The Tone Mob Podcast

On this episode I have a super rad chat with Mike Stern. A guitarist who's co-conspirators include other greats such as Blood, Sweat & Tears, Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Eric Johnson and more! We talk his current rig, his past vs current approach to the instrument, pedalboard order, our thoughts on "practice" and a whole lot more! Enjoy it folks! Check out more info on Mike on his website HERE ht...

I've got a hot one for you this week! On this episode I'm talking to none other than the legend himself, Mr. Brian Ray. Brian is best known for playing guitar with the absolute powerhouse that is Sir Paul McCartney for the last 20 years. But his credits don't stop there! Brian also played with the fabulous Etta James for 14 years and shared the stage or collaborated with the likes of Keith Richard...

NAMM is officially over and I am releasing this before midnight Pacific time so I am still offically on schedule! On this episode, I am talking to my other business partner, Sean Arbow of Gunstreet to get into what the heck he's been up to the last few years. And let me tell you, it is a LOT of stuff. We chat about: The growth over the last two years. Solderless technology in guitars Understanding...

Drayton Farley is an incredible musician from Alabama. His music and songwriting is definitely in the Americana/Country/Singer-Songwriter vein, but what I didn't know is that this dude is a legit metalhead. The conversation spans a great many subjects from Drayton's top 7 listened to songs, his compact pedalboard, the Kendrick vs Drake beef, how he got hooked up with Martin Guitars, how horrible t...

In this episode I am joined by Mark Turley and Steve Peterson from Summer School Electronics. They discuss the origins of their company, the challenges and excitement surrounding the NAMM show, and the complexities of explaining the music industry to outsiders. The conversation also touches on nostalgia for 90s music and the evolution of musical tastes over time. In this conversation, the speakers...

I have a very special guest on this episode of the podcast, and that guest is none other than Jordan Buckley of Better Lovers & Every Time I Die. We discuss a TON of things on this episode, and there is some fun gear chat at the end for us tone nerds. But the bulk of the episode revolves around things like: Processing massive personal challenges in the public eye The emotional challenges of the mu...

On this special edition of the podcast, we have one more "Gift Swap" episode with my "other show", The Chasing Tone Podcast! Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to interview Gabe Dalporto, the current CEO of Guitar Center. As the head of the worlds largest music retail store he has probably seen more amazing string, valve, and transistor based toys than most of us can dream of. Gabe's story...

Brent Mason is an absolute legend in the guitar world. Not only for his chameleon like ability to adapt to any song, but also for his technical precision and speed. He is also one of the most prolific guitarists on the planet having played on basically any 1990s country song that matters, and a whole bunch of songs you never would have expected. On top of all of that, he's a heck of a nice guy and...

Have you heard of Warm Audio? If you've been around the audio world for the last decade or so then I'm sure that answer is "Yes!" But what do you know about Warm Audio? Who is behind the company? How did they come to own a piece of the rack real estate inside almost every major studio? And they are making pedals now? What's up with that? Today I get into the Warm Audio story with the folks behind...

On this episode I am sitting down and chewing the fat with Mike Poorman aka Woodshop Mike. I met Mike during a dinner with the StewMac folks at NAMM, and he had a different story than many other "guitar youtuber" friends of mine. So I knew I wanted to get him on the show to share his rather unique tale with all of you. Mike is a content creator who got his start in woodworking by building a neck-t...

On today's episode I'm chatting with renowned guitarist Tim Pierce. (This is wildly exciting for me!) Some of the artists that Tim has worked with include Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Phil Collins, The Goo Goo Dolls, Celine Dion, and many, many more. We discuss Tim's extensive career in the music industry, his early inspirations, the evolution of gear, the challenges of being a session musician t...

Here we go folks! On this episode I sat down with Craig William, of Many Eyes and Tzarina! We get Craig's early influences in music, his journey through various genres, and how he got involved in these projects. The conversation gets into into the challenges of touring, the creative process behind songwriting, and the evolution of gear from traditional tube amps to digital solutions like the Quad...

On this very special episode of the podcast, I'm talking to Sean Mackowski of Tallon Electric! Tallon Electric is a relatively new guitar pedal company, but they EXPLODED onto the scene via some extremely special and truly awesome collaborations with some successful bands. (Bilmuri, Plea For Purging, Alpha Wolf and August Burns Red). We dive into Sean's musical journey from childhood to his experi...

On this episode, I am chatting with John Demaio of Voltic Electronic Devices. John shares his experiences in the Army band, his transition from bass to guitar, and the various musical influences that have shaped his career. The conversation also delves into the challenges of starting a business in the music industry, common issues faced in amp repair, and a bunch of other rad stuff like: What the...

In this episode of the Tone Mob Podcast, host Blake Wyland and partner Scott Marquart get into some GEAR STUFF! But first we must engage in a lively discussion that begins with Halloween costumes because we recorded this on Halloween proper. What's start's off as a commentary on Scott's cowboy outfit moves into a SHOCKING REVELATION about your host's teenage years. After that, we dive into some ge...

This week I have my dude Zach from Mythos Pedals, the Dipped In Tone Podcast, and most recently High Voltage Guitars on the show this week. Zach has been on the podcast a few different times, but he has had so much new stuff happening that I had to have him back on for another round. Specifically, we get into the how and why behind him starting Nashville's newest guitar retail shop, High Voltage G...

Shermy Freeman is a fantastic surfy guitarist from the incredible band, The Surfrajettes. We of course dive into gear including her collaboration with our mutual friends at SolidgoldFx, her custom FOLDING pedalboard, single control Fender amps, Creston electric guitars and more! Shermy also shares her experiences with social media, the challenges of starting a band, and the evolution of her instru...

Today I am talking to Federico Mondelli from Italian Power Metal Sensations Frozen Crown! Oh yeah! We take a journey through his guitars and Federico discusses his story in the music industry, highlighting the challenges faced in the Italian music scene, his transition to a solo career in Japan, and the formation of his band Frozen Crown. He shares insights on the importance of live performances,...

On today's episode of the podcast, I sit down with Jason Gano and Ian Harrold of Musical Instrument Reclamation Corporation. MIRC is a truly fascinating and unique company based in Music City that has saved untold thousands of guitars from ending up in landfills. MIRC partners with musical instrument brands, retailers, and individuals all around the world. They take guitars that get damaged in shi...

On this episode of The Tone Mob Podcast, I am reunited with Joe Branton of Guitar Nerds for a lively discussion about our latest guitar and bass acquisitions, the nuances of said purchases, and the cultural significance of Fender and Gibson guitars. We also explore the resurgence of 70s guitars, the evolution of modern gear, and the intricacies of using wah pedals. This is the most GUITAR GEAR foc...

Don't worry. Don't compare. Don't expect too fast. Be kind to yourself. These are just a few of bits of "Guitar Wisdom" that Berklee College of Music Instructor Tomo Fujita has been known for. Between his classes at the famous college, and his own online lesson platform, Tomo has helped literally thousands of people not only be able to better express themselves on their guitars, but he's also been...

This is a very special episode of the show! Today I am talking with Jack Hetherington and Nick Conte who are key people in Guitar Center's Vintage department. We talk about their stories and how they came to be some of they key "point people" in the vintage guitar world. Topics include: Jack's journey from history major to vintage guitar expert. Nick's early exposure to vintage guitars through his...

Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFx has returned to the podcast! On this episode of the show we get into some rather "heavy" methods that both Adrian and myself use to attempt to keep ourselves from going insane. (It might be a little weird, but it works!) We also discuss: The NAMM Show. Is Adrian attending? Is Blake? The strange struggle of finding time to PLAY the guitar while working in the guitar indust...

As you have determined, on this episode I'm talking to Karl Sanders from the legendary band Nile! And we go places baby. We. Go. Places. We discuss the band's early days, and Karl's view on the evolving acceptance of extreme metal over the years. We, of course, talk about Karl's rig and why he says he'll never give up the tube amps. (It's a very good reason.) Karl and I also talk about the inspira...

This a story you probably haven't heard before! Derek Kimball from Kimball Hardwoods shares his journey into the guitar industry and supplying high quality, and specific wood for high-end guitars. We discuss the importance of passion and perseverance in starting a business and the challenges of balancing work and personal life. Derek emphasizes the need for quality and excellent customer service i...