The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

Today, we take a deep dive into hardcore history with guitarists Michael Hampton (The Extorts, The Faith, Embrace, One Last Wish) and Brian Baker (Bad Religion, Dag Nasty, Minor Threat).

These two legendary DC musicians make up one half of punk supergroup Fake Names, whose third album, Punk Ruins, is out now on Epitaph.

https://fakenamesofficial.com

Our guest interviewer for today's show is John Drenning, who recently penned a story on Baker for the 60th issue of our magazine. Read some highlights here.

During the chat, the duo reminisces about...

PSA: As winter approaches, it's time to protect your cherished instruments from drying out and damage. Today, we're talking to Joe Heiland from Boveda about their ridiculously simple (and ingenious) two-way humidity control packs. Joe walks us through the history of Boveda, their roots in the cigar (and cannabis) industries, and some best practices for looking after your guitars, mandolins, banjos and more. 

https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/for-music

We first met Joe and Boveda at our Chicago Fretboard Summit and we now have their control packs on nearly all of our guitars here at t...

This week, we're talking to Noah C. Lekas, one of the Fretboard Journal's longstanding contributors.

Over the years, Noah has profiled a variety of subjects for our magazine's pages, from blues legend Hubert Sumlin to luthier Matt Eich of Mule Resophonics. Today, we're sharing this Colorado-based writer/musician's own journey, his near-fatal illness, the psychedelic therapy that helped save him, and the album that he just released to document the ordeal, 'Flowers of Perennial Dissent.' The spoken word and guitar project features guests such as Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars) and folk artist Charlie Parr. 

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we meet Charlotte Cornfield, a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who recently released her sixth album, 'Hurts Like Hell.' The album was recorded live off the floor at Phil Weinrobe's studio in Brooklyn and features guitarists Adam Brisbin and El Kempner, guest vocals from Feist and Buck Meek, and lots more. 

We discussed Charlotte's writing process, how the different players left their stamp on this beautiful record, got the rundown on her one-pedal pedalboard, and more. 

https://charlottecornfield.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 61 is about to...

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we are talking to Jim and Frank from Wood & Wire Fine Fretted Instruments, a recently opened Chicago-area guitar store celebrating high-end and boutique instruments. This may just be the most Fretboard Journal-ish guitar retailer on earth.

https://woodandwire.net

Jim Newcomb served as CEO of the Old Town School of Folk Music and is responsible for bringing the Fretboard Summit to Chicago. Frank Hamilton is a former student at the Galloup School and headed the repair shop at the recently closed Guitar Works from 1999-2004.

Wood & Wire distinguishes...

The great John Leventhal joins us once again to talk about the making of his new solo album, 'National Drift.' 

https://www.instagram.com/johnleventhal/

We talk about his recording process for the album, how the songs came to be, the guitars he's currently loving, the perils of compression and so much more.  

Watch John perform "The Old Improv" on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/M-1JbpOEwVY

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is now mailing and features Christopher Guest; a cover story penned by John Mo...

Frank Gross, founder of West Seattle's Thunder Road Guitars, joins us this week.

Thunder Road is a unique brick-and-mortar success story. Thanks to some smart business moves (online and off), Thunder Road has thrived. In fact, Frank recently purchased and renovated a commercial space for the store! 

During our chat, we talk about Seattle's thriving independent guitar stores; Thunder Road's offerings (they carry big brands like Fender and Gibson alongside consignment instruments); and so much more.

On today's episode, guest host Ryan Richter sits down with multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Nate Mercereau.

Renowned for pushing the boundaries of stringed instruments, Nate continues to redefine what it means to play and compose with the guitar as the centerpiece. 

In this conversation, Ryan and Nate dive into the making of Mercereau's compelling new album, Fantastic Thoughts. They discuss the creative philosophy, gear setups, and spontaneous moments of inspiration that shaped the record, giving listeners an insider's look into Nate's unique artistic process.

Molly Tuttle joins us this week to talk about guitars (of course), her touring rig, life on the road and so much more. 

Bluegrass guitar hero Bryan Sutton joins us this week to talk about his brand-new album, From Roots to Branches, Vol. 1 ( Mountain Home Music Company). The album features Sutton in a duo setting with a bevy of friends, including Tommy Emmanuel, Billy Strings, Joe Bonamassa, Sierra Hull, the late Doc Watson, and others. As you'll hear, the performances range from straight bluegrass to a rather rocking tune with Billy Strings.

We also talk about his Blue Ridge Guitar Camp, session work, the joys of downsizing your guitar collection, and the secret studio weapon known as the Epiphone Seville...

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Maisy Owen joins us this week to talk about her gorgeous debut album, Dark on a Sunny Day (Tompkins Square).

Maisy talks about her music-filled upbringing (her dad is songwriter Gwil Owen; radio programming legend Rob Bleetstein is a family friend); her decision to take up the guitar; unlikely jobs (and songwriting sessions); her newfound love for British folk and so much more. Maisy also performed some songs while visiting us, available on our YouTube channel.

https://www.maisyowen.com
 
Get the record: https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/dark-on-a-sunny-day

R...

Today, we pay tribute to singer-songwriter Glen Hansard (1970-2026), frontman for the Frames and Swell Season. 

In 2009, Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde sat down with Glen at Seattle's Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub for an hour-long chat about guitars (including his famously worn Takamine), meeting your heroes, busking, and more. Today, we're sharing the audio from that conversation for the very first time. 

This interview ended up serving as the cover story for our 17th issue, which we published in 2010.

As you'll hear, this was recorded 16 years ago in a busy pub and was no...

Today on the podcast, Summer School Electronics founder Mark Turley joins us once again. We talk about Summer School's current pedal offerings, the 2026 Fretboard Summit, and the two pedal-making classes that Mark will be teaching at the Summit.

https://www.summerschoolelectronics.com

Sign up for Summer School's Pedal Classes: https://www.summerschoolelectronics.com/shop/p/fretboard-summit-pedal-building-class-amnk8

Register for our 2026 Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/tickets

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is just a few weeks away:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

We are brought to y...

Today on the podcast, we are joined by guitarist Louis Campbell, who talks to us about growing up playing traditional music, studying with Martin Simpson, his affinity for using the electric guitar like a piano, and much more.

You can check out his original music via his duo Spafford Campbell: https://www.spaffordcampbell.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is just a few weeks away:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
 (Get your first month free or...

LA-based singer-songwriter/composer/guitarist Micah Preite joins us this week! 

https://micahpreite.bandcamp.com

Though millions have streamed his lo-fi/indie songs on Spotify, Preite's background includes time with SoCal jazz legend Bruce Forman, a visit as a teenager to the OG 2015 Fretboard Summit in California, and studying music at CalArts. He's now working on his first full-length movie score and more songs. It's a great chat with a young musician who can seemingly do it all.

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago (August 20-22, 2026) for three days of guitar demos, c...

Today's podcast episode is with songwriter and guitarist @alex.amen, who has a new album out today on ATO Records.

https://alexamen.com

In this conversation, we talk about Alex's Texan roots, mountaineering, living on a California commune, and the musical influences found on his new album.

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago (August 20-22, 2026) for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and live podcasts with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

This year's Summit has over 80 luthiers and brands showcasing their new and prototype gear! 2026...

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we're joined by photojournalist and musician Ryan Salm. 

When the 2026 World Cup descends on North America, Salm and his group of friends, The Home Team String Band, will hit the road in a converted school bus, visiting match sites to play music and bridge cultural divides.  

It's a fun tale of soccer fans using music to open doors and make friends. 

Follow the Home Team String Band and their adventures here:
https://hometeamsoccerbus.com

https://www.instagram.com/hometeamstringband

Join us at our...

On this week's episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to singer-songwriter Darryl Rahn about his new album (out today on Capitol Records).

Darryl shares a look into his recording process, his gear set-up to get that perfect acoustic live sound, his love for his '50s Martin, and more.

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

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and live podcasts with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

This year's Summit has over 80...

Musician Brad Barr joins us this week to share the story of the Barr Brothers' 2025 album, Let It Hiss, and talk guitar.

Brad's guitar playing is uniquely shaped by world music sounds. For years now, Brad has been using a simple but effective trick to make drone/violin sounds on his guitar: Tie a piece of sewing thread on a guitar string near the bridge. The effect, inspired by the playing of Romanian violinist Nicolae Neascu of Taraf de Haidouks, is hauntingly beautiful.

He explains how he came about with the technique and where he w...

On this week's podcast, we're mixing things up. Take a peek inside our brand new, 59th issue and hear an excerpt from our cover story with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Also, Fretboard Summit news, some of Jason's favorite stories, and more. 

Get the issue here: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/whats-inside-fretboard-journal-59/

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and podcast tapings with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

This year's Summit has over 80 luthiers and brands showcasing their new and prototype gear! 

On this week's podcast, we're joined by Adam Dardeck and Andy Cambria of The Music Emporium. Founded in 1968 by Stu Cohen, The Music Emporium is one of the most successful retailers of boutique and vintage guitars in the world. The Lexington, Mass.-based store is sponsoring our 2026 Fretboard Summit and, thanks to their generous support, we're granting our first-ever scholarships to the guitar festival! 

To apply for the scholarship, go here. 

Follow The Music Emporium here.

We talk to Adam and Andy about the new program, the Summit, how The Music Emporium has ev...

Guitarist, composer and Berklee professor Lyle Brewer joins us this week.

We talk about his journey as a professional guitarist and educator, how he ended up teaching at Berklee (and what the students are listening to), his influences (from Pat Metheny to Andy Shauf), his love for nylon-string guitars, workshopping new music on the internet, and so much more.

Brewer has a ton of insights on composing, songwriting, the future of AI and music, and more. 

https://lylebrewermusic.net

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of g...

On today's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we mix things up. 

Our very own Ryan Richter (https://www.instagram.com/misterrichter/) just wrapped up playing two of the most talked-about sets at Coachella backing Dijon and we wanted to hear all about it. We discuss the prep that went into Dijon's Coachella performances, the gear that Ryan used, and more.

Watch the whole interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zKatMHRKUgU

Ryan's solo albums can be found here: https://ryanrichter.bandcamp.com

Follow Ryan here: https://www.instagram.com/misterrichter/

Join us at...

Guitarist Michael Daves and mandolinist Jacob Jolliff join us this week to talk about their latest project, 'We Like Jim & Jesse!' The album, a tribute to Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, features 10 of the famed bluegrass duo's tracks.

During our conversation, we talk about the magic of Jim & Jesse McReynolds, some of the unique quirks of their performance style (including Jesse's wild fingernail routine), how Michael and Jacob recorded this tribute and more. 

https://michaeldavesjacobjolliff.bandcamp.com/album/we-like-jim-jesse

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here. 

Our next Fr...

The incredibly talented Wendy Eisenberg joins us this week to talk about their new, self-titled album, which just earned a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork.

Wendy talks about their start playing music in Western Massachusetts, the perils of awful guitar instructors, discovering prog rock (and eventually jazz…and singer-songwriters), and so much more. Hosted by Sofia Wolfson

https://www.wendyeisenberg.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine  here. 

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

Thomm Jutz's story is unlike any other we've ever shared.

Born in the Black Forest of Germany, Jutz became obsessed with American music when, at the age of 11, he saw Bobby Bare on TV. He eventually moved to Nashville, where he has worked with Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier, Billy Strings, and others. These days, he also teaches songwriting at Belmont University.

On this week's podcast, we talk to the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer about his new solo album, Ring-A-Bellin', its companion book, his secrets for success in Nashville, and so much more. It's a...

This week, we're chatting with Rhys John Stubbs, founder of UK-based Bigfoot Engineering. Rhys is best known for his effects pedals, but he just released a beautiful album of original acoustic guitar instrumentals called 'Zems.' We love it. 

We talk about Rhys' journey through music (and how a Fretboard Journal video with the Milk Carton Kids shaped his playing!), his love for acoustic guitars, pedal production, and so much more.

https://www.bigfootengineering.com/

Listen to 'Zems': https://www.bigfootengineering.com/music.html#/

Our next Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, a...

Singer-songwriter John Craigie joins us this week to talk about his new album, 'I Swam Here.' 

https://johncraigie.com

We also talk about Craigie's unique humor during his sets, his Beatles covers, album covers, and so much more. 

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

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with th...

This week, the Fretboard Journal's Sofia Wolfson talks to Tulsa, Oklahoma-based songwriter Ramsey Thornton. Ramsey is a multi-instrumentalist with a love for both banjo and guitar. In fact, he's one of those rare individuals who boasts a graduate degree in banjo!

We hear all about it and about Ramsey's forthcoming debut album, 'I Called It!' 

Follow Ramsey here: https://www.instagram.com/ramsey.thornton/

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

We are brought t...

Portland, Oregon-based musicians Eric Skye and Jonah Sissoyev join us this week to talk about Jonah's beautiful new EP, 'A Place Called Nowhere.' 

The EP's origin story begins with Jonah asking Eric, an acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist and Santa Cruz Guitar Co. signature model artist, for guitar lessons. Once he heard Jonah's songs, Eric offered to produce and record this project.   During our chat, we hear all about their collaboration, Eric's recording techniques (including some DIY home recording advice), the Stew-Mac kit guitar that Jonah built for himself, and so much more. 
Listen to Jonah's EP here: 

Acclaimed vintage guitar repairperson Mark Stutman (Folkway Music) joins the Fretboard Journal Podcast once again. 

Fretboard Journal contributor Seth Lorinczi joins us this week to talk about the rise and fall of Micro-Frets, the upstart electric guitar brand launched in the late 1960s.

Seth penned a lengthy story on Micro-Frets for our magazine's 58th issue (available now), and we talk about the brand's launch in Maryland, its unique offerings, the short-lived attempt to revive the company, and so much more. We also talk about Seth's history in the DC punk scene, his writing projects, and the impact psychedelic therapy has had on his life. 

In what has become an annual tradition, Evan Gluck (NY Guitar Repair) hosted a guitar repair roundtable at the 2025 Fretboard Summit. This year, he brought Ceil Thompson (StewMac); TJ Thompson (Pro Luthier Tools); Mamie Minch (Brooklyn Lutherie); and Mark Stutman (Folkway Music) onstage. 

It's an insightful (and often hilarious) talk about the realities of running a guitar repair business. Very quickly, these five guitar repair experts go deep on customers, the surprise revelations they've had in their careers; the tasks (and people) they avoid; and much more. 

Give it a listen. It may just make yo...

Sam Skinner (Pinegrove) joins us this week to talk about his work as a guitarist, producer and engineer. 

https://www.samskinner.com

We also get Fretboard Journal and Fretboard Summit updates! 

Our 58th 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://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription wit...

Fingerstyle guitar authority John Stropes joins us this week to talk all about his new two-volume book featuring transcriptions of every track on Leo Kottke's monumental '6 & 12 String Guitar' album! 

Get the book here: https://www.stropes.com/product/leo-kottke-6-and-12-string-guitar-a-companion-by-john-stropes-and-benjamin-kammin/

During our chat, we hear about Stropes love for fingerstyle, how the Old Town School of Folk Music (home of the Fretboard Summit) shaped his playing, collaborating with Kottke and Michael Hedges, and so much more. 

Our 58th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.

The Fretboard Journal's Sofia Wolfson interviews musician, producer, and recording and mixing engineer Philip Weinrobe. Over the years, Weinrobe has worked with a wide array of artists, including Big Thief, Hand Habits, Adrianne Lenker, Theo Katzman, Marc Ribot, Lake Street Dive, and countless others.

It's a great chat about Weinrobe's roots as a recording engineer, his work at Figure 8 and Sugar Mountain studios, and so much more. 

https://www.philipweinrobe.com

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

Guitarist/composer/improviser Shane Parish is about to release a truly astounding project, Autechre Guitar. The Athens, Georgia-based guitarist has transcribed and recorded an entire album of acoustic guitar arrangements featuring the music of electronic music duo Autechre.

This is no small feat. Autechre's atmospheric compositions were made with layered synths and drum machines. Shane has somehow distilled them to their essence and arranged them for solo guitar. Best of all, they sound great.

On the podcast, we hear all about this Mt. Everest of a project, the Taylor 214-GE he used for the task...

On this week's podcast, UK-based author and guitar fanatic John Stubbings returns to tell us all about his new book, 'The Guitar Detective.' The follow-up to his monumental 'The Devil Is In It' publishing project, 'The Guitar Detective' is a "non-fiction novel" based around a riveting guitar mystery.

We discuss the format John chose for this book, his inspiration for the story, and so much more.

https://orpharionpress.com/

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

...

To wrap up this year, Fretboard Journal editors Jason Verlinde and Sofia Wolfson talk about some of their favorite moments from 2025. We discuss the inner workings of the magazine, our favorite articles, the 2025 Fretboard Summit, some of our favorite records and shows of the year, and so much more. 

On behalf of all of us, we hope you have a very happy New Year.  

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 the Fretboard Journal is no...

Nearly every guitar player has daydreamed about running their favorite gear company. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we hear from two individuals who are currently living that dream: Nashville's Pete Mroz and Shannon Pollard.

Earlier this year, these two guitar fanatics and businessmen became the new owners of Bend, Oregon's Breedlove Guitars.

During our chat, we talk about the realities of running a guitar business in 2025, the surprises they weren't anticipating, what changes they are implementing at the 35-year-old company, and where they see growth in the guitar space.

Whether or not...