Fretboard Journal

This week we talk to John Thomas, the FJ's very own Field Editor and a professor at Quinnipiac University School of Law, and get a crash course on CITES, the Lacey Act and the recent raid of the Gibson Guitars factory.  Thomas does his best to walk us through the confusing laws and treaties that could affect guitarists and guitar manufacturers today (and going forward). 

This week we talk to John Thomas, the FJ's very own Field Editor and a professor at Quinnipiac University School of Law, and get a crash course on CITES, the Lacey Act and the recent raid of the Gibson Guitars factory.  Thomas does his best to walk us through the confusing laws and treaties that could affect guitarists and guitar manufacturers today (and going forward). 

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Can an "art guitar" be a functional, workingman's instrument? If its built by Vermont's Creston Lea, the answer is a resounding yes. In this week's podcast, FJ publisher Jason Verlinde talks to Lea about his current output, some of the exotic woods he tracks down to build his guitars (including pieces salvaged from old barns, pickle vats and more) and about his ongoing collaboration with artist Sarah Ryan. We also talk a bit about Lea's other passion: he's a published short story author.  read more

Can an "art guitar" be a functional, workingman's instrument? If its built by Vermont's Creston Lea, the answer is a resounding yes. In this week's podcast, FJ publisher Jason Verlinde talks to Lea about his current output, some of the exotic woods he tracks down to build his guitars (including pieces salvaged from old barns, pickle vats and more) and about his ongoing collaboration with artist Sarah Ryan. We also talk a bit about Lea's other passion: he's a published short story author.  read more

Ever wondered what it’s like to play guitar alongside Lucinda Williams? Or what the Rick Rubin-produced Kid Rock album sessions were like? Our 38th Fretboard Journal Podcast will answer all of those questions and then some. Today's guest is Blake Mills, the 25 year old guitar phenom / singer-songwriter currently touring with Williams. Mills stopped by our office and gave us the candid scoop on his background, his recent session work and what guitars he takes on the road. Also mentioned: Jackson Browne's acrylic nail advice and the magical tone contained inside Synsonics toy guitars. read more

Ever wondered what it’s like to play guitar alongside Lucinda Williams? Or what the Rick Rubin-produced Kid Rock album sessions were like? Our 38th Fretboard Journal Podcast will answer all of those questions and then some. Today's guest is Blake Mills, the 25 year old guitar phenom / singer-songwriter currently touring with Williams. Mills stopped by our office and gave us the candid scoop on his background, his recent session work and what guitars he takes on the road. Also mentioned: Jackson Browne's acrylic nail advice and the magical tone contained inside Synsonics toy guitars. read more

Acoustic guitarists and mandolinists all over the world know of the importance of Sitka spruce. It's one of the favored choices for guitar tops (and for bracing inside the instrument). What many musicians may not realize is that the Sitka forests in Alaska face some of the same over-harvesting dangers that have occured with Brazilian rosewood, Madagascar rosewood and Adirondack spruce. Musicwood is a new documentary that follows the fate of one forest in Alaska and the efforts of a group of guitarmakers (including Taylor Guitars' Bob Taylor) to slow down the harvesting.  read more

Acoustic guitarists and mandolinists all over the world know of the importance of Sitka spruce. It's one of the favored choices for guitar tops (and for bracing inside the instrument). What many musicians may not realize is that the Sitka forests in Alaska face some of the same over-harvesting dangers that have occured with Brazilian rosewood, Madagascar rosewood and Adirondack spruce. Musicwood is a new documentary that follows the fate of one forest in Alaska and the efforts of a group of guitarmakers (including Taylor Guitars' Bob Taylor) to slow down the harvesting.  read more

In May of 2011, Joe Spann will release Spann's Guide to Gibson 1902-1941, a new book on vintage Gibson guitars, mandolins and banjos that may very well rewrite how we classify, age and think about these wonderful instruments. Spann did copious amounts of research for his 300-page book, including interviewing the few still-living employees of Gibson from this era. On our 36th podcast, FJ publisher Jason Verlinde talks to Spann about the book and some of the facts he uncovered during the research process. We hope you enjoy this half-hour conversation.

Our 35th podcast features 2/5ths of the Punch Brothers: banjo great Noam Pikelny and fiddle virtuoso Gabe Witcher. We caught up with the pair right before the PB's show at Seattle's Showbox Theater on March 15, 2011. We asked them about the instruments they're using on this tour as well as their future recording plans. The duo then performed an impromptu version of the old-time tune "Whistling Rufus." Also included: a brief rundown of stories in the forthcoming Fretboard Journal #21.  Hosted by the Fretboard Journal's Jason Verlinde and Ryan Richter.

  Our 34th podcast features an interview with singer-songwriter duo Corinne West and Kelly Joe Phelps. Though the pair have had lengthy solo careers for years, they've recently decided to perform together as a group. We ask them about how they approach songwriting as a duo, what instruments they're using and about their forthcoming album. We also ask Phelps about his great slide guitar playing (which, sadly, he no longer does). At the end of the interview, the duo performed a tune on their matching Martin HD-28s.  read more

Our 33rd podcast features a nearly hour-long interview Fretboard Journal editor Marc Greilsamer conducted with Phish bassist Mike Gordon. Gordon talks about the gear he uses, recent shows, comparisions between Phish and the Grateful Dead, his solo album Moss and much, much more. At the end of the interview, Gordon even picks a quick tune on the office Commodium (a resonator tenor guitar built out of a bedpan by luthier Keith Cary). Whether you're a diehard Phish fan or just want to hear a thoughtful interview about improvisation and gear, we think you'll enjoy this week's podcast. And be sure to look for Gordon in a forthcoming issue of the FJ's print edition. read more

On this week's podcast, FJ editor Marc Greilsamer talks to Walter Salas-Humara from the groundbreaking Americana band the Silos. We catch up with Salas-Humara in our offices right before he played a gig at Seattle's Tractor Tavern. The singer-songwriter talks about his tried-but-true Gibson, his early recordings with the Vulgar Boatmen and his work with the Silos. He also talks a bit about his career in the visual arts, including his recent work doing pet portraits. We also hear about the forthcoming Fretboard Journal Fifth Anniversary festivities.