Life With Strings Attached

David Sutkin | What 350 Basses Taught Me About Craft, Collecting & the World's Best Luthiers

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0200

This episode was filmed live on location in Tuscany, where we sat down with David Sutkin, founder of Bass UpFront. A global community of more than 36.000 bass players, builders, collectors, people who care deeply about the instrument.

David is known for his remarkable collection, the Bass UpFront studio and the conversation he's held built around bass culture. He brings a player's ear, a collector's eye, and a deep respect for the people who dedicate their lives to making the instruments.

We've discussed many things. The guitar's potential as functional art, the pull between utility and beauty, the value of imperfection in music, the relationships that form between players and builders, and even market demand and valuations.

I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with David Sutkin, and I hope that you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Sheldon Dingwall

Fri, 29 May 2026 15:00:00 +0200

This episode was filmed live on location in Tuscany, where I sat down with revolutionary guitar maker Sheldon Dingwall to document his biography.

He'll be the first to tell you that he didn't invent the multiscale concept, but he recognized what it could solve for the bass, replied it with purpose, and in 1993 brought the first production multiscale bass to the market. From there, Dingwall guitars has continued to innovate through hardware, pickups, strings, electronics, and notable collaborations.

Beyond all the innovations that the world sees, Sheldon is also one of the nicest guys you can meet. Thoughtful, empathetic, and kind, I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Sheldon Dingwall, and I hope that you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

50 Years of EMG | Rob Turner on Metallica, Active Pickups & the Black Box

Fri, 22 May 2026 15:00:00 +0200

Today's episode was filmed on location in Northern California at the headquarters of EMG. Our guest is Rob Turner, founder of EMG pickups, a company that helped change the sound, function, and possibility to the electric guitar, becoming synonymous with some of the most famous musicians in the world.

Rob grew up in Long Beach, California, in a family where engineering, music, electronics, and making things were part of everyday life. He describes his mother as an artist in nearly every sense of the word. His father, a pilot and engineer, worked in aerospace for McDonnell Douglas, then built his own company, building radios for monitoring airport traffic. This introduced Rob to the world of coils, signals, and sound from an unusually young age.

What I found of EMG was not a corporate machine, but Rob in his lab, still testing, still building, still asking better questions. We talk about the birth of the act of pickup, this iconic black box, Metallica, Les Paul, Tonewood, Clarity, and why a pickup is properly understood as a transducer that facilitates the player and their instruments.

I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Rob Turner, and I hope that you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Tom Anderson

Fri, 15 May 2026 15:00:00 +0200

Today's special biography episode was filmed on location at Tom Anderson Guitarworks in Southern California, with a man whose life's work is so interwoven into the modern history of guitar that it becomes difficult to see the forest for the trees. That man, of course, is Tom Anderson.

Tom's story starts in Southern California. Surf music, the British invasion, a transformative Dick Dale concert at eight years old, then a Jimi Hendrix experience at 15, all of which fueled the passion for guitar that still burns today.

What follows is a story about ethics, loyalty, hard work, great people, and the long pursuit of making the guitars he wished he had had when he was 20. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Tom Anderson and hope that you will as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Obsession Behind 2-Rock | Eli Lester

Sun, 10 May 2026 18:00:00 +0200

My guest today is Eli Lester, owner and CEO of Two-Rock Amplifiers and Divided by Thirteen. Eli is someone deeply obsessed with sound, craftsmanship, history, and the idea that the smallest details still matter.

From vintage gear and vacuum tubes to photography, hot rods, and building amplifiers component by component, his world is driven by curiosity and an unwillingness to settle for “good enough.”

What stood out to me most is that Eli still approaches this work like a fan. Even after years of building some of the most respected amplifiers in the world, he’s still chasing tone, still learning, and still trying to build something that inspires people to play.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, and I think you will too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of James Trussart

Fri, 01 May 2026 16:00:00 +0200

In this episode, I'm sitting down with legendary guitar maker James Trussart in his workshop located in Echo Park, California. From growing up on a French horse farm near the border of Luxembourg to discovering American music through nearby airbases, to hitchhiking with aspirations of becoming a vagabond.

James' story moves from farm life and American military influence to building his first instruments, later finding Cajun music in Louisiana, then eventually moving his workshop from Paris to Los Angeles. Along the way, his guitars have found their way into the hands of a diverse range of artists from Dylan to Metallica.

What unfolds here is a conversation about curiosity, about following instinct without a roadmap, and about a life shaped as much by chance encounters as by intention.

I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with James Trussart, and I hope that you will as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The New Music Industry | Linnea Sundberg

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0200

In this episode, I’m joined by Linnea Sundberg who's joining us from Brooklyn, where she’s working at the intersection of music, technology, and the evolving artist economy.

From her early days in Sweden to Oxford, to investment banking at Goldman Sachs, and into the heart of Spotify’s rise, Linnea has been part of some of the most defining shifts in modern music.

Today, she’s with UnitedMasters, helping shape a more independent and equitable future for artists. One where ownership, access, and agency are central to the conversation.

We explore what it means to build a career across disciplines, how data and emotion collide in music, and why the future of this industry may depend on how well we balance both.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation. There’s a clarity and curiosity in Linnea’s thinking that makes you look at the entire music ecosystem just a little differently.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Guitar as Art, Not Just a Tool | Michihiro Matsuda

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0200

Today, Michihiro Matsuda returns to the podcast. It feels less like a continuation and more like stepping back into an ongoing conversation that never really ended.

When you walk into Michi’s workshop, you don’t just see guitars, you see ideas in motion. Instruments at different stages, each one exploring something distinct, each one asking a different question. As he put it, even having a few finished guitars in one place feels unusual.

This is a conversation about identity of instruments, of makers, and of the guitar itself. About what it means to move beyond expectation. About why imperfection matters. And ultimately, about the simple but profound idea that a guitar isn’t just a tool for making sound, it’s something we live with, something that exists in our space, shaping our experience even when it’s not being played.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Michihiro Matsuda, and I hope you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Should Musicians Be Worried About AI? | Sourabh Pateriya

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, I’m your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode, we’re stepping into a space that is, depending on who you ask, either full of possibility… or full of uncertainty.

My guest today is Sourabh Pateriya, founder and CEO of Soundverse AI, a platform working at the intersection of music, technology, and what it means to create in a world where the tools are changing faster than ever before.

Sourabh’s path is an interesting one. From engineering to design, from Spotify (where he co-invented Basic Pitch) to working on conversational AI with Samsung’s Bixby, and now building a company focused on ethical, artist-first AI music creation… his work sits right at the edge of where creativity and technology meet.

But what makes this conversation worth having isn’t just the technology.
It’s the perspective behind it. Because before all of this, Sourabh was a musician, someone who understands what it means to make something from nothing. And now he’s asking a much bigger question: What happens when the tools of creation become accessible to everyone? And more importantly… what happens to the role of the artist?

This is a conversation about access, about authorship, about ethics… and about whether we’re building a future that expands creativity, or reshapes it entirely.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Man Who Redesigned the Guitar | Steve Klein

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0200

Today’s conversation takes place in the workshop of Steve Klein. Someone who, for more than half a century, hasn’t just built guitars, but has continuously rethought what the instrument could be.

This isn’t a conversation about legacy. It’s about what’s still unfolding.
Steve is one of those rare builders who never settled into a fixed idea. While many define their work and then repeat it, he’s continued to question, redesign, and push forward. Still chasing new forms, new functions, and new ways the guitar can meet the player.

What struck me most being here is that the thinking hasn’t slowed. If anything, it’s sharpened. There are still ideas on the bench. Still questions being asked. Still things to say. And that’s where we begin, not with where it started, but with where it is right now.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, and I think you will too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Lesson Every Maker Needs to Hear | Ervin Somogyi

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, I’m your host Jamie Gale.
There are certain figures in guitar making whose influence runs so deep, it begins to shape not just instruments, but the way we think about them. Ervin Somogyi is one of those voices.

His influence can be felt across generations of makers. Names like Jason Kostal, Michihiro Matsuda, and Raymond Kraut. Each carrying forward a piece of that thinking in their own way.

In this conversation, we move far beyond the guitar as an object, and into the philosophy of sound, perception, and the quiet discipline of listening. We explore what it means to truly understand tone, why hand skills have been undervalued in modern culture, and how small, intentional changes can unlock profound differences in an instrument’s voice.

Ervin reflects on a lifetime of questioning, refining, and perhaps most importantly, remaining curious. This is not a conversation about certainty. It’s about exploration, humility, and the long arc of learning how to hear.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I think you will too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Role of the Artisan in the Age of AI | Grit Laskin | LWSA Ep 100

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0100

Welcome to the 100th episode of Life With Strings Attached. There are certain conversations that stay with you. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, they’re the ones you get to return to. For this milestone episode, it felt right to come back to where it all began by welcoming back our very first guest, William “Grit” Laskin.

Grit is one of the most respected voices in modern guitar making. But more than that, he’s a thinker whose work continues to shape how we understand the guitar, not only as an instrument, but as a vessel for meaning.

Recorded in Grit’s Toronto workshop, surrounded by the raw materials that eventually become instruments capable of moving people, this conversation feels both grounded and expansive. It reflects on where we’ve come, what has changed, and what still remains unresolved.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Experience Filters w/ Neural DSP, Fishman, D'Addario & Two Rock | Live Panel Discussion

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life with Strings Attached. Today's episode is recorded live in Anaheim, California at The NAMM Show as part of the 125th anniversary of NAMM within the 10th annual Boutique Guitar Showcase.

As part of these special anniversary events, we moderated a three part series of panel discussions on the unwritten future of guitar.

This second part features Francisco Cresp of Neural DSP, Larry Fishman of Fishman, Chris Griffiths of D'Addario and Eli Lester of Two Rock as we discuss 'Experience Filters in the guitar world, live from the BGS Booth at The NAMM Show 2025.

Our panelists are some of the most influential people in the guitar business today. I hope you enjoy this special three part series on Life with Strings Attached.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Verso Instrument's New "LOG" Lapsteel and Creativity through Play

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Robin Stummvoll returns to the podcast to talk about the release of Verso Instruments’ latest design and the broader ideas that continue to shape his work.

Robin is a designer and luthier whose work consistently challenges how we think about guitars, materials, and musical interfaces. This time, our focus turns to the lap steel. An instrument with no fixed archetype and enormous expressive potential. From innovation in tuning and construction to the physics of sound, perception, and play, we explore how curiosity drives both design and music.

Our conversation also moves beyond instruments, touching on childhood creativity, learning through play, emotional connection, and why making sound matters. Especially in uncertain times.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Robin, and I hope you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Guitar UI w/ Bob Taylor, Ola Strandberg & Sheldon Dingwall | Live Panel Discussion

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life with Strings Attached. Today's episode is recorded live in Anaheim, California at The NAMM Show as part of the 125th anniversary of NAMM within the 10th annual Boutique Guitar Showcase.

As part of these special anniversary events, we moderated a three part series of panel discussions on the unwritten future of guitar.

This second part features Bob Taylor, Ola Strandberg and Sheldon Dingwall as we discuss 'User Interface' in Guitar Design, live from the BGS Booth at The NAMM Show 2025.

Our panelists are some of the most influential people in the guitar business today. I hope you enjoy this special three part series on Life with Strings Attached.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Future Collectibles w/ George Gruhn, Dustin Miller & Joe Glaser | Live Panel Discussion

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Fretboard Journal's Legacy and the Evolution of Guitar Culture, with Jason Verlinde

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I’m your host, Jamie Gale.
In this episode, I’m joined by Jason Verlinde, publisher and co-founder of The Fretboard Journal; one of the most respected voices in guitar culture today.

Jason’s work has always focused on documenting the deeper stories behind guitars, the builders, the players, the history, and the community that surrounds the instrument. For over twenty years, The Fretboard Journal has prioritised quality, curiosity, and independence over trends and hype.

In our conversation, we talk about Jason’s journey from music journalism to building a publication rooted in personal taste, the balance between commerce and culture, and how the Fretboard Summit has become a meaningful gathering point for the guitar community.

I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Jason, and I hope you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Experience Over Ownership: A Conversation on Collecting Guitars

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, I’m your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode I’m sitting in the home of Lou Vergne for a very special collector-focused conversation, one that isn’t really about collecting at all.

It’s about relationships; with instruments, with the people who make them, and with the experiences that give those objects meaning. We talk about discovery over acquisition, use over display, and why definition can sometimes feel like confinement.

Lou shares what it means to live with guitars rather than simply own them, how curiosity guides his choices, and why the stories behind an instrument matter just as much as the sound it makes.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

"I'm still an album guy." - Adam Miller on the Music Industry

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined by Adam Miller. A musician whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, technology, and deeply personal musical expression.

Adam is one of those rare artists who understands music not just as performance, but as process. From recording and production, to collaboration, touring, and the evolving relationship between musicians and the instruments they choose.

In this conversation, we explore how technology has reshaped the way music is made and released, why Adam still thinks in albums rather than singles, and how boutique guitar makers, multi-scale design, and extended-range instruments have influenced his sound.

This is a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation with an artist who’s always asking why and not just how.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Michael Sankey on Acoustics, Bracing & the Builder–Player Relationship

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined by luthier Michael Sankey.
This conversation is rooted in a simple but demanding idea: showing up.

Showing up to the work, to curiosity, and to questions that don’t have easy answers. Mike’s guitars are known for resisting category, but that resistance comes from something deeper. A willingness to examine why we do things the way we do, and whether those ideas still serve us.

We talk about originality, tradition, and what happens when instruments are treated not just as tools, but as living objects shaped by listening and intent. From ultralight guitars to broader reflections on art, culture, and change, this episode is less about making a case and more about staying open.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Truth About Vintage Gear, Nostalgia & Modern Music with Julien Bitoun

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I’m your host, Jamie Gale. Today, I’m joined by someone whose curiosity about the guitar has taken him across countries, genres, and generations of musical history: Julien Bitoun.

Julien is a guitarist, an author, a content creator, and a lecturer. You’ve read his work in major French publications, and you may know his books Les Paul: 70 Years, Guitars and Heroes, Gallagher’s Guitars, and Woodstock Live.

What I love most about Julien isn’t just his knowledge, it’s his spirit of exploration. He follows his curiosity wherever it leads, whether he’s tracing the cultural geography of American guitar making or creating something new simply because it brings him joy. His career wasn’t planned; it unfolded because he kept saying yes, kept learning, and kept playing.

Today, we talk about creativity, opportunity, and what happens when you allow adventure, rather than fear, to shape your path. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Julien. I hope you did as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Ola Strandberg's Empowering the Next Generation in Retail

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode, I sit down with Ola Strandberg to talk about a shift that's happening right now in the guitar world. The next generation musicians isn't looking back. They're looking for instruments that fit their bodies, their workflows, and the music that they're making today.

On tour with the boutique guitar showcase and at NAMM, we've watched younger players and younger shop staff gravitate towards guitars that are lighter, more ergonomic, more adaptable. Ola has been designing with those needs in mind for years. So his perspective on what comes next is what I wanted to discuss.

Together, we explore how the guitar is evolving and what it means to build for musicians of today and the future. I've thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Ola Strandberg and I hope that you do as much as I do.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of John Monteleone

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0100

In this special biography episode of Life With Strings Attached we explore the life and legacy of one of the most significant luthiers of our time, John Monteleone.

Born in Manhattan and raised in Islip, John grew up in a world shaped by sculpture, architecture, and music, thanks to a family deeply rooted in the arts.

From his early work repairing instruments at Mandolin Brothers to creating the Grand Artist mandolin and his celebrated archtop guitars, John developed a voice unmistakably his own. Musicians, collectors, and peers immediately recognized the “thumbprint” of a Monteleone.

His Four Seasons guitars entered the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and his craftsmanship inspired artists like Béla Fleck, Eric Clapton, and Mark Knopfler, who even honoured John with the song Monteleone.

Today, we trace the story of a maker whose curiosity, discipline, and joy have shaped a remarkable life in guitars.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Art of Guitar Making with Max Spohn

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Today I’m joined by Max Spohn, a luthier whose path into guitar making has been unusually intentional.

While many makers discover the craft by accident, Max set out early with a clear plan: a childhood surrounded by music and art, formal training in Markneukirchen, and a pivotal apprenticeship with Raymond Kraut, drawing from the Somogyi lineage.

His work reflects that depth: modern acoustic guitars shaped by design thinking, informed by early influences like Kandinsky and Klee, and rooted in the emotional connection players form with their instruments.

In our conversation, we trace Max’s journey from those early artistic foundations to finding his own visual language, learning to trust his instincts, and navigating the world of guitar shows where his work first gained real visibility.

Max says, “I think it’s okay to have a journey,” and today we explore exactly that. How intention, experimentation, and personal expression come together in the guitars he builds.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Legacy, Novelty and Evolution with Giulio Negrini

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0100

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined once again by Italian luthier Giulio Negrini. Someone who sits right at the intersection of tradition, innovation, and the changing culture of music.

Today, we’re stepping back from the bench and looking at the bigger picture: how music is evolving, what novelty means in a post–rock-era world, and why the legacy of the great musicians of the 50s through the 90s still shapes the way we think about instruments today.

We talk about the shift that’s happening right now, a shift toward new sounds, new experiences, and new expectations from players of every generation. And we explore what it means for musicians whose physical relationship with their instrument is changing, and how builders like Giulio respond to a culture that’s always moving forward.

It’s a conversation about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and why the desire for something new has never been stronger.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Michael Greenfield's Inspiration & Evolution

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined once again by master luthier Michael Greenfield. Someone whose work and thinking continue to shape the modern acoustic guitar.

In this conversation, we look at how musical inspiration evolves across generations, from the impact of cultural moments like Elvis and the Beatles to the way those sparks still influence why so many of us first picked up a guitar. And we explore how those early inspirations intersect with the changing needs of today’s aging musicians. Players who once chased volume and power but are now seeking lighter, more responsive instruments that match where their bodies and hands are today.

And then Michael shares something essential about his own journey: after decades refining his approach, the guitars he’s making today are the best he’s ever made. A lifetime of repair work, research, and obsessive problem-solving has led him to instruments that are more stable, more playable, and more expressive than anything he produced years ago.

It’s a conversation about inspiration, evolution, and the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

A Conversation with George Gruhn, Part 2

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0100

This is the second part of a two-part episode with our guest George Gruhn. If you've not listened to part one, we suggest you go and do that first. Then return here for part two.

Find the first part right here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305961/episodes/18258900

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

A Conversation with George Gruhn, Part 1

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Today, I'm speaking with someone whose name is synonymous with vintage guitars and collecting: George Gruhn. Since opening Gruhn Guitars in 1970 George has become the go-to authority for everyone, including the biggest names in guitar like Eric Clapton, Vince Gill and Paul McCartney, and frankly anyone who wants to understand the soul of a great instrument.

George changed how we think about guitars not just as tools but as cultural artefacts with stories and lineage. In this conversation we dive into the psychology of collecting the evolution of guitar design and the shifting motivations behind why we treasure these objects.

This isn't just a chat about gear. It's about history identity and the power of art that sings with you. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with George Gruhn and I hope that you do as much as I did.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

A Conversation with John Monteleone

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:00:00 +0100

Today, we sit down with one of the most celebrated living luthiers, John Monteleone, a maker whose instruments have graced museums, concert halls, and the hands of some of the world’s finest players.

From his Long Island workshop, John crafts guitars and mandolins that are as visually captivating as they are sonically alive. Instruments where Art Deco elegance meets timeless tone. His work expands the tonal palette of the guitar, inviting musicians to explore new colours, new expressions, and new possibilities.

In this conversation, we talk about his design philosophy, his love of materials, and the spirit of play that defines his craft. John reminds us that great instruments are built not only for today, but for generations to come.

This is John Monteleone. A master builder, storyteller, and keeper of the guitar’s enduring soul.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

John Mlynczak (CEO) on NAMM's Future

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0100

This week, I’m joined again by John Mlynczak, CEO of NAMM. With the NAMM Show 2025 right around the corner, we talk about what it really takes to lead the world’s largest music trade organisation in a time of rapid change.

John shares insights on how NAMM is more than just a show, it’s a mission-driven association that serves and strengthens the global music products industry all year round. From policy and tariffs to cultural insights in music making, member engagement, and even the implications of AI, John helps us understand what it means to truly serve the needs of an industry.

We also explore the deeper side of leadership: Investing in people, being honest about challenges, and staying curious in uncertain times.
It’s always a privilege to have John on the podcast, and I’m excited for you to hear his perspective on where NAMM (and our industry) are heading next.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Andy Manson

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Welcome to another special Life With Strings Attached 'Biography' episode. Today, we trace the incredible life of legendary luthier Andy Manson, a craftsman shaped as much by chaos and curiosity as by chisels and wood.

From building forts as a child in Hertfordshire to busking through Europe with a self-made guitar, Andy’s journey to becoming one of the most respected voices in luthiery is anything but ordinary.

In this deep dive, Andy shares the pivotal moments that defined him, his rebellious school years, early instrument builds, the influence of his tool-making ancestors, and the spark that led to his famed collaborations, including with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.

It’s a tale of craft, character, and creative resilience. A reminder that artistry is born not from luxury, but from living.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From A Vision To Jimmy Page’s Hands: Randy Parson’s Journey

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0100

In this episode we visit a century-old church in the heart of Kansas, now transformed into the creative sanctuary of luthier Randy Parsons.

Randy’s story is one of risk, reinvention, and the courage to live life outside the lines. We talk about creativity, faith, music, and the strange moments of luck that shape our paths. This is a story about following your calling, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Enjoy.

Find Randy's work here:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Parsons-Guitars-100064000387176/
https://www.randyparsons.net/
https://www.instagram.com/parsonsguitars/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From Repair Bench to Research Lab: Bryan Galloup Redefines the Guitar

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached! In this episode we explore the evolving world of guitar making, where craftsmanship meets innovation. From the floor of guitar shows to the heart of the workshop, we reflect on how artistry, science, and sound continue to shape our musical culture.

We pay tribute to the late Ken Parker, a visionary who redefined what a guitar could be. We also discuss the ongoing quest for authenticity, from the design bench to the stage. Along the way, we dive into Project Dreadnought, the future of tonewood research, and the emotional connection that keeps makers and musicians inspired.

This is a conversation about legacy, curiosity, and the art of building guitars that move both heart and mind.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Graph Tech: How Dave Dunwoodie Revolutionized Guitar Technology

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0200

** Whoops! It seems we've forgotten to cut out the end of the podcast, which is usually reserved for the members of our Patreon 'Business of Guitar'. Oh well, we're happy to give everyone a glimpse into what they're missing... 😉
Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/thebusinessofguitar

On this episode of Life With Strings Attached we welcome Dave Dunwoodie, founder of Graph Tech Guitar Labs Ltd. and one of the great innovators in guitar technology.

From solving the problem of strings sticking in the nut to creating breakthroughs like TUSQ, Ratio Tuners, and String Saver saddles, Dave’s work has shaped how guitars sound and play worldwide.

His story is one of persistence, curiosity, and purpose-driven design, showing how even the smallest guitar components can transform music. Join us as we explore the journey of a musician turned entrepreneur whose ideas continue to inspire the industry.

Find Dave's work here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-dunwoodie-a234308/

https://graphtech.com/

https://www.instagram.com/graphtechguitarlabs/

https://www.youtube.com/user/GraphTechGuitarLabs

https://www.facebook.com/GraphTech/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Michael Spalt

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0200

In this special Life With Strings Attached biography episode, we explore the remarkable journey of Michael Spalt. Guitar builder, sculptor, and creative force who’s redefined what a guitar can be.

From his roots in Vienna and early fascination with music and film, to his innovative Totem guitars and the founding of the Holy Grail Guitar Show and EGB, Michael has merged art, craftsmanship, and community like few others.

In this intimate conversation, Michael opens up about working in Hollywood, his disillusionment with the industry, the tactile satisfaction of building instruments, and his lifelong quest to blend narrative and function in his creations

Find Michael's work here:

https://www.spaltinstruments.com/

https://www.michaelspalt.com/

https://www.instagram.com/spaltinstruments/

https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/michael-spalt-guitars

https://www.facebook.com/spaltinstruments/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Ulrich Teuffel

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 17:00:00 +0200

In this special segment of our Luthier’s Story series we’re honoured to feature Ulrich Teuffel, visionary in the world of guitar design whose work challenges convention and redefines what it means to build an instrument.

Ulrich’s guitars are more than tools for music, they are philosophical statements. Each crafted with a deep respect for wood, sound, and the courage it takes to break from tradition.

In this conversation, we dive into the soul of Teuffel Guitars, uncovering how custom components, material integrity, and artistic intent converge in his unique creations.

Find Ulrich's work here:
https://www.teuffel.com/
https://www.instagram.com/teuffelguitars/
https://www.facebook.com/teuffel.guitars/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Art of Curation in Music Retail, with Joe Caruso of The Music Emporium

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Today on Life With Strings Attached, we’re joined by Joe Caruso of The Music Emporium in Boston: a shop that has become legendary for its thoughtful curation and deep respect for the guitar as both an instrument and a cultural icon.

In this conversation, Joe and I explore the parallels between the artisan guitar movement and the craft traditions of furniture making, the balance between heritage and innovation in guitar design, and the importance of caring for the customer experience in retail.

We’ll talk about vintage instruments and their unique stories, the challenges of navigating resale value, and how community, passion, and relationships remain the true currency of the guitar world.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

In Conversation with Richard Hoover of Santa Cruz Guitar Company

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Today on Life With Strings Attached, I sat down with Richard Hoover, founder of Santa Cruz Guitar Company. From California’s redwood forests and the threat of wildfires to the physics of string tension and modal analysis, Richard brings nearly 50 years of lutherie to this conversation.

We explore how science, craftsmanship, and empathy shape the acoustic guitar, why collaboration and open knowledge are vital for innovation, and how tradition and community continue to guide the future of guitar making.

Find Richard's work (Santa Cruz Guitar Company) here:
https://santacruzguitar.com/
https://www.instagram.com/santacruzguitar/
https://www.facebook.com/santacruzguitar/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1iV16BIJ2qG-4Z1OwV1fKg

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From Jerusalem to Guitar Mastery: The Avi Shabat Story

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0200

This week on Life With Strings Attached, I sit down with Avi Shabbat. From growing up in Jerusalem, discovering music in the middle of the grunge era and serving in the military, to building a career in sound engineering and eventually founding Shabbat guitars in Los Angeles.

Avi's story is one of resilience, collaboration, and vision. In this conversation, we talk about uncompromising craftsmanship, the Frankenstein spirit of blending influences, and what it takes to turn passion into a thriving guitar company. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Avi Shabbat. I hope that you do as much as I did.

Find Avi's work here:

https://shabatguitars.com/

https://www.instagram.com/shabatguitars/

https://www.facebook.com/shabatguitars/

https://www.youtube.com/@shabatguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Giulio Negrini

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. For this week's special biography edition of Life With Strings Attached, we're on location in Switzerland with Giulio Negrini, founder of Giulio Negrini Guitars, to uncover the remarkable journey behind one of the boutique world's most imaginative and precise builders.

From a childhood steeped in fantasy and music, to mastering classical luthiery in Italy, Giulio's story is anything but ordinary. This is a conversation about craft, conviction, and creativity you won't want to miss. It was an honour to share this time with Giulio Negrini. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Find Giulio's work here:

https://negriniguitars.com/

https://www.instagram.com/giulionegriniguitars/

https://www.facebook.com/GiulioNegriniGuitars/

https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/giulio-negrini-guitars-gng

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Dion James

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life with Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. For this week's special biography edition of Life with Strings Attached, we're on location in Edmonton, Canada to dive deep into the story of Dion James, an extraordinary guitar maker who is helping to redefine the modern acoustic guitar.

In this episode, Dion opens up about formative moments, the mentors who shaped him, and the subtle power of saying, "I can't." This is a portrait of a maker guided by intention, community, and the rhythm of real life. It was an honour to share this time with Dion James, and I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Find Dion's work here:

https://dionguitars.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/dionguitars/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Reuben Forsland on The Art of Curiosity

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0200

This week on Life With Strings Attached, we sit down with Reuben Forsland: Adventurer, innovator, and the luthier behind JOI Guitars.

Reuben’s story stretches from backcountry snowboarding and near-death kiteboarding crashes to building guitars out of hempwood, carbon fiber, and even the walls of Jimi Hendrix’s childhood home. What drives him? A relentless curiosity, a hunger for challenge, and a reverence for the emotional resonance of sound.

This episode goes beyond guitars, it’s about risk, creativity, family, identity, and the thrill of making something meaningful. Reuben doesn’t just build instruments, he builds wonder. Tune in.

Find Reuben's work here:

https://www.joiguitars.com/

https://www.instagram.com/joiguitars/?hl=nl

https://www.facebook.com/joiguitars1/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR1bpAe8BjDS5JnGAtpepDg

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Omer Deutsch: Crafting Guitars in a Time of War

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0200

This week on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined once again by Omer Deutsch, founder of OD Guitars. Omer returns with insight forged under pressure, literally. Living and working in a conflict zone, he shares how humor, community, and creativity have become essential tools for coping and resilience.

From the emotional toll of war to the deeper value of custom guitar making, Omer opens up about what it means to build something meaningful when the world around you feels uncertain. It’s raw, thoughtful, and full of humanity. I’m grateful for this conversation and I think you will be too.

Find Omer Deutsch / OD Guitars online:
Website: https://od-guitars.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/od_guitars
Facebook: https://facebook.com/odguitars
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ODGuitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Maneli Jamal on Strings, Stories, and Ikigai

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0200

Today’s guest is internationally acclaimed guitarist Maneli Jamal, known for his deeply expressive compositions and a playing style that fuses rhythmic complexity with emotional clarity.

Born in Belarus to Iranian parents, Maneli’s journey spans five countries, twenty moves before the age of 18, and a lifetime of transformation through music. In this heartfelt conversation, we explore everything from the Japanese concept of Ikigai, to the evolving music industry, to personal stories of immigration, identity, and the profound loss of a beloved pet.

Maneli shares how simplicity, curiosity, and emotional expression shape his art and how he’s turned challenges into opportunity through an entrepreneurial mindset.

🔗 Where to find Maneli Jamal:
Website: https://www.manelijamal.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ManeliJamal
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manelijamal
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SdoYdRCYxWvEiuugOerOI
Bandcamp: https://manelijamal.bandcamp.com

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Rainer Tausch

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. In this episode, we travel to the small Bavarian town of Illertissen to meet Rainer Tausch: Guitar maker, musician, and founder of Tausch Guitars.

Rainer’s journey began with a homemade guitar at age 13, inspired by the music of Hendrix, AC/DC, and Deep Purple. Over decades, he carved his own path through craftsmanship and tone, blending tradition with bold design choices like his signature use of pearwood and his flamenco-inspired 665 scale length.

We talk about his roots, the vibrant community of world-class luthiers in his region, and the power of staying true to your own creative voice. Whether you’re a builder, a player, or a fan of the craft, you won’t want to miss this one.

🔗 Find Rainer Tausch online:
Website: https://www.tausch-guitars.de
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tauschguitars
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Tausch-Electric-Guitars-100063247268267

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Why Jim D'Addario Spent his Life Chasing the Perfect String

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0200

This episode dives deep into the legacy and future of D’Addario & Company with James D’Addario, Chairman and Director of Innovation.

With roots in string making that stretch back centuries, Jim shares how his family’s craft evolved into a global leader through innovation, automation, and a relentless focus on quality.

Jim and I explore how string design affects musicianship, why clear communication is critical in marketing technical products, and the vital role of customer feedback in driving innovation.

It’s a masterclass in entrepreneurship, music technology, and what it means to lead with both precision and heart.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Amber, Meteorite, and the Mind of Rapolas Gražys

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. In this episode, we sit down with visionary guitar designer Rapolas Gražys. A creative force whose instruments are as much about storytelling and emotion as they are about sound.

From his studio in Lithuania, Rapolas shares how a childhood steeped in art, architecture, and nature led him to craft guitars from materials as extraordinary as amber, aluminum, and bismuth crystals. We explore the parallels between cooking and creativity, the tension between function and expression, and how narrative, sustainability, and beauty are embedded in every instrument he makes.

Rapolas reminds us that music is a language, and every guitar can speak volumes. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From Wine Cellars to the Workbench: Raymond Kraut’s Path to Luthiery

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Today’s guest is Raymond Kraut, an exceptional luthier whose work blurs the lines between science, art, and soul. In this conversation, Raymond and I dive deep into the evolving craft of guitar making: from the physics of sound and the role of alternative tonewoods like desert ironwood, to the emotional and instinctual layers of artistic expression.

This isn't just a story about guitars, it’s about listening closely: to the wood, to the music, and to yourself. Enjoy.

Find Raymond's work here:
https://krautguitars.com
https://www.instagram.com/krautguitars
https://www.facebook.com/krautguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | The Story of Adriano Sergio

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0200

This week on Life With Strings Attached, we dive into the remarkable story of Adriano Sérgio. An artist, musician, and luthier whose life journey is as inspiring as the guitars he creates.

From his early days as a political refugee to military service in Portugal’s elite forces, Adriano’s path has been shaped by resilience, community, and a relentless pursuit of authenticity.

In this second special bio episode, Adriano reflects on a childhood steeped in art and music, the life lessons learned through hardship and teamwork, and the transition from performer to renowned builder of custom guitars.

See Adriano's work:
https://www.ergonguitars.com
https://www.instagram.com/ergonguitars
https://www.facebook.com/ergonguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Anti-Luxury Luthier: Andy Manson on Touch, Tools, and Truth

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. In this episode we sit down with master luthier Andy Manson, a maker whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, chaos, and craftsmanship.

Andy takes us on a journey through travel, food, culture, and family legacy, weaving personal stories with deep insights into guitar making, materials, and design. He shares why he prefers tactile oil finishes over high gloss, how intimacy shapes his approach to luthiery, and why the idea of luxury guitars doesn’t sit right with him.

We talk about the emotional chaos behind the creation of the mermaid guitar, the philosophy of art versus productivity, and why crafting by hand still matters in a mass-produced world.

This one’s for the builders, the thinkers, and anyone drawn to the beauty of making something meaningful.

Find Andy's work here:
https://www.andymanson.com
https://www.instagram.com/andymansonguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Not Everything Has to Shine | A Conversation with Luthier Mario Beauregard

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:00:00 +0200

On this episode of Life With Strings Attached, we sit down with luthier Mario Beauregard. An innovative guitar maker whose journey spans rural Canada, the streets of Japan, and a lifetime of travel, music, and craftsmanship.

Mario shares how his early life experiences shaped his path, the importance of finding balance as a maker, and the emotional depth behind each instrument he builds. We talk about the realities of the guitar business, the power of mentorship, and why simplicity in design can speak louder than decoration.

From the groundbreaking Facet guitar to his commitment to supporting young builders, Mario’s story is a reminder that great guitars, and great lives, are built with intention, creativity, and heart.

Explore Mario Beauregard’s work:
www.beauregardguitars.com
instagram.com/beauregardguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Dana Bourgeois: 50 Years of Innovation, Tradition, and Tone

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Today’s guest is a true icon in the world of acoustic guitar making. Someone whose influence has quietly shaped the way modern luthiers build, voice, and imagine the steel-string guitar.

With over 50 years of experience at the workbench, Dana Bourgeois has carved out a singular path in the craft, blending deep technical knowledge with a relentless pursuit of tone. From building his first guitar in a dorm room at Bowdoin College, armed only with a book and the encouragement of a woodworking father and machinist grandfather, Dana has gone on to inspire generations of builders and players alike.

Whether you’re a luthier, a player, or just someone fascinated by the intersection of tradition, innovation, and sound, this is a rare chance to learn from one of the most thoughtful and experienced voices in modern guitar making.

Here’s my conversation with Dana Bourgeois.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Tradition, Disrupted: Fred Kopo’s Uncompromising Approach to Guitar Making

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:00:00 +0200

In this episode of Life with Strings Attached, I sit down with Fred Pons (also known as Fred Kopo) a deeply respected luthier from France whose journey into guitar making began with what he describes as “a slap of inspiration.”

At just 16, a visit to a rural guitar workshop with his teacher changed the course of his life. The smell of wood, the calm of the countryside, and the magic of turning raw materials into something that sings. That moment sparked a calling he’s followed ever since.

In this conversation, we explore how mentorship, gratitude, and unexpected life encounters shape the craftsman’s path. Fred shares what it means to balance artistic integrity with the realities of the guitar market, how relationships help us define who we are, and why community remains at the heart of this craft.
It’s a thoughtful, inspiring talk, and I’m honored to share it with you.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Biography | Mike Sankey: Building What No One Asked For

Sat, 31 May 2025 18:00:00 +0200

This episode is part of a new Biography Edition of Life With Strings Attached, a space to pause and reflect on the people behind the instruments. It's been our experience that these remarkable ideas come from remarkable people, who have a depth and character that cannot be easily distinguished from the things that they create.

This Biography Edition of Life With Strings Attached tells the story of Mike Sankey, a luthier whose work resists category and whose life unfolded through detours, doubts, and deep listening.

Told in Mike’s own words, what emerges is not just a portrait of a builder, but of a mindset. One shaped by patience, instinct, and a quiet resistance to convention.

Sankey didn’t set out to make guitars the world had never seen. He simply built what felt honest and trusted that someone out there would hear it.

🔗 Explore Mike's Work
Website: https://sankeyguitars.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sankeyguitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Dan Furman, PhD: What Brain Signals Teach Us About Music, Focus, and Feeling

Fri, 23 May 2025 17:00:00 +0200

Dan Furman, PhD, is a neuroscientist, Harvard graduate, and co-founder of Arctop, a company developing real-time brain-computer interface software that translates electrical activity from the brain into usable data. In this episode, Dan joins Jamie Gale for a far-reaching conversation about music, emotion, memory, and how we might one day listen to what the brain is really saying.

Together, they explore the line between treatment and enhancement, the future of wearable brain tech, and what it means for artists, musicians, and humans at large to work with feedback loops that respond to our inner state.

Whether you're a curious mind, a long-time listener, or someone who senses there’s more going on beneath the surface, this episode offers a window into a fascinating frontier.

Learn more here:
https://arctop.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljfurman/

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Rethinking the Electric Guitar with Two of Its Leading Historians: Jan Herbst & Steve Waksman

Fri, 16 May 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Few people have shaped the way we understand the electric guitar like Jan Herbst and Steve Waksman. Both have spent their careers asking deeper questions about sound, design, meaning, and the role of technology in music.

Steve is the author of Instruments of Desire, the first major academic study of the electric guitar. Jan is a leading voice in the study of music production and amplification, known for bridging theory with practice. Together, they co-edited The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar, a landmark work in the field.

In this episode, they sit down with Jamie to talk about what amplification really means, how iconic designs became cultural landmarks, and why the future of the guitar may depend on how willing we are to rethink what we’ve come to accept.

It’s a conversation about guitars, yes, but also about innovation, legacy, and how progress often starts with listening differently.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Dan Erlewine (StewMac): A Life in Guitar Repair, Innovation, and Legacy

Wed, 14 May 2025 11:00:00 +0200

[re-upload with improved audio quality]

Legendary guitar repairman, luthier, and educator Dan Erlewine (StewMac) joins us for a conversation on innovation, legacy, and the craft behind the music.

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, we reflect on Dan’s early inspirations, his journey into guitar building and repair, and the unforeseen innovations that have left a permanent mark on the industry. Along the way, we explore how chance, necessity, and curiosity have led to the evolution of sound itself — and what legacy truly means for the generations that follow.

Whether you're an experienced luthier, a player, or simply passionate about the world of guitars, this conversation offers rare insights from one of the field’s true masters.

Discover Dan Erlewine’s work:
🔗 Dan Erlewine
🔗 StewMac
🔗 YouTube

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

How Michael Tobias Designed the Bass You Didn’t Know You’ve Heard

Fri, 09 May 2025 15:00:00 +0200

Michael Tobias didn’t set out to change the sound of modern music, but that’s exactly what he did. In this episode, he joins Jamie Gale to reflect on five decades of instrument building, from the early days of repairing guitars in Washington, D.C., to founding Tobias Guitars, surviving corporate life at Gibson, and ultimately creating MTD: a brand that quietly redefined what a bass could be.

Together, they trace the evolution of tonewood, the philosophy behind zero frets, and why electric instruments are more acoustic than most players realize. Michael shares lessons from factory floors, family workshops, and near-catastrophic failures - plus a look into the future as his son Daniel carries the torch.

This is not just the story of a bass builder - it’s a story about listening, adapting, and building instruments that speak for themselves.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From Hollywood to Handwork: Concept Artist Tim Warnock on Creative Identity

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0200

What does a concept artist who’s worked on Harry Potter, Transformers, and The Expanse have to say about boutique guitars?

Plenty, as it turns out.

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, Jamie Gale talks with Tim Warnock — a former matte painter at Industrial Light & Magic and co-founder of Northfront Studio — about what it means to build creative identity in a world that often values imitation over intention.

They discuss digital design vs. analog expression, why Tim upgrades budget guitars instead of chasing luxury models, and how the discipline of composition, mood, and light connects every creative craft — whether you're designing a video game, photographing a guitar, or building one from scratch.

~
Tim Warnock:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2157264/
https://www.timwarnockstudio.com/
https://www.artstation.com/timwarnock
https://zerply.com/timwarnock
~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: / businessofguitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVM...
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Gangs, Guitars, and the Grit to Keep Going — Bob Robinson

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0200

What does it take to stay creative in the face of chaos?

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, Jamie Gale sits down with Bob Robinson — a luthier, furniture maker, and all-around builder — to hear how his journey took him from working in gang territory on Chicago’s West Side to redefining what it means to make a classical guitar.

They explore the lessons learned in violence, the quiet joy of craft, and how to build a life that doesn’t just survive — but resonates.

A story of danger, reinvention, and craftsmanship without compromise.

~
Bob Robinson:
https://robertrobinsonguitars.com/
https://www.instagram.com/robertrobinsonluthier/
https://www.facebook.com/robertrobinsonluthier/
https://www.troscandesign.com/
~

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Frank Deimel on Sound, Identity, and Building Guitars That Rebel

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0200

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, Jamie Gale speaks with German luthier Frank Deimel, a builder whose instruments blend fine craftsmanship with punk energy, political commentary, and sonic experimentation.

Frank shares the unexpected path that took him from classical guitar dropout to one of the most original voices in modern guitar making — including factory work at Warwick, industrial design school in Berlin, and his enduring love for offset guitars and outsider art. Along the way, we dive into what it means to build tools for rebellion, beauty, and sound — and how guitars can still carry cultural weight.

This isn’t just about instruments — it’s about identity, intention, and doing things your own way.

~
Frank Deimel:
https://deimelguitarworks.com/
https://www.instagram.com/deimelguitarworks/
https://www.facebook.com/DeimelGuitarworks/
~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: / businessofguitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVM...
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Isaac Jang on Legacy, Faith, and the Craft of Making Happy Guitars

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0200

[re-upload with highly improved audio]

In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, Jamie Gale sits down with luthier Isaac Jang — one of the most admired voices in the modern guitar world — to explore what it means to build instruments that don’t just sound beautiful, but feel meaningful.

From a decade-long apprenticeship with Kathy Wingert to launching his own shop steps from Hollywood Boulevard, Isaac shares the personal philosophies and small decisions that shape his world-class guitars. The conversation moves gracefully between legacy, craft, family, faith — and how joy itself can be built into wood and wire.

Whether you're a player, a builder, or someone searching for direction in your own work, this episode is a reminder that excellence isn’t about ego — it’s about intention.

~
Isaac Jang:
https://www.isaacjangguitars.com/
https://www.instagram.com/isaacjangguitar/
https://www.facebook.com/isaacjang910?locale=nl_NL
~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: / businessofguitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVM...
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Rewiring the Brain: Living, Creating, and Surviving with Intention | J. Galen Buckwalter

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0100

J. Galen Buckwalter is a research psychologist with over 30 years of experience exploring the intersection of psychology, technology, and human behavior.

He started his career as a research professor at the University of Southern California and later developed a behavioural outcomes research program at Kaiser Permanente. But many will know him best as the mind behind the groundbreaking assessment and matching system for eHarmony.com.

Now, as CEO of psyML, Galen is harnessing psychology and AI to build digital systems that support individual growth. His research has taken him to the cutting edge of neuroscience—he’s a participant and scientist in a groundbreaking brain-machine interface trial aimed at restoring function after spinal cord injury, giving him unprecedented access to his own neural activity.

And beyond the lab? Galen is the frontman of Siggy, a pre-punk band of psychologists that’s rocked underground venues across LA. He’s written over 70 songs and is now exploring ways to integrate the sounds of his own brain activity into music.

Today, we’re diving into his incredible journey, the future of AI and psychology, and maybe even a little music. Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, J. Galen Buckwalter!

~
J Galen Buckwalter: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=CKTzCmcAAAAJ&hl=en
~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Deconstructing the Guitar: A Whole New Approach | Michihiro Matsuda

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Over the last two decades, Michihiro Matsuda has crafted some of the most innovative and inspiring guitars in the world. His work seamlessly blends tradition and creativity, reflecting his deep Japanese heritage and culture. The principles of contemplation and reflection—so central to Japanese philosophy—are evident in every instrument he builds.

Born and raised in Japan, Michi’s passion for music, guitars, and craftsmanship led him to the world of lutherie. After an apprenticeship with the legendary Ervin Somogyi, he established his own studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also trained in instrument repair under Frank Ford at Gryphon Stringed Instruments, where he remains part of the repair team.

For Michi, guitar making is about more than just sound—it’s about identity, expression, and the relationship between builder, player, and instrument. His guitars are deeply personal, fluid yet simple, and always unique. He hopes that each Matsuda guitar offers not just a tool for music, but a meaningful experience for those who play them.

It’s an honor to welcome to the show, Michihiro Matsuda.

~
Matsuda Guitars: https://matsudaguitars.com/
~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVMbIY5dvQDvgzlqOd
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-with-strings-attached/id1738968493
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Building Guitars with Innovation and Purpose | Simon Padalka

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Today on Life With Strings Attached, we have a truly inspiring guest—luthier Simon Padalka, the mastermind behind Padalka Guitars. Simon’s journey into guitar-making began in 2011 in his hometown of Krasnodar, Russia. Though he earned a master’s degree in architecture in 2012, his passion for craftsmanship and design led him to trade blueprints for tonewoods, fully dedicating himself to building boutique electric guitars and basses.

Coming from a family of architects, Simon developed a deep appreciation for high-quality materials, structural integrity, and refined aesthetics—elements that are now signature traits of his instruments. By 2015, with the support of his family, he expanded his workshop and introduced new models that became the foundation of the Padalka brand.

Simon’s reputation grew internationally as he showcased his work at prestigious events like the Holy Grail Guitar Showin 2018, followed by NAMM in 2019 and 2020. However, in 2022, faced with geopolitical challenges, he made the bold decision to leave Russia and restart Padalka Guitars in Canada, joining Dingwall Guitars along the way.

Now based in Canada, Simon has refined his craft to an even higher level, focusing on a limited number of builds per year—just 5 to 10—ensuring each instrument embodies his signature blend of refined design, flawless craftsmanship, and phenomenal playability.

Simon, welcome to the show!

Padalka Guitars: https://www.padalka-guitars.com/

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVMbIY5dvQDvgzlqOd
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-with-strings-attached/id1738968493
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Why Handmade Guitars Matter | Eric Weigeshoff

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 19:00:00 +0100

Today on Life With Strings Attached, we’re joined by Eric Weigeshoff, the visionary luthier behind Skytop Guitars.

With a background in design and film, Eric approaches guitar-making as both an art form and an immersive experience. His passion for rock climbing and the natural world informs his craft, leading him to create guitars that are not only sonically rich but also visually striking.

What truly sets Eric’s work apart is his innovative side-soundport design—foregoing the traditional soundhole, he directs the guitar’s resonance toward the player, creating an intimate and immersive playing experience without sacrificing projection. His instruments bridge time-honoured craftsmanship with modern innovation, offering a connection between musician and instrument that is deeply personal.

Beyond building extraordinary guitars, Eric is dedicated to making each client a part of the journey. When you commission a Skytop Guitar, you’re not just purchasing an instrument—you’re collaborating in its creation, watching it evolve from raw wood into a one-of-a-kind expression of your artistry.

Eric, welcome to the show!

Skytop Guitars: https://www.skytopguitars.com/

Join the Patreon: patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

~

Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In his weekly podcast "Life With Strings Attached", he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.

Because everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.

You can listen to Life With Strings Attached wherever you get your podcasts, or join the Patreon to access the ad-free video and audio versions of every episode, as well as a host of other exclusive content.

My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar
LWSA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VdmNVMbIY5dvQDvgzlqOd
LWSA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-with-strings-attached/id1738968493
All my links: https://linktr.ee/jamiegale

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Redesigning A Country Music Icon | Ric Riordon

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:00:00 +0100

What does it mean to redesign a cultural icon?

Ric Riordon was already a well-established designer when, over two decades ago, he and his team were asked to redesign the trophy for the Academy of Country Music Awards.

The original had barely changed since the mid-’60s, so the team were taking on quite a challenge: replacing a recognisable icon that had been in the hands of famous musicians for almost half a century.

Ric joins me this week to share the full story and discuss the role of imperfection in art and why humans are designed to design. With a rich career over three decades – having shaped iconic brands in corporate and entertainment sectors and designed over 800 album packages – Ric certainly has plenty of wisdom and insight to share.

Ric's work: https://www.culturecuedesign.com/
The Fussy Gardener: https://www.fussygardener.com/

Join the Patreon: patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Building Guitars for Steve Vai, Jerry Cantrell & Slash | Stephen McSwain

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0100

How in the world do you get your first guitar build in Steve Vai's hands?

Well, you take some big risks and make some bold choices, and Stephen McSwain has certainly done plenty of both.

From hand carving horror-themed installations for Slash to working with world-renowned visual artists, Stephen has time and again gone where no luthier has gone before – and come back with plenty of amazing stories.

He joins me this week on Life With Strings Attached to tell a few of them and talk about some of the valuable lessons he's learned through it all.

McSwain Guitars: mcswainguitars.com

Join the Patreon: patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Making The Crazy Leap To Guitar Making | Michael Bashkin

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0100

Michael had his dream job working for the US Forest Service – until the sight of a luthier's workshop turned his interest in guitars into an obsession that couldn't be ignored.

Now, Michael is a master guitar maker with over 25 years of experience crafting exquisite acoustic guitars in Fort Collins, Colorado. Renowned for his signature designs featuring art nouveau and art deco inlays, his guitars are celebrated worldwide for their natural beauty and craftsmanship. Drawing from his past as a soil scientist, he brings a unique perspective to his work, emphasizing sustainable wood selection and a deep connection to nature.

Beyond the workbench, Michael is a sought-after presenter, educator, and the host of Luthier on Luthier, a podcast for Fretboard Journal Magazine, where he dives into the world of guitar making with fellow craftsmen.

He joins me this week to talk about taking big leaps, bringing the scientific method into the workshop, and staying in love with guitar making.

Bashkin Guitars: bashkinguitars.com

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

AI & The Artist | Kosta Lagis (Pt. 2)

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Here's part 2 of my conversation with visual effects artist Kosta Lagis, whose credits include blockbusters like Prometheus, Man of Steel, and Deadpool.

In this episode, we dive deeper into Kosta's experience with generative AI and what this technology means for the future of artists and creatives.

We also explore the role of religious and unifying narratives in culture and the question of whether we really have free will. We covered so much in this conversation, and I want to thank Kosta for being so generous with his time and insights.

Kosta's credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4903106/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Creating Visual Effects For The World's Biggest Movies | Kosta Lagis (Pt. 1)

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

With over 25 years of expertise in film, advertising, and industrial design, Kosta Lagis has worked on blockbuster movies like Prometheus, Man of Steel, and Deadpool, as well as high-profile commercials for brands such as Huawei and Mobil. He's currently the creative Director for Computer Graphics at The Mill in Shanghai.

With a deep technical foundation in illustration, photography, digital imaging, and audio production, he now explores the creative and ethical implications of AI-driven imaging technologies.

As well as hearing his views on the role of AI, I wanted to talk with Kosta about his incredibly varied career, life in China, the magic of cinema, the cultural role of religious narrative, and lots more – unsurprisingly, this was a long conversation. We've split it into two parts, with part two coming next week.

Kosta's credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4903106/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Not Taking Seriously Good Guitars Too Seriously | Doug Kauer of Kauer Guitars

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:00:00 +0100

Doug Kauer is always the least serious guy in the room, which makes him a great podcast guest – it’s also part of what makes him a successful guitar maker with his own unique style.

Doug started building guitars when a lifetime of woodworking combined with a love of guitar. Spurred on by the support of other luthiers, he found his direction in what appealed to him: less mainstream jet-set design meets a tireless pursuit of improvement.

Started officially in 2008, Kauer Guitars reflects the love of craft, creativity and dumb jokes Doug is known for, and today builds eye-catching instruments for some of the world's top musicians – without ever taking themselves too seriously.

With plenty of laughs along the way, Doug joins me to talk about scaling up a business, embracing failure, and how we find solutions.

Kauer Guitars: kauerguitars.com

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

A Game-Changing New Guitar From Verso Instruments | Robin Stummvoll

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 21:00:00 +0100

Robin Stummvoll of Verso Instruments joins me to talk about the release of his new, highly innovative guitar, Sine, which will be exhibited in the Boutique Guitar Showcase at NAMM 2025.

Having gained worldwide attention for his Cosmo model, Robin has plenty to share about the role of playfulness in creativity, escaping the constraints of established guitar design, and how to still bring innovative leaps forward to the electric guitar.

Verso Instruments: versoinstruments.com

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Challenge of True Innovation | Ola Strandberg

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Ola Strandberg is a true innovator, having redefined modern guitar-making with his .strandberg* brand. Pioneering the resurgence of headless guitars, Ola combines ergonomic innovation, sustainable materials, and cutting-edge aesthetics to create instruments that inspire musicians and luthiers worldwide.

With so much change occurring, now is a good time for those with a future forward mindset, like Ola. But being a renowned innovator comes with its own challenges.

In this episode, we talk about the different needs of emerging guitar markets, the difficulties of reaching the mainstream as a futurist, and whether there can ever be an iPhone of guitars.

.strandberg* Guitars: https://strandbergguitars.com/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Contrarian Guitars With '80s Roots | Jon Sullivan Of Sully Guitars

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0100

Jon “Sully” Sullivan is the founder of Sully Guitars, a brand known for blending innovation with the spirit of '80s hot rod guitar culture. But, as Sully explains in this conversation, his guitars are far more than a nod to the era he grew up in.

We talk about what it means to go beyond your influences, to build guitars out of spite and to live your life as a committed contrarian. As always, it was so much fun talking with Sully, and I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I did.

Sully Guitars: https://www.sullyguitars.com/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Structural Engineering Meets Guitar Design | Enrico Di Donato

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0100

What would a structural engineer bring to guitar making?

In his career as a structural engineer, Enrico Di Donato collaborated with renowned architects like Renzo Piano and Arata Isozaki. After years of exploring composite materials for seismic reinforcement and authoring publications on the subject, Enrico shifted his focus to luthiery, combining his scientific expertise with artistic craftsmanship.

His “Hasaki” electric guitar, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, has been featured at prestigious events like Art Basel, the Venice Biennale, and the Boutique Guitar Showcase at NAMM.

For Enrico, the electric guitar is not merely a tool, it’s an evolving fusion of art and science. He joined me on this week's episode of Life With Strings Attached to discuss this approach to guitar making and where his current projects are taking him.

Di Donato Guitars: https://www.didonatoguitars.it/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Why We Make Things & Why It Matters | Peter Korn

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Why do we make things? What is it that draws so many of us to hunker down in dusty workshops, pick up some hand tools, or devote hours to any kind of craft and creation?

We might sometimes be mystified by our own obsession or powerful draw towards making things – that feeling of a need to create. Exploring this is part of exploring what it means to be human, and I can think of no one better to discuss this with than Peter Korn.

Peter is a master craftsman, author, and the founder of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine, where he served as Executive Director from 1993 to 2021. With a career spanning decades as a furniture maker, educator, and leader, Peter’s work has been exhibited nationally and celebrated for its artistry. He is the author of Why We Make Things and Why It Matters, a profound exploration of craftsmanship’s transformative power. Peter continues to design furniture and share his knowledge through workshops, inspiring a new generation of makers.

He has so much knowledge and wisdom to share, shedding light on what it is that spurs our creative need.

Peter's work: https://peterkorn.com/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

What is Creativity? | Dion James of Dion Guitars

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 20:00:00 +0100

Based in Edmonton, Canada, Dion James builds steel-string acoustic guitars known for their striking minimalism. Subtle in their looks from afar, Dion's instruments make careful use of intricate detailing without becoming ostentatious. They’re packed with innovation informed by years of building and experimentation, all brought together with a decisive, crystal-clear design vision.

As he's someone who's built a reputation for crafting such impeccable instruments, I wanted to talk with Dion about how he views creativity, where his design sensibility comes from, and the surprising power of saying "I can't".

Dion Guitars: https://dionguitars.ca/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

When An Artist Makes Guitars | Nicolai Schorr of Schorr Guitars

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +0100

There might be a lot of guitars that claim to be unique, but there's only a relatively small number that achieve – without question – something new. Nicolai Schorr's instruments are undoubtedly among that select group.

From his workshop in Berlin, Nicolai handcrafts guitars and basses that are as playful and refreshing as they are bold. It's unsurprising to learn he has a background in both fine art and music, but I was curious to learn more about where his career as a guitar maker started, how his designs come together, and why he makes guitars that look so joyful.

I want to say a big thank-you to Nicolai for joining me on the podcast this week and sharing so much about his work.

Schorr Guitars: http://schorrguitars.de/

Join the Patreon: https://patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Incredible Instruments From Poland | Marek Dąbek Of Stradi Instruments

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 20:00:00 +0100

If you’ve ever seen Marek Dąbek’s Stradi instruments, you’ll understand that he has a fascinating approach to building guitars and basses.

On this week’s episode of Life With Strings Attached, we talk about the origins of Marek’s instruments, the benefits of having to struggle for what you want, and why a tarantula lived in his kitchen.

Stradi Instruments: https://stradi.pl/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

NAMM CEO John Mlynczak | The Future Of Our Industry

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 20:00:00 +0100

What is the future of the NAMM Show? What direction are our instruments – and our industry – heading in? What is it that instrument makers need most right now?

There are few better people to speak to about the future of our industry than John Mlynczak. As the CEO of NAMM, he runs the world's largest trade organisation for musical instrument makers and the largest, most important trade show for us all.

He joins me to shed light on what the core goals of NAMM are, whether trade shows are dead in the post-pandemic world, and what drives him to try and serve music merchants around the world.

This is a must listen for anyone in this industry, but it's also full of insights on how to be a better leader, how to identify the purpose of your work, and what life lessons you get from being an accomplished trumpet player.

Patreon subscribers will also get access to the Business of Guitar segment, in which John dives deep into his goal-setting process as CEO.

I want to say a massive thank-you to John for joining me this week, and I hope you enjoy listening.

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Building The Complete Guitar Business | Adam Buchwald

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:00:00 +0100

Based in Vermont, Adam Buchwald has managed to build an enviable business that spans every part of the guitar making and selling process, from supplying woods and tools to designing and building across several brands, and even setting up a retail space.

In his full career he’s covered even more ground, plying his trade as a professional musician with guitar, banjo and mandolin, repairing valuable instruments at Retrofret in Brooklyn, NY, teaching guitar building at Vermont Instruments, and a whole bunch more.

Informed from so many different angles in our industry – and successful in running not just one brand but several – Adam is a truly valuable person to hear from when it comes to building a life in the world of guitars.

We talk about his philosophy behind Iris Guitars, assessing value and why he wanted to create such an all-inclusive business.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The Story of Turnstone Guitars | Rosie Heydenrych

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 21:00:00 +0100

This week on the podcast, English guitar maker Rosie Heydenrych talks about how she started Turnstone Guitars, why she's drawn to using non-traditional woods, and what fuels her curiosity as she continues to grow her business.

As well as crafting beautiful and refreshing instruments, Rosie has created a family business that prioritises what's most important and motivating for her, so it's well worth hearing her perspective on building a successful brand in the guitar world.

Turnstone Guitars: https://turnstoneguitar.co.uk/

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

There Are Too Many Guitars?! | Juha Ruokangas

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0100

This week, I'm joined by Finnish master guitar maker Juha Ruokangas to talk about the future of guitars, music and his own business.

With over three decades of experience in the game, building some of the finest quality instruments available on Earth, Juha certainly has an interesting perspective on the changing world of the guitar.

It was fascinating to hear his thoughts on the culture and business of the guitar and where we're heading, and I hope you enjoy listening.

Patreon members will also get exclusive access to our extended conversation about how to run a successful guitar business, where we discuss the advantages of Juha's unique workshop structure.

Ruokangas Guitars: https://ruokangas.com

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BusinessOfGuitar

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Design Thinking & Futurism Meet The Guitar | Ed Keller

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0200

Unsurprisingly, when you talk to someone who’s a designer, professor, writer, musician and multimedia artist, your conversation covers quite a lot of ground.

Ed Keller’s career and projects span an incredible breadth of work across many fields. Often with an interdisciplinary approach, he’s taught and run centers at prestigious institutions around the world, founded architecture firms, consulted with leading AI technologists, and had his work published in renowned journals and magazines.

Originally training as a composer and guitarist, Ed has always maintained a connection with the guitar in his work, from performing and recording his own compositions to running projects and shows exploring the limits of guitar design.

Talking with Ed is always inspiring and energising, and this week’s episode of Life With Strings Attached was certainly no different.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

From the Army to Corporate Exec to Master Guitar Maker | Jason Kostal

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 22:00:00 +0200

Having served for more than a decade in the Army, received an MBA and worked as an executive in a Fortune 500 company, Jason Kostal was already highly accomplished when he came to guitar building – and it’s now yet another area in his life where he’s achieved excellence.

Bringing such a varied experience into his work gives Jason a uniquely informed perspective on running a business, being the best you can be and ensuring your vision becomes a reality. We talk about all this and more in this week’s episode of Life With Strings Attached, as well as Jason’s time studying under Kent Everett, the Roberto-Venn school of luthiery and Ervin Somogyi.

And of course, we also talk about how Jason builds some of the finest guitars out there today.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Building Guitars for Jack White, Jimmy Page & Many More | Randy Parsons

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0200

Guitar builder Randy Parsons joins me to share some incredible stories on this week’s episode, including working with Jack White, using a cattle skull for the bracing of a guitar he made for Jimmy Page, how he came up with the 50,000-piece Red Queen in a single moment of spontaneity, how he moved his workshop from a former Hell Angels hideout to a century-old church in rural Kansas – and lots more.

Whether you’re interested in guitar making or not, this is well worth a listen to hear from someone who has led a fascinating life and – through sometimes bizarre and scarcely believable moments – built an amazing career as a guitar maker. Speaking with Randy provides so many insights on the nature of risk, the value of self-belief, the magic of hard work, and the strange force of serendipity.

I’m always thankful to get a chance to catch up with Randy, and I hope you’ll all enjoy listening.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Michael Greenfield | Building Guitars That Thrill and Inspire

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0200

I’m pleased to announce that my guest this week on Life With Strings Attached is guitar maker Michael Greenfield.

Michael is passionate about tone. Great tone. FAT tone. Squeezing every last molecule of tone out of his instruments. Prior to making the commitment to build full-time, he spent 20 years repairing and restoring vintage instruments. He has also been a player for 60 years; so perfect feel, buttery-smooth playability and road-worthy stability are what his instruments are all about.

Each of Greenfield’s guitars is designed with AI – Acoustic Intent. Having crafted several hundred guitars in his 30 years as a career guitar maker, his most important revelations about the instrument cannot be seen. He constantly researches the history, mechanics, dynamics, and physics of the guitar to cultivate a deeper understanding of what makes it work, and how he can continue to advance and control each instrument’s voice.

Michael carefully handcrafts a limited number of exquisite acoustic guitars each year in his Montréal shop. His guitars address the needs of traditional and contemporary players of all musical styles. His goal is that you be thrilled, not merely satisfied with your new guitar!

Michael enjoys an international reputation of crafting some of the finest guitars available. Some clients of profile include Andy McKee, Pipo Romero, Paul Stanley, Colin Hay, Tony McManus, Charlie Hunter, Pat Martino, Keith Richards, Pierre Bensusan, Steffen Schackinger, Emmanuel Rossfelder, Philippe Mariotti and many more.

We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, and I hope you enjoy listening.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Neuroscience, AI and Consciousness | Dr. Gabriel Montes

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 01:00:00 +0200

This week on Life With Strings Attached, we’re exploring the intersection of neuroscience, music and advanced AI. Our guide through these topics is Dr. Gabriel Axel Montes, a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, author, musician, and researcher and practitioner of consciousness development.

With a focus on AI, Gabriel works both hands-on and at the thought-leadership level in guiding the beneficial development of technologies and organisations. He’s worked with leading organisations at the pioneering edge of AI, helping to advance their technology, strategy, and communications.

A musician since the age of 12, Gabriel is also active in synthesising human and AI creativity, touring around the world with Desdemona's Dream Band, one of the first bands with an AI lead singer and songwriter.

And on top of all this, Gabriel is an avid international traveller, nature enthusiast, and a passionate father and husband.

Exploring these topics is something I consider extremely important – as well as fascinating – and I’m thankful to have someone as knowledgeable, insightful and widely experienced as Gabriel as a guide. I’m certain there’s so much we can all take from this episode, and I hope you enjoy listening.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Revolutionising Instrument Design | Ned Steinberger

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 23:00:00 +0200

I’m very pleased to have Legendary instrument designer Ned Steinberger as our special guest on this week’s episode of Life With Strings Attached.

With a remarkable 40-year legacy, Ned Steinberger has been at the forefront of innovation, with instruments that have revolutionized the industry and set new standards for performance and ergonomic comfort.

Those instruments have been adopted by an impressive list of artists, including Sting, Laurie Anderson, Les Claypool, David Darling, Tony Levin, Rob Wasserman, Eddie Van Halen and many others.

Arguably Ned’s most famous and lasting contribution to guitar history has been the pioneering of headless graphite instruments to worldwide acclaim; the Steinberger Bass received numerous accolades, including the coveted Design of the Decade award from the Industrial Designer Society of America.

His TransTrem™ – a unique transposing vibrato unit that allows strings to remain in tune with each other rather than detune randomly – has been adopted by other notable guitar makers, such as Steve Klein and Ulrich Teuffel.

As if this wasn’t enough, Ned’s other designs include electronic tuners, tuning hardware, structural systems and accessories for companies such as D’Addario, David Gage and The Martin Guitar Company.

And finally, Ned’s NS Design company is one of the few companies to have gained success in the ultra-conservative bowed instrument market, with patents on double basses and violins.

There are few people who can boast of such wide spread influence across musical instruments and genres as Ned Steinberger can, and as always, it was a pleasure to get to speak with him. I hope you enjoy listening along, and I’m certain there’ll be something valuable to take away from Ned’s insights.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Unique Guitars from South Africa | Murray Kuun

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0200

I’m pleased to have Murray Kuun as our special guest on this week’s episode of Life With Strings Attached.

Murray says that a transformative trip to Italy in the 1990s, punctuated by a visit to Michelangelo’s David and a serendipitous encounter with a Luthier, ignited his desire to craft musical instruments. With only a poorly written book as guidance, he painstakingly fashioned his first violin, marking the beginning of a prolific journey into instrument making.

Over the years, he’s honed his craft, making countless traditional violins before transitioning to original designs that more reflect his love for music and innovation. Today, Murray’s portfolio boasts hundreds of one-of-a-kind guitars, violins, mandolins, ukuleles, a lute, and even a cello.

It was a pleasure to hear about Murray’s past and perspective, and I hope you enjoy listening along.

Patreon members will also get access to the bonus Business of Guitar segment, in which Murray gives his perspective on decades running a successful instrument making business.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

The True Science of Tone | Acoustics Engineer Tom Nania

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 23:00:00 +0200

We talk a lot about tone – but what's the science behind the sound of our stringed instruments? To tackle this topic, I can think of few better people to talk with than Tom Nania.

As well as his work as an acoustics engineer with D'Addario, Tom is a member of the Violin Society of America’s Oberlin Acoustics Workshop. Prior to joining D’Addario, he also worked as a luthier and acoustics researcher specializing in archtop guitars as a co-proprietor of House of Luthiery. In 2021, the Violin Society of America published Tom’s work, “Archtop Guitar Dynamics", and he's currently curator of the archtopproject.org, an online resource for the acoustical analysis of historical archtop guitars.

As a lifelong musician turned maker, and having graduated from Indiana University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Astronomy, Tom’s background in acoustics began as a collaborator with the PICO group, an astrophysics particle detection experiment located at SNOLAB in association with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. That same year, Tom attended Bryan Galloup’s School of Guitar Building and Repair, and Tom and Bryan have continued to collaborate since, most recently with Project Dreadnought.

I wanted to lay out the scientific concepts key to understanding instrument acoustics – and to dive deeper into some of Tom's fascinating projects – with the hope of starting to develop an understanding of tone based in science. There's a lot here to explore, and I hope you enjoy coming on the journey with us.

Patreon members will also get access to the exclusive bonus content as part of this episode, exploring the business of guitar.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Verso Instruments Meets Teuffel Guitars | Robin Stummvoll and Ulrich Teuffel

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 22:00:00 +0200

Robin Stummvoll of Verso Instruments was recently explaining to me how big an influence Ulrich Teuffel was for his guitar designs. And when it became clear that the two had never met – despite coming from the same region in Germany – I felt I had to change that.

Luckily, they agreed, and I had the pleasure of bringing the two guitar innovators together in Uli’s workshop to discuss design, entrepreneurship and how new guitars inspire new music.

It was fascinating to take on these topics with Robin and Uli, and I’d like to thank them both again for taking part.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Omer Deutsch of OD Guitars | Creating Guitars With AI & Staying Contemplative

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0200

I'm very pleased to have Omer Deutsch of OD Guitars on this week's episode of Life With Strings Attached. Originally trained as an industrial designer, Omer worked in product design for seven years before starting his guitar making business in 2016. Since then, he’s made guitars for many artists, mostly in the world of metal, including players such as Roman Ibramkhalilov of Jinjer and Daniel Tompkins of Tesseract.

Omer is also a true hobbyist, flying remote controlled airplanes, riding freestyle BMX and building with Lego – he was even part of a Lego commercial involving his guitars. In this episode, Omer reflects on meeting his childhood hero at the NAMM Show and how he keeps his curiosity alive by building guitars for people around the world today. I very much enjoyed our conversation, and I hope that you do too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Mike Sankey | Knowledge, Curiosity And Not Designing Guitars

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0200

This week's episode of Life With Strings Attached was recorded on location in Northern Ontario, Canada – actually, in my backyard, by special request of today's guest, Mike Sankey.

Mike has been creating one-of-a-kind guitars for over 25 years in his workshop in Ottawa, Canada. While better known for organic yet futuristic electric instruments, his work has always been informed by a deep knowledge and appreciation of historical precedent. Leveraging modern techniques such as 3D printing and computer aided design has been a means to the end of making instruments that are each totally unique expressions of the luthier's art.

While enjoying a drink by the lake, we talked about the importance of curiosity, the value of stepping beyond what's comfortable, and the role of spontaneity in Mike's work.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Richard Sears | Living with Whales

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

This week's episode of Life With Strings Attached was filmed on location in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with marine biologist Richard Sears.

Sears is a Franco-American who founded the Mingan Island Cetacean Study in 1979 to study marine mammals in the Saint Lawrence, with an emphasis on baleen whales. He worked with the pioneers of whale research, from whom he learned that in order to know whales, there is no better way than to spend a lot of time at sea.

He started the first long term study of blue whales in the Sea of Cortez, collected the first blue whale identification photographs and biopsies off western Iceland, and collected data on blue whales passing by the archipelago near the Azores.

In addition, he's worked off Georgia, Panama, Costa Rica, New Caledonia, Greenland, Baffin Island, and the Mediterranean. Sears is also a lifelong guitar player and music lover, and collaborated with Nik Huber on the limited Blue Whale series. I wanted to get a better understanding of his work, hear his perspective on whale behaviour and animal consciousness, and draw some connections between his work and the world of music.

I very much enjoyed my conversation with Richard, and I hope that you do too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Ulrich Teuffel | Revolutionary Guitar Design & Culture Pt. 2

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 21:00:00 +0200

In Part 2 of this conversation, Ulrich Teuffel goes deeper into the discipline, repetition, and mindset behind building guitars over decades.

From the intense development of the Birdfish to the quiet satisfaction of refining small details over time, this episode explores mastery, doubt, and the realities of working as an independent luthier.

▶ Explore Ulrich Teuffel:
https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/teuffel

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Ulrich Teuffel | Revolutionary Guitar Design & Culture Pt. 1

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0200

Today's episode of Life with Strings Attached was filmed on location in southern Germany, in the workshop of Ulrich Teuffel.

Since 1988, Ulrich (Uli to his friends) has been crafting electric guitars unlike any other luthier. In bringing together a unique blend of his training as an automotive mechanic and his studies in industrial design from the 1990s, he's created innovative models—Birdfish, Tesla, Niwa, and Antonio—that are radically independent, yet always follow a distinctive leitmotif.

These masterpieces are found in prestigious museums and collections, as well as in the hands of legendary musicians like David Torn, Kirk Hammett, Billy Gibbons, Henry Kaiser, Ludwig Göransson, and Hans Zimmer.

For Ulrich Teuffel, Leo Fender stands as the most influential guitar maker of the 20th century. In the eyes of many contemporary guitar makers, Teuffel's work exists on its own plane, elevated to a level that few can aspire to.

Personally, for me, Uli has been an inspiring colleague and friend. Together, we explore concepts and ideas that stretch and challenge each other, feeding both our minds and souls. I find conversations with Uli exceptionally invigorating. I hope you will too.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Giulio Di Donato | Exploring Supercar Engineering

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 21:00:00 +0200

Aerospace engineer Giulio Di Donato met with me just outside of Bologna for this week's episode, where we explore the fundamentals of aerospace engineering and aerodynamics, and see what learnings we can take to other topics and disciplines.

Giulio works in research and development for a prestigious super sports car company, taking responsibility for the thermal management of the vehicles from the early concept stage through the design and final testing.

As well as gaining a better understanding of his work and the scientific fundamentals that underpin it, I wanted to get Giulio's thoughts on STEM education, and to discuss whether there might be better ways to teach science and maths than our current approaches.

I'd like to thank Giulio for such a fascinating discussion, which taught me a lot and gave me plenty to think about in my own work.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Giulio Negrini | Fantasy Meets Guitars

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0200

I visited Giulio Negrini of GNG in his workshop in Switzerland to talk about his guitars, and inevitably we ended up talking about far more: the role of fantasy in our culture, the allure of thematically dark or morbid art, and the magical elements that go into instrument making.

An Italian master luthier, trained in the Cremonese style of Stradivarius, Guarneri and Amati, Giulio pursues perfection and precision with every one of his instruments. Though focused around the needs of players, his guitars are also designed to be aesthetically striking, with many featuring amazing custom inlay work and bold finishes, drawing influence from fantasy literature.

Giulio has been part of every Boutique Guitar Showcase I've curated at The NAMM Show since its inception, and every year his guitars have got better – even when I didn't think that was possible. As always, it was fascinating to hear his thoughts on his craft and the things that inspire him, as well as to go into topics beyond the guitar.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Nik Huber | The Stories Behind the Guitars

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0200

I've known Nik Huber for many years – since almost the very beginning of my work in the guitar industry. While we were catching up in a restaurant during the Montreux International Guitar Show, I wanted to dive back into some of the stories that have defined his hugely successful career as a guitar maker. So, a bit less of a podcast, this episode is more like sitting in on dinner between two old friends.

Nik is one of the most widely known and respected guitar makers working today. Coming from a line of woodworkers going back four generations, he got his first steps towards instrument building early in life, tinkering in his father’s woodworking shop in the basement of their family home. The obsession with his craft grew from there, and in the three decades since building his first guitar, he has gained a worldwide reputation as a builder of the highest quality instruments.

Today, still based in Nik’s small hometown of Rodgau, Germany, the highly skilled team at Nik Huber Guitars produces around 350 instruments a year and boasts an artist roster featuring some of the biggest names in music. Their guitars and basses are taken into studios and onto stages around the world by the likes of Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, Tenacious D, Snarky Puppy, Kvelertak and Silverstein, and played by musicians working with Justin Bieber, Robbie Williams and The Rolling Stones.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Sheldon Dingwall | The Life of a Leading Bass Innovator

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 17:00:00 +0200

For this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sheldon Dingwall outside of the ancient Osaka Castle in Japan.

Sheldon is the founder and CEO of Dingwall Guitars. The modern champion of the multiscale bass, Dingwall boasts an artist roster including Lee Sklar, Adam “Nolly” Getgood of Periphery, Jacob Umanksy of Intervals, Jean-Michel Labadie of Gojira, Ali Dean of Architects, and musicians that play with Hans Zimmer, The Dave Matthews Band, Devin Townsend, Dweezil Zappa and many more top artists.

Something that sets Dingwall apart is its ability to balance boutique craftsmanship with a more corporate production style business model. With Sheldon’s unrelenting drive and ambitious vision pushing it forward, the company has gone from strength to strength as a major force in the world of bass design.

I wanted to know what shaped Sheldon into the entrepreneur he is today, what he sees as the philosophy behind his business, and what the life of a bass company owner is really like.

Explore more about this guest and related makers:
https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/dingwall-guitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Zackery Belanger | Innovative Acoustics and Architecture

Mon, 27 May 2024 16:00:00 +0200

Zackery Belanger is an expert in the form and material of acoustic architecture. For most of his career, he has questioned the dominant approaches in acoustics, convinced that intuitive, creative approaches are possible. He is the author of the essay Acoustic Ornament, which argues for consideration of non-acoustic surfaces and objects. In 2017 he founded the Detroit-based studio Arcgeometer. Belanger is a prolific speaker on acoustics and has worked extensively on architectural projects and products.

I first got to know Zackery and his work when he was a guest on a panel I co-hosted for the Venice Biennale. Fascinated by what he presented there, I was keen to have Zackery on the podcast to discuss the place of acoustics in architecture, how his approach is different to the dominant thinking in the field, and what this can teach us about sound as a part of our everyday lives.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Michael Spalt | At the Meeting Point of Art and Lutherie

Tue, 21 May 2024 14:00:00 +0200

For this week's episode of Life With Strings Attached, I joined Michael Spalt at his home and workshop in Portugal, where he recently relocated from Vienna.

For decades, Michael's work has developed at the intersection of art, design and instrument making, pushing boundaries and experimenting with surprising materials. Whether in series like his Totem guitars featuring resin tops, or in one-off highly decorative display pieces featuring built-in amps and inspired by literature and myth, he's been a pioneer in bringing an artist's approach and technical knowledge to the field of guitar making.

But now settled into his new life and workshop in a new country, what's next? In this conversation, we explore Michael's perspective on his career, what place art and artisanal craft has in the business of making instruments, and where he believes his work will take him next.

Explore more about this guest and related makers:
https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/michael-spalt-guitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Bruno Bacci | Inspiring the Next Generation of Guitar Heroes

Mon, 13 May 2024 20:00:00 +0200

For this week's episode of Life With Strings Attached, I had the pleasure of joining my good friend Bruno Bacci in Tuscany, where he has forged an enviable career as a guitar maker.

With a background in design, Bruno talks about how his whole life has actually led him to guitar making, how he's managed to establish a successful guitar business, and how his passion for working with musicians has led to collaborations with some of the biggest guitar players in the world.

Explore more about this guest and related makers:
https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/bacci-guitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Adriano Sérgio | The Many Lives of an Artist

Wed, 08 May 2024 17:00:00 +0200

For this week's episode, I sat down with Adriano Sérgio of Ergon Guitars in Portugal.

It's always fascinating to speak with skilled craftspeople about their work, but it would be remiss to only talk about guitar making in an episode with Adriano. Fleeing his homeland as a child; serving as the equivalent of a Navy SEAL in Portugal; gaining a degree in jazz performance; touring in musical theatre; working as a tech for Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden – Adriano's life is one filled with stories, passion and deep contrasts, all of which comes into his instrument making.

Speaking with Adriano really captures the purpose of Life With Strings Attached: through a passion for the guitar, music and creativity, we become connected to so much more beyond those spaces, and it's in exploring those threads between things that we come to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

Explore more about this guest and related makers:
https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/ergon-guitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Ross Grayson Bell | Changing the World Through Stories

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

From producing Fight Club and screenwriting for the BBC to partnering with UNICEF and creating films about some of the world's most important environmental projects, Ross's work has many threads. But they're all connected by a single mission. As a writer, producer and director, Ross has harnessed the power of storytelling to make an impact, and as an educator, narrative consultant and strategist, he's helped others do the same. Driven by the belief that storytelling is perhaps our most powerful tool for changing the world, he's dedicated his career to finding and telling the stories that matter.

We sat down to talk about his time as a producer in Hollywood, what storytelling really is, and his current projects that are taking him around the globe.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Bryan Galloup | Building a Meaningful Guitar Business

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:00:00 +0200

Bryan Galloup's impact on the guitar industry has been enormous and multi-faceted. For over four decades, he's been dedicated to the preservation of vintage and contemporary musical instruments; he's the President and CEO of Galloup Guitars; and through the Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair, he and his team have trained more than 2500 luthiers, some of whom are now themselves considered among the most respected guitar makers in the world.

In everything he's done, Bryan has brought a thorough sense of purpose and an understanding that building a business means providing value to your community – and beyond. I sat down with Bryan to discuss what it means to be an entrepreneur, the challenges of running your own business, how to be a businessperson in the guitar industry, and what the key values are that he holds when it comes to his work.

Explore more about this guest and related makers: https://www.boutiqueguitarshowcase.com/galloup-guitars

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Julio Martins and João Petiz of Everythink | Designing Everything From Airplanes to Guitars

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 20:00:00 +0200

Julio Martins and João Petiz are the founders of Everythink, a design company based in Portugal with an incredibly diverse portfolio of projects. From airplanes and medical equipment to guitars and robots, they design products, services and experiences that impact people's lives in a positive, easy and happy way.

I sat down with them on location in Porto to talk about the connections across disciplines, the value of generalists, and why designing a guitar is so much harder than you might think.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

Daniel Rowland | The Future of Music Technology

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0200

Daniel Rowland is a music producer, engineer, tech executive and educator. He's worked with artists from Nine Inch Nails and Philip Glass to Gucci Mane and Jason Derulo. In the world of film, his credits include movies from Pixar as well as the Star Wars, Marvel and Fast and Furious franchises.

As Head of Strategy and Partnerships at AI music production platform LANDR and co-founder of browser-based DAW Audiotool, Daniel draws on decades of experience working at the cutting edge of music technology. At this moment of rapid and monumental technological change for the industry, I wanted to hear Daniel's thoughts on AI, the next steps in streaming and digital communities in the world of music.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.

William "Grit" Laskin | Artisan Guitar Making in the Digital Age

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0200

In this wide-ranging conversation between myself and renowned Canadian luthier William "Grit" Laskin, we discuss the role of the artisan in the digital age, what the physics and physiology of sound perception teach us about instrument making, and why the mysteries of the guitar may remain mysteries for centuries to come.

Watch the video version on YouTube:
🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached

Learn more about Life With Strings Attached, Boutique Guitar Showcase, and Jamie Gale's work in the guitar industry:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase
🔗 Jamie Gale

Thank you for listening and supporting the ongoing conversation between music, makers, history and the future.