No Cover Charge Podcast

John Bohlinger joins Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols for a wide-ranging, guitar-centric conversation on Episode 22 of The No Cover Charge Podcast. From legendary Premier Guitar Rig Rundowns and life as a Nashville session player to AI in music, B Benders, pedal steel, tone philosophy, and why authenticity still matters, this episode is packed with insight, humor, and real-world wisdom. John s...

Join Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols in Episode 21 of The No Cover Charge Podcast as they geek out over the Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X plugin. This is not sponsored! The boys just love tone! Expect epic jams, preset breakdowns, real amp comparisons, and surprises like... Jared playing a Silver Sky? Gasp! From buttery cleans to roaring drives, discover why this plugin captures John May...

Looking to level up your guitar playing in 2026? 🎸In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols share 26 real-world guitar practice tips that go beyond boring routines and actually make you a better musician. From honing rhythm, melody, and tone, to mindset shifts, recording yourself, silent practice, and learning from non-guitar instruments, this episode is...

In Episode 19 of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols sit down with Ben Travers, a monster guitarist, thoughtful musician, and Grammy-nominated songwriter — for a deep, honest conversation about guitar, creativity, technique, and the mental side of being a musician. This episode goes far beyond chops. Ben opens up about insecurity, social anxiety, discipline, effective...

What an incredible year it's been! Although we only launched this show a few months ago, it feels like something we'll be doing for a long time, thanks to you, our guests, and the power of ROCK. We are humbled and grateful for all of your support, and we'll see you in 2026! Happy New Year! Love,Tyler & Jared ⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠...

In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols take on the timeless creative challenge: writing a song in an hour. With no plan, no pressure, and a room full of guitars, amps, and pedals, they build a rock song from scratch in real time. Watch as riffs turn into verses, choruses emerge organically, and a full song takes shape through tone chasing, odd time sig...

Looking for the perfect gift for the guitarist in your life? In this holiday-themed episode of the No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols are joined by very special guest Marty Schwartz to share genuinely useful, fun, and inspiring guitar gift ideas at every price point. From must-have pedals and practice tools to clever stocking stuffers and tone-shaping essentials, this is...

In Episode 15 of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols break down every phase of a guitarist’s life — from the first moment music grabs you to the highs, lows, gear spirals, plateaus, breakthroughs, and the reality of becoming a career musician. Expect hilarious stories, inspiring advice, honest struggles, and spontaneous riffing as Tyler and Jared reveal the universal...

Join Tyler Larson (  ⁨@MusicisWin⁩  ) and Jared James Nichols (  ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩  ) as they dig deep into the strangest, wildest, most unexplainable guitar gear they've collected over the years. From synth pedals that instantly break your brain to haunted stompboxes, octave chaos machines, forgotten vintage oddities, and micro-guitars that refuse to stay in tune, this episode is pure gear-ne...

Guitar phenom Angel Vivaldi (  ⁨@AngelVivaldi⁩  ) joins Tyler Larson (  ⁨@MusicisWin⁩  ) for Episode 13 of The No Cover Charge Podcast — and this one is packed with tone talk, tour stories, creative philosophy, and plenty of laughs. From joining the Steve Morse Band, to never having used a pedalboard (wtf?!), to carving out space as a genre-bending artist, Angel opens up about growth, humility, to...

Join Tyler Larson (  ⁨@MusicisWin⁩  ) and Jared James Nichols (  ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩  ) as they sit down with blues titan Josh Smith (  ⁨@JoshSmithGuitar⁩  ) for one of the most inspiring guitarist deep-dives we’ve ever filmed, for real! In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Josh opens up about tone chasing, creativity, gear myths, BB King’s 100th birthday album, insane string gauges (yes…...

The holy grail of overdrives takes center stage in this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast! Tyler Larson (  @MusicisWin  ) and Jared James Nichols (  @JJNicholsMusic  ) put an original Klon Centaur head-to-head with some of the most popular Klon clones on the market—from boutique builds to budget pedals—to find out if anything can match the legendary tone. Expect deep tone talk, epic shootouts...

Guitar legend Dweezil Zappa (  @thedweezilzappa  ) joins Tyler Larson (  @MusicisWin  ) and Jared James Nichols (  @JJNicholsMusic  ) on The No Cover Charge Podcast for an epic deep dive into guitar tone, technique, creativity, and life lessons from growing up Zappa. Dweezil shares rare insights on his dad Frank Zappa’s genius, the art of improvisation, tone chasing, recording tricks, and why the...

Joel Hoekstra has played with everyone from Whitesnake and Night Ranger to Cher and Trans-Siberian Orchestra—and he’s here to tell the stories behind it all. In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols, Joel breaks down his incredible career path, from Broadway pits in New York to arena stages across the globe. Joel also shares his secrets for longevity...

One of the guitar world's kings of tone, Joe Bonamassa joins Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols for an unforgettable episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast! In this in-depth and hilarious chat, Joe opens up about his gear philosophy, vintage Les Pauls, touring stories, and the realities of being a modern guitar hero (though he won't call himself that). Expect deep insight into tone chasi...

Legendary guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Kansas, Dixie Dregs, Flying Colors) joins Tyler Larson for an in-depth conversation about his incredible career, songwriting approach, and unique guitar philosophy. Steve breaks down tone secrets, composition techniques, and stories from life on the road with some of rock’s greatest bands. From his early influences to collaborating with John Petrucci a...

Join Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols on  The No Cover Charge Podcast  as they sit down with the legendary Tommy Emmanuel — one of the greatest acoustic guitar players of all time. Tommy opens up about his musical philosophy, the art of performance, his relationship with Chet Atkins, and how he built a lifelong career brick by brick. Expect stories, wisdom, humor, and jaw-dropping playing from...

Join Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols for  Episode 5 of The No Cover Charge Podcast  as they break down the biggest guitar trends from the 1950s to today—and even predict where the guitar world is headed next. From the sharp suits of early jazz cats, to Clapton’s “woman tone,” to the rise of shred, grunge, boutique gear, and social media guitar culture, this episode is a fast-moving journey th...

Step into guitar history with Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols as they unveil the resurrected Gibson Futura—a rare prototype that paved the way for the Explorer. In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, they dive into the story behind Gibson’s bold late-’50s designs, demo the one-of-a-kind Korina-built Custom Shop Futura, and explore the legacy of vintage guitars, including Jared’s lege...

In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson (  ⁨@MusicisWin⁩  ) and Jared James Nichols (  ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩  ) sit down with Richie “The Falcon” Faulkner of Judas Priest  ⁨@judaspriest⁩  . Richie opens up about his journey in one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time, his approach to guitar playing, tone, gear, and what it means to carry the torch of legendary riffs. Expe...

🎸 In Episode 2 of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols sit down with guitar virtuoso Andy Wood. Known for his jaw-dropping technique, blend of bluegrass, country, and rock, and his fearless approach to tone and songwriting, Andy takes us deep into his musical journey. Expect stories from the road, inspiring insights on finding your voice as a guitarist, gear talk, and...

Welcome to the very first episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols! Our inaugural guest is none other than guitar legend Greg Koch – a player known for his explosive tone, humor, and masterful storytelling. In this episode, Greg shares his guitar journey, signature techniques, stories from the road, and the wisdom behind his one-of-a-kind style. Expect gear...