Guitar Gavel: Recent Episodes
David Still
A community of guitar enthusiasts and their journey for the love of the instrument. For more cool guitar stories visit https://guitargavel.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
This is episode four with Brian leading into the April 2nd debut of his latest album, "New World Rising".
We take a deep dive into the album discussing the remaining six tracks with regards to the song's inspiration, meaning, and a mini-version of "rig rundown".
It's a special conversation hearing from Brian what the songs mean to him, while understanding how the listener is free to interpret they lyrics any way they see fit. That's the power of music!
You can find his music on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, and other major streaming services.
For those closer to New Orleans, Brian's record release party and performance is April 30th at Chickie Wah Wah- https://chickiewahwah.com/calendar/#/events/93737
https://www.facebook.com/brianstoltzguitar/
https://www.instagram.com/brian_stoltz
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ifyiiFYH9KXlXQsTujhPR
About Brian:
Like many, Brian’s interest in music began with the Beatles and a beater acoustic guitar. Before he could drive Brian was already playing country bars and juke joints in southern Louisiana.
Brian met The Neville Brothers in 1981, auditioned for the guys and got the gig and five shows later they were opening for the Stones on their Tattoo You tour. He finished out the decade with the Neville’s, did his own thing for a few years, and then started a multi-decade run with the Funky Meters in 1994.
His resume reads like a fairy tale, recording with Dylan, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, and Dr. John to name a few.
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
This is episode three with Brian leading into the April 2nd debut of his latest album, "New World Rising".
We take a deep dive into the album discussing the first six tracks with regards to the song's inspiration, meaning, and a mini-version of "rig rundown".
It's a special conversation hearing from Brian what the songs mean to him, while understanding how the listener is free to interpret they lyrics any way they see fit. That's the power of music!
We cover the remaining six tracks in the next episode with Brian that drops on April 2nd in tandem with the release of "New World Rising".
Brian is releasing one single each Friday leading up to the April 2nd record release. You can find his music on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, and other major streaming services.
https://www.facebook.com/brianstoltzguitar/
https://www.instagram.com/brian_stoltz
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ifyiiFYH9KXlXQsTujhPR
About Brian:
Like many, Brian’s interest in music began with the Beatles and a beater acoustic guitar. Before he could drive Brian was already playing country bars and juke joints in southern Louisiana.
Brian met The Neville Brothers in 1981, auditioned for the guys and got the gig and five shows later they were opening for the Stones on their Tattoo You tour. He finished out the decade with the Neville’s, did his own thing for a few years, and then started a multi-decade run with the Funky Meters in 1994.
His resume reads like a fairy tale, recording with Dylan, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, and Dr. John to name a few.
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
Leading up to the April 2nd debut of Brian's latest album, "New World Rising," this is the second in a three-part conversation with Brian in which we focus on the first half of his career.
Brian and I discuss his early musical interests, a blend of pop, R&B, soul, blues and how the culture of New Orleans and southern Louisiana influenced his style.
He tells us about his introduction to The Neville Brothers and shares memories of the near decade he spent touring and recording with the band. For the uninitiated, Brian also offers insight to the rigors of recording an album.
"New World Rising" was recorded in Sweet Mix Studio in Slidell, LA which is where Brian joined the podcast from. Brian provided us with the foundation and flavor of this project and in the next episode we'll look at the album in its entirety.
Brian is releasing one single each Friday leading up to the April 2nd record release. You can find his music on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, and other major streaming services.
https://www.facebook.com/brianstoltzguitar/
https://www.instagram.com/brian_stoltz
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ifyiiFYH9KXlXQsTujhPR
About Brian:
Like many, Brian’s interest in music began with the Beatles and a beater acoustic guitar. Before he could drive Brian was already playing country bars and juke joints in southern Louisiana.
Brian met The Neville Brothers in 1981, auditioned for the guys and got the gig and five shows later they were opening for the Stones on their Tattoo You tour. He finished out the decade with the Neville’s, did his own thing for a few years, and then started a multi-decade run with the Funky Meters in 1994.
His resume reads like a fairy tale, recording with Dylan, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, and Dr. John to name a few.
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode I sit down with solo artist, faithful band member, and prominent session guitarist Brian Stoltz.
This is the first of a few episodes we’re doing together leading into the debut of his newest album, “New World Rising”, out April 2nd.
Like many, Brian’s interest in music began with the Beatles and a beater acoustic guitar. Before he could drive Brian was already playing country bars and juke joints in southern Louisiana.
Brian met The Neville Brothers in 1981, auditioned for the guys and got the gig and five shows later they were opening for the Stones on their Tattoo You tour. He finished out the decade with the Neville’s, did his own thing for a few years, and then started a multi-decade run with the Funky Meters in 1994
His resume reads like a fairy tale, recording with Dylan, Edie Brickell, Linda Ronstadt, and Dr. John to name a few.
His go-to guitar right now? A 1984/85 white MIJ Stratocaster with a scalloped neck that he bought new in Tokyo.
For better or worse, I took Brian all over the place in this interview, but we had a blast!
Brian is releasing one single each Friday leading up to the April 2nd record release. You can find his music on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, and other major streaming services.
Thanks to our friend Chris Kelly for the introduction (and his soon to be guest appearance)!
https://www.facebook.com/brianstoltzguitar/
https://www.instagram.com/brian_stoltz Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ifyiiFYH9KXlXQsTujhPR
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode I have the honor of sitting down with Falcon Eddy of the Galveston Guitar Lounge. He takes us through his guitar journey that properly began as a teenager at Gibson's department store when he bought a Teisco Del Ray, amp, and case for $29.
Falcon Eddy moved up quick... next a Gibson SG and then a Gibson Dove. He even managed to trade a bass for a car!
A lot of his journey revolved around the harmonica... there's too many guitar players :-)
Falcon Eddy then walks us through the history of his shop, the Galveston Guitar Lounge, and it begins with driving 30 miles for a pack of guitar strings.
Like many brick and mortar music store owners their lineage through the business is filled with twists and turns. But adversity makes you stronger and along came the Fowlcon Guitar Company, their own line of guitars. The next step? Elissa Guitars, guitar bodies built from the deck floor of the 1877 ELISSA, a tall sailing ship and one of only three in the world that is still in operation and based in Galveston.
How did Falcon Eddy get his name? Watch and find out.
Thank you Falcon Eddy for your time and friendship. For those that know you, and those that watch the show they'll get it... you are one good dude.
Shop Galveston Guitar Lounge- https://galvestonguitarlounge.com/
The Guitar Lounge- https://www.facebook.com/guitarloungeGalveston/
Galveston Guitar Lounge- https://www.facebook.com/groups/162897634345446
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/guitar.lounge/?hl=en
Fowlcon Guitar Company- https://www.facebook.com/fowlconguitars/
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode I have the honor of sitting down with Kevin, straight from his amazing Star Wars guitar room and man cave.
Kevin starts with his guitar origin story beginning with his dad's influences, his first guitars as a young kid, and the impact his brother and grandmother had on his musical interests.
We talk about extensively about EVH, cracking the code on his guitar parts, the reason for his book and more EVH! And of course Kevin has an aresenal of EVH replica guitars for show and tell, plus some fancy fretwork and tips on Eddie's style.
The last fifteen minutes of the show Kevin shares his own reflections on Eddie as a human, his legacy, and the personal impacts Eddie had on Kevin's life.
It's a beautiful conversation and I cannot thank Kevin enough for his time and sharing Eddie's life with the world.
Side note: Kevin's important parenting advice to get your kids playing the guitar- force it on them from the day they are born! :-)
Please excuse the audio glitches when Kevin is playing the guitar!
Buy Kevin's book- Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography
https://www.amazon.com/Edward-Van-Halen-Definitive-Biography/dp/146205482X
Kevin's past articles on the Van Halen News Desk- https://www.vhnd.com/author/kevin-dodds/
Allen Garber's EVH Playing Techniques Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635190633471979/
Allen Garber's definitive Eruption transcription- https://www.soundslice.com/slices/YvtMc/
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this podcast I have the pleasure of hosting a conversation with artist and guitar maker Robert Randall XI, yes the eleventh. He is a fantastic guy, super passionate and articulate, and his stories and lessons make for a great show. If you are a fan of "the process" and how unique artistry intersects guitar, then you don't want to miss this episode.
Robert's guitar journey began at age 10 when he started taking lessons and ended with his parents selling his guitar a couple of years later. Fortunately Robert was reintroduced to the guitar (and various other instruments at age 14. He's been tinkering, building, and playing ever since.
Generally speaking, Robert's instruments are non-traditional shapes and deploy as much artistry as functionality. Yes, there is his use of locally reclaimed woods for the neck and body, plus a signature feature of trying to include some bits of blue pine, but the artistry goes well beyond the use of local resources.
And that is what our conversation boils down to, Robert tries to convey an art history perspective through his instruments in addition to be being a tool. It's the story Robert manifests into his guitars, a reflection of the process from that journey, and the beauty in the final artwork.
Each instrument has a piece of Robert's personality and you can totally feel it in the podcast.
To learn more about Robert's instruments or inquire about purchasing one you can find Robert's work on his website and social channels:
http://www.rsrandall.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@robertrandall9089
https://reverb.com/shop/roberts-boutique-1019
https://instagram.com/r.s.randall?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
Music: https://rsrandall.bandcamp.com/album/rsrandall-xi
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
There is so much goodness in this episode with Pete Flynn that I really struggled to write a concise, yet comprehensive summary of his story.
At the end of the day what I wrote did not do our conversation justice and nor was it concise, so here’s a “from the gut” synopsis:
Pete is a world class nice guy, a world class guitar player (and drummer), guitar tech, and now a world class pickups builder. His stories go on for days and include a long list of household names that he's done work for, built pickups for, or played with.
Recording this show with Pete on a Saturday night was the highlight of my week. If you take the time to watch or listen I promise it’s time well-spent.
Quest for tone:
After a 40-year mission to find the “perfect” amp was complete, Pete moved on to finding the perfect pickup. (He shares his amp setup in the show)
It started with a 1950 Broadcaster Pete owned and his desire to build a clone. He finished the replica in about a year, but after experimenting with five sets of custom pickups the original Broadcaster tone remained elusive.
So he decided to make his own proper set of Broadcaster pickups and managed to unlock the magic. Next up, recreating a 59’ PAF and once again, mission accomplished. Pete goes into depth on his pickup builds and how he conquered the task.
The pickup business is relatively new, but Pete’s initials are PAF... enough said.
I cannot thank Pete enough for being a guest. It was truly a privilege.
Here’s where you can find Pete:
Website- http://www.pickupsbypeteaflynn.com/
Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@peteflynnPAF/featured Youtube pickups page- https://www.youtube.com/@pickupsbypeteaflynn
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084563897669
Instagram- @peteflynnmusic
Pete’s current band- www.pettyunion.com
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
David’s guitar journey began on a Behringer strat style guitar when he was 13, his foundation being metal and blues (an influence from his dad). The Behringer also became a sacrificial lamb when David decided to explore the guts of an electric guitar.
From there, David started building his own guitars as a teenager furthering his home-grown knowledge, and setting the stage for becoming a professional luthier.
Tinkering with pedals was a natural extension of the guitar repair business and that journey began in earnest in 2016. Overtime, David decided having his own product to offer was a welcomed challenge, plus he saw the need for a custom option to improve upon some of the pedals in his arsenal.
So David introduced his first pedal a year ago, the Winter Storm, and now he’s onto his second build… the Spellbook. It’s a self-oscillating fuzz and distortion pedal, which can also be used as a stand alone synthesizer.
To help fund the Spellbook, David has a Kickstarter campaign and will deliver pedals this summer, but there's still time to get the pre-production deal!
Check out his YouTube channel to see David demo the Spellbook and describe the technical aspects.
Thanks for being such a wonderful guest David! You are onto something big and I look forward to watching what you do next!
Links:
Kickstarter- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/davidrossmusicalinst/david-ross-musical-instruments-spellbook-guitar-pedal
Company page- https://davidrossmusicalinstruments.com
https://www.instagram.com/davidrossmusicalinstruments/
https://youtube.com/@davidrossmusicalinstruments
https://www.facebook.com/davidrossmusicalinstruments
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this podcast I sit down with Jerry Cherry- guitarist, singer/songwriter, and guitar instructor extraordinaire.
We talk about his guitar journey beginning at age 12 and how was super fortunate to be a member of an incredible band before he could drive and how that set the stage for the rest of his musical career.
Key takeaways:
At age 17, being one guitar lesson short of really starting to understand musical theory and playing for another 25 years before the next lesson made it all click.
What struck me the most about Jerry's career is that he's a perpetual student. In some ways that's not necessarily profound, and frankly it's the way each of us should be in life. At the same time, however, how many of us can truly say that?
Video Notes:
Growing into his voice as a singer, being patient and comfortable in your skin, and believing in yourself. 26:00
Content creation for his social channels. 41:00
Jerry's best suggestion for learning a song, start slow! 54:00
Jerry's tools of the trade. 60:00
This episode is a little longer, but it's a beautiful conversation with so much goodness I had to publish the entire thing. This inspiring journey is a must listen no matter your skill level, from bedroom players to professional guitarists.
Jerry goes live every Sunday at 12pm EST on his YouTube channel and just introduced a new YT program called, "What's The Hook?", where he explores and breaks down the hooks of your favorite songs.
Connect with Jerry Cherry on Social Media:
https://jerrycherry.com/
https://www.facebook.com/JerryCherryBand
https://www.instagram.com/thejerrycherry/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-cherry-1ab49b1b/
https://twitter.com/jerrycherry
https://www.tiktok.com/@jerrycherryband
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this episode I have a candid conversation with singer, songwriter, guitar slinger, and guitar dealer Izzy Miller.
In Izzy’s own words, “I’ll tell you exactly how I feel about anything”, and that’s exactly how this one goes.
If you’ve followed Izzy on social media for any length of time you know he has a huge personality and a great sense of humor. It all shines through during the show, but most importantly, he’s a good dude.
Thank you Izzy!
We have a blast bouncing around beginning with Izzy’s formative years as a guitar player and musical influences from his dad, grandfather, and uncle. The flow leads us to the current state of country radio, thoughts on contemporary country music, and the vintage guitar market.
Izzy’s latest record, “Izzy Miller Sings ‘Extra Bacon’ and Other Chart-Topping Hits, drops this Friday and we talk about the writing and recording process that went into it.
Huge shoutout to Robert Fox of Silver Fox Sound in Harvest, AL who was originally the engineer, but ended up producing the record.
Izzy shows off some of his favorite guitars including:
1959 Martin D-28
1954 Gibson J-200
1920 Gbson Style O
1908 Gibson Style U Harp Guitar
1952 Les Paul
What does Izzy listen to? There’s no short answer and he could have talked for days about his playlists, but Izzy distills it down to these listening suggestions:
Steve Young’s records, “Renegade Picker” and “No Place To Fall”
Gary Stewart, Dave Dudley, Red Simpson, and Red Sovine.
You can find Izzy anywhere there’s an internet connection-
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mK4c2XPu9vB0lxJiDU8w5
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/IzzyMillerOfficial/
Izzy’s Vintage Guitars Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/izzysvintageguitars
Reverb Shop- https://reverb.com/shop/izzys-vintage-guitars
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@IzzyMillerMusic
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/theizzymiller/?hl=en
Twitter- https://twitter.com/IzzyMillerMusic
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this podcast I have an amazing conversation with Frank Meyers about his fascination with vintage Japanese guitars and the resulting journey.
Frank’s accolades include:
Author, “The History of Japanese Electric Guitars”
Monthly columnist for Premier Guitar magazine, “Wizard of Odd”
Creator of the wonderful website, drowninginguitars.com with help from his friend Mike Dugan, and the @drowninginguitars YouTube channel
Part of his origin story is seeing Kurt Cobain in concert in 1989 playing a Mastumoku made Mosrite copy. Inspiration also includes Teengenerate and The Mummies among other bands.
Twenty-five years of curiosity eventually led to Frank getting on a plane for the first time in his life and traveling to Japan.
His noble mission, to honor the Japanese craftsmen and manufacturers and tell their story. And that’s exactly what he did.
Out of Frank’s passion, love and loyalty, he’s created a world-class treasure trove of information about an era of guitars that changed the trajectory of music.
It was an absolute pleasure and gift to have Frank on the show and this episode is sure to deepen your appreciation of some of the best guitar makers in the world.
I can’t say it enough, thank you so much Frank!
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
“How many more guitars are you going to buy?”
In this episode I sit down with Michael Law, also known as Lawman Mike.
Lawman Mike is the proprietor of Lawman Guitars, a wonderful vintage guitar store and probably the largest vintage Cowboy Guitar dealer in the country.
A guitar player since the age of 10, we discuss Lawman’s guitar journey and how it led him to becoming a vintage dealer, recording artist, and the praise band leader at his church.
Through the process of selling guitars, Lawman has created a wonderful catalog of more than 500 YouTube videos where he demo’s guitars and gives a history lesson on each one. His channel is a real gem and an amazing historical database of vintage guitars.
For those that are familiar with Lawman, or have done business with him, this conversation provides great insight to the loving care he pours into each guitar he sells.
And as always, we take a look at some of Mike’s personal favorite guitars!
For all things Lawman Guitars, visit his website at https://www.lawmanguitars.com/
Michael Law’s music on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Ix00UvHE5fiF5dPbwyZNc?si=qhKVlhCrQ1yWsDTHINoCNQ&nd=1
Lawman Guitars YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/lawmanguitars
Lawman Guitars Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/LawmanVintageGuitars
Lawman Guitars Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lawmanguitars/
Links to the books we discussed:
The History of Japanese Electric Guitars
https://drowninginguitars.com/store/book/
Cowboy Guitars
https://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Guitars-Ron-Middlebrook/dp/1574241028
Neptune Bound
https://www.danelectro.guru/
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this wonderful conversation with Adam we explore his guitar journey in which he summarizes his present day style as an “accumulation of multiple different phases” of music along the way.
Those phases included a hardcore run of ACDC, Metallica, Gary Moore, and John Mayer.
His growth as a guitarist, which began at age nine, has most recently led Adam to exploring original music and writing his own songs.
Adam shows off his well-rounded blend of guitars including an American Professional Stratocaster, Martin HD-28, and Epiphone Les Paul Custom (plus a few more).
When asked about his favorite guitar solo- Gary Moore playing “Empty Rooms” from his “Live In Stockholm” recording. That answer was quickly followed by Megadeth, David Gilmour, and John Petrucci.
Clearly Adam has a very well rounded foundation!
Thank you Adam for sharing your story and being such a wonderful guest! I’m looking forward to hearing more of your original music and seeing your appearances on #LOTW.
A link to watch on YouTube is included in the comments or you can find the audio version on all major podcast platforms.
Video for all podcasts available on our YouTube channel
Visit guitargavel.com for hundreds of cool guitar stories
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
In this Guitar Gavel podcast episode we hear from Westone guitar enthusiast and aficionado Keiran Wynyard. A self-described hoarder, not a collector, Keiran walks us through his guitar journey and falling in love with Westone guitars.
Keiran is more than just a Westone superfan, he also manages and co-manages websites, forums, and communities dedicated to the love of Westone guitars. As owner of Westone in UK, Keiran is collaborating with a number of people to restart production of Westone guitars in the near future.
If you are looking for more information about the brand and guitar models please see the amazing resource of links below.
Thank you Keiran for being a wonderful guest and helping spread the Westone love across the world!
Websites:
westone.info
westoneguitars.net
Forum:
westone.forumotion.com
Facebook
Dreamraven Events: https://www.facebook.com/DreamravenEventsSupport
Mogstock Music Festival: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mogstock
The Mighty Matsumoku Westone guitar and bass super group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/494487874274980/
Westone Guitars: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4963678788
Nova Twins:
https://novatwins.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/c/NovaTwins
https://www.facebook.com/NovaTwinsMusic
John Shults, guitar hunter and founder of truevintageguitar.com is this week's Guitar Gavel podcast guest.
There is so much goodness in this podcast a summary just won't capture it all. We hear from John about how he got his start flipping guitars, how it evolved into a business, and what the future looks like for True Vintage Guitar.
Along the way he shares some absolutely amazing stories of his successes and not so successful safari's. On top of it all John has a natural talent for storytelling and will keep you holding your breath as he unveils the twists and turns of his adventures.
His encyclopedia-like knowledge of guitars is on display as he shows off a 1958 Les Paul Custom and 1960 Gibson Les Paul Special in the original TV Yellow finish.
John is supper passionate and whipper-smart on top of being genuinely good guy. It's clear why he has become a go-to source in the vintage guitar community and I can't wait to see what lies ahead.
Brother John, it was an absolute pleasure to have you as a guest and I look forward to Round Two!
You can follow John on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/truevintageguitar/
Website: https://truevintageguitar.com/
vintageguitar #truevintageguitar #johnshults #gibson #lespaul #lespaulcustom
In this Guitar Gavel podcast episode I have the pleasure of sitting down with Paul Kobylensky and we talk guitars, music, and his life as a copywriter in the music business.
Since Paul is a storyteller for a living, he’s got some whoppers in this show :-).
In addition to his behind the scenes work writing for household guitar and gear brands Paul is a writer for Premier Guitar. His latest article from September’s edition of PG was an interview with Dave Mustaine, one of his heroes. Paul could not hold back his inner fanboy and he shared a couple of funny stories about interviewing Dave.
When it comes to musical tastes, Paul covers the spectrum and we talk about how his adventures moving around the U.S. are intertwined with his style and preferences.
And of course we look at some really cool guitars.
Paul’s absolute favorite, an Epiphone SG G-400 complete with a few modifications. Plus a rare Ibanez RG-560 with lots of artwork :-).
To learn more about Paul’s work or to reach out to him about a project visit his website a thenewrockstar.net.
Thank you Paul for sharing your time and wonderful insights with us!
https://thenewrockstar.net/
https://www.instagram.com/kobyguitar
Paul's music-
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6RFSGiB6y6F8WZ2JGv2fTG?si=AreymQ-_TD-dRVWrC9wWmQ
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UCgQhPq7W0uHpfpBPXiJEjGw
Strange Waters
Strangewatersband.com
https://strangewaters.bandcamp.com/album/strange-waters
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/26PgmTyvNKnaRSaxStkLW5?si=Baqpvk76S6OVl1yavyspxQ
Band’s YouTube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UC7KWtWeiFnMtTdR9CTZcLZA
Random Change:
https://randomchangeband.wixsite.com/randomchange
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dVeynTV6lx9MrcsyNPy57?si=Ajx_Z7KCSZuqEwsSRhfrKw
In this Guitar Gavel podcast episode I have the pleasure of sitting down with Paul Kobylensky and we talk guitars, music, and his life as a copywriter in the music business.
Since Paul is a storyteller for a living, he’s got some whoppers in this show :-).
In addition to his behind the scenes work writing for household guitar and gear brands Paul is a writer for Premier Guitar. His latest article from September’s edition of PG was an interview with Dave Mustaine, one of his heroes. Paul could not hold back his inner fanboy and he shared a couple of funny stories about interviewing Dave.
When it comes to musical tastes, Paul covers the spectrum and we talk about how his adventures moving around the U.S. are intertwined with his style and preferences.
And of course we look at some really cool guitars.
Paul’s absolute favorite, an Epiphone SG G-400 complete with a few modifications. Plus a rare Ibanez RG-560 with lots of artwork :-).
To learn more about Paul’s work or to reach out to him about a project visit his website a thenewrockstar.net.
Thank you Paul for sharing your time and wonderful insights with us!
https://thenewrockstar.net/
https://www.instagram.com/kobyguitar
Paul's music-
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6RFSGiB6y6F8WZ2JGv2fTG?si=AreymQ-_TD-dRVWrC9wWmQ
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UCgQhPq7W0uHpfpBPXiJEjGw
Strange Waters
Strangewatersband.com
https://strangewaters.bandcamp.com/album/strange-waters
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/26PgmTyvNKnaRSaxStkLW5?si=Baqpvk76S6OVl1yavyspxQ
Band’s YouTube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UC7KWtWeiFnMtTdR9CTZcLZA
Random Change:
https://randomchangeband.wixsite.com/randomchange
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dVeynTV6lx9MrcsyNPy57?si=Ajx_Z7KCSZuqEwsSRhfrKw
In this episode I have a wonderful conversation with Laurence Carpenter of Rock Solid Investments. Laurence is a broker of high-end music memorabilia and artifacts based in Dublin, Ireland.
To give you an example of the type of memorabilia that Laurence brokers some of his current offerings include: Kirk Hammett’s 1969 Fretless Wonder Les Paul used to record “The God That Failed Me”, Bono’s handwritten lyrics to U2’s “When Love Comes To Town”, and a John Lennon stage used Fender Bandstand amplifier.
Laurence’s career began when he flipped a limited edition Michael Jackson print and made $3,000. The next three pieces were Michael Jackson stage worn hats that collectively netted well north of $100,000.
Our conversation covers how Laurence got his start in the business, his affinity for collecting Noel Gallagher’s guitars, and the detective work he deploys to find and authenticate memorabilia. We also get to see Johnny Marr’s personal Flying V that he loaned to Noel Gallagher of Oasis. The guitar was used by Noel to record “Cigarettes And Alcohol” and “Slide Away”. Then Laurence brings out a Jimmy Page autographed and played Yamaha acoustic that he donated to a charity 20 years ago.
Laurence has a wonderful YouTube channel you can find at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17GaNM5h5Bv-Cteac4YAQ/featured
For more information about Laurence and to see his current offerings visit his website at https://www.rocksolidinvestments.ie/
In this episode I have the pleasure of hanging out with Michael Tash as he shares his guitar journey that really began at age 12 on a Montgomery Ward electric and Marlboro amp.
Mike’s blues band, Bad Influence, has been playing consistently since 1989 with only a handful of changes from the original line-up. Mike share’s the secret to their longevity and highlights a few of his favorite shows which include playing with Buddy Guy and opening up for Heart.
On the business side of things Mike talks about finding endorsement deals and nearly all of the gear the band members use and play is part of a sponsor arrangement. Mike’s go-to gig machine is an Epiphone Casino and Quilter Amps Micro-Pro.
Of course we look at a couple of guitars too, a 1960 Strat and a Murphy Lab Les Paul.
Mike is super smart, passionate, and an extremely talented player making for a great podcast conversation.
Search “BadisBlues” on YouTube and Instagram for some great videos and pictures from the band.
Main website- badinfluenceband.com
Or check out Mike’s website michaeltash.com where you can also find links to a couple of his other bands, New Blue Soul and the Shaver-Tash Trio.
Thank you Mike for your time and being such a wonderful guest!
This podcast is Round Two with Chris Kelly as he was gracious enough to come back and answer the numerous questions we received after the first one.
Chris has a storied tenure with legacy guitar brands such as Robin, Ibanez, Peavey, Budda Amps, Trace Elliot, and Composite Acoustic. Much of our time focused on the Ibanez years as Chris was Director of Artist Relations and headed up the Custom Shop from 1985-1994.
There is so much goodness in this podcast and I think it is best summarized by this statement from Chris about his career, "There hasn't been a lowest low or a highest high. It's all been one beautiful ride."
Chris is full of a grateful heart and his passion, compassion, and love bleeds through our entire conversation. He shares his thoughts for emerging artists, guitar design principles, and another handful of unbelievable rock n' roll stories.
Just a couple of those nuggets include the best cure for Los Angeles sized hangover, meeting with Prince to discuss designing one of his wild guitars, and the two guitars he did for Kurt Cobain.
The takeaway for me from this podcast is the incredible life lessons and amazing nuggets of wisdom Chris shares. Truly, his remarks and sentiments are beautiful.
What a pleasure, thank you Chris!!!
In this week’s podcast I have the privilege of hanging out with Chris Kelly.
I don’t usually struggle for words, but it’s hard to put into writing where to start.
My jaw was on the floor for most of the conversation, listening and laughing in amazement, but Chris disperses so much great substance in the mix you’ll listen to this one a few times.
Chris has a storied tenure with legacy guitar brands such as Robin, Ibanez, Peavey, and Budda Amps.
Much of our time focused on the Ibanez years as Chris was Director of Artist Relations and headed up the Custom Shop from 1985-1994. The artists he worked with and his circle of friends are household names and Chris shares some amazing stories:
- Being best friends with SRV and designing the double neck guitar/mando he and Jimmie played in “Pipeline”
- Working with Steve Vai to develop his JEM and the infamous monkey grip
- Signing Joe Satriani
- Hanging out with EVH at Studio 5150 (all the time)
- Rooming with Johnny Depp and Nick Cage at The Roosevelt in Hollywood
- Weekly golf games with Jani Lane, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil
- Playing in 10,000 Maniacs, Ministry, and League of Blind Women
Beyond the incredible rock n’ roll stories Chris drops some eye-opening life lessons that led to his success working in the industry and helping design amazing guitars.
Given his experiences I had to ask Chris about the single best piece of advice he’s ever received and here’s what he said: “Meeting Bob Hope on the 9th hole at a golf course in Burbank, CA”. The exchange went like this from Chris to Bob, “can you give me any advice?”. Bob said, “I guess I was in the right place at the right time, but I knew enough to take myself there”.
Thank you Chris for sharing your candor and heartfelt rock n’ roll journey, much love!
In this episode I am grateful to have Jonathan Robinson as this week's guest. Jonathan is a prolific guitar player and has a pretty long professional career singing/playing/writing music in Charleston, Nashville, and from his home turf in eastern North Carolina.
Starting with his first guitar, a black Fender Squier Strat that Jonathan bought using his first paycheck from the Piggly Wiggly to a well-rounded guitar evolution, we get to hear his amazing guitar journey and what he's up to these days. (Also see his music links below)
Some of the stories along the way include ripping it for hours at a time on Broadway in Nashville, playing at the Ryman Auditorium, and his band basically losing all of their gear when their RV burned down.
Oh, and $5 guitar lessons!
The honey's Jonathan shares with us include a Fender custom shop '52 Tele, a special run ‘59 ES-335, and a custom shop '62 reissue Strat in metallic teal. Thank you so much Jonathan for taking your time to share your love of music and the guitar!
You can check out Jonathan's music on Link Tree- https://linktr.ee/jonathanrobinsonmusic
Plus he has a pretty killer YT channel with lessons, licks, jams, and gear reviews- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsvH6NKuELOc4DFiswItaOw
Jonathan's website- https://jonathan-robinson.com/
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/jonathanrobinsonmusic/?hl=en
Casino Guitars- https://www.casinoguitars.com/
When I asked Jonathan Spangler, Founder and CEO of Ciari guitars, how the idea came to him to create a travel guitar he responded with…
“Study the friction in your day, solive it for you and you’ll solve it for someone else.”
The seminal moment for Jonathan and his idea for a premium, pro-level travel guitar came about when he flew to Germany to perform a 40-minute set of Johnny Cash at a German metal festival.
The podcast is 43 minutes and it is absolutely packed full of information about Ciari’s history, the design and innovation that has gone into developing their guitar line, and what is on the horizon for the company in the coming years.
What strikes me the most is Jonathan’s passion and enthusiasm for the guitars they’ve developed. It’s not a gimmick, it’s not about bringing something to market to make a buck, he is totally focused on the customer and providing the best solution possible.
To that point, Jonathan has gone out of his way to find the brightest minds to consult Ciari on development and delivery. A couple of names that may ring a bell are Joe Glaser and Grover Jackson.
During “show and tell” time we see the very first prototype and get a demo of the Ascender Custom and Ascender Standard models.
Future Ciari products include a carbon fiber acoustic and hopefully a bass guitar as well. Of special note is Ciari’s development of a “Music Oasis” guitar lounge in airport terminals, a long-lived dream of Jonathan’s that is coming true.
This is a splendid conversation from start to finish and a longform look into the complete evolution of Ciari Guitars.
Thank you so much Jonathan for your time and being a guest on the show!
For more information visit https://ciariguitars.com/.
In this week’s episode I talk with multi-instrumentalist and producer Matt Charnoski about his guitar journey and how it lead to having a professional career in the music industry.
Matt came out of the gate with his G.A.S. by landing a Fender Musicmaster as his first guitar when he was a kid by roping his grandmother and mom into the purchase through an elaborate pyramid scheme :-). Not bad for a pre-teen!
The conversation increases in intensity as Matt describes how he landed a “brand new” and rare Gibson RD as his third guitar.
Beyond the guitar conversation Matt gives us the lowdown on how his recording and producing skills led to the development of his company, GABA Music Works.
There are lots of good nuggets in this episode capped off by Matt hanging out and having a beer with Lemmy from Motorhead.
**Matt asked him why he positioned his microphone so high? The answer will surprise you.
Interested in Matt's services? Check out his website https://www.gabamusicworks.com/ He's also active on LinkedIn and Instagram, search Matt Charnoski.**
In this Guitar Gavel podcast episode we are the recipient of an absolutely brilliant conversation with Adam Gray. Fortunately/unfortunately Adam had a hard stop or we would have talked for hours.
Acoustic guitar fans- this one's for you!
Whether or not Adam’s wife regrets giving him a budget friendly Yamaha or not… she helped rekindle his affliction for playing.
Not long after her gift Adam boldly pronounced this statement to a friend, “the thing is, actually with guitars, there’s not a lot of difference between a cheap one and a good one”.
So Adam’s friend loaned him a Taylor 910 and that set the stage for his quest to have ever better and more interesting guitars.
The rest of Adam’s story includes more about his guitar supporting wife, fate, and Adam’s tenacity to hunt down guitars that are successively better than the previous.
Through his investigative skills Adam managed to commission the first custom guitar from Tom Sands, an apprentice of Ervin Somogyi.
Adam is a terrific conversationalist and storyteller, add that to his extensive acoustic guitar knowledge and the result is something along the lines of “Inside the Actors Studio”.
Other guitars include:
Martin made OM-28 1931 replica
Stefan Sobell custom acoustic
Hahn T-Classic tele style guitar
And for fun an Andrea Castagneri violin from approximately 1717
“I told my career advisor when I was 16 that I wanted to be a rock star. And he said I had to choose something more realistic. So, I didn’t.”
Early in his musical career he was a jack of all trades, Tour Manager, sound tech, and t-shirt salesman extraordinaire. That eventually led into “looking after the band’s guitars”.
Dave goes on to share his experience as a professional touring guitar tech and of course we take a look at some of his guitars: among those are a MIJ Fender Jazzmaster, Rickenbacker 330, and a Gibson Melody Maker.
Dave has several side hustles and recently gotten into making custom pickups so we discuss his passion for creating the “perfect” tone for his customers.
You can check out his arsenal of pickup offerings at https://www.northernpickups.co.uk/
Many thanks to Dave for your time and talents. We really had a lively and fun conversation that I think everyone will enjoy as much as we did.
In this Guitar Gavel podcast episode I have the good fortune to sit down with Scott Olson and hear his guitar stories.
Me: “Scott, what was your first guitar, when did you start playing?”
Scott Olson: “It was actually the drums that started…”
Had it not been for the wall of guitars behind Scott in the video frame I thought for a split-second this podcast was DOA :-). Scott goes on to show off his pride and joy Charvel, the Flying V he made, and thinline strat-style guitar he built among many more.
The personality and knowledge gleaned from Scott’s Linkedin comments and posts is on full display. It’s a righteous conversation, all for the love of the guitar.
Thank you brother Scott for sharing your candid guitar journey. Your passion and 6-string life-blood is infectious and inspiring.
For more cool guitar stories visit guitargavel.com
In this week’s podcast I sit down with the one and only Darko Grubisic and we talk guitars and metal. METAL- Right down to the skull and crossbones tuners on his Kramer Baretta.
Darko has some great stories which include still playing with his original band from high school. It’s a lovely conversation and Darko shows off several sweet guitars!
Darko, thanks for your time and wonderful spirit, it truly was my pleasure to hang out with you!
For more cool guitar stories visit guitargavel.com
In this episode I sit down with Will Ray, a founding member of The Hellecasters and longtime “Bottom Feeder” columnist for Premier Guitar Magazine (among many accolades).
Sporting a skull bolo, slide rings, and cowboy hat we talk guitars, guitars, and more guitars starting with his very first, a Gretsch Country Gentleman he bought when he was 16.
Right out of the gate we take a look at his namesake Fender signature Telecaster model #0001 from 1996.
His “Bottom Feeder” column in Premier Guitar shed light on Will’s experiences with inexpensive guitars he finds online or at garage sales and flea markets. So of course we talk about some of his favorite bottom feeders that he’s actively acquiring.
It means so much that you took your time to watch or listen, THANK YOU!! If you liked the show please leave a positive review.
And for more cool guitar stories visit guitargavel.com.
Beginning with a no-name classical guitar "purchased" with S&H Green Stamps to having a well rounded collection Rob Bernstein shows off some beauties in this Guitar Gavel podcast episode.
A sign of the times... Rob upgraded from the unbranded classical to a Harmony dreadnought and then to a 72 Telecaster he bought in 1974 for $210 with the case!
Several of Rob's teenage musical influences include Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, and The Monkees.
Rob is an absolute delight to talk guitars and music and some of his methodical collection we see in this episode includes: 59 Les Paul Junior, 1963 Epiphone Coronet, PRS 12-string, a stunning Duesenberg Starplayer, and a 1978 LP Standard he bought new.
Thank you Rob for being a wonderful guest and sharing your guitar journey with us all!
I am so excited for the latest episode of the Guitar Gavel podcast as we journey to Italy and have a tour of Franchin Guitars.
A special thanks to Mattia Franchin and Pierantonio Cantoni for their excellent tour!
In the show Mattia gives a full tour of the company’s “lab” and walks us step-by-step through the build process.
Franchin specializes in reliced and hand painted bodies to complete guitar builds hand assembled by their luthier team including custom wound pickups engineered in-house.
Some of the most striking guitars we see include gold leaf or bronze leaf which can require 20-25 hours of artistry work on the body alone.
To compliment the guitars Franchin offers custom Italian leather cases and leather straps. You may find their work online from the company’s website, www.franchinguitars.com, or via their Reverb and Ebay storefronts.
I think you will love this episode and the rare insight behind a boutique guitar builder rooted in art. Thanks for listening!
I have the pleasure of sitting down with Bryan Toney in this episode and we discuss his journey of starting on the piano and transitioning to the guitar as a young teenager
Though Bryan has played the guitar since he was a teen, including a couple of garage bands, he got serious in retirement which has led to a couple of albums and gigging his way from North Carolina to Utah to visit his son.
"The key to being a touring musician now, if you don't have a free place to stay you can't afford to do it."
In our conversation we touch on the rich heritage of music in Boone, NC, growing a pony tail after retiring, and of course we get to see many guitars including a 1964 Fender Mustang and a 1972 Martin D-28.
A special thanks to Bryan for the wonderful time we had together, and thank you for taking time to listen. You can find Bryan's music at bryantoney.com or facebook.com/bryantoneymusic.
The episode is available to watch on the Guitar Gavel YouTube channel and if you like what you see/hear, please leave a review. For more cool guitar stories sign up for the twice weekly Guitar Gavel newsletter at guitargavel.com
Steve brings his wonderful spirit, infectious smile, and addicting Irish accent to this week’s podcast episode.
Steve’s go-to guitar is his 1997 Les Paul Studio and he shares his buying experience stateside in Orlando, FL and being scared to death making it back with the guitar in one piece.
Being the same age we have a lot of common musical tastes and discuss some of our favorite bands.
Now Steve is much more of a metal head than I am and you’ll hear Megadeth come up several times. He also takes it to another level with “November Rain” being played when he got engaged to his bride, and it was the first song played at their wedding.
This is another great episode to watch on YouTube or listen on any major podcasting platform.
I can’t thank Steve enough for his time, energy, and passion. It was a pleasure and a total blast my friend!
In this episode I sit down with Christos Fragias and he talks about his guitar journey that really began at age 7 when he heard Detroit Rock City for the first time.
In his own words, KISS' Destroyer album was seminal in his life and Christos wore out several record player needles rocking to their vinyl's.
Of course we talk guitars and hear about Christos' first electric, a Torch, that he bought when he was a teenager.
A couple among several of his previous players was a hot pink Kramer and Ibanez RG 440 before a long stretch playing Gibson LP's.
Christos gives us a tour of his go-to's these days and we get to hear some great tips on his choice of pedals and the Obsidian solder-less wiring harnesses.
I encourage you to search "Christos Fragias" on YouTube and subscribe to his channel to watch some serious shredding, bass hopping, and gear reviews.
Frank Jeckell learned to play guitar by way of the accordion... sort of.
His first guitar was a Kay acoustic and the action was so high he could slide his hand between the fretboard and strings at the 12th fret :-).
Frank was progressing well on the guitar as a teenager in the early 60s and when The Beatles hit, it was all over. Frank taught himself all their songs within days of buying each album.
A Strat guy through and through we hear about his two paint jobs on his original 1960 Strat and how he created his own 5-way switch 13 years before Fender made it a standard feature.
Frank brings his wonderful personality to all his guitar stories and this is a great listen. Thank you so much Frank, it was truly an honor to have you on the show.
One night when he was 12 or 13, Wyatt watched one of his dad's friends play "Stairway to Heaven" and he's been hooked on the guitar ever since.
The one that really changed him was an Ibanez 2228, 8-string. It was also the one that got away. We connected on the sentimental aspect of guitar ownership and how a purchase can be reflective of what's going on in your life at that time.
Wyatt's journey into servicing/restoring guitars and amps began as a "product of necessity, being in college and being broke". His stepdad is a tech, and Wyatt apprenticed under him beginning as an errand gopher.
For a guy who can hot rod anything under the sun I was surprised to learn Wyatt's main guitar is a 1999 Fender American Tele, "nothing special, nothing upgraded", but he said he's going to his grave with this one.
Wyatt is incredibly smart and gifted. He is so reverent with the way he talks about guitars you know his passion is reflected in the work that he does.
Who's the dork that kept saying "so cool"? In this episode Natasha Nyxx shows off some incredible guitars representing most of the color palette. The recurring theme between the two of us is "to die for" and "that's so cool". Natasha's guitar collection is diverse and absolutely stunning. Plus, she has a great story about each one.
Natasha started as a bass player at age 14 and is now a multi-instrumentalist. She got her start playing bass because her first band covered a bunch of KISS music and they needed a Gene Simmons. Voila... Natasha's first bass was a Hondo II... check out the show to hear the rest of Natasha's guitar journey.
Be on the lookout for Natasha's podcast, Music Matrix, coming later this year!
Want to see Natasha's incredible guitar collection? Watch the podcast on the Guitar Gavel YouTube channel.
This week we hear from Ian Cowan who currently lives in Scotland. “If you want something you can’t afford learn to make it. If you want something you can afford learn to make it better.” Those were the words Ian heard from his dad when he was just a child. So with help from his dad Ian made his first guitar (a classical) at the age of eight. Ian is “kind of” a strat guy and since that first build he has gone on to make over 80 strat-style guitars (he prefers the scale length).
The podcast is also available to watch on the Guitar Gavel YouTube channel.
"The first guitar I got was a Harmony student sized acoustic." -Ron Chaudhuri
From that first guitar to "several" guitars later Ron found himself having a couple of custom guitars built in India by Erisa Neogy
"I laugh and I cry. Nobody knew that guitars would actually become a higher guaranteed profit investment than stocks." -Steve Kuykendall