Gearbuds: Recent Episodes

Gearbuds

Henry and Dave are Gearbuds who use gear as a gateway into discussions of our messy musical journeys. Let's be buds!

Buddies, the day we’ve all dreaded is upon us; Gearbuds Podcast is now complete.

It’s been the honor of a lifetime to be allowed into your world for the last 4 years and 207 episodes. I’m desperately sad and will deeply miss doing this for and with all of you every week. Thank you for everything, and feel free to reach out directly if you ever want to chat.

Gearbuds for life - Henry (@partyuncle) and Dave (@badbeet).

Chip or no chip?

Your buds are Team Chip this week as they get into another grab bag of gear news, including April Fools with Chibson, Kirk Hammett 79 Flying V Reissue, Neumann MT-48 interface, and Vox Brian May signatures.

Also discussed: Boaz Guitar updates, Mesa price increase, Adobe Podcast, Pedal Playhouse videos, a rare Black Beauty with mini HBs, post sale check-ins, and DMB dumps.

Lay your chips on the table.

Public service accouncement - reissues are reissues. Vintage is vintage. NOW GET OFF OUR LAWN.

This week is a gear grab bag, so now that Hank’s had a week with it we dig into the pros and cons of the Mattoverse Electronics Solar Sound Desktop Saturator - spoiler, it’s rad.

Also discussed: saying goodbye to the SVT, Dave getting out of his comfort zone, Marshall Amps acquisition, Suzuki Omnichord reissue, Wes Borland gear dump, Indifferent Engine Janky Tape Delay, Epiphone Dwight Trash, Songbirds and unraveling the mystery of our friends at Well Strung, Martin relics, leaked Walrus Audio pedals, and Ampeg SGT-DI pedal.

Thank you for being a friend.

Happy Monday friends - it’s been a week! Hank went down to KC and ate alll the BBQ he could find, so we decided to slather on some sauce for a spicy ‘sode.

The Gearbuds tackle a few questions: what would happen if Dave was named CEO of Fender? And is AI going to start showing up in every piece of gear in 2023?

Also discussed: Kirk Hammett’s black 59, overpriced Digitech, guitar tone YouTube, Black Sabbath ballet, Rare Feet, Walter Becker’s Gibson GA79RVT, Jet Harris from The Shadows, Mattoverse Electronics Solar Sound, Seymour Duncan Hyperswitch, Positive Grid Spark Go, new Headrush flagship, and new Fender Michael Landau signatures.

Gettin’ balled up.

Hey Daylight Savings Time, you’re the worst and never come back.

In this light and airy meringue-like episode your buds talk through a new Hankquisition, the Korg Nu-Tekt NTS-2 Oscilloscope and multi-tool bundled with the Bjooks Patch & Tweak Korg hardcover. As if that isn’t tasty enough, the fellas also get into Dave’s recent trip to NYC and Rivington Guitars.

Also discussed: cleaning house, SVTs & JC120s, card chords, Metallica pressing rekkids, Rare Feet, even more JHS trolling, Heavy Metal Parking Lot, the Chase Bliss Mood MKII, and the Epiphone Chris Stapleton Frontier signature acoustic.

That made my bones hurt.

Spoiler alert: we’re having a weird week - Dave is sick and Hank’s ear isn’t working. Will that stop the show? Heck no!

This episode your buds pack in a ton of content; Hank attended the Chicago Vintage Guitar Expo (and beefed up the DODfather Collection) which begs the question - are guitar shows the last bastion of gear deals? The Buds also close out the episode through a discussion of signature bass amps pursuing to the release of the new Fender ACB50 Adam Clayton amp.

Also discussed: Gibson v Dean lawsuit, Gary Rossington, Cooper Timecube, Way Huge Doubleland Special, Sweetwater Rig Builders, Mesa Mark VII, Gretsch Rally II, Walrus Audio Fable, Bergantino bass amp in a box, GFI System Douphony, Solar Chug, and Smart Studios.

Gotta keep it fresh, keep some mystery.

Happy Monday, buddies. Time marches on, the episodes keep rolling, and your Gearbuds are back with another episode to fill your ears full of tone goodies.

This week the buds catch up on a host of gear that’s come out recently, specifically the Neural DSP Mesa MkII C+ plugin, Epiphone Korina reissues, Z.Vex Vexter Fuzz Factory 7, and IK Multimedia TONEX.

Also discussed: Back to the Future, Slim Borguud, Moog plugins, Gibson dealing vintage guitars/Made to Measure, a vintage Ibanez Iceman, JHS Volture, and a band called Death.

Talkin’ bout Gearbuds, Gearbuds.

Holy cow! 200 freaking episodes!

This week your buds take the time to reflect on the momentous occasion of this deep dish episode while giving thanks for the show and audience, while also talking through Hank’s EVH amp exchange and some cosmetic updates on the LP Modern.

Also discussed: Marshall pedals, more new Fender pickups, Peter Green guitar auction, glass plectrums, Behringer clone pedals, Wayne’s World Strats, Wilco, DODfather updates, and The Pogues.

How many of you have listened to each one of these? Show your receipts.

So you thought the modern Lester was going to be it for Hank, huh? You must be new around here.

This week your buds dig into a brand new back-half to your Bud’s heavy band rig; after threatening to get a high gain amp for ages there’s a new EVH head in town along with a new mind-blower of a pedal, the MXR M306 Poly Blue Octave. Ridiculous? Quite.

Also discussed: Banker guitars, Alegree’s most ridiculous pickup, DOD revival, payment preferences, deal safety, Super Bowl gear, Gretsch anniversary, Marshall rumors, Fender V, a very expensive desk, evolving desires, and Daniel Johnston.

Scratch yer GAS.

HANK GOT ANOTHER LESTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. LES PAUL MAN BUYS LES PAUL. WE REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

It’s a 2019 Gibson Les Paul Modern in Sparkling Burgundy - why did Hank, a devout vintage lover, buy a new era Gibby? Tune in to find out now, friends.

Also discussed: the new Strymon Cloudburst pedal, Dumble Overdrive Special, a celebrity owned Telecaster, the first Gibson EB-1 electric bass, proof 57 Classic pickups, modding vintage holy grail basses, Hi-Fi Rush, MusicCares auction prices, Metallica charity, Yamaha acquires Guild and Dearmond, and The Verve.

Gearbuds Bingo: “Didn’t have a lot of time this week.”

Happy February, ya groundhogs. Get any new gear yet in 2023?

This week Hank and Dave stir the gear pot, digging deep into a list of controversial hot takes; plenty of hot spice coming your way.

Also discussed: Fender cheeseboards, Roland drone speakers, tube pickups from Ruokangas, a rare one-off Gretsch White Falcon, Musician’s Friend’s “used” policy, Nu-Tekt updates, JHS Kemper tomfoolery, Heritage v Gibson, Tom Verlaine and Juliette Gilbert, No More Tours for Ozzy, Epi JoBo price increases, Demon-FX going hard on clones, and Scott Walker.

This is the peak of boring shit to look at.

We threw some beefy strings on Dave’s Lester! Hank’s old band got back together! A third exclamation to complete the series!

This week your buds dig into the the gear, the trials, and the tribulations that come from reuniting with an old band. They also realize, hey, it’s nice to have a specific cause behind building out a rig.

Also discussed: 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Custom, Gear Jail, the meaning of Ampeg, Incubus bass, GIGANTAR, Fender Custom Shop, Blackstar Amped 2, Orange Rockerverb Neo, Korg Nu-Tekt pedals, Poly Effects Josh Smith Flat V, a boost with 9 foot switches, Gearbuds signature dual pedal, and two new Epiphone basses.

Send feet pics.

How’s everyone hanging in there? Here’s hoping 2023 is off to a banging start.

For those following, this week we finalize Dave’s 69 Fender Jazz Bass saga! Not only that, during an Extra Beefy Symphony the buds land themselves in an accidental new segment - Gear Jail.

Also discussed: Hank’s 7 Lesters, Greenies hitting the ‘verb, Metallica Flying M from Highland Guitars, 6 figure Big Muff, Spring NAMM in Anaheim, Universal Audio updates, Moog demos, matrimonial Explorers, 42 Gear Island, Phil Spector, Fender Gold Foils, Keeley Parallax shoegaze pedal, Seymour Duncan Billy Gibbons signatures, and Audient EVO SP8 preamps.

Dave’s a sucker for lollipops.

Who’s hungry for some seasoned beef? Maybe a meatball? Gather ‘round, Gearbuddies, this one is spicy.

For the main topics this week, Hank gets into some personal gear news with vintage VT40 repairs and the Bogner Harlow earning a (semi)permanent place of pride on his pedalboard. The dudes also take a quick trip to Scandinavia to talk about Karl “Slim” Burgudd, perhaps the coolest dude you’ve never heard of, and the Swede Patch 2000, perhaps the original guitar synth.

Also discussed: AI powered drum machine plugin Emergent Drums from Audialab, Ibanez Pentatone pedal, scam songs, Reverb local pickups and balls, vintage Gibson EB-0, RIP Jeff Beck, cringe alert, the secret Southern Rock wang stick, and Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story.

Suckin’ on brass all day.

Do you mod your instruments?

This week your favorite Gearbuds complete the decade-plus tone transformation of Hank’s Gibson SG with the final piece of the puzzle, a Graphtech bridge. Spoiler: even seasoned Gearboomers make extremely stupid (and easily fixable) mistakes.

Also discussed: a rare vintage Gibson EB-6, controversy with Blackstar and BluGuitar, the Boaz Guitar Kickstarter saga, Rock Camp, vintage Jazz Bass (Jazz Bazz) updates, Way Huge Attack Vector pedal, and the Audio Sprockets Tone Dexter II.

Heavy and Loud.

Happy New Gear! From all (both) of us here in Gearbudsland, we wish you and yours all possible good tidings in the Gear of Our Board 2023.

This week we have two main topics: a follow-up signature deep dive, and the exciting developments in Dave’s vintage Fender Jazz Bass saga!

Also discussed: Gearbuds Reverb shop, Marc Bolan Les Paul, G3 with Robert Fripp, Brian May knighthood, Joe’s Boardamassa, If These Walls Could Sing, Legendary Tones Mr. Scary Mod, Mono case updates, Old Blood Noise reverse, Origin Effects EQ, and Darkglazz fuzz.

Hug your pets.

Happiest of holidays to all of our gearbuddies far and wide - whatever you celebrate, we hope that it’s been warm, loving, and filled with your favorite gear.

This week is a special episode for several reasons: the end of 2022, Hank isn’t sick anymore, we do up a Dave’s Doc Duo style for Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, and Dave and Hank got some new gear - Dave’s Gretsch Gin Rickey acoustic gitbox and Hank’s Bogner Harlow V2 pedal.

Also discussed: Axxent Master Station, Kirk Hammett running the signature game, sparkle bodies, Pawn Stars, Acorn Amps doorbell, free Native Instruments synth, Reverb Year in Gear, MXR Double Down Jack White pedal, Coppersound Pedals Telegraph V2, Rainger FX Break Box, and vertical pedalboards.

It’s cold outside, it’s warm in gear.

First it was Dave, now it’s Hank - we’re doing another remote recording because Hank got the shit. Closing out the year in quar, right where we began.

Dave stepped it up in two ways this week - both by doing a lot more talking, as well as surprising Hank with a WILD vintage purchase.

Also discussed: PTD Vintage Holiday Party, a clean vintage Hiwatt, Gibson and Lifton, signature Casio John Mayer watches, major 920D wiring harness controversey, and An American Dream: The Jacksons.

Jethro Tull were the Lizzo of their day.

Hi friends - who’s ready for a rambling beefer?

This week Dave and Hank got some new pedals and built some new rigs, dusted off some cobwebs on some old tunes, and even created hate rigs for each other!

Also discussed: PTD Vintage, Mojotone partnering with Fender, Dumbles, Peavey tiger guitars, Bob Dylan apologies, Fender Fedoras, Hello Kitty Strats, Chaos Audio in space, and Rumble.

Jazz Bass on a hat.

It’s December, buddies - can you believe 2022 is almost over?

This week we have some meaty topics to chew on - what makes a Dave’s Doc? Why did Dave get a Snark and Hank a wah? Why fuzz first?

Also discussed: standard tuning, Spotify Wrapped, Peter Green’s Matamp, Tone Junkie Kemper profiles, prewar Martins, Orange generosity, Dio, MXR Dunlop Custom Audio Electronics MC404 Wah, the Ampeg VT40, and SSL’s new 12 interface.

Pop up drum tents.

Happy Cyber Monday, fellow gear hunters. Seeing any can’t miss deals? Drop ‘em in the comments!

This week your buds throw down another beefy hodgepodge, digging into some wild topics including the mystery of Cliff Burton’s controversial Rickenbacker.

Also discussed: Moog distortion, J. Mascis Signature Pickups, Ten32 Guitars, Soma Laboratories ETHER V2, Elvis’ Tele, Reverb Credits, JoBo leaving the socials, The First Burst, Lee Sklar’s Producer Switch, Bob Dylan Sigs, Black Crowes’ on-stage incident, and Meet Me in the Bathroom.

I wear a size Croc Nuts.

Happy Monday buds, hope you’re out there keeping warm and shredding hot licks.

This is a real potpourri episode, including taking (too much?) time for The Buds to do theoretical Xmas gifts. Also… new sub-sub-segment alert!

Also discussed: Black Friday deals, Les Paul, Klons, winterizing guitars, the Durst Burst, Metaverse Ozzfest, record-breaking Kurt Cobain gear sales, Behemoth advice, Dolly donations, Darryl Jones, new Gibson Exclusives colorways, and Tremolo Buddy.

ToneTubes are making a comeback.

Can you believe it’s seriously almost December? Wild. Not only that, Dave’s been creeping in on Hank’s territory, adding even more fuzz and dirt boxes to the repertoire including a clone of the Maestro FZ-1.

That said, our main topic this week is Reverb’s top selling gear of 2022 - what made the list, what surprised us, and what is Hank buying?

Also discussed: Dolly Parton owning the RRHF induction with a custom Mitchell, Polyphia goes Fishman Fluence, another unbelievable Well Strung post, It Might Get Loud, Eventide H90, and 5 more additions to the Maestro Pedal line.

We have a Def Lepisode?

Coming in with some burning fire for your cool November, Dave’s band Hot Bloods have a new track called Bad Guy for y’all to go love… so go love it! Now!

We also go full gear boomer on you this week, discussing the challenges of streaming on Spotify as well as what it means to “fix” music.

Also discussed: American String Company, AI mixing, Triumph, Earthquaker Devices Life Pedal V3, Fender Mononeon signature bass, Boss SL-2 Slicer pedal, and Morley AFX-1 Analog Multi Effect.

Purge your wardrobe.

Would a custom bespoke instrument make more of an impact with a relative beginner or a seasoned veteran?

This week the buds dive deep into some fresh gear and some fresh gear thoughts, but what else is new?

Also discussed: Warm Audio’s new Centavo and Zendrive clones, Avid with a major refresh to the Mbox, a new Tech21 Geddy Lee signature SansAmp, Danelectro Longhorns and baritones having a moment, Motley Crue news, vintage Martins in New Zealand, Moogerfooger updates, Gibson suing Dean (again), and Spacehog.

Time for a nightcast, a Gearbuds nightcast.

EHX Bass Microsynth on guitar?! Who knew? Feel free to steal those settings, they rule.

This week we stumbled into a bit of an accidental gear theme - hardware gone software. Moog put out Moogerfooger Pedal plugins, Strymon a Big Sky plugin, and Arturia the Minifreak (a hardware synth that includes a software plugin version.) Couldn’t have planned it any better if we tried. (We should try.)

Also discussed: new friends at Kernom and Well Strung Guitars, time machines, stinky cases, lightweight bursts, dead spots (fact or fiction?), Miraval opening, and Moby.

Go plant a tree.

Oh what a time to be alive, gear friends. Heck of an episode coming your way this week with big news from the Gibson Pickup Shop and Fender releasing the American Vintage II series, don’tchaknow.

We also get into random tone thoughts, including this brain-buster: what’s something gear related that you’ve tried to like, but ultimately don’t?

Also discussed: Reverb feed, Nancy Wilson selling Heart guitars, Universal Audio sales, Digitech aka DODfather news, the Well Strung Guitar time machine, Def Leppard, and the revolutionary Kernom Ridge pedal.

Coromoxadethlamol.

Fall times are falling in line friends, and this week your buds really get after it. I mean come on; check out your buddy Hank in that sweet screenshot from The Blood is the Life video by Asphodel Wine, available wherever you consume videos.

In honor of 180 episodes we talked about turnarounds; where have you had a shift in gearpinion?

Also discussed: the new sheriff in Sweetwater Gear Exchange town, Bad Brains on Reverb, the most famous in-use guitar, Ozzy Osbourne makeup, Fender snowboarding goggles (?), John Mayer being a good guy, a weird muzzle microphone, Morphine, the 2022 Fender Masterbuilt Collection, Gibson Faded Collection, Boss DS-1w Waza, yet another signature Epiphone JoBo 335, the new Laney Supergroup, and the Blackstar Amped 1.

Gremlins in the system.

More week, more beef. We’re asking the hard-hitting questions this week, so buckle up buttercups.

PRS announced a new pedal line, but what’s up with those names? We also dig into some really cool technology from Pickup Leslee you won’t want to miss.

Also discussed: Reverb fees, Craigslist goofin, ransom burst, an Aphex Twin sampler, Ableton and UA software updates, Wolfie’s bone tone, Earthquaker partnering with Chicago Music Exchange, updated Johnny Marr jag finishes, Walrus Eons fuzz, Roland sampler upgrades, the new Fender Johnny A signature, and a record lathe from Teenage Engineering.

Podcast time, excellent!

More week, more beef. We’re asking the hard-hitting questions this week, so buckle up buttercups.

PRS announced a new pedal line, but what’s up with those names? We also dig into some really cool technology from Pickup Leslee you won’t want to miss.

Also discussed: Reverb fees, Craigslist goofin, ransom burst, an Aphex Twin sampler, Ableton and UA software updates, Wolfie’s bone tone, Earthquaker partnering with Chicago Music Exchange, updated Johnny Marr jag finishes, Walrus Eons fuzz, Roland sampler upgrades, the new Fender Johnny A signature, and a record lathe from Teenage Engineering.

Podcast time, excellent!

WARNING: BEEFER ALERT. Lots of gear to talk about this week, so let’s just get right to it, eh?

Yours buds go deep on the new Gibson Custom Shop Greeny Burst from the Murphy Lab and all of the ridiculous bonuses it includes. Would you buy one if you had the chance?

Also discussed: the game-changing Darkglass Microtubes Infinity pedal, Tile QR stickers, the horror of flying with ukuleles, The Germs, velour tracksuits, and even more signature guitars from Gibson and Epiphone for Noel Gallagher and Rick Beato.

Not Orange Skin, Orange Peel.

WARNING: BEEFER ALERT. Lots of gear to talk about this week, so let’s just get right to it, eh?

Yours buds go deep on the new Gibson Custom Shop Greeny Burst from the Murphy Lab and all of the ridiculous bonuses it includes. Would you buy one if you had the chance?

Also discussed: the game-changing Darkglass Microtubes Infinity pedal, Tile QR stickers, the horror of flying with ukuleles, The Germs, velour tracksuits, and even more signature guitars from Gibson and Epiphone for Noel Gallagher and Rick Beato.

Not Orange Skin, Orange Peel.

Meatball season is back; the Bears lost, screw the Packers, that is all we have to say about that.

ANYWHO, this is a bit of a special week as your buddy Hank went to Panama for some R&R. Not only that, Dave and his band Hot Bloods did some tracking at our very favorite Shirk Studios. As such we get into creativity talks, as well as exploring the joy and gift of tracking in a world class studio with a favorite old Vibrolux, Waterslide Guitars, and a Sphere console.

Also discussed: Universal Audio software updates, Alain Johannes, Korg drumlogue, Orange Retro Series pedals, Fender Tonemaster Series updates, and the new Ikea Kallax DJ shelf.

Oy it’s a pedal mate.

Meatball season is back; the Bears lost, screw the Packers, that is all we have to say about that.

ANYWHO, this is a bit of a special week as your buddy Hank went to Panama for some R&R. Not only that, Dave and his band Hot Bloods did some tracking at our very favorite Shirk Studios. As such we get into creativity talks, as well as exploring the joy and gift of tracking in a world class studio with a favorite old Vibrolux, Waterslide Guitars, and a Sphere console.

Also discussed: Universal Audio software updates, Alain Johannes, Korg drumlogue, Orange Retro Series pedals, Fender Tonemaster Series updates, and the new Ikea Kallax DJ shelf.

Oy it’s a pedal mate.

It’s starting to feel like fall in the States, so what better time to hunker down and dig into your pile of projects?

This week your buds do just that by getting Hank’s EB2 up to the Gearbuds Code of Bassboi Standards, featuring a deep dive into the dirty world of mudbuckers.

Also discussed: different types of cutaways, the first Boss pedal for sale, the Revv D20, sticker realizations, Fender Aerodyne and Scandal/Strummer signatures, Aces from Daredevil Pedals, bass condoms, the truly ground-breaking EHX Big Muff Pi Hardware Plugin pedal, and the truly epic Taylor Hawkins tribute concert.

How do you put a price tag on love?

It’s starting to feel like fall in the States, so what better time to hunker down and dig into your pile of projects?

This week your buds do just that by getting Hank’s EB2 up to the Gearbuds Code of Bassboi Standards, featuring a deep dive into the dirty world of mudbuckers.

Also discussed: different types of cutaways, the first Boss pedal for sale, the Revv D20, sticker realizations, Fender Aerodyne and Scandal/Strummer signatures, Aces from Daredevil Pedals, bass condoms, the truly ground-breaking EHX Big Muff Pi Hardware Plugin pedal, and the truly epic Taylor Hawkins tribute concert.

How do you put a price tag on love?

Happy Labor Day - if you’re in the US go hug a union member. Also - Happy Hank Got a Vintage Shortscale Day!

Your buds push through some Hank pain to talk a bunch about his birthday present, a 1968 Gibson EB-2 bass in Cherry finish with hilarious added EMG pickup. Shorty!

Also discussed: AC15 updates, Marshall Amp anniversary, Chicago Music Exchange hangs, Fulltone shutdown and OCDs going wild, stolen George Harrison Les Pauls, Mark Morton making the leap to Gibson, FN Meka and AI art, Janet Jackson crashing Windows, The Cars and Elliot Easton, and the potential pedal of the year from MXR and Analogman - the Duke of Tone.

Localize it, as they say.

Happy Labor Day - if you’re in the US go hug a union member. Also - Happy Hank Got a Vintage Shortscale Day!

Your buds push through some Hank pain to talk a bunch about his birthday present, a 1968 Gibson EB-2 bass in Cherry finish with hilarious added EMG pickup. Shorty!

Also discussed: AC15 updates, Marshall Amp anniversary, Chicago Music Exchange hangs, Fulltone shutdown and OCDs going wild, stolen George Harrison Les Pauls, Mark Morton making the leap to Gibson, FN Meka and AI art, Janet Jackson crashing Windows, The Cars and Elliot Easton, and the potential pedal of the year from MXR and Analogman - the Duke of Tone.

Localize it, as they say.

For those following along - Dave needed an amp to match his beautiful vintage Lester, and we landed on a used Vox AC15.

Is it too much amp for the living room? You bet! Does it look and sound dope? SURE DOES.

Also discussed: getting angry about Les Paul darkbacks, Hot Bloods playing gigs, Fulltone closing down, Pigtronix Star Eater fuzz, Kemper opening a showroom in Chicago, Gibson teaming up with Billy Reid for some new clothing, Brian Wilson, Fender making the Jerry Garcia Alligator Strat, Chicago Music Exchange and their sexy/exclusive Squier Classic Vibes, Nektar WIDIFLEX, and the Nu-X Mighty Plug Pro.

A little weiner action going on.

Summer’s winding down here in the States but the gear deals are just starting to heat up!

This week was a bit of a grab bag of gear (yes we talk some more about Dave’s Les Paul) so why not settle in with your neighborhood friendly Gearbuds and learn a thing or two?

Also discussed: Dave’s AC15, the Headache Nine of Swords, Black Bobbin Boost, EHX J. Mascis Big Muff, Acorn Amps Bweep Mini Fuzz, Neural DSP Rabea plugin, Nathaniel Murphy at Martyr’s, mystery Gibson body shape, Busch Light DIY guitars, Fender Personality Cards, houses shaped like guitars, Bass Player ending its print magazine, Taylor Hawkins tribute show, and John Fogerty being a dick.

They all just sorta look like a PRS.

If you missed last week’s IG and FB post; Hank messed up(!), so this week the buds are running down the content we missed out on last week.

That includes: another update in Dave’s slow burn love affair with his new old Les Paul, hanging out with former Fender Master Builder Carlos and Stephanie Lopez from Castedosa Guitars, and catching up on some new pedals we bought including a Muff from Chicago Stompworks and Harmonic Percolator from Catalinbread, specifically comparing the silicon vs. germanium Karma Suture.

Also discussed: listener questions and feedback, Casio PG-380 synth guitar, Reverb updates, Gift of Music and Boutique Guitar Showcase with Chicago Music Exchange, Fender layoffs, Sweetwater Gear Exchange, Shania Twain, Elvis, Tune Voodoo and String Butler string guides, the new Mira compressor from Walrus Audio, Ashdown collaborating with Two Notes, the Orange O-Bass update, and the Pigtronix Gloamer.

Tooth pain sucks, as do NFTs.

This is one of the most exciting episodes we’ve ever put out; BIG SURPRISES INSIDE.

Dave got his dream guitar, a birth-year Les Paul Standard, and Hank and his wife Mandy were able to surprise him with it on the mics!

Also discussed: Death By Audio Space Bender, Fender Custom Shop Minions stuff, Epiphone Power Players, Origin Effects Halcyon, Lollapalooza 2022 with Metallica, Blake Mills & Pino Palladino live, “great for slide” guitars, Julian Lage Tele travel tips, Steve Morse leaving Deep Purple, ZZ Top touring, and This is Gwar.

“Whose 40th birthday is it?”

Friends - we needed to have a little public therapy sesh. Most of the time on this show we feature all of our good gear tidings, but this week we do need to get into a bit of a drag for Dave.

Could next week bring a change in fortunes? Only one way to find out…

Also discussed: HUGE Dave’s Doc news, Hank at Lolla, Cliff Burton beer, Hank’s Very Good Gear Week (sorry Dave), the Guyatone Flip Valve Bass Driver BB-1, Alvarez Yairi, Jake Shimabukuro, Light-Time Lite-Time wireless expression, J. Rockett Uni-Verb, Universal Audio SP-1 mics, and Steve Vai signature Dimarzio pickups.

“Here’s the thing about the uke, man.”

When you think of the Big Three in guitars, who comes to mind?

This week your buds tackle that question as well as a big beefy BFI, specifically a sad update on Dave’s vintage LG0. Was it an ef off bid?

Also discussed: new signature Rex Brown Thunderbird in time for a Pantera reunion, Mesa California Tweed, customizing a Coppersound Strategy V2, the Aclam Woman Tone pedal, Fender getting sued across the pond, Randy Bachman Gretsch reunion, Guitar Center origins, misleading headlines, DODfather updates, box talk, and Summer of Love.

Fart in the wind, bro.

Utonepia? Free amp finds in an alley? What is this, some weird dream?

Lots of gear to discuss this week with your buds talking Fender, a signature JoBo JoBaffle, API bass pedals, Way Huge reissues, double ronis, and an exciting entry to futuregear from CloudVocal.

Also discussed: artist amps for sale, free alley Gibbies, Catalinbread Karma Suture love, goofy Bose setup, sublimation, always on pedals, replacement fingers/bone tone, and Mustaine being Mustaine.

He digs the beefers.

You asked for it, you got it - a new listener challenge!

Big thanks to our friends at Blackworm Instruments for the idea, what a blast; Dave and Hank had to put together boutique rigs - no spoilers but we rustled up some cool stuff. No big brands, no vintage, and no tuner pedals. Obviously.

Also discussed: major Strymon updates, beta testing new Lewitt modular microphones, the Wampler Metaverse delay, EVH stories, new all-star band Ozzy, Macca at Glastonbury, and Machine Gun Kelly.

Had to yarl at the end there a little bit.

G’mornin! Hope everyone is keeping it together; not an easy task these days.

This week the buds keep it simple (with Dave out of town) and plenty of new gear to discuss: Fender going All-Hog with their new Acoustasonics, Jack White’s Fender Custom Shop gear, a unique new fuzz from Anasounds, Palmer jumping into the pedalboard game, and digging deep into the Dirtywave M8.

Also discussed: moving pianos, crummy Craigslisters, more Yousician news, Teenage Engineering’s Pixel app, Waves moving to V14, Tears for Fears

Shout, shout, let it all out.

Hello buddies - wanna talk about some fresh gear?

Good thing that, because this week we’ve got all sorts of new and ole gear, big numbers for big boys, and rim bims on a Bass VI.

Also discussed: Metallica partnering with Yousician, PayPal offering payment plans, JT selling his song catalog to Hipgnosis, Big Star, Reverb My Collection with Classick Studio, Vertex debuting their first amplifier, Gibson Lizzy Hale Signature guitar, the Moog Mavis synth, EHX Synth9 strings pedal, Ciari travel guitars, and Eminent Technology debuting the Model Twenty flat cabinet.

They were just literally ghouls!

You asked for it, you got it; this is a NAMM 2022 recap of beefer proportions, and we even managed to fit in a gear-centric thought experiment!

Some of the pieces we touched on: Neve’s new 88m interface, Imperial Electrical launching their first two pedals, new stuff from Bixonic, SoulPedal insoles, Chibson rocking the Klontar with Daredevil Pedals, Sully Guitars, and Masters of Shred, Inzane Skinz, and the mini SLO from Soldano.

Also discussed: Shirk Studios mic hacks, Dave in the North Woods, Elk Audio deals, Kaizen updates, and the Sex Pistols.

We love hypotheticals.

Happy Monday, buddies! Who’s ready to talk about some new NAMM gear?

Your favorite neighborhood Gearbuds are, that’s who, and that’s what we do this week. We also dig into a few of our favorite brands, Gibson and Dean, who have resolved their lawsuit… but who really won?

Also discussed: Ernie Ball teaming up with Tosin Abasi for a new line of guitars, Focusrite’s new Vocaster and Clarett+ Octopre, Bluguitar AMP-X, the Hercules “Saved by Hercules giveaway, the Artiphon Orba 2, Taylor shaking up their leadership team, the passing of Dave Smith from Sequential Circuits, and Bleeding Audio - a documentary about The Matches.

Have you ever tried Miracle Berry?

Hi friends - we know, we know, we’re a day late; your buds took a little holiday so we’re getting this week’s episode out to you on a Tuesday instead of Monday. Please forgive us.

That said - a handful of instruments were auctioned recently and we got to thinking: what are the most expensive guitars ever sold? Hang out until the main topic this week and you’ll find out! Spoiler: it’s mostly 3 brands.

Also discussed: Monserrat stories, Dave at the Jackhammer, Drake losing money, big Reverb updates, Rush docs, shimming the vintage 330’s bridge P90, eBay woes, Oeksound Soothe update, Gibson teaming up with Guitarwrist, new Universal Audio amp pedals, and Electronic Audio Experiments’ update on the Dude Incredible.

Hope everyone (in the States) had a positive Memorial Day.

Dave played a gig!

This week your buds run down the hot and spicy performance from Hot Bloods’ first gig at Golden Dagger in Chicago. It was juicy!

Also discussed: Gibson EB-0F Fuzztone, JoBo bought the Burst, Carol Kaye honored at NAMM, Taylor Hawkins, George Martin’s Caribbean studio, the new collaboration between Balthazar Amps and Black Bobbin, Korg’s acquisition of Darkglass and their new NTS-2 Oscilliscope, Meris continuing the delay pedal renaissance with the new LVX, Teenage Engineering releasing the new OP-1 Field.

“We’re the Gearbuds Podcast, we’re not the Livebuds Podcast.”

We did it buddies! Three years of this ding dang show!

After talking a brief trip down memory lane, the main story today is about a recently unearthed Burst found in the UK - they still exist friends. What a gem.

Also discussed: Hank’s secret Reverb deal, Apple’s final iPod, Fender NFTs (big groan), George Harrison the Formula 1 stan, Alice in Chains, our neighbors at Harden, Roland’s AIRA Compact series, new Seymour Duncan pickups, Oberheim’s OB-8X, and the MINIM Sand Caster.

Should Gearbuds make a book? “A thick book for thick boys.”

Buying vintage gear can be a gamble even for the most knowledgable of experts. We’ve noticed a trend happening recently that we wanted to talk about: unscrupulous folks are pillaging parts from valuable old gear and returning it - BUYER/SELLER BEWARE.

Also discussed: Liam Gallagher, Daredevil Pedals teaming up with zZounds, TWA Pedals’ new Scott Henderson signature, new Epiphone Cantrell sigs, new Electrical Guitar Company, Mutable Instruments closing down, Reaper check-in, Facebook killing podcasts, Dave’s juicy pedalboard dilemma, Chuck Rainey, The Brian Jonestown Massacre recovering stolen gear, and flatlining NFT sales.

Please note: episode image is not about buyer beware, we still love the ES-330. Just thought it was a nice family pic. :)

Ask and ye shall receive: while The Buds spent last week’s episode pondering the fate of one of our favorite brands, DigiTech, this week we really blow the lid off… they’re back folks! Celebrate Cort Guitars!

Also discussed: Right to Repair rolling out in the US, RIP Cynthia Plastercaster, Billy Squier, deep dark secrets, Pro Tools moving to subscription only, Cr8Audio NiftyKeyz, the new Moog Etherwave Theremin, and new signature guitars for Billy Organ and Wes Borland.

Beware the Ides of… May?

Can anyone tell us what’s going on at Digitech?

In this extra sing-songy episode Dave and the DODfather ask some questions and trace the recent history of one of our favorite (former?) American pedal brands.

Also discussed: Orange’s new USA made amp, Gibson making Gene Simmons a signature Thunderbird for some reason, Sergio Vallin’s signature Gold top, Teenage Engineering’s new TX-6 mixer, the bridge on Hank’s ES-330, Reverb’s Turning Up for Ukraine, Animals as Leaders going analog, weird Fender rings for dudes, rage posting about new instruments, and Cypress Hill.

Puff puff? PASS.

This one very easily could have been named What Dreams Are Made Of, because today we’re talking about a dream guitar.

Spoiler alert: your buds were all over the place this episode, giddy with excitement over Hank’s new vintage ES-330. Huge and massive thank you to our friends at Chicago Music Exchange for making this happen.

Also discussed: how slinky is too slinky? (featuring Ernie Ball), Soundwide collecting Native Instruments, Isotope, Brainworx and more, Boston pipe organs with Stephen Shirk, Isolates and harmonic percolators, cranky Craigslister is back!, Guitar Center’s new logo, Mike Campbell’s Collection, and Presidents of the United States of America.

Delighted squeal

Hi buddies - hope your spring has sprung.

This week we examine the idea of intent via Hank’s recent gear epiphany and (more importantly) Dave’s bass board. By mixing up some pedals he already had and experimenting with placement and setting, Dave was able to take his bass recording to a whole new level of inspiration; how can you do the same?

Also discussed: Gibson Master Artisan Collection with Leo Scala 58 Vs, Nile Rodgers’ Hitmaker from Fender, Acorn Amps Solid State pedal aka the Peavey Decade in a box, 12-strings, hypothetical baritones, Reverb tube and shipping updates, and Grand Funk Railroad.

Where is the line?

Happy Monday friends - your buddy Hank tossed some balls and wound up with his first electric 12-string, an Eastwood Classic 12.

This week the buds dig into that (natch) while also catching up on all of the new gear announced this week.

Also discussed: Universal Audio’s new Spark native plugin platform, Chase Bliss Habit, the Roli Seaboard 2, April Fools is dumb, RIP Taylor Hawkins, Billie Eilish winning some Oscars, 1951 Payola Tele/Esquire, Well Strung Guitars, Mesa expanding their distribution channels, and Boston.

It’s hard to take a picture of a guitar.

Hi friends. Hank and Dave recorded this week’s episode before Taylor Hawkins’ passing; however, we did review Dream Widow’s new record (it slams) so we got to honor him in that way. RIP Taylor Hawkins.

Otherwise, this was a big gear week as Taylor Guitars was named one of the top ten innovative manufacturers in the world, so obviously we needed to talk about why.

Also discussed: Strum Perfect, Mattoverse Electronics’ Solar Sound sun-powered pedal, Line 6 updating the DL4, the new Boss RE-202 Space Echo, Gibson partnering with Triumph motorcycles, UA Ukraine updates and Spark tease, Western Electric making guitar tubes, Trini Lopez deals, Alex Lifeson’s upcoming auction, NAMM updates, and Gibson’s 1967 Factory Tour.

The Craftory.

Are you worried about the global vacuum tube shortage? Should you be?

This week the buds dive into the world of tubes during this current panic/buying rush. What can you do to ensure the longest and best life possible for the tubes you already have? Your buddy Hank also got another new pedal, a real fuzzy fuzz from Warm Audio, the Foxy Tone Box, their clone of the Foxx Tone Machine, so expect plenty there.

Also discussed: the internet’s ablaze around the Gibson Theodore, Jurassic Park guitar strings, dumping on NFTs and guitar stocks, the new boss Boss Bass Katana, Neural DSP’s plugin take on the Tone King Imperial MK II, Fender’s new Parallel Universe Meteora bass, and Kanye West’s Jean-Yuhs.

Dave’s signature fuzz will be called The Loyalist.

Happy (Big Muff) Pi Day, for those who observe.

This week the buds dive into some history around signature artist models, specifically the historic lack of female signature artist instruments. The tides are finally turning folks.

Also discussed: new pedal day for Hank from Hologram Electronics, Fender’s Prestige and Hot Wheels collections, support for Ukraine from AnalogMan, Universal Audio, Soundtoys, Heardle, Warm Audio’s studio in Austin, Session Wire, Limewire selling NFTs, Red Rocks saying bye bye to weird Amazon tech, Reverb UI updates, and Ronnie Wood’s official doc.

One Lung would be a sick nickname.

We did it! Your buds officially made it to episode 150, and how did we celebrate?

We went and saw Studio 666, the new Foo Fighters rock and roll horror/comedy, and then made this episode featuring a spoiler-filled review. Shocker!

Also discussed: Music for Peace in support of Ukraine, the new Boss GX-100, 50th anniversary Ludwig Vistalite kits, Eventide’s new Anthology bundle, the new JHS DOD 250 tribute, celebrating a birthday at Fitzgerald’s with an all-star lineup, crankers and truss talk, Brady Watt, Bandcamp getting acquired by Epic Games, Musikmesse cancellation, Russian tubes, and Bandslam with David Bowie.

This isn’t Gear Foes.

Happy new week friends, time marches on.

The buds rock out a nice tight shorty for you today with both an unofficial celebration of Bass Day while also discussing some regional buying intricacies. Do you consider which parts of the globe from which you buy your gear?

Also discussed: Origin Effects’ new bass pedals, Darkglass Electronics’ new bass head, John Paul Jones re-recording When the Levee Breaks for Playing for Change, Reverb’s average rig values, Dave Grohl can’t hear, RIP Mark Lanegan, and Being Frank: The Chris Sieve Story.

Start a family band.

Ever find yourself in a gear rut? Experiencing gear stagnation? You’re not alone, friend.

This week we talk through the ebbs and flows of collecting via Hank’s Oberheim synth and a controller from Alpes Machines. We also shine a light on the untold dirty little secret of broadcast microphones.

Also discussed: the new Fender Rosewood George Harrison Telecaster, Line 6 and the new Catalyst amps, Guitar Solo the book, the new Boss Space Echo, Universal Audio diving deeper into the microphone game, Super Bowl with a chromed Silver Sky, Zakk Wylde being a good guy, Jonny Greenwood joining Radiohead, and Billy Idol getting kicked out of Thailand.

Something big is just over the horizon.

Who likes games? We do, we do!

This week your buds play another round of hypothetical gear hunting, this time to replace our live rigs after a catastrophic geartastrophe. Can the buds find their rigs online, and more importantly, can they even afford them?

Also discussed: Lewitt’s exciting new LCT1040 microphone system, Big Ear partnering with The Tone Mob for a pizza pedal party, Alchemy Audio, Elk Audio going Live, NFTs = still bad, SOPHIE being honored in outer space, Pentagram, and Hank getting flamed for selling a TV.

It’s pronounced Euro-PINE.

Happy February, friends. In passing Dave mentioned how he thought $3,000 was the perfect amount to buy a guitar, so Hank decided they should put it to the test… via The $3K Challenge.

To leave it open to play again in the future, we decided to keep it specific - 6-string electric guitar with humbuckers. What do you think the buds chose? And will Hank ever follow rules?

Also discussed: Dave’s new Chicago Stompworks Grey Spec, getting RANDYED, Akai MPK Mini Mk3, fuzz first, the Mike Ness signature Gibson Les Paul, HitPiece doing more stupid stuff with NFTs, flagging gear on Craigslist, Willie Dunn needs a doc, and Buddy Holly.

Podcast bros have feelings too.

Here it is buddies: the thrilling conclusion to the Tolkien-esque saga that was upgrading Dave’s vintage Fender Jazz bass with concentric stackyboy pots.

We called in Big Guns, (space)hogged out old wood, and let our blood sugar levels drop to semi-dangerous levels in the name of tone. We also somehow made it all the way to the end of an episode about new pots before Hank yelled fresh pots. :-|

Also discussed: our friend Carlos Lopez and his new venture Castedosa Guitars, Dumbleflation, Fender’s new Hammertone pedals and refreshed guitars, Peace Poti knobs, Roadie Coach, Gibson NFTs, Reverb’s My Collection, and The Liverbirds.

Randy.

No, we haven’t finished working on Dave’s Jazz yet… GET OFF OUR BACKS. It’ll be done next week, promise.

Anywho, this week we’re going to talk about some famous missing instruments and where they might be. Could one of them be in your collection?

Also discussed: swapping Lego for an automobile, Steve Vai and Ibanez creating THE HYDRA, Walrus Audio updating the D1 Mako delay, Gibson unveiling the new Maestro pedals, Dave’s gear-hunting tips, RIP Meatloaf and Alexander Dumble, JoBo complimenting Hank’s licks, tips from EVH’s tech Tom Weber, and All Things Must Pass: The Tower Records story.

Grey sweatpants.

This episode was originally going to be all about Dave’s Jazz Bass. Things did not go exactly as planned…

Instead, this week we dig deep into Chicago’s underrated guitarist Terry Kath, the documentary about his life, and posthumously tracking down his favorite guitar. We also get into Part One of a two-parter with Dave’s early 60s Jazz Bass - how badly will Hank mess this one up? We talk a bit about the history of the Jazz and what we hope to have accomplished by next week’s episode; hint: stacky bois.

Also discussed: Terry Kath’s Fender Custom Shop Master Built run of Teles, Walrus Audio’s Slotva, Orange’s Guitar Butler, Ibanez’s Ruby Red TS9, NAMM’s Believe in Music, Gibson teasing the return of Maestro pedals, Fender’s longest tenured employee, and Linda Lee’s ’53 Gibson Gold Top Les Paul.

Let’s make music ugly again.

What makes something vintage?

Inspired by a recent Reverb post, the buds examine the state of vintage gear and what that even means. Is vintage really anything 30 years old and up?

Also discussed: Gibson acquiring case company GWW, checking in on our buddy Dave, humidity talks, the Nirvana baby, David Bowie getting the Sony 360 Reality Audio treatment, The Runaways, Samsung’s Zamstar and Zamstring light up fretboards, Fret Zealot, the PRS Silver Sky SE, and AIAIAI & Richie Hawtin’s headphone collab.

If you’re gonna drop the cash, make the dash.

Wow, it’s 2022. Happy New Year, Dave got The Rona.

Your buddies are back in quar for the first time in months, so bear with us as we compare flipping Lego to flipping guitars and deep dive into the gear that got away - the stuff we miss, and the stuff we don’t miss at all.

Also discussed: Yngwie’s Ferraris, Mad Max: Fury Road’s Doof Warrior guitar, St. Vincent building Josh Homme’s secret weapon into a pedal, Asleep at the Wheel and the dawn of the Acoustasonic Tele, NAMM’s Believe in Music week, Acustica Audio’s Eminence plugin, Redisen’s Senstroke, Freedrum, and Kenny G’s bad rap.

There are many ways to skin a jazz cat.

Whatever or however you celebrate, Gearbuds wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and turnover into 2022.

This week’s holiday potpourri episode runs the gear gamut, discovering new drops from SSL (the game-changing Big SiX), Red Witch’s new limited edition custom overdrive pedals, and Tascam getting back into the cassette game. We also dissect an open letter from Brian T. Majeski, editor of Music Trades, who has written an extremely rosy outlook on the future of MI via sales trends, import numbers, and consumer behavior.

Also discussed: being that guy at a party with an acoustic guitar, car radio history, free plugins from Hornet, Native Instruments, Izotope, Arturia, and Klevgrand’s Russel, Macca’s bass breaking auction records, Brad Pitt reopening Studio Miraval, Brian Eno hating on NFTs, Tinder’s new music mode, and Nowhere Boy.

I didn’t know John Lennon was JACKED.

Happy holidays, buddies. This week Hank and Dave get into some vroom vroom by exploring the intersection between cars and music.

On top of discussing Alpha Piano’s MIDI controller co-designed with Porsche, we talk through the crossover between car folk and music folk at both the musician and song level. Is there a stereotypical car person? Or car person music? Find out along with us, grease monkeys.

Also discussed: Les Paul scams, Eric Clapton going full(er) shitbird, The Boss getting rich(er), and a deep dive into Kiss’ late 70s stinker of a TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantoms of the Park.

Beep beep, who got keys to the Jeep? Vrrrooooooom.

Sorry for the late Monday post - it’s a travel week for your buddy Hank.

This episode we played ourselves a little game; the gig’s tonight, your gear got stolen, and you’re not allowed back in any of the local shops - time to put together a full rig only from the Chicago Craigslist. What do Dave and Hank settle on? And (how badly) will Hank cheat?

Also discussed: JOB’s sick little kicker lawsuit Mosrite, Beatles stuff, our buddy Carlos Lopez stepping down from his Master Builder post at Fender, Megadeth jumping into the weird world of cryptocurrency, more bands that made movies, the Alanis Morrisette documentary Jagged, and Sire’s Larry Carlton signature guitars.

My armpits are sweaty.

Spoiler Warning: you know those sorta’ groany reaction videos you see all over YouTube these days? At about the 30 minute mark this becomes one of those, Gearbuds Podcast style.

This week the dudes go Full Boomer with a review and deep dive into the new Peter Jackson-helmed Beatles documentary, Get Back, or as we’re calling it Get Buds. In this Dave’s Doc about a Dave’s Doc we spend ample time nerding over all of the Fender, Vox, Hofner, Gibson, Neumann, AKG, & EMI gear, digging into each episode individually, covering some issues the documentary omitted, and obvy providing our own spicy takes.

Also discussed: Spotify Wrapped 2021, Guitar Slip No More, Moog Animoog Z, hacking away at the back of an old Les Paul, handling auditions, and tells for failing electrolytic capacitors.

Take the beans.

Happy Monday-after-a-long-weekend, American friends. Feeling fat and tired, maybe a little seasonally sad? Just us? Cool cool.

Anywho we’ve got a doozy for you this week - Dave bought a mysterious new pedal! For those keeping score, your buddy has been on a bass fuzz synth octave ToneQuest (tm), and this week we dive deep into a contender for this role, the Italian-made Meridian Syntave. Somehow we also had the time to dig into the surprising results and a major turning of the tides via Reverb’s best seller gear lists of 2021.

Also discussed: Justin Chancellor’s signature Dunlop Crybaby wah, Howlin’ Wolf, a free plugin from Baby Audio, good buddies PTD Unlimited and Cindy from Carmine Street, and Radiohead’s new video game.

It’s an even number that sounds odd.

“With your feet on the air and your head on the ground…”

In this week’s particularly singsong-y episode the buds soar into the oft confusing matter of safely flying with your guitar. We read the federal law and FAA regulations so you don’t have to, and provide all the tips you need for safe and stress-free air travel with your prized instrument.

Also discussed: Fender’s affordable Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, Earthworks’ ETHOS broadcast mic, Apple’s new self-service repair program, creepy Amazon One scanning, Brass Against getting pissy, Studio 666, and Rick Kelly’s Carmine Street Guitars.

Let me smell your palms.

Rat fur. Tolex. Tuck and roll. Your amps and cabinets are covered in this stuff, but have you ever thought about why?

Who cares?! Gearbuds cares ya dingus! This week we dive deep into the sometimes off-putting world of rat fur, try and get to the bottom of where it began, and weigh its pros and cons.

Also discussed: mini amp heads from Bogner, Diesel, and Friedman, all-hog Les Paul Customs, Limp Bizkit still sucks, Randy Rhoads and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Abbey Road’s anniversary, Radiohead’s free video game, tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Coltrane going platinum, Noble & Cooley drums, and Steely Dan’s Aja.

I like to pop once in a while.

Shakes fist at daylight savings time

This week was an absolute time warp, what better way to celebrate than getting into cerebral and esoteric theories and ideas underlying the practice of investing? The buds talk through the (seemingly) simple question - are instruments good investments?

Also discussed: lil’ blueberry meat, Fender smashing guitars, getting shot for playing guitar, The Sparks Brothers, N64, Earthquaker’s new Boris fuzz pedal Hizumitas, and signature Gibson guitars for Jim James and Adam Jones.

Could be beans in there.

Whoa. It’s November. Weird, right?

This week the buds effectively close out spooky month, this time with a Harry Nilsson ghost story and Ace Frehley getting zapped on stage. And since this is in fact a gear show for musicians, we also stick to what we know and get deep into the world of knobs, pots, and potentiometers (spoiler: those are the same thing).

Also discussed: chasing a vintage White Falcon, EHX’s new Intelligent Harmony Machine pedal, CME visits, Nathaniel Rateliff’s Reverb shop and Princetons, Mannequin Pussy, Les Paul’s number 1 guitar, and the legend of Ozzy Osbourne.

I’m auditioning for your friendship.

In case you were wondering - no, this episode is not as epic as that longboi from last week. Phew.

On top of adding some real science to our bro science courtesy of Professor Steve, this week we’re sticking with spooky season and exploring mysterious radio signals from deep outer space. The dudes also dive into a whole mess of new Fender with a trio of releases including the Chicago Music Exchange exclusive Pacific Peach custom color Jazzmaster, the Violinmaster, and Kurt Cobain signature Jag-Stang reissue.

Also discussed: Gearbuds listeners in the wild, Dave getting scammed on Reverb/the virtues of PayPal, too much Macca news, Russian Circles gear theft, and finding inspiration in the new Velvet Underground doc.

“Your podcast is boring as shit.”

Don’t act so surprised; we tend to do things a bit on the nose.

This week we’re leaning into spooky season and talking about some morbid shiz - musicians being killed by their gear. With Keith Relf from the Yardbirds as perhaps the most famous example, we delve into some shocking territory while providing tips for staying safe when poking around. That said, sometimes you should probably just leave it to the pros.

Also discussed: Google’s new built-in tuner and song finding feature, new flagship loopers from Boss, digging deep into going direct and the all-in-one guitar amp and monitor from Amonito, Blackstar’s new tube-based pedals, native advertising on Reverb, eBay updates, Tony Iommi fossils, Randy Bachman’s Gretsch, Rick James’ wild life story, a Lego Fender Princeton Reverb, and sick kitties.

Volts jolts, mills kills.

Price hikes - they’re happening folks.

This week we talk about the across the board gear inflation we’re seeing in both the both used and new market with brands like Gibson (including their new murdered out Raven series), Fender, Marshall, and Ibanez. What’s driving it? Is there any chance this will ease?

Also discussed: between two Balties with Balthazar Amps, Ringo Starr jamming with every drummer for Why Hunger, Lego collaborating with Fender, Johnny Ramone’s Mosrite, Nembrini Audio’s free RAT plugin, gear-centric video game The Artful Escape, Elliott Smith, Universal Audio’s new Volt series, and passing GAS with The Fart Pedal.

Facebook is down, down with Facebook.

New (old) Bass Day!

Dave got himself a super cool vintage bass and you know that means we’ve gotta talk about it. This week we dig into the details of this fretless Japanese beauty and explore that world in general with our 5 top tips for getting into fretless.

Also discussed: Yngwie Malmsteen’s blindfold test, new Gibson acoustic guitars with something called a player port, Radiohead’s video game, catching up with our friends at Balthazar Amps, Jon Nunez from Torche and Sound Artillery Studio getting into Universal Audio’s Luna, Greyhawk using Dave Grohl’s throne, getting too high for Guitar Center, Steve Howe rocking the Line 6 Spider, and The Flaming Lips’ Fearless Freaks.

Big ole hunk’a beef in our mouths.

Here it is friends: The Metallica Episode. Well, sort of. Your bud Hank got to experience a once in a lifetime gig last week, and we spend a bunch of time telling the tales of shredding into your 50s, priceless Les Pauls, and happily waiting in line.

In truth there are two main features in this week’s episode: Metallica at The Metro, and FINALLY detailing Captain Beefheart’s Ten Rules for Guitar as explained by Morris Tepper, something we’ve been teasing for over a year.

Also discussed: Fender’s new MoFI turntable and MIJ signature short(ish) scale Katana Bass, making deals and teasing Dave’s new old bass, Warm Audio sales, following up on Reverb’s My Collection and Preferred Seller program, and Blind Melon and Shannon Hune.

Nothing worse than an ill-fitting suit.

Have you ever thought, “Gee, I really need to ruin my Tele…”? Put an iPad on it! (This will make more sense once you listen to this episode, scout’s honor.)

This week, in our first episode with a live studio audience (sup Cappy), we get into how we listen to and make judgements of gear. Specifically, we talk Josh Homme revealing the tone secrets of crappy amps, and scientists science-ing the hell out of some wood and fungus to make a modern “biotech Stradivarius.”

Also discussed: catching up with old bandmates (hi Mike), a heroic bass player saving lives, Reverb updates, Winter NAMM delays, Dave Mustaine’s butthole, Black MIDI ripping up Sleeping Village, Marshall Amps, Boss’ new IR-200 and SY-200, and Players Grade Vintage.

Drugs are a hell of a drug.

Hope you’re in for some chip talk, and we don’t mean Cool Ranch.

This week our main topic concerns silicon chips - semiconductors, microprocessors, and integrated circuits, their unprecedented shortage in almost every device we use, and (perhaps) the forthcoming analog revolution.

Also discussed: a super neat pair of shows with Bethany Thomas, Tawny Newsome, and Ted Leo, positive gear deals, Trent Reznor blasting through Les Pauls, new Focusrite interfaces, the Moog Model 15 app, an updated Klon KTR, Joy Division, Fender Play partnering with Barbie, and Johnny Marr’s wild 9-pickup Strat.

No chunky flops.

We’ve got ourselves a beefy episode, friends.

This week the boys dive deep into a few main topics: church bands and the truly immense power of the praise & worship gear scene, and the wild west of speculative investing, the practice of buying shares in actual physical guitars with specific examples in the new venture between Rally and Gibson.

Also discussed: Lee “Scratch” Perry, 1960 Gibson Rosie Burst, strap pin tips, Klon on YouTube, Kanye vs. Drake, free BProAudio GSat+ plugin, bass octave pedals, two docs - Some Kind of Monster and Count Me In, Nathaniel Rateliff’s signature Gibson, and updating Bluetooth codecs.

Decaf is the near-beer of coffee.

Have no fear, we’re surrounded by gear.

This week your little drummer birthday boys celebrate the life and legacy of Charlie Watts from the Rolling Stones the only way they know how - by digging into his life, technique, Gretsch drums, and stories behind favorite songs and happenings as the pulse holding together the most important rock and roll band of all time.

Also discussed: Hank’s worst ever gear interaction, Leo Fender’s eyes, Handsome Johnny aka PTD Unlimited (and a John Mulaney story), Yamaha’s brief foray into F1, Stingray’s extremely cool involvement with Kanye’s Donda release, the Nirvana Nevermind baby, Strymon’s new Zelzah phaser, and Beatles Boners.

The pee is in the pool, so to speak.

Friends, it’s a good thing we recorded this on Friday and not Wednesday because we might have burned some bridges… coming in HOT.

What’s got us so riled up? Well, a few things: the power (and danger) of social media, getting doxxed by anti-vax Twitter, EHX trying to harness the magnetosphere, and vacuum tube scarcity. Look, we never said this was going to be cohesive, alright?

Also discussed: Les Paul’s first goldtop, Epiphone’s new USA-made Casino, going direct with an SVT, Hurricane Henri, Steel Panther auditions, Gibson’s incredible ICONS series, 1971 on Apple+, Kauer Guitars’ charity work, Reese’s new AR beat-making cereal boxes RP-FX, and Boutique Guitar Showcase coming back to Chicago Music Exchange.

Let the story tell the story.

What’s in a signature?

This week your buds ruminate on what it means to have a signature guitar and who deserves one that doesn’t have one. We also spend some time thanking our friends and listeners (keep it coming), ponder the versatility of the Black Beauty, and yes, there’s a bunch of baseball talk too.

Also discussed: Behringer’s new XL interface and returning Oberheim’s name, jamming remotely without lag via the Elk Audio LIVE Bridge, tips when shipping instruments in extreme heat, Dave Mustaine’s new Gibson, The American Music Fairness Act, and Peter (fucking) Frampton.

If the case is cold, the guitar is cold.

Congratulations on surviving another weekend, world. Your reward? Another Monday episode of Gearbuds… what’d you expect?

This week we get into a few main topics; integrating the Nord Drum with Ableton via Ableton Drummer, and the misunderstood standby switch, diving into the switch’s genesis, history, why they were implemented, and why we still use them today.

Also discussed: pedalboards as Kia Stingers, Uncle Hank closing down the studio, Ritchie Blackmore, Kirk Hammett joining Gibson, Lollar changing their pickup names, the irony of The Offspring’s drummer going anti-vax, Charlie Watts, and vinyl warpage.

Now go home and get yer grot box.

Now that it’s over we can finally ask - is Lolla a bad idea?

This week the Gearbuds examine this very thought, the cultural and musical impact of Woodstock ’99, headstock shapes, and many other questions in this potpourri grab bag episode.

Also discussed: rooftop shows, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, Cornelius fucking up, gross guitar design trends, the Reverb Make an Offer button, Gibson Records, modern vs. vintage instruments, and the mind as a time machine.

Straight ‘roni guards bro.

Another week, another episode of buds being buds.

In any relationship it’s important to keep things spicy, so Hank starts off by surprising Dave with a new (old) guitar, the Japanese lawsuit-era Aria Pro II LS-500 VS from 1977 (really rolls off the tongue). We talk honeymoon periods, rebound guitars, nickel > chrome, and selling to buy.

Also discussed: acquiring a case of raspberries from king shit of the corner bodega, a general aversion to partscasters, Rick Rubin and McCartney 3, 2, 1, Neve consoles, The Descendents, and Clapton being a butthole.

Listen to the new Hembree jam Reach Out.

CAUTION: episode image may cause spontaneous sexplosion.

This week the buds focus on the new gear and announcements coming out of Summer NAMM 2021, including Third Man Hardware, the rebooted Rhodes, Fender pedals, Gibson signatures, Daredevil Pedals and Chibson Placebo Pedal, Wild Customs and Gyrock signature Billy Gibbons guitar, and the Boss Eurus synth guitar.

Also discussed: Swedish soundproofing technology Sound Screw, Stomplight, coming clean on a questionable deal, the Aussie underwear shredder, Gene Simmons bass face, This Is Pop, 1971, and the KVR Audio plugin developer challenge.

Pink Paisley slaps.

Gather ‘round, ye music lovers, for this episode is a true headbanger.

This week your Gearbuds explore the ethics of gearflipping with some recent examples: Julien’s auctions, the Squier Paranormal series, the Boss Waza TB-2W Tonebender, the Drolo Stetch Weaver, and Joe Bonamassa selling a (truly wild) NFT.

Also discussed: Earthworks measurement mics, transferring 78 RPM records, Acustica Sienna, inclusive audio language, the audacity of Audacity, Sam Porter’s formerly Ugly Guitar (go see Kali Masi on tour), Rick Laird, and Paul McCartney’s “death” in 1966?

Crank the perfection slider.

Happy day after America day, buddies. This week your favorite deep-fried potato balls decided to celebrate by getting into some controversial gear topics.

What better way to honor America’s birth than diving into the details of when Leon Theremin built a device used to spy on us, or Dave shitting all over St. Louis-style pizza, or Hank bellyaching about selling his Explorer? Or how about the difference between light/heavy guitars, PRS making a signature Jimi Hendrix amplifier 50 years after homeboy died, or Behringer dropping even more clone Moog synthesizers? Hoo baby.

Also discussed: stone Firebirds, Sweetwater’s new gear mecca, The Black Crowes, and making tough Jazzcisions.

Is Fender a dinosaur on the way out? (No.)

Wait, is 2021 really halfway through ? How the…

Speaking of 2021, this week your buds take a deep dive into the murky waters of the gear market. By digging into data trends, instrument life cycles, and anecdotal experience Hank and Dave attempt to play Gearstradamus and suss out what’s happened during the pandemic, where we are now, and what’s going to happen next.

Also discussed: ads that aren’t ads, recovering instruments from a massive guitar heist, updates on Hank’s NBC Today Show embarrassment, trying to get a vocal session done in a day, Pink Floyd financing a tour with a Ferrari, and Silverchair.

Is there a dark web for gear?

If you could talk to yourself from ten years ago, what would you say? And what would ten-years-in-the-future-you tell now-you?

This week your buds get into it with this gearthought experiment as well as Dave triggering Hank with a Goldtop conversion. We dive into the hot new trend of reliced tattoos, Colorware microphone customization, why every piece of gear is black, and even found time for a DODfather update with Kurt Cobain’s Grunge pedal.

Also discussed: the Gamechanger Bigsby pedal made with Fender, virtual reality air guitar game Unplugged, the Scope Labs Periscope microphone with built-in compression, keeping your strings loose when you’re not playing (don’t do this), and WASP.

Darkbacks are real.

Strap in and strap it on buddies, this week we’re getting into The Important Things.

Our (not at all tongue-in-cheek) discussion centers on elemental knowledge and questioning things we take for granted… starting with straps, which leads into an even more hard-hitting, important topic: the ethics and morals of sharing instruments. Do you let other folks play your gear?

Also discussed: the EV RE-20 from a famous radio station, Cre8audio jams, Spotify Hi-Fi, Formula 1 crossover interests with David Bowie and Jerrell Guitars, Pino Palladino appreciation, staticky Jazzmasters, upgrading a vintage 335, finding stuff in gig bags, and Van Halen.

Dave is the dryer sheet king.

Can you believe we’re back in person… with a guest?! We can’t. Not only are we honored to have Ruby Rose Fox join us live, but we do so for the first time at our very own Gearbuds HQ studio!

Ruby generously walks us through her formative early singing and instrument experiences on the East Coast, joining a ska band and touring as a high schooler, and tracing her path through acting and theater while finding her way back to music. We talk Mellotrons, Telecasters, tube mics, curating a show with the Boston Museum of Science (featuring Andy Schauf and Sondre Lerche), and what it takes to pull off the combination of Elvis plus Sonic the Hedgehog. Plus, stick around to the end for possibly the most awkward question Hank has ever asked a guest.

Also discussed: Gibson Garage, Ableton Loop, Strymon Conduit, Scale the Summit’s LED fretboard, Roy Orbison, skydiving, and attending a New Jersey wedding with Dancing Randy from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Holy Banoly.

We’re back, we’re vaxxed, and we’re ready to thrash.

We find ourselves in a monumental week, buddies; this is the first episode Hank and Dave were able to record in person since March 2020. To mark this milestone the dudes hug a bunch and then dive into important questions - do you name your instruments? What’s happening with our lil ole pod? How many guitars can Hank buy? Have you ever been Gearsplained?

More specifically the dudes spend a bunch of time talking about making Jazzmaster deals (via the kind and talented Mat Barber Kennedy), and by popular demand, diving into the confusing world of Eurorack with Cre8audio.

Also discussed: finding Hendrix’s Les Paul in Chicago, the Gibson Garage, tracking the age of guitar strings, vintage-style Fender neck adjustment tips, Mono bags, The Good Rats, DODfather run-ins with Daredevil Pedals, live streams post lockdown, and plant buds.

Bang your quantum drums.

Hej hej! This week your buds have a lovely virtual sit down with CEO of Carl Martin Effects, Søren Jongberg.

Søren takes us through his early days growing up in Denmark, “upgrading” a banjo into a snare drum, and eventually starting East Sound Research by building PAs, moving into a proper recording studio, and designing bass amplifiers.

We dig into the evolution of Carl Martin as a brand, the joy of playing with sound, aiming for three dimensionality in tone, treating pedals as outboard, the first Carl Martin effect the Hot Drive ’n Boost, and more recent successes like the PlexiRanger and the Octaswitch series. Stick around to the end to hear about the next big release from CM, the Ampster.

Also discussed: Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, embarrassing gear, free plugins from Native Instruments and Izotope, Apple lossless audio, and the Smoothhound Innovations SIVA.

Don’t join the chorus of negative internet buttholes.

You might be asking yourself, “How do they keep cooking up these tasty treats?” and friend we ask ourselves that question a lot around here; this week’s main course is none other than musician Ryan Joseph Anderson.

The songwriting singer and ripping guitarist takes us back and forth from his musical household, trying to write songs before knowing chords, loving on the versatility of the Gibson 335, his work with Go Long Mule, following the vibes to Nashville and Chicago, and his upcoming free gig at Fitzgerald’s May 22nd. Ryan and Hank also reminisce on playing dual lead guitar together in Tom Schraeder’s band, the importance of practice, and intentionality in songwriting. Heady nugs.

Also discussed: Hercules podcasting stands, Foo Fighters’ Rock Hall induction, shows coming back, new iLoks, stinker Scorpions Dave’s Docs, Warren Ellis, and the Townsend Labs modeling microphone.

How many cats has Joe Bonamassa sacrificed?

Feeling fresh, folks. This week your newly coiffed buds have themselves a freewheeling grab bag of an episode that is better listened to than described; example content: a vintage Martin is simply the hillbilly Stradivarius.

Main topics this week also include Hank and Dave’s haircuts, getting overexcited about the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI, diving deep into video synthesis via the Sleepy Circuits Hypno (a magical Eurorack and standalone visual device), the value of learning an entirely foreign discipline, and gear rental services like Pedal Genie.

Also discussed: ASMR (aka forehead feeling), DODfather updates, Apple Airtags, What Drives Us by Dave Grohl, Focusrite acquiring Sequential Circuits, the 60th Anniversary of the Gibson SG, Ableton packs, viking funerals vs. modern musician funerals, Spotify patenting really some invasive technology, RHCP selling out (lol), and stupidly expensive fader covers.

Wear your pirate earrings like Morgan Freeman.

It’s finally here!

This week the buds welcome Daniel Orkin and Michael Lux to the show, better known as the writers and directors of smash hit documentary The Pedal Movie. Made in collaboration with many beautiful people at Reverb and countless important figures in the music world, the film is a love letter to the pedal community and tracks the history of effects and their direct influence on music and culture, serving both the expert and non-expert alike.

The guys talk us through their musical backgrounds, the genesis and evolution of the project, the nuts and bolts of creating a feature documentary, the undeniable complications of the pandemic, and take us behind the scenes with stories and insights left on the cutting room floor.

The Pedal Movie is available now on iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu, and was scored 10/10 germanium transistors by esteemed documentary critic Dave.

April showers, May grey, June gloom - call it what you will; it’s all sunshine and rainbows this week as we welcome our newest bud to the show, Andrew Pelletier.

Together we trace Andrew’s path and evolution as an artist and singer, from being born into a musical family in Chicago, approaching the drums academically (and via Wilco’s Glenn Kotche), writing for his band Minor Characters as well as his more recent solo project Fur Trader, working with Shirk Studios and Spill Sounds, the importance of creating a visual element to accompany audio, and what it means to be patient and to make deliberate choices with our energy.

Also discussed: The Pedal Movie’s pending release, Gibson Repair and Restoration Shop, ponchos, Steve Albini, The Nuge being a butthole, Johnny Thunders and The New York Dolls, Hiwatt’s festive 420 amp, and rocking The Sandlot look.

Why is the UK so into ham?

It’s true - Gearbuds are Pro Cat. When Hank’s senior gal Sofie decided to hop on the mic, they had to let her do her thing.

In this special duocast your buds don’t actually talk cats at all but they do talk gear - specifically hunting down Gibsons with skinny nuts, light vs. heavy guitars, and visualizing with P90s.

Also covered: search tips and slutting for hot keys, ruining our chances at having The Stones on the show, Kirk Hammett selling guitars, Zappa, The Pedal Movie dropping everywhere April 30th, the band Live (for some reason), the dawn of Charvel and Jackson, video games (specifically Tetris Effect with Hydelic’s soundtrack), and the new Kemper Kabinet.

Throwing Copper is a concept album?

It takes a lot to go Uphill in Chicago, but this week’s guest has it all figured out.

This episode the Gearbuds welcome our newest buddy Kevin Tabisz to the squad, a Chicago-based musician, studio-owner at Uphill Recording Services, and all around good dude. We get into his history, becoming a true gear nerd, acquiring celebrity owned vintage Gibsons, growing up with The Fireside as your dad, hanging up on Steve Albini phonecalls, carrying a Neotek console into an attic, and even some positive lockdown takeaways.

Also discussed: Phoebe Bridgers turning bad into good, Metro Chicago selling an NFT, updated Craigslist drama, Talkbox talk, getting to work with Sonarworks and Earthworks (thanks Stinger), Izzy Stradlin, and trolling for strange.

Play the drums (not the cymbals) and **** open hi-hats.

We’re getting close buddies - this week Hank and Dave have themselves a little group gear therapy as we start preparing for the music world to reopen.

This week is about harnessing probability and the power of randomness in creation, taking a thoughtful approach to sorting through your recording ideas, and the super sexy ideas behind getting your songwriting organized via Trello. Let’s be honest; Hank also talks about himself and Mark and their new project Dr01dsmith for a while.

Also discussed: Moog’s new synth packs, The Pedal Movie release date, Mike Maimone’s new movie, Scores’ new video, Metallica blues coffee, Squier stuff, and the brilliance of Billie Eilish.

Junkyard warriors, unite.

Ditto Looper. If you’re anything like Henry, you just read those two words in this week’s guest Tore Mogensen’s distinctive timbre.

Tore currently makes dope gear for Universal Audio, spent over 15 years doing the same at TC Electronic, and rips the ugliest Jackson Kellys possible in his death thrash ensemble World War 5. We talk growing up in Denmark (including his first 3 celebrity-owned pedals), taking the reins of the guitar re-revolution at TC via gear you’re probably using right now, and most recently the development of the no-compromise Universal Audio Starlight, Astra, and Golden pedals. You’re going to want to listen to this one, trust.

Also discussed: massive thank yous for the newest addition to The DODfather Collection, parting out a vintage Fender, celebrating Carol Kaye’s birthday, recording bass like Macca, and the Rectangle app for OS X.

Trust the knobs.

We really did it buddies, we became centurnarians. Centurions? Centaurs?

Either way, we celebrate cranking out 100 of these em effers the only way we know how: by reminiscing about a bunch of gear and music shiz including the (over)complicated nature of being a collector, normies paying attention to our growing bubble of expensive gear nerdery, and the DODfather collection continuing to grow by an FX35 Octoplus and floral wallpaper-covered Orange 2x12”.

Also discussed: more than you care to know about ferrite beads, Steve Vai being superhuman, Sonus Guitar Chairs, the Line6 G10 Wireless recall, Google’s Music Makers and Machines, Frank Zappa, and the new Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab.

Stimmy burning a hole in our gear pockets.

If you don’t know him by name, you definitely know him by gear; this week your Buds are joined by Henry Brown, proprietor of The Bonfires Vintage (by far the coolest shop on Reverb) and Sleepers Mountain Studio in Portland.

The Gentleman Junker, our buddy Hank is knowledgable, congenial, hilarious, and handsome to boot. In a wide-ranging and laugh-filled gearscussion we talk about Henry running the market on Olson fuzzes and Trident desks, being a gear optimist, carving in your name so that you’ll never sell it, drool-worthy guitars, and recognizing the opportunity in songwriting. There’s even an attempted gear intervention with Host Henry… why aren’t you listening yet?

Also discussed: Fender Custom Shop Prestige Collection, the DODfather Collection, Kings of Leon making millions on NFTs, Reverb still being the best game in town, and AC/DC’s clean guitars.

You need to have at least four or five carts before you even think about getting a horse.

Pop some popcorn and strap in buddies - this week’s duocast digs deep into two disparate topics: re-finding inspiration in pedals, and the complicated world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), cryptocurrency, and current applications in the art world. Bro.

In this tale of two stories, your Buds kick off with lots of pedal geeking and all sorts of new Daredevil Pedals and old DOD pedals providing Hank with much-needed inspirash. Then, if you’re brave enough, settle in for extremely dense technology geeking as we explore the implications and applications of blockchain in today’s musical environs. IT’S GONNA BE A PARTY Y’ALL.

Also discussed: the new Vertex Boost MK II, Fender Custom Shop Master Builders going for a surf, Dave Mustaine, buying the same CD twice in 2021, sending full resolution photo and video from your phone, Dave’s favorite bassist Bill Wyman, and how Amazon is now that kid from your high school who had a CD burner before everyone else.

Keep it simple, never be noticed, and you’ll always have a job.

Hey you, music person. Any interest in hearing about the fascinating process multi-talented and multi-handsome Colin Sipos used for mixing the forthcoming The Pedal Movie?

…We thought so. Winning the award for Most Prepared Guest, our new fave buddy kindly gives us a thoroughly listenable peek into his life as a mixer, composer, and engineer at Earhole Studios, Creative Mornings, and myriad film and tv projects while we gush over our dear friend Balthazar Amps and opine on the benefits of teamwork and working within limitation. Hank even gets jealous of Colin’s oddly-timed Neve summing rig!

Also discussed: Z.Vex/Chase Bliss Bliss Factory, Nord lovin’, George Massenburg, Ableton Live 11, the American Beatles (aka CSNY, apparently?), vintage cases in the snow, and Wurlies in the control room.

Wipe it, buddy.

We’ve almost made it through February friends, and your buddies have a special duocast just for the occasion.

This week we spend time on deals, deals, and more deals, including trading something old for something new, Hank’s new Nord Electro. Dave’s new old Hondo acoustic, and Dave making Hank feel better for deals that could not be. Remember: check sold listings. As if that isn’t enough, tune in for some controversial Big Boomer Energy recording opinions.

Also discussed: new gear in the D’Addario Pedal Tuner Plus and Harpad to turn your 6 string into a 12 string, Black Bobbin at guitar.com, a super cool sequencer gate by HY at Bedroom Producers Blog, bizarre Craigslist ads, partscasters with gross headstocks, and W. Eugene Smith.

Give your pets some extra love today.

Step right up, step right up! Get ready for some prog talk, nerds, as this week the Buds welcome Dani Rabin to the show. Dani is the Israeli-born but Chicago-living jazz prog mastermind behind the group Marbin.

We discuss Dani’s history growing up 20 miles south of Tel Aviv, making it to the States to attend Berklee, the history and formation of Marbin, tricking Paul Wertico into being in his band, and learning from Scott Henderson and Allan Holdsworth. We also spend time walking through Dani’s rig including his Suhr guitars, CAE amps, and a bunch of Vertex and Source Audio pedals going through a GigRig G2.

Also discussed: tips for setting up a monitor mix by creating an acoustic anchor in reality, Phoebe Bridgers calling David Crosby a little bitch, Chick Corea, seizing counterfeit guitars, skeleton guitars, Takeshi 69, compressor analogies, and the Red Witch Binary Star.

It’s 4:20 somewhere.

Howdy buddies - staying warm?

This week Hank and Dave get after it in a duocast and Dave comes in HOT after having his eggshells tickled by a particular lawsuit acoustic. After the usual shenanigans, the Buds also spend the episode talking through and committing to a custom dream build for Hank; SPOILER ALERT: there’s a lot of shell pink.

Also covered: corrections from Balthazar Amps, Digital Systemic’s Giant Verb, Fender sunburst color and techniques (and a whole mess of finish talk), Sam Cooke, Korg’s NuTubes, Taylor guitars going employee-owned, Boss pedal price hikes, and selling used harmonicas in a pandemic. Also fuck Morgan Wallen.

Brown isn’t a color.

Smash that play button friends; we’ve got a big one for you. This week we are overjoyed to be joined by Jon Nuñez, guitarist in Torche, partner in Nunez Amplification, and engineer/producer/mixer at Sound Artillery Studio.

It feels silly trying to encapsulate the episode in a few words, but rest assured we get into settling into the studio environment, wearing socks and sandals, snakes, growing up in Miami, dishing the dirt on Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy, chasing bottom end since birth, forging a unique sound with Torche, finding yourself in the producer’s chair, recording a CME Session, and even forcing Daniel Escuariza to be your friend. We also get into adding USB ports to your brain and the band’s wild last show before lockdown. Stick around to the end for some breaking Torche news, fanfolks!

Also discussed: touchin tips’ with Balthazar, updates from Universal Audio and Daredevil Pedals, Kurt Ballou and Abominable Electronic’s The Coolest Noise children’s book, and Thin Lizzy.

I do my little turn on the catwalk.

What do we call this? Duocast? Budscast?

Whatever it is that’s what’s coming at you this week, as Hank and Dave riff through the little NAMM news we actually get this season. Covered: Korg’s Gadget VR software/ARP2600M, Fender, Squier, Gibson Signatures, Way Huge, Jackson Audio, Walrus Audio’s Mako Series, Earthquaker Devices, and low-end machines from Yamaha, Sandberg, EMG, and Tech21.

Also discussed: Gearslutz name change, our new subsegment Touchin’ Tips with Dave, the smarts in iPhone Notes, Jazzmaster pickguards, boomin’ on Craigslist, slippers at the space, Madonna docs, and a little Dave/Focusrite gearnews.

Gonna see more bumper than a bodyshop.

Fender folks, we’ve got a big one for you today; we are beyond thrilled to share our talk with Fender Master Builder Carlos Lopez.

Tracing his musical history, Carlos warmly and hilariously walks us through his path from East LA and the Musician’s Institute to being one of a dozen of the most heralded guitar craftsmen in the world. We discuss philosophical differences with the Custom Shop and Masterbuilt instruments, getting tools into the hands that use them, and finding your passion and living it. We also take a deep dive on the lineage and inspiration for the Fender Brawler and Marauder, advice for finding your own path, and even found the time to dispel some vintage Fender myths.

Also discussed: a special hello from Chris Garza of Suicide Silence and his incredible 7-string Strat, NAMM talk, Fender and Squier’s new releases, Moog mural opportunities, a free transient shaper plugin, The Song Remains the Same, and some pretty amazing Pat Smear stories.

Master Builders - they’re just like us!

We made it through another year-long week; why not celebrate with some fresh Buds?

Today we welcome the hilarious and kind future-person Ben Fulton, owner of Red Witch pedals and designer and partner with Seamoon and the soon to launch Imperial Electrical.

Ben walks us through his history including his lifelong devotion to the music of Jimmy Page, leaving The Shire for an epic journey with 2 of the other 7 people who live in New Zealand (ie Flight of the Concords), important early friendships with Z.Vex and True Tone, respectfully accosting Buddy Guy, outfitting one’s children in basketweave, and Red Witch as a gateway pedal drug for Dave (with a bonus deep dive on the history of the Fuzz God!) Be sure to listen until the end for full detail on an exciting Gear Scoop.

Also discussed: New Gears Resolutions, Korg buying Aguilar, Gibson acquiring Mesa, virtual NAMM and CES, KISS subverting expectation, and Parliament Funkadelic.

Burritos. That’s it, just burritos.

Welcome to 2021, Buddies. This week we got to chat and make some New Gears Resolutions with the multi-hyphenated Nick Broste.

Let’s get the most important bit out of the way first: Nick has never played in a ska band. That said, to call him multi-talented is a huge undersell - engineer, producer, mixer, masterer, composer, studio-owner, trombonist, kind human, crabby when hungry - all of these descriptors fit. Nick helps us weave together this story, considering the necessary nature of music education, purity tests in jazz school, playing with Wilco, making gear choices on need vs. optics, and even sharing some brass recording and master buss mix tips.

Also discussed: Cherry Audio’s new free synth plugin, Hank’s new computer and interface (plus Kemper integration tips), CME’s 2020 best of vintage video, JHS trolling Reverb(?), The Animals, and fantasizing about sitting in what The Duke.

8am on Saturday is the best time to make a hit record.

Happy Holidays, buddies.

The dudes spend this episode cutting it up with each other about Hank’s new Universal Audio Apollo Twin X and Mac, holiday geargift memories, buying fake IDs with your drugs, image listing tips from some oldheads, wholesome Facebook holiday swaps, and Craigslist shitposts.

Also discussed: free downloads from Native Instruments and Arturia, Pixar’s new movie Soul, Hank Buds 2020, getting schooled by grandpa about Hammond iPad organ apps, and our least favorite new Reverb feature.

What are blues?

Tis’ the season, y’all; this week the Buds welcome accomplished engineer, musician, studio owner, and all-around swell cat Danny Reisch to the show. Good Danny’s Studio outside of Austin is a beautiful musician’s studio that has hosted luminaries like The Zombies, The Animals, Lizzo, HAIM, 3EB, and so many more.

An “analog guy ’til I die” we talk with Danny about making deliberate choices on format/medium/microphone, spending years recording Daytrotter sessions, being inspired by Back to the Future, a recently acquired MCI tape machine from Dan Duzynski, the holy trio of firsts (a studio, weed, and Ween), dreaming about Woodstock (not necessarily but maybe 99), and windows in the control room. No spoilers, but this episode contains the secret to life somewhere around the back half. AND Dave does falsetto.

Also discussed: Hornet Plugins Freqs, Craigslisters selling more than drugs, buying an SVT from Uphill Recording Services, the new Bee Gees documentary Can You Mend a Broken Heart, BrandNewNoise’s Krankie, and the importance of Pet Sounds. We also take a moment to celebrate the life Josh Shapera, a man the world lost too soon.

Step outside for five (even if you don’t smoke).

Where to even start with this one? Today we welcome old friend, noted raconteur, and newest member of Tallboys Pete Falknor to the show. From running the day to day at Empty Bottle, Thalia Hall, and Chicago Music Exchange to partnering with our pal Shelby Pollard on his new venture Black Bobbin, dial this episode in to grab some lifetips from a handsome dad who has seen a thing or two. Maybe also stick around to the end for stories about the bonkers rig of Billy Corgan and welcoming genius of Dave Chappelle.

Also discussed: selling drugs on Craigslist, Kansas cabs, Steve Lukather hates tabs, a very special group Dave’s Docs about Sound of Metal, Sofie hating the Yamaha TA60, Songs for the Deaf era QOTSA, heartwarming Christmas gear gifts, playing Sabbath for mom, and hanging out with Fred Durst.

Don’t carry piss in your cargo pockets. Or do. Whatever.

Episode 85, 85 Bears, bears eat beets. This week we’ve got ourselves a quick-hitting budcast in which said buds catch up on recent deals and acquisitions… including one between Hank and Dave in our first encounter since March!

We spend some time checking in with crabby Craigslisters, provide some GB merch updates, talk patience and holidays as the time to strike, contactless transaction tips, lowballs, and being a kind human.

Also discussed: Vital Audio synths, Boss’ new Tonebender collab with Sola Sound, the OG Coodercaster, Facebook guitar groups, Reverb’s One Mic initiative, Johnny Winter and Firebirds, Sunny Day Real Estate’s Diary, and Hank’s top records of 2020.

Put on your bulletproof vest and be careful with your drugs.

Can you believe how good the show has gotten lately. Total semi-pros; honestly not sure how long we can keep this up. Today is yet another high-water mark as we welcome Hank’s old friend and our newest bud Bethany Thomas to the GB team.

An accomplished and celebrated theater actress, BT has also put out TWO sick records during lockdown, the solo release “BT/She/Her” and collaboration “Material Flats” with Tawny Newsome. We discuss her history and musical journey, hanging out with Hank at her baller 25th birthday party, the mental shift between acting and performing music, less orange/more purple, and calling Ted Leo for guitar solos.

Also discussed: Daredevil Pedals’ British Black Belt pedal release and video, Boss HM-2 Waza, Moog Claravox, Softube Saturation Knob, Camel Crusher, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton going peak boomer, goofy Craigslisters, the new Bowie biopic, and other wholly unnecessary films.

Put a good Bowie record on and just get to mashin’.

Here at Gearbuds HQ, we bring you the GOODS. This week that holds extra true as we are joined by our newest Gearbud, Evan Thomas Weiss, the monstrously talented and prolific driving force behind Into It. Over It., Pet Symmetry, Their / They’re / There, and probably a few more you already know and love.

On top of being The Nicest Guy(tm), Evan also finds time to work in brand partnerships at Reverb, which we discuss as he generously walks us through his musical history and evolution. We consider the irony in being a Gearboi but not a DAWboi, having his cover blown after showing up on a Rolling Stone best of list, trying to hone in on the source of his drive and motivation, remembering all of the songs, and our first cars.

Also discussed: sweet old Eventide and Korg rack gear, Recording in Progress and the importance of engineers, Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity, Slate’s Fresh Air plugin, Black Friday plugin deals from Soundtoys, UA, Waves, NI, Trapt getting kicked off FB, and the legacy Bruce Swedien.

…What’s a spammer jammer?

Every now and then you’ve just gotta take a little gear time, you know?

This week the focus was all music, gear, Hank, and Dave (shocking no one at all) with proper dissection and vibes on the new features of just-announced Ableton Live 11, updates to the Free Stuff segment, the Deftones controversy, Ticketmaster testing for COVID, and prerequisite Craigslist belly-aching and dork posts.

We also chat Reverb market updates, The Pedal Movie trailer, Black Bobbin’s Lollar JM pickups, the DOPE soon-to-be-released Daredevil British Black Belt pedal, Slate sample packs, KISS docs, Moby’s copy of Devo’s debut record, and THICC waves.

PSA: Hank is short for Henry.

Buddies - it’s time to celebrate. This week JoVia Armstrong joins the show and if you’re in the mood for some poddin’, settle in.

Jo is a world-class percussionist, educator, and composer, touring the globe with acts like JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound and Les Nubians and sponsored by Sabian, Gon Bops, QSC, & Icon.

Along with digging into the Gibson/Sweetwater theft i.e. Sweetwatergate and all of our normal shenanigans, Hank’s former Mbira Technologies colleague fills us in on the trials and tribulations that led her to where she is today, breaking out of strict musical rules, and even shares the story of Hank accidentally big-timing her on a session at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio. JoVia was also generous enough to lead us through discussions of race, equality, and social justice, and also fills us in on the scholastic work she’s doing with immersive audio and creating natural highs with music; whooooooa broooooo.

Discussed: Waves’ IR-L plugin, Captured by Robots!, Spotify payout structures, Isaiah Sharkey, Bad Company, AMS, and Weather Report.

If you expect anything from music, you’re expecting too much.

Hope all of you Fearbuds had a safe, enjoyable, and spooky Halloween. This week your favorite ghouls Hank and Dave were joined by our newest Gearboo, the multi-talented Deanna Devore.

Hailing from Toronto but settled in Chicago, Deanna is an accomplished guitarist and singer, songwriter, producer, and film/television composer. Not only that, ole Hank used to play in her backing band!

Deanna was kind enough to walk us through her history and background, taking us through the creation process of her newest singles featuring collaborators like D.Lylez from The Voice. We also had a fruitful discussion about writing on guitar and transposing to keyboard, and even took turns predicting some Futuregear

Also discussed: droidsmith’s Ghosts & Babes [Halloween], sub-sub-sub segments about Craigslist, the new Shure MV7, Rockafire Explosion, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum’s Grand Opening and Closing, and Tom Misch.

Quantization doesn’t always have to be at 100%.

Happy Monday, friends. This week Hank and Dave were joined by our newest buddy, the thoughtful and introspective Ryan Deffet; settle in for a soothing journey.

Ryan is a driving force and singer/songwriter/guitarist for Chicago bands Space Gators and Faux Furrs while also finding the time to be an in-demand record producer and engineer. While following Ryan’s path we mull over the idea of writing for your audience, the dichotomy between the introverted artist and raucous rock and roll stage performance, being mindful in sharing and juggling energies across multiple projects, and the joy of moving into one’s own studio space.

Also discussed: Melda Productions free plugin suite, Jack White being a good dude, Novation’s Aphex Twin collab, Behringer’s ARP 2600 clone, Google Hum to Search, Bobby Keys, officially kicking off the rename of Hank Hits with Neil Young’s After the Goldrush, perfect sandwiches, and the inherently debatable philosophy of Partscasters.

The world’s scary enough, don’t yell at me when I’m trying to buy your stuff.

This week the Buds welcome Pete Jonas to the crew, and what a delightful new addition he is.

Pushing through some technical difficulties, Hank and Dave trace Pete’s musical background, attending Berklee and offering his guitar, bass, piano, and production chops to acts like Jagwar Twin, About You, Goody Grace, Mark E. Bassy, playing live (and drunk) with Travis Barker, and performing with Avril Lavigne on Jimmy Fallon.

We also discuss the realities of celebrity and finding yourself in front of paparazzi cameras, guitar as a safety blanket, bashing out the Star Spangled Banner center court at a Knicks game, meeting Mr. Lexicon, and even close it out with a little unabashed tone snobbery.

Also discussed: BPB Dirty Filter plugin, The Flaming Lips, Black Bobbin teaming up with Hopewell Brewery, Mick Ronson, the Chase Bliss/Benson Automatone, Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky, and Nels Cline as the reason for all Jazzmaster sales.

Make your guitar solo sound like a painting.

Buddies, this is a fun one. Dave and Hank use this week’s episode to do some catching up on our gear (and meatball) worlds.

For Hank, this means lots of Craigslisting, which of course leads to lots of Craigslist belly-aching, as well as dissertations on the Silvertone 319 and Scott Baxandale, the Arturia Microbrute SE, Universal Audio, and even some Zildjian and DW drum stuff. The dudes also close it down with a little desert island thought experiment as well as the question - what’s a COVID Hawk?

Also discussed: EVH, boxes of boxes, free sounds from the BBC, The Kinks, and Can’s Tago Mago.

Shimmer is the chorus pedal of reverb.

Mike Maimone is a poster child for grit, hustle, and road-dogging. The singer, songwriter, monster keyboardist, and recording/mix engineer works as hard as anyone in the industry, is prolific to match, and anyone with an interest in making a career in music can learn a thing or two from this episode.

Mike talks us through getting his start in a reggae band at Notre Dame, living on couches in control rooms in Chicago, joining Company of Thieves, forming Mutts with his CoT bandmate, and his current solo endeavors in Nashville with the new records Borrowed Tunes and isolation:001. Mr. Mutt also shines a light on connecting with the LGBTQ community as a gay man in the music industry, changing the chords in cover tunes, the choices we make in pursuit of our careers, and sometimes just saying ef the data.

Also discussed: Hank’s new old Silvertone acoustic and new new Universal Audio Apollo x8p, Brian Jones, Todd Terje’s “It’s Album Time!”, new pedals from Boss, Strymon, JHS, and Voodoo Labs, and Black Bobbin teaming up with Benson for a pink sparkle Preamp.

Don’t sell your drums for beer.

Seventy-freaking-five episodes! Hank and Dave celebrate this milestone in style by welcoming the truly bad ass Megan Davies to be our newest buddy. Megan is an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, guitarist, and bonafide YouTube sensation, currently sitting at just under 1.5 MILLION subscribers.

We get into her background in music, the nuts and bolts of covering hit songs, how she made it to Nashville, YouTube tips, the joy of family bands, when being a musician is more than just playing music, following the path of what’s working, and doing as much as you can yourself until you can’t. Of course we also have to deep dive the tech toys, including how BAE is bae and giving love to Kemper, Martin, Neumann, Urei, and the venerable Chandler TG2.

Also discussed: the Waves Wetter Knob plugin, Bob Dylan docs, Hank’s “Most Important Band” Idles, Emily King, and sobbing through Hanson concerts.

Watch your input/output levels.

In further proof that our friends are way cooler than we are, this week we welcomed Grammy-nominated Platinum producer and mix engineer Sean O’Keefe to the show.

Sean is thoughtful, insightful, and generous throughout the chat, leading us through his musical background, getting his start with his brother’s guitar (that also made it onto some famous Fall Out Boy recordings), taking a break to join This Is Me Smiling, and ultimately learning to listen to his calling as a first-call music maker.

Some of the topics we covered: the wild story of Hey There Delilah, the joy of car testing a mix, working in Gravity and Smart Studios, mixing in the box with an analog 2-buss, using trim plugins to control gain staging, solo vs. in-context tones, using samples, and building up a clientele via the scene you’re in. Because we’re sentimental fools, we also had to get in a little reminiscing about how we all met as young(er) pups.

Also discussed: Jim Croce, Captain Beefheart, and the magic of Jon Brion.

Now go home and memorize ya’ ****in’ patchbay.

Big gear news requires a big gear episode, and you can bet your fanny this episode delivers. Hank and Dave keep it short and sweet while discussing Hank’s holy grail curved line vintage Ampeg SVT bass amp, the new Native Instruments Machine+, Black Bobbin’s limited edition Old Blood Noise Effects Black Fountain v3, Matt Tytel’s Helm synth plugin, and the utter joy of Mono cases.

We also touched on Gordon Lightfoot, Yoko Ono art (replete with an absolute dump truck of an ass), Sparklehorse’s Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain, Hank’s newly published Reverb article, Rigshare, OfferUp’s acquisition of LetGo, an unfortunately predictable Sturgis BFI update, future Dave’s Doc The Pedal Movie news, Hank moaning about gear listings, and tricking your bandmates into loosening up in the studio.

It is okay not to be okay.

Happy Labor Day, buddies. This week we are beyond stoked to welcome Robb Jibson to the show to talk through the evolution of his personal labor of love, the company So Midwest, Inc.

On top of his journey to becoming a major fixture in the lighting and visual design world (get it?!), Robb guides us thought his recent work with the Red Alert Restart Campaign, touring and designing with diverse acts such as Incubus, Train, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Slint, & Tom Jones, putting virtual fans in MLB stadiums, creating the intro experience for the Chicago Bears, and even that one time he and Hank drank juice boxes with Paramore.

As if that weren’t enough, Robb graciously answers all of our dumb Lighting 101 questions, walking us through the evolution of lighting from static car headlights to video content and augmented reality holograms.

Also discussed: Eventide/Newfangled Audio’s free Pendulate plugin, the big Chicago Music Exchange gear giveaway, Twisted Sister, the most money Hank has ever spent on a record (Cornelius’ Sensuous), and time machines.

Dodge Bieber bullets.

Hank and Dave do everything together, including having birthdays. This week the Gearbuds celebrate another trip around the sun the only way they know how - by making a podcast and riffing on gear.

The two main topics center around hopping back aboard the gear-swapping train and digging deep into making Profiles on a Kemper. Chats include the pros and cons of posting a big gear teaser list on Craigslist, telling the full story of Kemper Profiling with James Pepper and a beautiful ’64 Fender Princeton Reverb that belongs to Nathaniel Rateliff (including some trial and error tips and tricks for nailing the sound of your amp), and even throwing it back to our roots with a little Grindin’ my Gearbuds.

Also discussed: the Diode Eins free sample pack, Alice Cooper, Mastodon’s Leviathan, editing with jackhammers, bassboi talks, and a final check-in on Jack White’s Third Man gear auction.

You can’t have enough lamps in your rehearsal space.

We love reconnecting with old friends and collaborators - this week the Buds got to do just that, welcoming to the GB fold Stephen Shirk, owner of SHIRK Studios in Chicago.

Steve generously talked us through getting his start in central Illinois, moving to NYC to work at the Hit Factory while building his engineering and production chops,

evolving along with the dawn of DAWs, and eventually heading back to Chicago and opening multiple iterations of the world class Shirk Studios.

We discuss recording years worth of Hear Ya Sessions, Sphere consoles, the Highland Dynamics BG2 compressor, the unquestionable glory of Balthazar amps, pushing sonic limits with Fur Trader, and Donny Osmand’s (by way of The Bonfires Vintage) old EMT 140. Plus, you know we had to ask for some recording and mixing tips, so we get into using Pultecs on a 2-bus, parallel compression on drums and vox, and taming bass guitar.

Also discussed: the free Bvker Metro Boomin sample pack, Hank’s podcasting article on Reverb, Jack White’s gear auction, Pantera, Bill Callahan aka Smog’s Knock Knock, and Jonathan Wilson.

If it sounds cool, it IS cool.

This week Henry and Dave welcome our newest bud to the squad, diving deep into Anthony Gravino’s history as a touring musician and evolution into an on-demand recording, mix, and mastering engineer. Anthony operates out of his studio The Drake, crafting records with smart choices and bold sonics.

Listen in for tips for the API 1608, why the combination of a Neumann U67, PAST Neve 1081, and Urei LA3A is a god-like vocal chain, and some outside the box uses for the venerable Shure SM57. We even have time to learn more about the Situation Chicago compilation, the positives of having a studio cat, paying attention to what the click track does to feel, and demo dilemmas.

Also discussed: Elk Audio’s Aloha (a promising system for remote jamming), the free Waves Berzerk and IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX plugins, socially distant shows in the UK, Brainiac, The Sword’s Age of Winters, and all-time favorite band logos.

Use your ears, ya’ hear?

Big week this week, buddies. Join in as two dear old friends of the show, Josh and Max from Hand Practices, hang out to celebrate the release of their new magnum opus, Magnum Dopus. Seriously. That’s what it’s called. And it slays.

Hunker down as the dudes walk us through their musical backgrounds, sharing stories about their histories, bands, and even some recording tips for handclaps and snare drums. If you’ve ever wondered about that “shitty shitty practice space that Henry is trashing all the time” well this might be the episode for you. As if that weren’t enough, we’ve even got one-sided Twitter feuds with Mark McGrath AND Hank’s plea to reform their old band, The Sacred Robe of the Ancient Psychedelic Monks. This is some can’t miss business.

Also discussed: the DiscoDSP Oberheim OB-X plugin, Generation Axe covering Bohemian Rhapsody with Brian May, Frank Sinatra, The Cardiacs, and Mort Garson’s Plantasia.

Ted Nugent is a p***y.

Notice a little extra rasp in Dave’s voicebox? Blame it on the belting; this week your buds talk about safely getting back in our rehearsal and recording studios. Pro-tip: wireless units, while cheesy, are excellent for physical distancing.

If that doesn’t rev your engine, have you ever been curious on how to record a remote podcast? You’ll definitely learn some tips and tricks on making a pro-sounding episode even when everyone is in different rooms.

Finally, the dudes also get into the recent situation where Hank was able to salvage some gear headed for the trash; with a little elbow-grease and can-do attitude Hank rescued gear such as a vintage EHX pedal, Mackie mixer, Yamaha 4-track, Traynor amp, Gretsch floor tom, DW pedal, Jet City cab, and Basyn MIDI foot controller.

Also discussed: the honestly pretty neat Pickaso guitar bow, free Surge soft synth plugin, former guest Shelby Pollard’s new guitar cafe venture Black Bobbin, Hank writing for Reverb, Great White and The Chainsmokers having Bad Ideas, Black Sabbath, (Peter Green era) Fleetwood Mac and the story of a famous 59 Les Paul Burst, and the Lakland Geezer Butler bass.

Even if you’ve already checked it out in the past, please take a minute of your time and go back to saveourstages.com. Now’s the time.

The goal of every episode is to capture a conversation worth hearing - this week, that happened. Not only is Nathan Graham a ripping Chicago-based guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, but he also works for Reverb.com, has toured the globe as a sideman, and even appeared on NBC’s The Voice.

Hang out and journey through Nathan’s musical and gear history with Fender, Gibson, and Recording King, the feeling of being giant with a Tele on, the right way to play a safe socially distanced show, an open invitation to join Hank’s 6’3” and over band Tallboyz, the perils of appearing on reality television, and (even after lockdown is over) why you should bring your own damn mic to the gig.

Hank and Dave learned a lot; via Jeff Tweedy’s call for reparations via songwriter royalties, Nathan leads us in an open and honest discussion about Black Lives Matter, how to be an ally, the importance of listening, and why to vote with your wallet.

Also discussed: Roman Fischer’s Hypertron app, The Band, Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma, and the Bad Fucking Idea of attending Sturgis to see Smash Mouth.

Put your Crocs into Turbo Mode.

Are you a guitar cleaner or a funk leaver? In this concise Buds-only cast, your dudes spend time digging into some classic topics: Gibson suing folks, Metallica being weirdos, and not attending Herd Immunity Fest.

As far as gear, the dudes check up on the Hamstead Soundworks Ascent Clean Boost and the great cause behind it, Kaki King doing some next level otherworldly guitar projection mapping, and the Daredevil Pedals Hype leading Hank to put together a battery-only pedalboard. Also discussed: Reverb increasing their selling fees from 3.5% to 5%, Bob Rock working the controls of Metallica, and the evolution of Blonde Redhead, the world’s most beautiful band. And seriously, so much Gibby talk, including the wild world of authenticating Bursts and the infamous missing ledger, and going after Collings Guitar and Satellite Amps in court because of course they are.

Don’t forget to visit saveourstages.com, ya heard?

This episode has it all, and when we say it all, we MEAN it all.

Set your faces to Entertained as your buddies dive deep with studio owner and UA superdude Joseph Peven. He shares his history in music and recording including an early internship at Gravity Studios, the general evolution of professional studios, building a studio around an API console first at Rat City and now at Palisade Studios, and taking a hybrid approach to recording and mixing. As Product Specialist at Universal Audio, we get Joey to dish on his top 3 favorite UA plugins, Luna, keeping our eyes peeled for fresh announcements, and working closely with a dev team. Plus hey, free recording tips and tricks!

It wouldn’t be Gearbuds without some serious gear nerdery, so we dig into the new Balthazar Cabaret 13 and Diezel VHX amps - don’t sleep on these. Also discussed: the free Kawai K1 plugin, Audiomovers Listento software, Vanilla Ice as a model of failure, Dave Chappele as a model of success, Metallica’s fabled MTV Unplugged, talking more trash on Garth, and loving on Townes Van Zandt, Converge’s seminal Jane Doe, and in honor of 64 episodes, our favorite Nintendo 64 games.

Git yer Crocs off!

Ready to have your mind blown? Not only is it already the second half of 2020, but Henry and Dave decided to talk about quantum computing, quantum teleportation, and humans jamming with computers. Wut.

You see what happens when Summer NAMM get canceled? This is what happens. Hank and Dave talk about some stuff they would like to spend some money on including a Gibson electric for Dave and Bogner Uberschall Twin Jet for Hank since he’s already so madly in love with the Balthazar Film Noir 50.

Also discussed: Herd Immunity Fest is now July Mini Fest and you should still not attend, Vanilla Ice acting like a dummy, celebrating Ringo Starr’s 80th birthday with a livestream on July 7th 2020, the Chicago Independent Venue League (civlchicago.com), Gear Doing Good, and a bunch of record talk with Record Store Day drops, Reverb LP closing up shop, and cataloging via Discogs.

The dudes also check in on what is and isn’t banging; Garth Brooks doc - not a banger, Will Ferrell Eurovision movie - not a banger, but fun for gear-spotting with Nord, Yamaha, Fender, and Moog, and Them Crooked Vultures - DEFINITELY a banger.

This episode - maybe a banger?

Want to hear Hank tell the embarrassing story about being on NBC’s The Today Show last week? Cool cool cool, step right up, this is the episode for you.

ANYWAY, this week your dudes are joined by professional actor and musician Noah Pelty from NYC. We talk to Noah about growing up as a street rat in Manhattan, coming up as a child of the theater world and finding his way to Broadway, how his band Canon Hill is weathering the pandemic, and letting your rig be determined by context.

Also discussed: the joy of vintage gear catalogs, proto photo flame, the Acon Digital Multiply chorus plugin, the insane selling prices of Prince’s DX-7 and Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged 1959 Martin D-18E and Boss DS-1, Mike Judge’s Tales from the Tour Bus, and David Bowie’s Hunky Dory. We also found time to cover Dave’s new Teac turntable, Focusrite interfaces being updated to work with iPad Pro, Apple ditching Intel processors, and tongue-twisters with That Klick Knob’s That Klick Classic.

Please don’t go to Herd Immunity Fest.

Can you hear that? It’s the sound of another Monday with another rad episode, this time featuring our buddy James Beesley III from Downbeat Studio.

We spend a bunch of time sorting his musical history, getting an early start in high school rap metal, moving to Chicago and living in an art loft called FUCK MOUNTAIN while playing keys in his band Them, Roaring 20s, and transitioning from being a road dog into launching the multiple iterations of Downbeat Studio. Tune in if you want to learn about analog recording philosophies, Wurlitzer 200A and Fender Rhodes pianos, rebuilding and refurbishing vintage gear, and expert advice on adding a tape machine into your recording workflow - spoiler alert: it’s all about Otari.

Other topics include the reopening of Chicago Music Exchange, INXS and their “bangers,” protest music with Machine Head and Hank’s personal diety Neil Young’s new old record Homegrown, noisemakers for protests, stellar Craiglist posts, Prince’s Yamaha DX7, and Fender’s masterbuilt guitars for the Crew Nation charity.

Shake that tambourine, folks.

This week the buds took a week to catch up on some gear and peel each other’s grapes; strap in for a tooo-iiight sode.

Dave flips some scripts this week by making the leap from Garageband to Logic, recording his vox on his new MacBook Pro, AND even throws us a curveball in Dave’s Docs by featuring the Talking Heads seminal live performance Stop Making Sense. Sheesh dog, take it easy. Speaking of bassbois, we also discuss the pending auction for Dee Dee Ramone’s 1975 P Bass and talk a bit about the Doner Designs Delorean time machine bass.

We also get deep into the Fender Custom Shop controversy with former Masterbuilder John Cruz, and the opposite of that ugly episode with The Ally Coalition’s current efforts on Reverb. Also discussed is one of Hank’s all time favorites Shellac’s 1000 Hurts, the free Caelum Audio Tape Cassete 2 plugin, the Mad Hatter Products Luminator switch, scientists at Stanford creating a sound so loud it boils freaking water, The Flaming Lips going full bubble for a live performance, AI bots writing AC/DC songs, and the loudest shows we’ve ever attended.

You have a voice. Why not use it?

This episode is a complete delight, featuring our first multi-remote-guest recording with our newest guitarbuddies Max and Dmitri from Rookie.

We get into some deep Rookie talk, including forming out of Yoko and the Onos, their gear journeys (namely the importance of the Vox AC30, touring with a Rhodes and Hammond, and treble boosters) songwriting in a 6 piece band, touring with Cheap Trick, splitting guitar duties, and working through the quarantine.

Your buds also discuss the controversial practice of putting stickers on guitars, swapping pickups in a cheap axe, Motown and Jamerson, Run the Jewels, politics in the gear world via Fulltone and Keeley, the Light 4 Sound oPik pickup, Squier Paranormal Series, a whole mess of Terry Kath talk, and even have a brief check-in with Neil Young(ish). Dave and Hank got the script flipped and had some questions asked of them this time, hoo buddy!

Rookie’s debut self-titled full length LP on Bloodshot records is available everywhere, an absolute must-listen for fans of the rock and the roll.

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Need a respite from the day to day? Look no further; the Buds welcome our good friend Gretchen Hannum from Pylons into our virtual hang sesh and it’s safe to say she really classed up the joint.

G talks about getting into guitar as a teen, DIY punk shows in the suburbs, her approach to playing in her band Pylons as well as developing solo material, recording at home with the Universal Audio Arrow and Luna, and oooooobviously we had to talk about her stunning ’68 Mustang with competition stripe and vintage Ampeg Gemini I.

We also found time to discuss the free miRack from mifki, a Bolivian Orchestra trapped in a haunted castle in Germany, Sound City, Refused, Amphetamine Reptile, Milli Violini, the Oskitone Okay 3D printable open source synthesizer, and the Audiogridder plugin.

Dave likes to party, and it ain’t a real party until the V-Drums get CRANKED.

Doing a little grilling today? Kick back and crack a barley pop with Hank and Dave while joined by everyone’s favorite space-shredder, Jason Milbank.

Tall drink of H2O and superhunk Jason regales us with the story of his development in the music world, taking us back to simpler times when playing trumpet was rendered too painful by a mouth full of braces, all the way through to today and working with acts such as Senses Fail, A Wilhelm Scream, and his own project The View, The Life. We talk about launching the Kugescreamer with Chicago Music Exchange and Rigs of Dad, preferring Ernie Ball axes, Evertune, Kemper vs. Axe FX, and even some Disney covers.

We also got into a new Valhalla plugin giveaway, Balthazar Amps Cabaret 13 demos, David Bowie, Bit Brigade Zelda music and video game talks, Guitar Center reopening, and Bach shredding a mean organ.

Say yes to every opportunity, and don’t be an asshole.

Do you enjoy on-demand cat meowing, angry amps catching on fire, and dead-ringer Jersey accents? Duuuuuuh. In this barn-burning episode with singer, songwriter, guitarist, and all-around excellent human Sophia Nadia from Cold Beaches, we’ve got you covered fam.

Our newest bud talks to through her history in music, acting as a cross-country band leader, seeking inspiration and songwriting during the global pandemic, and cloning yourself to make the ultimate band. It wouldn’t be Gearbuds without the nerdery so we also made sure to talk about her gorgeous Gibson SG and cranky Peavey amp, as well as The Doors, Chicago punk, Universal Audio updates, the Moog Subharmonicon, Balthazar Amps demos, and the Quebe Sisters.

Preorder the new record Drifter on Bandcamp on Tuesday May 19, dropping summer 2020. Play your instrument, and drink some water.

In case there was any doubt, let us disabuse that notion; your buddies are d i n g d o n g s. We thought our one year anniversary was last week, turns out it’s this one. WELP.

We celebrate this memorial ineptitude with our top 10 favorite Gearbuds memories (and top 5 favorite Dave’s Docs!) and a deep dive into the surprisingly positive state of the gear industry during COVID-19. Lots of talk about past guests and good times were had.

We also found time to chat about how it’s possible that Spotify is gaining millions of users yet losing money, Dischord is streaming their entire catalog on Bandcamp, and that Duran Duran’s John Taylor is giving us all white hot bass lessons to pick on.

Be yourself, by yourself.

This week your buds celebrate the one year anniversary of the podcast in style - with remote recording technical difficulties!

Even through the starts and stops, we still managed to talk about how Dave’s a NARC for carrot cake, rock stars are quarantined just like us and offering lessons (specifically Robby Krieger and Johnny Marr), Chicago love for The Last Dance, a Local H video contest, VH1’s Behind the Music and stanning The Who, and ignoring the lyrics in Talking Heads Remain in Light. We even found a little time to talk some new apps including Kovaluu Beats and Loops and the Library of Congress unleashing Citizen DJ.

Finally, we dove into CJ’s path through the music world, taking the leap into audio engineering, transitioning into a successful life as a film composer, and how as always it’s Tom Schraeder’s Ego connecting us all.

Be your own voice.

The buds keep it short and sweet after a last minute guest cancellation; that just means more time for Hank and Dave to be buddies and talk shop, so no complaints here.

This week we talk about the joys of using a wireless unit at home, bathroom guitars, a Gearbuds website redesign, the Baby Audio Magic Switch plugin, live streams and old performances by Post Malone and Radiohead, Soundation Collab Live, and debating the near future of live music.

Time is also spent on the new Beastie Boys Story, Eddie Van Halen pulling a gun on Fred Durst, Circle Takes the Square’s As the Roots Undo, the Finegear Dust Collector analog multi-effect unit, and Leo Fender’s Breadboard Bass.

Be kind and don’t ghost.

Happy weed day, weedians! This week we are giving thanks for good friends and the opportunity to create. We talk ToneTubes, recording to a click, Spinal Tap, the new records from Fiona Apple and Ed O’Brien, and a Gearbuds Spotify playlist. We also review a couple livestream events, including one for bassbois with Victor Wooten & Justin Chancellor, as well as screening That Thing You Do live with the cast. V neat.

The main topic involves Hank overcoming personal distress and a lack of focus by creating alone in quarantine with tools from Taylor, Universal Audio, Gibson, Neumann, Ableton, Shure, Warm Audio, Behringer, and GoPro, resulting in a new “acoustic prog pop folk” Travails track being foisted on the world.

Draw a line in the sand and focus on intention and sincerity.

Have you ever considered what it means to look yourself in the eye as an artist? On this week’s episode we have an excellent (and slightly buggy - sorry!) chat with Sam Porter, guitarist and vocalist from Kali Masi and product photographer from Chicago Music Exchange.

We talk through his artistic journey with Kali Masi, run-through his rig including pieces by Fender, Science Amps, and 1981 Inventions, the crossover between songwriting and photo composition, tips for taking product photos that sell, and the importance of a light source in your photos.

We also touch on the Peterson iStrobosoft tuning app, Summer NAMM cancellation, Evans drumheads and Thalia capos stepping up to make PPE, Frank Zappa, Jeff Buckley’s Grace, and the Universal Audio Luna.

Put your space helmet on and take a dive in.

Weeeeeee’re 50! In a follow-up to our infamous lost NAMM interview, we were joined (remotely, natch) by everyone’s favorite Rig Doctor Mr. Mason Marangella, owner of Vertex Effects.

Henry, Dave, and Mason have a very open and candid discussion about the origin and rise of Vertex Effects, his widely publicized and possibly misunderstood past controversy, and how he overcame and applied what he learned to create the successful business he has today.

We also talk about Musicares, The Monkees and Van Halen, the Critter & Guitari’s Eyesy, the Vertex Steel String Clean Drive Mk. 2 and Dynamic Drive pedals, using batteries vs. power supplies, being a pedal builder and business owner during this time of COVID-19, demystifying buffers, soldered vs. solderless cables, and putting your pedals in context.

Keep an open mind and an open heart.

Is it a good idea to release new music during the lockdown quarantine? This week your buds dig deep into this question, while also talking about Dave’s homemade pop filter, imposter syndrome, scouring Reverb, Craigslist, and eBay and the comfort in sleazy eBay ads, the Gibson Dongburst, sports, The Eagles, and Harry Nilsson (again).

Also discussed is the Daredevil Pedals Hype Pedal coming out April 1, Balthazar Audio Systems Cabaret 13 coming out May 1, adding a new section to gearbudspodcast.com for free stuff by folks like Neural DSP, Apple, Arturia, Audio Modern, & Hornet Plugins, and how how Black Market Droidsmith is handling the distance while dealing with quarantine.

Fill out your census, Americans!

Another Monday, another episode to get you through. Listen in to hear how the guys are getting down with the sickness by practicing social media distancing, Uncle Hank sharing his story about meeting Disturbed as a lad, finalized pedalboard builds, a ToneTubes update, and more Gibson news.

Then the G-buds get into Baroness’ Red Album, THREE Dave’s Docs including Harry Nilsson talks, all sorts of rad free stuff from Fender, Moog, Korg, Native Instruments, and Cherry Audio Voltage Modular, the Soundforce SFC-5, and synth sell-off anxiety.

Keep your heads up and your hands clean.

Hope everyone is safe and making smart choices in this crummy time. Take your mind off of the crazy and listen to your buddies catch up on gear talks for an hour, why dont’cha? Also - please support your favorite artists by buying some records or merchandise, if you can.

The dudes talk about bringing ToneTubes to the next level, using Ludwig drums with the Nord Drum 3p synth, reconnecting with gear buddies and other gear trading fun, stereo Ampeg VT-40 rigs, the Framus Television, going full Gibson, Hank buying Tosin Abasi’s MXR Sub Machine, comparing original Harmonic Percolator and Systech Harmonic Energizers to clones, and the legacy of GG Allin.

We also get into John Vanderslice’s Life and Death of an American Fourtracker, taking your mind to tone town, Subfretboard, Imogen Heap’s MiMu MIDI controller gloves, the Death By Audio Echo Master vocal effect, and harvesting old paint and vintage nitro.

Gearbuds are moving on up! To a new studio!

We say this every week... but you are NOT going to want to miss this show. Old friend and new Gearbud Soren Pedersen, Product Manager of Wired Microphones at Shure, joined in to not only teach us so dang much about microphones but also spin some hilarious yarns for you to unravel. We go DEEP into microphone nerdery and all things Shure with everything you’d ever want to know about the SM series (55, 57, 58, 7, KSM - did you know the SM7B has a freaking humbucker?!), the MV88+, explaining mid-side techniques, debunking mic myths, and exploring what it’s like spending a decade at the biggest microphone company in the world. Time was also found to discuss Hank’s first (vintage Ludwig) drum kit, paid ads on Spotify, ZZ Top, Mahavishnu Orchestra, ear rumbling, the Rainger FX Minibar, and Pantera. Learning is neat.

Strap in buddies; this week we interview raconteur of the highest order and our dear friend Marc Najjar. If you don’t already know, Marc is Brand Manager for Sandberg Guitars, bassist in Huntsmen, host of Bass Nerds Podcast, originator of the Bassment at Chicago Music Exchange, and everyone’s favorite internet Bassdad.

On top of digging through his personal and musical journeys, ya boys also get into new Gibson litigation, Dunable basses, summiting pedal Everest via the Interfax Harmonic Percolator, Access Analog’s partnership, playing Phil Lesh’s Alembic Big Brown, and we even unveiled a new segment!

The ToneTubes giveaway is complete and we will announce the winner next week. 4 out of 4 bassists would recommend you check out Marc’s new record Mandala of Fear out March 13, 2020. Get thumpin’.

This week we had a lovely chat with James Pepper, guitar tech for Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and formerly with Frightened Rabbit. On top of filling us in on a day in the life of a guitar tech on a major tour and all of the usual gear stuff we love, we also have an important discussion on mental health specifically among artists and crew.

We also found time to delve into why Gibsons were good from late the 90s until 2004 or so, turning a Goldtop into a 335, celebrities turning into rockstars, the Banananana Effects Mandala, touring the UK post-Brexit, and 30 foot guitar throws.

The ToneTubes giveaway is still live as is our partnership with Access Analog; check the ‘sode for details. While you’re at it go donate to Marigold Project and Tiny Changes. Love.

Do you like free stuff? Of course you do! Not only are we doing a ToneTubes giveaway, we also have announced our partnership with good buddies Access Analog; use those fingies to smash that listen button and check the ‘sode for details. We also dig deep into the Walrus Audio D1 High Fidelity Echo Machine from their new Mako Series, some cool old vintage music books, a review of the Gizmotron 2.0, an update on the Barym G-Bender, famous guitarists selling guitars, copyrighting melodies, and the new T-Minus app to help those suffering from tinnitus.

Buddies! We had the absolute honor of welcoming hometown hero Scott Lucas from Local H into Gearbuds Studio (aka Hank’s living room). We talked about the new Local H record Lifers (out April 10), the Academy Awards, Scott’s unique approach to and history with gear and songwriting, playing with Metallica, side projects, REM, and maintaining “the sexiest scream in rock and roll.” Go listen, like nowish.

Want to hear how sexy Hank sounds when he gets sick? Tune in to hear the Super Bowl Superbuds talk Black Market Droidsmith, Hank’s new Taylor, The Smiths, Taylor Swift, good friends The Bonfires Vintage and Reverb, MIDI 2.0, and Fender changing ownership. There’s also altogether too much titillation this week. Just listen, yeah?

Want to hear the story of where the springs came from in the original Bigsby vibrato units? Tune into this week’s episode to learn about that, why Dave’s calves were mooing, missing Dan Leu, SG headstock repair, and Mesa cabs. Then dive in on Grammy thoughts, Aerosmith drama, our first amps, the final Winter NAMM 2020 recap (we promise), Wesley Willis, becoming Best IG buds with Fred Durst, and thoughts on new gear from Anasounds, Lag Guitars, and Jamstik.

That's a wrap, buds. We survived three days in Anaheim and here is our final podcast of the event. We get into some of our favorites from today including the Gizmotron, Serek basses, Bergantino, Fano, and Catalinbread, then get attending the 35th Annual NAMM TEC Awards. We closed Winter NAMM 2020 with a good one folks, so give a listen.

Our ears are ringing but we’ve got smiles on our faces after Winter NAMM 2020 Day Two. We recap our favorites of the day including a demo by Nita Strauss at Marshall, Mike Einziger from Incubus and Polyphia demoing Mix Halo, Interviewing Johnny Wator from Daredevil Pedals, exploring the often sketchy basement of NAMM with Balthazar de Lay from Balthazar Amps, and closing out the day with the most epic JammJam with Fender and a bunch of bonkers musicians.

We survived NAMM day one, gearfriends. In this mini sode we recap our experiences back at the shmotel, interviewing Mason Marangella from Vertex Effects, hanging out with Chicago Music Exchange and Reverb, NAMMthrax, Univeral Audio's new Luna software, and getting crushed by Animals as Leaders.

This week we sat down with singer, guitarist, songwriter, and YouTube hotshot Joel Bauman from The Band Royale.

We get into his upcoming record release at Lincoln Hall January 22nd, 2020, NAMM prep, Dan Leu playing Cars covers with Michael Shannon, Scott Lucas, Matt Walker, and Jason Narducy, SG headstock repairs, and welcoming our future robot overlords.

Then we dive into Joel’s music and gear journey, what it’s like being one of those YouTube guitar guys, the myth of the Moderne, Gibson Les Pauls, loving on Balthazar Amps and Carstens Amps, stacking pedals by amount of BOOM, recording philosophy, Pete Townsend’s Pete Cornish rig, and missing the Double Door.

Tone tip: change your dang strings.

Well buddies, it finally happened; Brad was on the show!

We talk hanging out in California, the lack of Swedish sun, getting blueberry-shamed in Stockholm, Iggy & The Stooges, ToneTubes, chorus (and lots of other) pedals, and overcoming power differences across the globe with Cioks.

We then get into Brad’s musical and personal journeys, Swedish guitar shops, maintaining separate rigs in the US and overseas, speaking the universal language of music, playing Dumbles, and the inner workings of making boozy fruit water with Brutes Cider.

Jag alksar dig.

Before we chatted with DP in Ep. 33 (have you listened to that yet?!), we recorded a bit of a mini-cast and decided to put it out for y’all.

We spend time closing out our holiday wishlists and talking Rammstein, gear thieves, Our Band Could Be Your Life, the Barym G-Bender, and the Korora Audio Spira.

Then Hank dives deep into beta testing the Balthazar Audio Systems Cabaret 13, Taylor nylon string guitars, getting nervous on camera while shooting the demo of the Fulltone Ranger for Chicago Music Exchange, and hanging out with Jeff Matz and Matt Pike from High on Fire.

No toes were harmed from all of the name dropping.

Friends, this is a big one; Grammy-winning engineering legend Dave Pensado joins Henry and Dave for a conversation that is not to be missed. We get into how he got his start as a musician and engineer, what true mentorship means, and mixing his first all “in the box” number one record with Kelly Clarkson.

Then we discuss taste versus technique, the famous tale of mixing the Christina Aguilera smash Beautiful, his NAMM TEC Award Hall of Fame induction, sharing wisdom for content creators, and developing the first ever plugin to bear his name, the Pensado EQ with Acustica.

Want to know what “hunting butterflies with a tank” means? Find out on this episode.

In the second half of our lively discussion with Eli Caterer, we dig deep into the evolution of his Smoking Popes rig throughout the years. We talk about his first guitar (a 1968 Fender Mustang featured on Need You Around) and amps & pedals, playing with Green Day, the joy of a Marshall Super Lead with the Master Volume mod, and the Dunlop Dookie pedal.

We also get into crafting complimentary tones and guitar parts, bass rigs, Z.Vex Box of Rock, Benson preamp pedal, beauty of cover songs, importance of a volume pedals, theremin masters, and even close it out with a little David Lynch chat.

What a trip!

Friends, this is a special episode. The uniquely wonderful human Eli Caterer from Smoking Popes came over to Gearbuds HQ and we had ourselves a day. Along with his bonkers pedalboard, he brought a special instrument: his first real guitar. As if that wasn’t enough, he treated us to an original compositimprovisation with said guitar, which you can hear ON THE SHOW.

We also did the Usual Podcast Thing, with these topics covered: Italian Westerns, the Casio SK-1, Sensaphonics hearing health with Thurston Moore, the Mike Watt Wattplower, Barym Steel Bridge G Bender, @shadyunclehank’s new vintage Explorer, Strack Woodworking custom guitars, & the story of Eli’s first real guitar.

Come back next week to hear the rest of the story, gearbuddies.

In a special post-Thanksgiving session, the buds talk upgrading headphones, Harmonic Energizer jams with a ’59 Burst, tone tubes, and being thankful for all of the different facets of the music world like flatwounds, Les Pauls, and low-key dad straps. Then they talk hanging out with High on Fire, being stoked on Chicago Music Exchange, and our holiday wishlists featuring the Eventide H9, Traynor bass amps, Shure and Aston microphones, Mono Cases, and using a 15” bass cabinet for recording kick drums.

Whoa! We were lucky enough to sit down with one of the most exciting guitarists on the planet, Nathaniel Murphy… AND we changed our name: Gearhunks forever becomes Gearbuds.

We talk American Valhalla, Perfecting Sound Forever, football vs. football, a brief history of Magnatone amplifiers, Harmonic Percolators, Systech Harmonic Energizer, & Loopereye.

Then Nathaniel very graciously and humbly shares his personal and musical history while providing indispensable social media tips. This is not an episode to miss, buds.

The Hunks do up a duo cast this week, digging into: the Systech Harmonic Energizer, pedalboard gripes, Yarling, mistaking The Police for U2, major Victor Wooten story time, hanging out with Torche, Nunez Amplifiers and Eye Flys / Developing Nations studio, Uncle Hank’s first gear deal, Hot Sticks, Eneloop batteries, @mawkmawkmawk having Moves Like Jagoff, A Little Thunder pickups, Audio Test Kitchen, Strymon Iridium, and Anasounds Element

SO STOKED we got to hang out with Balthazar who took us to Tone School on all things Balthazar Amps.

We also touched on: French rock, Harmonic Percolators, Systek, Catalinbread, Phonocut and the art of vinyl cutting, getting medium pissed, Kurt Cobain’s amps, Chicago Bears cookbooks, and Dos Santos.

Then Balthazar really helps us understand amplifier design, spending a decade working with the Smashing Pumpkins, Selmer history, variacs and playing in Hum and Menthol.

Pleeeeeeease stick around until the end for one of the funniest stories ever told on the pod about Matt Talbot, Earth Analog, and a serpent.

Ever wanted to learn where the bone comes from in a bone nut?

The hunks talk: Gear overkill for a podcast, setting up Dave’s 80s Paisley Strat, D’addario strings, glass on a chalkboard, updating the Symphony of Corrections, Chicago’s Terry Kath, & Stanley Donwood’s new Radiohead book

More: Catalinbread Karma Suture and Henry’s quest for all of the Harmonic Percolators, J Masking tape, tips for upgrading cheap guitars, every rockstar you know someday will die, reckoning with influence, & cutting your own vinyl

In our quarter century ‘sode, we sit down with Cadien to talk fuzz pedals, the Jext Telez Dizzy Tone, jamming with Eddie Vedder, Heartworn Highway and other docs, tracking the new Twin Peaks record Lookout Low with Ethan Johns, meeting the Boss, that one Chance the Rapper story, being Tall Boys in rock and roll, Fender and Silvertone guitars and amps, and recording Finn Wolfhard’s band Calpurnia at Treehouse Records.

If you’re gonna pedal, pedal.

Discussed: tips for getting into live sound, cover bands vs. tribute bands, altogether too much about Pearl Jam, Chicago Bears meatballin’, feeler posts, ef the Chili Peppers, & Pigface on tour

Further: tips for playing live with backing tracks, redundant rigs, keeping your set tight, Jerry Jones guitars, Make’n Music, setting yourself apart with your gear, & the unique challenges of mixing Sunn O)))

In this duo cast, GH talks: NAMMin all over Anaheim, intentional vaguery, a free gift from Access Analog, getting upset over the lawsuit-era price bubble, bolt-on Les Pauls, RIP Ginger Baker, the Metallica S&M2 premier, the Empty Bottle, Easy Demon at Virgin Hotel, and maybe but not really renaming the podcast

Then: Hank’s new/old Rane mixer from NPR studios, Behringer cloning headphones, TechZone Audio Products cloning Neumann, Townsend Labs Sphere L22 cloning all the mics, famous guy eBay buys, visiting the Lakland factory, and Hank’s custom Fender Villager body build

We hang out with the pedal builders/studio owners/singer-guitarists and discuss: their bands The Evictions & Wizzo, Fender wasn’t the first electric bass, Paul Tutmarc, the Stromberg Electro, bad advice on forums, giving Robert Plant a handy, f*ck Sting as always, Blowvember, tv and commercial acting, CAPI and DIY outboard gear, Neumann KM84 clones, API 550A, 1176 Revision F, KM84 as the first phantom powered mic, and Access Analog virtual hardware

Then: The Last Vegas, dawn of Daredevil, Atomic Cock, High on Fire & Matt Pike, the Red Light District and dreaded 1.5khz, Earl Slick, Ron Asheton, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, the travails of being a small pedal builder, breadboxing vs breadboarding, and opening for AC/DC

Talks: Cleaning microphones, JamHub, Sconi smack talk, old flats, Gibson and Breedlove headstock breaks, Titebond, The Who as punkles, Abbey Road, Star Wars nerdery, phallic sound holes, and looping with the Boss RC20XL

More talks: the life of live sound man, scenery design, rigging arenas, pre-CBS router humps, Jackson and Fender booths at NAMM, Randy Rhodes, connecting with Dick Dale and his signature Malibu, incognito Neil deGrasse Tyson, live performance bow tie tips, fixing Guitologist’s Gene Autry Harmony, and takin electrolysis baths

Chats: the Lakland Sassmaster, rescuing beautiful pieces of wood, Kramer aluminum necks, padauk sawdust looks like blood, the Dimarzio Super Distortion, we dig art, Custom Shop vs. Expensive Shop, getting petty on deals, Orange and Tyrant cabs, gifts from @mattskow, talking shit on The Police and the new Andy Summers Strat, and a collection of egos taken out of context

Then: Fender 300T, Minsk, Asphadel Wine, satisfying two piece bands, Gearhunks going to NAMM, Marz Brewing Summer Synth, RIP Rik Ocasek, avoiding bad building habits, PLEK machines, Geezer Butler ONLY plays Lakland, Chi-Sonic, Skyline Series, building our custom Laklands, custom inlays, engaging kill switches, peanut butter and chocolate, Bass VI in a housefire, and our spirit animals

Discussed: tape machines vs. plugins, the importance of chaos, CLASP, Electrical Audio seminar with Steve Albini and Greg Norman, continental breakfast, Billy Corgan as the alternative 90s Ted Nugent, Tony Visconti techniques, and listening as a producer vs. listening as a fan

More: KEXP, records vs. live performance, Ableton tips, Waves Abbey Roads plugin, how to suck at recording, Zola Jesus, Gorillaz, Rick Wakeman, David Bowie, eating hot dogs in music videos, making decisions based on format, Mesa Boogie MKIIA, tape delay and the HH Multi-Echo by Guild, Cyclone Analogic CR-78 Clone (TT-78), vintage Roland Cube 60, Ross Distortion, vocal effects vs. voice lessons, and white zin in the afternoon

Also: Gear thieves are dicks, support Chicago Guitar Space, Prince is a dick about guitars even after he’s dead, Gruhn’s, trading the Aztec bass, EV RE-20, Rob Trujillo, Fender Rhodes history, Current Mood, Dyno-Tone, iConnectivity Mio10 and Auracle, Prophet 6, G&L ASAT Special, Korg Microkorg XL Plus, showrooming, loving on Soundtoys Little Alter Boy & Echoboy, Rivera combo amps, Studious Amplifiers, Third Coast Guitars, Eurorack, LoopOp, Rob Scallon, Sweetwater, Boss pedals, and the ethics of new and used gear.

Discussed: @ShelbyPollard hangs, nicknames for the Knopf, @badbeet not giving a flip about semiquavers, hittin’ 2 hundees on IG, going #hackintosh, the existential nature of gear, #tours vs. jaunts, the science of measuring #pickups, talking less shit on @ericclapton, Phil #Lynott playing @Schecter and @Ibanez, #CITES updates, and how @Sting is a dick but so was everyone else in @ThePolice

Further: ghost headstocks on @Steinberger, the gross boost in @shadyunclehank’s 1967 @GretschGuitars Rally, @Behringer clones, the @Metaldozer Mod Stand, @iConnectivity software updates, Dave’s new (old) Memphis, #tubescreamers and @earthquakerdevices, finding contentment in our #Gearhunkdom, getting back on the #GearHorse, celebrating birthday Hunks, and personal definitions of success.

Discussed: guitars new and old, moist and scatterwound pickups, Fender Chicago Special guitars at CME, inductance vs. impedance, hating/loving on Strats, Shelby’s gear story, and the history of self-expression in America.

Further: How Paul Bigsby got ripped off, Michael Scott Paper Company, Ableton Push 2, J.Rockett Archer klone, barfing on chorus pedals, the glory of harmonic tremolo, being haunted by the POG, dual John Mayer Dumble rigs, the signature Collings Julian Lage masterpiece, the future of the gear community, and the genius of Paul Reed Smith.

Bon Iver is #chorus pedals. Fight me.

In Part 1 of a special 2-part episode 16, the Gearhunks have a rambling conversation with Jazzmastermaster Shelby Pollard from Chicago Music Exchange.

They discuss the hunky journey of gear, bird shit, the smartest thing ever on the podcast, going wah wah over wah wahs, & the Stonedeaf PDF2.

They get into Dave’s Docs - The Story of Anvil, Neal Peart, how Taxi Driver is not a cuddling film, the book Feeding Back: Conversations with Alternative Guitarists from Proto-Punk to Post-Rock, and meeting Television's Tom Verlaine over some Teisco Pedals.

Then they chat Reverb news, Phil Lynott’s new Fender P-Bass Signature, John Entwistle, the Gibson Eric Clapton ’64 Firebird I, and we take our break during a hot talk of New Guitars vs. Vintage Guitars, Harmony Guitars, and other stuff made in Chicago.

This episode is not brought to you by Red Square or Henry’s Hard Sparkling Water

In this half'a milestone episode 15, the Gearhunks talk about Lollygagger FX, Boutique Wahs, AMT, Sim1, Husker Du, Potentiometers, Some Kind of Monster, Honorable Mentions, Ritchie Fliegler, Metallica bass, Questionmation Points, why you You Can’t Breath Tea, Pod Pals Austin All Day, Kirk Hamlet, Duane Allman’s Goldtop, Aragon Ballroom, Mark Knopfler, how Diamond Dave Cures Hank’s Blues, Peter Strobl, and Say it and play it. This episode is not sponsored by blackcherry Whiteclaw.

In part 2 of Episode 14, the Gearhunks talk through Hank helping out our friend Dan with his new guitar build, old amps, Reverb news, Bone Tone, Gear Hunk knuckle tats, some soldering tips, and which is the best of the new wave of alcoholic beverages.

In this special two-part episode, the Hunks talk about 70s Memphis Basses, Interfax Harmonic Percolators, impulse responses, rowing boats with Fender oars, and petting goats with Hank's hero Steve Albini.

In unlucky episode 13 the hunks talk through the most recent Gibson controversies, Echopark guitars, a boutique handmade mystery of an Aztec bass, Warm Audio gear, and Dave Dreaming in Dave Docs.

Bonus episode! The hunks plus Paul talk favorite finds from Summer Namm 2019, including Gyrock, Wild Customs, jacuzzi routes, Ciari, Noatronic, smuggling cocaine, Gizmotron, and Fender Smolder acoustic pedals

The hunks have guest hunk Paul join the crew, talking about his many vintage guitars, problematic Pantera, and trying to put one over on all-around douche Ryan Adams.

The hunks and Hembree boys finish their talk around drums, pedalboards, when you have to file the wavefile, and a bottle of mezcal and a knife.

Part 1 of 2 talking gear and their band Hembree with the brothers Austin and Alex Ward

The Hunks celebrate Episode 10 with all sorts of rambling topics including NAMM, where our listeners live, YouTube stuff, greenery, and filming on a potato.

The hunks talk about Uncle Hank's move, mountains, wilderness, playing outdoor festivals and gigs, and the new movie Yesterday.

The hunks bring in a new hunk named Dan as their first guest and through his awesome pedalboard and rig, rock and roll films, David Gilmour, & Kerko Bane.

Hunks talking bent Gibson bridges, bent Gibson priorities, and recording a full band live

The hunks talk getting reposted by Electro-Harmonix on FB and IG and being roasted in the comments, piezo elements, signature guitars, and string talk.

In this episode the Hunks talk corrections, signature axes, Aerosmithing out cases, old hammers, and stickers on expensive instruments.

Part 2 of 2 of episode 4, the hunks continue talking about all sorts of gear and guitar show stuff.

The hunks talk about going to the Amigo Guitar Show in Chicago, how much is too much, and of course their favorite band Piss River.

The hunks talk our vintage Gibson (LG-0) and Martin (D-76) acoustic guitars, demo their sounds, and dig into how to make the most of playing with other musicians for the first time.

In Episode 2 the Hunks talk about life and old basses and amps and making the most out of a gear buying/selling/trading addiction.

Dave and Uncle Hank talk about pedal stuff, bass stuff, and getting the most from your rehearsal room