The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

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...

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 scor...

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...

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.  Follo...

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 thr...

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  Ro...

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 gu...

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 fes...

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 compos...

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://you...

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 fingerna...

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.wendyeisen...

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...

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, pe...

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:...

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.th...

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...

Acclaimed vintage guitar repairperson Mark Stutman (Folkway Music) joins the Fretboard Journal Podcast once again.  We talk about his early training as a luthier, running Folkway Music, and his approach to repairing vintage acoustics that may have left the factory with a quirk or two. We also talk about Mark's love for film and digital photography and so much more.    Mark is a frequent guest on o...

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....

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 qu...

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://fretboar...

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 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...

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 someho...

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. h...