Fretboard Journal

[Editor’s note: This Tucker Zimmerman interview conducted by Jamie Etherington was slated for the Fretboard Journal’s print edition. With the artist’s passing on January 17, 2026, we’ve decided to share it in its entirety online. It is probably one of the last interviews the self-proclaimed “song poet” did, and we hope it sheds light on his profound music and influence.]

Photographs by Dirk Leunis

If Tucker Zimmerman is an unfamiliar name to many readers, that should come as no surprise. As West Coast musician Zach Burba tells me, Tucker’s music has until recently gone largely unnoticed. “People may be inclined to call this a crime, ‘how could we miss out on such vital music!’ but I know that this was by design,” he says. “Tucker had many chances to grab a career in the spotlight and he just listened to something in his gut that said, ‘maybe not this time.’”

Over seven decades, Zimmerman has released a dozen albums–a sonic memoir incorporating folk, 12-bar blues, full-band rock concertos, and classical piano compositions. Born in California in 1941, he graduated with an MA from San Francisco State College at the height of the Beat era. In the summer of 1966, he had just received his draft papers when he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study musical composition in Italy. During his two years in Rome, Tucker emerged as a fixture on the Roman folk scene, playing the clubs in Trastevere. It was in the Eternal City that he also met his future wife, Marie Claire.

In 1968, the couple moved to London where Tucker befriended a young Tony Visconti, at the time an apprentice producer learning his trade at the Regal Zonophone studios. This friendship lead to Visconti producing Zimmerman’s debut album, “Ten Songs.” In the early ‘70s, Tucker and Marie Claire crossed back over the Channel, setting up home in her home country of Belgium. Thereafter, Tucker spent the following decades quietly working the European festival circuit, biking around the Belgian countryside, raising their son, Quanah, and all the while writing and recording.

His most recent record, Dance of Love, on which he collaborated with Big Thief, has finally garnered the 84-year-old Zimmerman some wider later-life attention. Zach Burba, who also played on the album, recalls the first time he heard Tucker’s music.

Zach Burba: Adrianne [Lenker] played me “Foot Tap” one evening when we were hanging and sharing songs in James Krivchenia’s old downstairs garden apartment, in a now burnt-down Altadena home. I was taken by Tucker’s liberal use of phaser pedal on his lo-fi country songs. After a few songs I readjusted my focus to the lyrics and was smitten with the playful surrealism and humble gentleness of the poetry.

Earlier this year, I caught up with Tucker via Zoom from his home deep in the Belgian countryside to chat about his journey from San Francisco to Belgium, explore his creative process, talk about guitars, and the making of Dance of Love. My first question, however–reflecting the geographer in me, was wanting to know where in Belgium Tucker and Marie Claire call home.

Tucker Zimmerman: We’re in Stockay Saint-Georges, which is on the plateau above the Meuse river. We came here in 1978. It’s a farming community: Potatoes, beetroots and corn. We’re 20 kilometres from Liège, in a small valley that leads down to the Meuse. My studio is just down the hill from the house.

I mention to Tucker Zach’s observation that his relative obscurity is by design and that it reminds me of something Michael Hurley said about his own low profile, “Calling me an outsider artist? Yes, I think that’s apt. It’s taken me a long time to join the gang.” I wondered to what degree that sentiment resonates with him?

TZ: Well, I only had one brush with this–going one way or the other. It was in England in the late ‘60s and I was surrounded by the pop music world at that time. I made my first record and there were gigs, but things weren’t happening. The government wouldn’t give me a work permit, so I couldn’t do gigs legally. I did them, but under fake names. There was no way of getting to where I wanted to go. But, at the same time, I saw around me what happens to people who desire fame and fortune. And I said, I don’t want to do that. The British government kicked me out of England as I wasn’t making any money. In a way, it was fortuitous. They kicked us out and that put me into the world I wanted to be in. I started doing gigs in Belgium and Northern Europe and decided I’m going to stay here and keep going, because it was too good!

Belgium has been very receptive to me. I came at a good time because this was the late ‘60s, Woodstock had happened and they were looking for some sort of Woodstock scene! My first gig after being in the country for only a couple weeks was at a big event in Brussels. I entered a room that held about 700 people, it was packed. There were so many people on the stage, I had to wade through bodies to get to the microphone. That began something positive for me. I started to become known. It all stemmed from the movement created by Woodstock and this desire to join in internationally with the spirit that was happening in America. So, they chose their American! At the same time, I started touring West Germany and I took in every corner of that country too.

I remark that his early career appears to have been a perfect trifecta of timing, location and talent.

TZ: It always is, isn’t it? You run into things and you just happen to be there. My life has been like that all along. These coincidences which have been beneficial for me. I arrive in a place and it works out, you know. In Germany, the mood was a little bit different than Belgium. The students were still reeling from World War II and what had happened politically in Germany. They were saying we’re going to make sure this doesn’t happen again and, in the early ‘70s, they were supporting anything positive that came along. I was a cultural outlaw for them and they supported that very strongly. I had that good run of 15 years with Germany as well. It was great and I was working all the time. I remember one year in the mid-‘70s, I did over 250 gigs!

I had great audiences all through the ‘70s, until the students got older, started having families and children and then I lost my audience. This happened at the same time as MTV came along in 1984. That ruined everything! However, it was a fortuitous moment too as it brought me into other things and took me into another world.

The Dead, Miles, and Moondog

I wanted to hear about Tucker’s student days in San Francisco. His song “Old Hippies Lament,” namechecks Wavy Gravy and Ken Kesey. I wondered if his immersion in the late ‘50s counterculture had influenced him creatively.

TZ: The thing is, I was part of that movement. I grew up in my teen years, 10 years up through high school, in the country on a ranch. But I came back in 1958 to go to college in San Francisco, and I plunged immediately into the Beat era. That movement influenced me the most. The writing of Kerouac, Ferlinghetti, and Ginsberg got me going.

Tucker says that in ’64–’65 he lived on Downey Street in Haight-Ashbury.

TZ: [It] was the cheapest rent in the city! You could get a flat or apartment for $60 a month. That’s why I went there, because it was cheap! Garcia and the Grateful Dead were living one block over. The Dead were playing almost every weekend at the Avalon. I didn’t miss a set.

Within the Dead camp, Tucker found common ground with Phil Lesh.

TZ: I was studying musical theory and composition in San Francisco and he was across the bay at Mills College. He was also a student composer and we met at concerts of our music. That’s how I got to know him. We shared this idea of being student composers. I knew him as a trumpet player and he was pretty good. I heard his compositions, he heard mine and we exchanged ideas. We never became close friends but I knew him.

In late ’65, however, he says the demographic of Haight-Ashbury changed.

TZ: We had a nice community up until the invasion started happening. People, kids…started moving in. They heard the news, you know, and paradise was gone.

This period was also the golden era of West Coast jazz. The San Francisco scene in particular was a vibrant one, cantered around venues such as the Blackhawk and Bop City. Tucker recounts one of those “I was there” moments, disclosing that he was at the Blackhawk in 1958 when Miles Davis and John Coltrane were rehearsing the running order for Kind of Blue.

TZ: It was an incredible moment in my life. I’ll never forget it. It was a small club with little round tables where you’re supposed to hold your drinks, and I was right in front of Miles Davis. He was looking right at me when he was playing, Coltrane was off to my left, and Adderley was off to my right. That was pretty much the unit. It was overpowering in a way, because these guys played, I mean, really played. I attended all three performances. I think Miles got tired of looking at me one point. He turned his back on me and played in the other direction. He was a funny guy, in a way, because I think maybe he didn’t like white people. With good reason. I understood it.

Tucker also sought out John Lewis, who led the Modern Jazz Quartet.

TZ: I met him several times on purpose as an invitation to sit and talk about music. And he was interested that I was composing. I knew when the MJQ was coming to the Blackhawk and we’d set up a meeting at his hotel, which was right next door. We’d spend an hour in the afternoon, before the gig, talking about composition. He would analyze what he thought about Bartok, for instance. He had great musical knowledge, which went way beyond jazz. I considered them lessons. He talked, I listened and I absorbed. I wasn’t going to butt in because it was too interesting.

As for Tucker’s other musical influences, I had heard that Moondog and Leadbelly were important figures for him.

TZ: Well, those recordings, of course. I actually met Moondog later on in Germany in the ‘80s but that’s another story. I ran into some recordings of their music. Leadbelly and Moondog are quite different, but both touched me deeply.

Tucker says that listening to “On the Streets of New York” and “Snaketime Rhythms” as a 10-year-old gave him his first idea of someone being a composer.

TZ: Oh, people can do that? They can construct things and play them, make them perform them. That was cool. With Leadbelly, it was more abstract in the sense that I loved his voice and the sound of the 12-string guitar. I said to myself, someday, maybe I’ll play music like this and if I do, I’ll have to have a 12-string. And that’s exactly what happened. I still only play the 12-string.

Ten Songs

We then talk about Tucker’s time in England. I was intrigued how he met and befriended the legendary producer, Tony Visconti.

TZ: I didn’t have a work permit, only a three-month visa. I said, well, I’m going to try to find gigs anyway. I went around to several clubs, including Les Cousins in Soho. The guy heard me play and said, ‘I’d love to take you on, but do you have a work permit?’ In the same room was this young guy, Nick Jones, who was a sort of hanger-on but in a nice way. He was the son of Max Jones, the jazz editor of Melody Maker. Nick came up to me and said, “I like what you’re doing. It’s a shame you can’t get anything going.” Nick knew everyone on the scene at the time, partly through his father and the magazine. One of them was Tony Visconti. He said, “I want you to meet this guy, you might get along” and he took me over to the demo studios at Regal Zonophone.

Tony had only been in England a few weeks. He’d been brought over by Denny Cordell. Tony was getting started. He’d done some arranging and a little bit of production. We clicked personally and immediately became friends. Over the next couple weeks, he heard more of my music and wanted to record it. Denny had gone to America and left Tony in charge of the place. Tony said, “Listen, I’m not going to talk to Denny; we’re going to go in the studio and record.” Of course, when Denny came back, he was pissed off, “You shouldn’t have done that. I don’t want this artist.” Tony says, “Well, I do” and that began a more solid foundation between Tony and me. He stood up for me and found gigs for me under a fake name. We were actually talking about doing a duet together at one point and played a couple gigs as Tony & Tucker. We’ve remained friends ever since.

The Song-Poet

Tucker vehemently resists the label “singer-songwriter,” preferring the epithet “song poet.”

TZ: Somebody gave me that tag way back before I was touring Germany in the early ‘70s. I accepted it. It sounded right, and I never paid much attention to it. I’m glad it happened because these days it seems everybody is a singer-songwriter. I know they haven’t put in 50 years of work to be where they are, and I don’t know how much more they would do. They’re so young, some of them, and I know most of them will drop out. I don’t have any respect for that tag “singer-songwriter.” I’m glad I have this “song poet” thing to fall back on.

We then exchanged thoughts about the modern curse of pigeonholing musicians by label or genre, which prompted an impassioned response from Tucker.

TZ: Well, that’s good as I don’t want to be a pigeon! I don’t like to be pigeon-holed and I’ll resist it. When people say, “Oh, well, you know, that sounds a lot like Townes van Zandt,” I’ll say I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to know because you’re already letting the pigeons crap on you!

I ask Tucker about the intense periods of writing he refers to as “river runs”–what prompts them and how he engages with them on the creative plane.

TZ: I had a big run on poetry in the first 10 years of this century, and there’s been moments when I’ve had periods of intense writing, but they come unexpectedly. I’ve no control over that. It’s sudden, I have to do it, and if I didn’t, I’d get in trouble with myself. If you don’t follow these things, it’ll block up and cause all kinds of problems. But that’s not actually the reason. The reason is that it feels so good to do it. There was one period in the ‘90s somewhere, I wrote 80 songs in a week. That seldom happens. I was running between my writing desk and my Pro Tools, and I’d write the lyrics, run over and make up the song.

Tucker volunteers that the day before, he had been looking over the lyrics for his new record.

TZ: Nick Holton at Big Potato proposed another album and we’re finishing that one right now. It’s called “Dream Me a Dream.” We recorded it here in my studio. Nick came with his recording material, even though I have Pro Tools. He said, ‘Let’s leave that aside. You don’t have to worry about doing that. You just concentrate.’ We sat on the other side of the studio at my writing desk, I had the guitar and let the songs come out. 11 or 12 of them, most new and a couple of old ones.

“I Consider Myself a Drummer More Than a Guitarist”

This being a FJ interview, I naturally wanted to ask Tucker about the 12-strings he has owned, in particular the ones made by Tony Zematis and Božo Podunavac. I had been forewarned, however, that Tucker is somewhat reluctant to indulge the nitty-gritty of guitar nerdom.

TZ: I’ve been surrounded by people in the ‘70s and, even still today, who want to talk about guitars and strings! I’m not interested. I’m not a guitar player. I use the guitar. I consider myself a drummer more than a guitarist, because I play a drum that has nice sounds…chords. That’s how I treat it. I don’t change the strings on my guitar for two, three or four years. I think the strings have been on there for five years right now! I don’t change them, it’s too much trouble. I know a little bit about guitars, of course, because I’ve looked around for good 12-strings. I’m always open for a new 12-string!

I played the Zematis for a few months, then found too many faults in it. It was not a good guitar. Then, a friend in Holland found a Božo for me, and all I knew was that Leo Kottke played one. I love the sound of it on his recordings. My friend called up and said there’s a Božo in Utrecht, you’d better come up and look. And it was cheap, 1600 guilders. It was a good guitar, so I got it and used that for a long time.

Music by River, Words by Ear

Before wrapping up, I wanted to ask Tucker about the origins of “River Barge,” a melancholic, haunting track that conjures images of fog-bound marshlands and a sullen northern European river.

TZ: Well, I wrote it in Maastricht, which is on the Meuse. I’d been bicycling with an American friend, a sculptor who I’ve known for over 50 years. Another artist in my life! He was setting up an outdoor exhibit sculpture. I had been working on this poem all day long, looking at the river and thinking about the barges going by. I thought, would I like to live on one for a while to see what it was like? In my head, I was composing all these verses about the river barge. We finished the exhibit, went bicycling and ended up at a cafe above Maastricht eating potato soup. I had written about 16 verses, which I read to John. He listened and said “there’s too much river barge.” That night I got home, picked up my guitar, and reduced the 16 verses down to three. John pushed me into reforming the poem and I made it into a song. I still play it with my trio.”

I mention that it’s a personal favorite, lyrically and musically, and his response is entirely in keeping with what Zach had told me about Tucker’s ability to speak directly to the best and most engaged version of whoever he is talking to.

TZ: Thank you for the compliment. I’m glad because it reaches out and touches you. That’s why I write. It’s important we keep in contact with everybody. When I sing for people, that’s the initial point. If we lose that, we’re gone. The person sitting next to you is a friend that you don’t know yet. I cannot be with a person and ignore them. Even waiting at a stoplight, across the street there’s somebody next to me. I say, how you doing, in French or whatever. Maybe not much comes of it in terms of words, but they know that I know them. I recognize them as another human being. An example is you asking for an interview. Of course, I will. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to sit and talk.This was good. I appreciate you being there. I have to find Marie Claire with the oatmeal!

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On this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Adam Dardeck and Andy Cambria of The Music Emporium. Founded in 1968 by Stu Cohen, The Music Emporium is one of the most successful retailers of boutique and vintage guitars in the world. This year, the Lexington, Mass.-based store is sponsoring our 2026 Fretboard Summit and, thanks to their generous support, we’re granting our first-ever scholarships to the guitar festival!

To apply for the scholarship, go here.

Follow The Music Emporium here.

We talk to Adam and Andy about the new program, the Summit, how The Music Emporium has evolved over the years, 2026 retail sales, the brands that they are loving right now, and more. Plus: Even more Summit updates.

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and podcast tapings with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

This year’s Summit has over 80 luthiers and brands showcasing their new and prototype gear!

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal’s quarterly print magazine: https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
(Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

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For episode 113 of Luthier on Luthier, I’m joined by guitarist and educator Sean McGowan.

We focus on his recent Archtop Foundation recording project, featuring 20 tracks across nine exceptional Blue series archtop guitars, and dig into his detailed approach to capturing their unique voices in the studio. Sean also shares highlights from his musical journey, his work as an educator at the University of Colorado in Denver, and the realities of making a living as a modern musician.

Link: https://seanmcgowanguitar.com/

Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac.

Michael Bashkin’s Hub of Acoustics 2026 US Academy: https://hubofacoustics.com/en/#Colorado_Academy

Want to support Luthier on Luthier? Join our Patreon to get access to exclusive photos and content from Michael and his builds.

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Issue 59 of the Fretboard Journal is an instrument lover’s dream. Legends, some fresh faces, historic guitars, interviews with songwriting heroes, and even a philosophy lesson.

Here are some highlights found in this issue’s 128 keepsake pages.

Nearly every guitar fanatic has thought about building their own instrument. The Fretboard Journal‘s Mike Buchman flies to Colorado to make his dream come true under the watchful eye of luthier Robbie O’Brien. He documents the process…and the finished product.

The word troubadour is tossed around far too often these days, but what else can we call songwriter Jesse Welles? Musician Bob Minner talks to Welles about small-town living, small-bodied guitars, and the power of social media to spread a song far and wide.

Tube amps don’t have to look like old Fenders. Case in point: Vancouver, British Columbia’s Gary Economy, who creatively repurposes old radios and telecommunication relics to house his guitar amplifier builds. Writer Brian Lynch pays a visit to Economy’s studio to hear all about his latest upcycling adventures.

Frequent contributor and The Luthier’s Tool Box author Jamie Etherington talks to Welsh primitive guitarist Gwenifer Raymond. How does a young guitarist from a small village in the UK become enamored in the music of John Fahey? Etherington finds out…and so much more…while acclaimed guitar photographer Eleanor Jane takes the pics.

Ella Feingold has taken the record industry (and Instagram) by storm. The guitarist, who has performed with Charlie Hunter, Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, and Erykah Badu – has a knack for rhythm guitar and demystifying the playing of Jeff Buckley, Prince and others like no one else. It’s no wonder that everyone from Johnny Marr to Bill Frisell now follows her. David Von Bader talks to Ella about her background, her mentors, playing funk authentically, and more.

Can the right guitar calm the nerves? Writer Noah Lekas delves into the zen of music as a discovery journey and what Krishnamurti calls a “conclusion mindset” through the lens of guitar. Art by Donald Groscost.

Michael Watts accompanies guitar wizard Alan Gogoll into Hansa Studios, the famed recording studio where Bowie, U2, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Depeche Mode all re-invented themselves.

Jeff Tweedy is in the midst of a creative streak like few others. Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde talks to the Wilco frontman about Twilight Override, his triple-solo album; the joys of working with your kids; and his ever-growing guitar collection.

Remember Ann Brashares 2001 book, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Twenty-five years later, musician Daniel Marcus Clark writes about an archtop guitar that – like those jeans – seems to fit just about everybody. The instrument, a 1942 D’Angelico New Yorker, was originally built for a jazz hero, but ended up in the hands of Leo Kottke. Clark documents its history and its many travels.

To celebrate our 59th issue, we take a peek at the mystique of the 1959 sunburst Les Paul with help from the experts from Emerald City Guitars. ECG’s Trevor Boone and Tyler Geske have seen and authenticated dozens of these coveted instruments. What do they look for when they pop open a Lifton case? You may just be surprised…

Want this issue? Subscribe today and we’ll send it to you.

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Guitarist, composer and Berklee professor Lyle Brewer joins us this week.

We talk about his journey as a professional guitarist and educator, how he ended up teaching at Berklee (and what the students are listening to), his influences (from Pat Metheny to Andy Shauf), his love for nylon-string guitars, workshopping new music on the internet, and so much more.

Brewer has a ton of insights on composing, songwriting, the future of AI and music, and more.

https://lylebrewermusic.net

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here.

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On today’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we talk to guitarist (and frequent Fretboard Journal contributor) Ryan Richter, who just wrapped up playing two of the most talked-about sets at Coachella backing Dijon.

We discuss the prep that went into Dijon’s Coachella performances, the gear he used, and more.

Give a listen to Ryan’s solo albums here: https://ryanrichter.bandcamp.com

Join us at our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago for three days of guitar demos, concerts, workshops and podcast tapings with some of our favorite artists: https://fretboardsummit.org

The festival takes place August 20-22, 2026.

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation. (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout) and Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar. 

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Guitarist Michael Daves and mandolinist Jacob Jolliff join us this week to talk about their latest project, ‘We Like Jim & Jesse!’ The album, a tribute to Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, features 10 tracks by the famed bluegrass duo.

During our conversation, we talk about the magic of Jim & Jesse McReynolds, some of the unique quirks of their performance style (including Jesse’s wild fingernail routine), how Michael and Jacob recorded this tribute and more.

https://michaeldavesjacobjolliff.bandcamp.com/album/we-like-jim-jesse

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here.

The post Podcast 546: Michael Daves and Jacob Jolliff on Jim & Jesse first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

Musician/composer/arranger Gabe Noel (Sombr, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Dijon) shares his latest instrument acquisition, an incredibly rare 1930s Rickenbacker tenor guitar with a built-in motorized vibrola system.

He also jams with a player piano, proving that even the quirkiest of vintage instruments can sound great in the right hands.

https://www.gabenoel.com

We’ll share more on Gabe and this instrument in the 60th issue of our print magazine, out later in 2026. Subscribe to get it.

Register today for our 2026 Fretboard Summit in Chicago: https://fretboardsummit.org

It’s three days of concerts, workshops, panel discussions, a lutherie showcase and surprises, just for guitar lovers. The festival takes place August 20-22, 2026 at Chicago’s Old Town School.

Stills and filming by Jim Newberry

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Acclaimed guitarist Roy Rogers joins us this week to talk about his unique gear choices, working with John Lee Hooker, vintage amps, his new album and so much more!

Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics.

Some of the topics discussed this week:

:56 Eric Barbour’s the Tube Dumpster in Vacuum Tube Valley: 6K6, 6F6, 6Y6 tubes

2:39 A flea market Tweed Bassman

8:51 A Garnet book giveaway!

13:42 What’s on Skip’s bench: A distribution pre-amp

17:12 Special guest: Roy Rogers: ‘The Sky’s the Limit’ (his new album, out now!); Mesa Boogie Mark IIB and Epiphone Electar Zephyr amps; DeArmonds in flattop acoustics; Martin New Yorkers; his custom Chappell Guitars double-neck; Johnny Shines; working with John Lee Hooker; the Hot Spot soundtrack (with Roy Rogers, Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, and Taj Mahal!!)

Get Roy’s new album here: https://royrogers.hearnow.com/

Order ‘Gaynell’s Kitchen – Down Home Cooking from A Wayward Southern Belle’: https://amzn.to/41mcZBn

1:27:45 How can a Traynor Bassmaster Mk. II be rated at 90 watts, while the same power-tubed YBA-1 is only 40?

1:32:14 Is Skip related to Chris Shiflett?

1:33:01 Never trust, always double-check; output transformers

1:34:29 An October meetup at Skip’s, maybe

Want amp tech Skip Simmons’ advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

Want to support the show? Join our Patreon page to get to the front of the advice line, see exclusive pics, the occasional video and more.

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

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The incredibly talented Wendy Eisenberg joins us this week to talk about their new, self-titled album, which just earned a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork.

Wendy talks about their start playing music in Western Massachusetts, the perils of awful guitar instructors, discovering prog rock (and eventually jazz…and singer-songwriters), and so much more. Hosted by Sofia Wolfson.

https://www.wendyeisenberg.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here.

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Mike & Mike’s Substack: https://mmguitarbar.substack.com

Above photo: Eleanor Petry

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Thomm Jutz’s story is unlike any other we’ve ever shared.

Born in the Black Forest of Germany, Jutz became obsessed with American music when, at the age of 11, he saw Bobby Bare on TV. He eventually moved to Nashville, where he has worked with Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier, Billy Strings, and others. These days, he also teaches songwriting at Belmont University.

On this week’s podcast, we talk to the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer about his new solo album, Ring-A-Bellin’, its companion book, his secrets for success in Nashville, and so much more. It’s a great chat.

https://thommjutz.com

Order the Ring-A-Bellin’ book: https://thommjutz.com/store

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal print magazine here.

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Mike & Mike’s Substack: https://mmguitarbar.substack.com

Above photo: Otis

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This week, we’re chatting with Rhys John Stubbs, founder of UK-based Bigfoot Engineering. Rhys is best known for his effects pedals, but he just released a beautiful album of original acoustic guitar instrumentals called ‘Zems.’ We love it.

We talk about Rhys’ journey through music (and how a Fretboard Journal video with the Milk Carton Kids shaped his playing!), his love for acoustic guitars, pedal production, and so much more.

https://www.bigfootengineering.com/

Listen to ‘Zems’: https://www.bigfootengineering.com/music.html#/

Our next Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Mike & Mike’s Substack: https://mmguitarbar.substack.com

The post Podcast 543: Rhys John Stubbs (Bigfoot Engineering) first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



Singer-songwriter John Craigie joins us this week to talk about his new album, I Swam Here.

https://johncraigie.com

We also talk about Craigie’s unique humor during his sets, his Beatles covers, album covers, and so much more.

Plus…a really exciting Fretboard Summit update. Our next Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Above photo: Savannah Lauren

The post Podcast 542: John Craigie first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

For episode 112 of the podcast, I’m talking with Otto D’Ambrosio.

Otto wears two hats—as a solo luthier and Chief Designer at Eastman Guitars—and he walks us through his journey from working with legends like Flip Scipio, John Monteleone, and Carl Thompson to his role today, bridging the gap between hands-on building and production design.

We talk about how the pandemic pushed him into 3D CAD, changing the way he collaborates with Eastman’s workshops, and dive into some of his design work—including the Fullertone neck system, his boutique archtop builds, and an upcoming project comparing domestic and European tonewoods.
Links:

https://dambrosioguitars.com/
Luthier on Luthier is hosted by Michael Bashkin of Bashkin Guitars and brought to you by the Fretboard Journal. This episode is sponsored by the Looth Group, Dream Guitars and StewMac.

Michael Bashkin’s Hub of Acoustics 2026 US Academy: https://hubofacoustics.com/en/#Colorado_Academy

Want to support Luthier on Luthier? Join our Patreon to get access to exclusive photos and content from Michael and his builds.

The post Luthier on Luthier: Otto D’Ambrosio first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



This week, the Fretboard Journal’s Sofia Wolfson talks to Tulsa, Oklahoma-based songwriter Ramsey Thornton. Ramsey is a multi-instrumentalist with a love for both banjo and guitar. In fact, he’s one of those rare individuals who boasts a graduate degree in banjo!

We hear all about it and about Ramsey’s forthcoming debut album, I Called It! 

Follow Ramsey here: https://www.instagram.com/ramsey.thornton/

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

The post Podcast 541: Ramsey Thornton first appeared on Fretboard Journal.

Our annual Fretboard Summit is a unique event where we spare no expense. For three days, attendees participate in workshops, panel discussions, jaw-droppingly great concerts and hands-on exhibits, along with one of the world’s largest showcases of modern guitarmaking. It’s like no other public guitar gathering out there.

We are grateful for all the attendees – literally from around the world – who show up to support this weekend. We also want our annual guitar gathering to be as diverse as possible and to inspire the next generation of luthiers, players and students.

With that in mind, we’re pleased to launch the Summit’s inaugural Pay It Forward program, a sponsorship program that will grant full, all-access passes to individuals who want to participate in the Summit but can’t due to financial hardship. (Note: We unfortunately cannot cover airfare, hotel or travel expenses.)

To apply for the program, simply fill out this questionnaire.

Thanks to a generous sponsorship from The Music Emporium, we’ll be granting ten full-access, three-day passes to players, builders, students or content creators in 2026. The Summit is a once-in-a-lifetime weekend where you can meet the leaders of the gear space and some truly inspiring artists. Connections get made in truly impactful ways. We’d love for you to be a part of our community.

Our team will review all the applicants and notify the recipients by May 15, 2o26.

The post Announcing the 2026 Fretboard Summit Pay It Forward Program first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



Episode 162 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps! This week, we go deep on Canadian amps, tremolo tweaks, and tech tips. Plus: Rumors of a possible TAVA meetup at Skip’s and a (very short) poetry slam!

Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Use the discount code TAVA10MOD for a one-time, 10% discount on Mod Electronics orders at https://www.modelectronics.com. Usable on speakers, amp kits, pedal kits, reverb tanks, etc. Offer ends April 11, 2026.

Some of the topics discussed this week:

:00 Skip has a cold

2:04 SF’s The Fab Mab (Wikipedia), 1971 Guitar Player magazine advice; changing the vibrato speed on a Fender Super Reverb

8:42 The answer to last episode’s baffler: The Canadian Standards Association; TAVA merch?

11:30 Caveat emptor: A UTC output transformer; why is my reverb not working?

26:12 Lead dress 101

31:40 An amp sale/TAVA gathering at Skip’s? (Follow our Instagram for updates/polls)

40:01 Harmony H410 and speaker impedance

44:10 Why is the tremolo on my 1969 Traynor YSR-1 Custom Reverb head not working and how can I slow it down?

50:38 Can you put variable capacitors in a guitar circuit?

53:11 Series filaments and a Berlant Concertone MCM-2; the Epiphone Rivoli EA-65 schematic

1:00:27 Gibson Falcon mods; whatever happened to the reissue Falcon?

1:07:24 Tech tip: Hammond 154M chokes (Amplified Parts link)

1:12:10 Guitarist Chuck Wayne

1:14:05 Spaghetti sauce with meat; getting Skip an iPhone; tremolo using bias modulation on the power tubes; the Ampeg Supereverb

1:22:21 Garnet amps and Kale; the Garnet Herzog

1:24:43 A listening room for Dynaco amps and Acoustic Research turntables

Above: Listener Bruce’s Berlant Concertone MCM-2, which he definitely shouldn’t mod

Want amp tech Skip Simmons’ advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

Want to support the show? Join our Patreon page to get to the front of the advice line, see exclusive pics, the occasional video and more.

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

The post The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 162 first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



Portland, Oregon-based musicians Eric Skye and Jonah Sissoyev join us this week to talk about Jonah’s beautiful new EP, ‘A Place Called Nowhere.’

The EP’s origin story begins with Jonah asking Eric, an acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist and Santa Cruz Guitar Co. signature model artist, for guitar lessons. Once he heard Jonah’s songs, Eric offered to produce and record this project.

During our chat, we hear all about their collaboration, Eric’s recording techniques (including some DIY home recording advice), the Stew-Mac kit guitar that Jonah built for himself, and so much more.

Listen to Jonah’s EP here:
https://jonahsissoyev.hearnow.com/a-place-called-nowhere

Follow Eric: https://www.instagram.com/eric.skye.guitar/

Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Register today: https://fretboardsummit.org

We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).

Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com

Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com

Mike & Mike’s Substack: https://mmguitarbar.substack.com 

The post Podcast 540: Jonah Sissoyev & Eric Skye first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



Episode 161 of the Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast, where amp tech Skip Simmons tackles all of your questions about guitar tube amps.

Thank our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. Use the discount code TAVA10MOD for a one-time, 10% discount on Mod Electronics orders at https://www.modelectronics.com. Usable on speakers, amp kits, pedal kits, reverb tanks, etc. Offer ends April 11, 2026.

Some of the topics discussed this week:

:42 Phil Upchurch and ‘What It’s Like to Be a Musician’

3:25 On the Bench: A non-working outboard tremolo by Skip, a unique Massie trem circuit, putting trem in a Bassman 100, bias modulating tremolo

9:57 A TAVA giveaway (Thank you, Union Tube & Transistor and Exile!)

14:44 An Electro-Music Baffler, answered; a vintage Roberts electric mandolin; Tiny Moore; Bob Wills in Sacramento

25:12 Follow our Instagram page and help us get to 10,000 followers, the Garnet amp book (link), the Garnet Herzog

28:16 An amp tech for Guam

36:12 Working on a Johnson Celestion, why were some volume pots in front of the first tube? the best spare 6V6s to seek out

42:02 Talking Micro-Frets guitars on the Fretboard Journal Podcast (link)

43:13 Why is my Fender Super 60 so noisy?

49:30 A 1968 Fender Super Reverb with replaced transformers, using the extra secondaries? bias talk

56:03 Homemade salsa

59:19 Recommended reading: Proper Records’ ‘Hillbilly Boogie’ box set (Amazon link)

1:00:33 Recommended watching: ‘The Life We Have’ (YouTube link, warning: it’s a tear jerker)

1:01:46 The Webster-Chicago 166-1 vs. the Voice of Music 160 amp schematics; homemade chicken wings

Want amp tech Skip Simmons’ advice on your DIY guitar amp projects? Want to share your top secret family recipe? Need relationship advice? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

Want to support the show? Join our Patreon page to get to the front of the advice line, see exclusive pics, the occasional video and more.

Hosted by amp tech Skip Simmons and co-hosted/produced by Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journal.

Win these shirts (details around minute 10)…   

The post The Truth About Vintage Amps, Ep. 161 first appeared on Fretboard Journal.



For Episode 111, I’m joined by highly respected guitar builder Raymond Kraut.

Ray shares why he’s embraced unconventional sound ports while staying true to his traditional tone, how his porting designs have evolved over time, and what he’s learned through real-world testing.

We also dive into Ray’s Derrio Wood Company, which sources and supplies desert ironwood and other unique tonewoods. Ray talks about what makes desert ironwood so special, its tonal character, and why it’s becoming an exciting alternative for guitar builders.

Links
https://www.derriowoodco.com/

The post Luthier on Luthier: Raymond Kraut first appeared on Fretboard Journal.