We discuss Northfield's unique business model...

Dave Hill is a comedian, actor, author, musician and podcaster. He's also a guitar fanatic. In fact, at the 2025 Fretboard Summit, he'll be performing an entire stand-up set on guitar (!) and doing some crowd work on your pedal boards.

On this week's podcast, we talk to Dave about his love for guitar, why teenage gear obsessions are so hard to kick, his plans for his Summit set and how he balances so many different facets to his career. It's a great chat with a brilliant and funny artist.

https://www.davehillonline.com

See...

James Kee of East Nash Grass joins us this week to talk about his band's forthcoming album 'All God's Children' and the guitar he just acquired and restored, a 1955 Martin D-18 formerly owned by Earl Scruggs!

During our chat, we learn all about the D-18's restoration (which Nashville luthier Hugh Hansen just completed), East Nash Grass' forthcoming record 'All God's Children,' why you should always have an Intellitouch tuner on-hand, and so much more.  

https://www.eastnashgrass.com

https://www.instagram.com/jamesalankee/?hl=en

Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.c...

Summer School Electronics founder Mark Turley joins us this week to discuss the history of his pedal company, his day job as a schoolteacher, our Fretboard Summit gathering, and so much more. 

In what has become an annual tradition, Summer School will be debuting a new, wild pedal at our Summit. For the first time ever, Mark will also teach a pedal-making class during our festival. Space is limited, but you'll go home with the ultimate Summit souvenir...a new pedal that you created! 

Register for our Summit: 
https://fretboardsummit.org/ (August 21-23, 2025 in Chi...

Musician, composer, and writer Skip Heller was one of the Fretboard Journal's earliest subjects, contributors, and podcast guests.

On this week's show, we catch up with Skip to talk about his new exotica album, 'Mojave After Dark.' We chat about his early pieces for the magazine - including the story on John Hartford he penned for our fourth edition - and so much more. Skip has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to music. You may just want to take notes. 

https://skiphellersvoodoo5.bandcamp.com/album/mojave-after-dark

We are brought to y...

Meet Emma Harner, an incredibly talented artist from Nebraska who, unbelievably, has only been playing guitar since the pandemic. 

Emma's complex playing, a mix of math rock and acoustic fingerpicking, and arresting vocals have earned her over 200,000 followers on Instagram and accolades from numerous guitar heroes.

During our chat, we talk about her guitar journey, including her time at Berklee, working at Guitar Center, her favorite tuning, her love for Radiohead, why she won't be covering Nick Drake or Adrianne Lenker any time soon, her new single, and so much more. It's a great conversation a...

Acclaimed guitarist, educator, songwriter, and all-around-great-human Adam Levy is back on the Fretboard Journal Podcast!

We talk about his new instrumental album, 'Household.' We discuss the concept behind this record, his desire to expand his band beyond the trio format; the unorthodox recording process he used to make the album; drummer Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes) and so much more. 

We are brou...

Jason is back on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to interview mandolin great Jacob Jolliff. Over the years, Jolliff has worked with a variety of bands, including Joy Kills Sorry, Yonder Mountain String Band, and his own Jacob Jolliff Band.

We talk about his time at Berklee, performing in mandolin competitions, his go-to mandolins (and microphone!) and so much more. A great chat with a player who should be on your radar.

Jolliff's Mandolin Mysteries, Instrumentals Vol. 2 is a must-listen. Check it out.

https://www.jacobjolliff.com

We are brought to you...

To rebel against musician parents, a young Hank Heaven wanted to be a French chef. But after a serendipitous moment of discovery, they became a Django Reinhardt expert. On Episode #503 of the podcast, Sofia Wolfson interviews Hank about their solo project, touring as a sideman, gypsy jazz, being in a broadway musical, and more. 

https://hankheaven.com

https://www.instagram.com/hank_heaven/

Hank's latest record, Loaded Dice: https://hankheaven.bandcamp.com/album/loaded-dice

We are brought to you by:  
Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to...

Today on the podcast, FJ assistant editor Sofia Wolfson interviews legendary songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist Dan Reeder.

Born in Louisiana, raised in California, and now based in Nuremberg, Germany, Reeder has released several albums of self-recorded music using instruments he's built himself. On this episode, we talk about working with John Prine and Oh Boy Records, the intersection between visual art and music, instruments he has built, and much more.

Be sure to give his latest record, Smithereens, a spin!

https://www.danreeder.com

We are brought to you by:  

Mike Buchman is a Seattle-based guitar fanatic and the Fretboard Journal's newest hire!

On this week's podcast, we talk to Mike about his recent experience learning the craft of guitarmaking with Colorado-based builder/instructor Robbie O'Brien. 

We also talk about Mike's songwriting, his role at the FJ and so much more. 

https://mikebuchmanmusic.com
https://obrienguitars.com

Our 56th issue of the Journal is now mailing to everyone. We hope you love it. 

You've heard Jon Rauhouse's music on every episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast. For our 500th episode, we decided to check in with Jon to hear about his journey as a steel guitarist. We also talk about working with Neko Case, interviewing Bud Isaacs for the FJ, and so much more. 

Musician Anna Vogelzang joins us this week to talk about songwriting, motherhood, Chicago (come see her at our 2025 Fretboard Summit) and more! 

Support Anna's Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theanna/afterglow-anna-vogelzangs-new-record

We are also brought to you 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/ (Au...

Guitarist Andy Pitcher promised himself that he would make a solo album before he turned 30. With just a few days to spare, the experimental/improvising guitarist recently released 'dot,' a beautiful album featuring great playing, a wide array of guitars - acoustic and electric - and some truly unique recording techniques.

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk about the record, his wild recording process, the gear he used (including his trusty Line 6 DL4).

It's a fun chat with a truly innovative musician.

https://andypitcher.bandcamp.com/album/dot

...

In the 1960s, Joellen Lapidus built the dulcimer you hear on Joni Mitchell's Blue album. Over the years, she's also sold instruments to some of rock's biggest names like David Crosby, Garth Hudson, Jackson Browne, and even Harry Styles.

On this week's podcast, this acclaimed dulcimer maker gives us a crash course on the amazing history of the instrument. It's a wild story that will have you looking at the dulcimer in a whole new light. 

https://www.lapidusmusic.com/home

During our chat, we hear about how an entire generation of 1960s d...

Peghead Nation co-founder Dan Gabel joins us this week to talk about the online lesson portal's origin story, the growth they've experienced over the last decade, and some of their favorite online classes. 

The Peghead Nation roster contains many former Fretboard Journal subjects and familiar faces to anyone who loves our podcast. In 2022, they even won a Distinguished Achievement Award from IBMA, the International Bluegrass Music Association. 

This week, Peghead Nation is launching a live Flatpicking Old-Time Fiddle Tunes class with guitar virtuoso (and co-founder) Scott Nygaard.

https://www.pegheadnation.com

Th...

The Fretboard Journal's Sofia Wolfson interviews Chicago's Free Range (Sofia Jensen), whose second record 'Lost & Found' is out now. 

Jensen recounts learning guitar at the School of Rock, starting Free Range as a teenager, getting influenced by Pinegrove (and King of the Hill!), developing your sound, and so much more. It's a great introduction to an artist we know you'll love.

https://www.freerangesongs.com
https://www.instagram.com/free__range/

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

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...

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

Want to be a part of our next Summ...

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...

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:  htt...

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 C...