The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

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It's the 170th episode of the Truth About Vintage Amps, the call-in show where amp tech Skip Simmons fields all of your guitar amplification questions (or at least the ones involving tubes). 
 
Thank you to our sponsors: Grez Guitars; Emerald City Guitars; and Amplified Parts / Mod Electronics. 
Some of the topics discussed this week:
:32 What's on Skip's Bench: A Voice of Music 8810

2:40 Jason's Fretboard Summit 2026 report

10:13 Recommended reading: Willie Dixon's 'I Am the Blues,' 'Bo Diddley: Living Legend,' and 'Buzz Busby: Father of Washington DC Bluegrass' 

12:35 Is this Fender Super Champ safe to use?

20:06  Aotearoa New Zealand Amplifier History Project (support it here); New Zealand pop and punk; building guitars in the Congo (Fretboard Journal #56)

25:19 MusicMan HD130; Sun O))); a typewriter at the 2027 Summit?

33:34 Who made Rickenbacker amps? Talk to me about my Rickenbacker M11
41:14 Bix Beiderbecke's birthday (August 6); conversing with your amp heroes; frozen udon noodles and mushroom stock powder; Red Norvo's "In a Mist"; Donald Brosnac's 'Guitar Electronics for Musicians'

50:06 Warming up a two-pronged amp through a Variac; if a Jenson speaker has been reconed, can I stop worrying about its value? 

55:35 Listener recommendation: A cheap Amazon wall outlet meter (link)

57:36 Mark Bartel's prototype line-out interface (see Instagram pic!) 

58:24 The magic of purslane 

1:00:29 Why a vibrator? (on old DC amps/PAs)

1:04:19 The Savage Croaker amp; Bloodstone's "Natural High;" Mesa Boogie Mark I repairs and Jim Washburn
Want to be a part of the show? Join us by sending your voice memo or written questions to podcast@fretboardjournal.com! Include a photo, too.

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

Bluegrass guitar hero Bryan Sutton joins us this week to talk about his brand-new album, From Roots to Branches, Vol. 1 ( Mountain Home Music Company). The album features Sutton in a duo setting with a bevy of friends, including Tommy Emmanuel, Billy Strings, Joe Bonamassa, Sierra Hull, the late Doc Watson, and others. As you'll hear, the performances range from straight bluegrass to a rather rocking tune with Billy Strings.
We also talk about his Blue Ridge Guitar Camp, session work, the joys of downsizing your guitar collection, and the secret studio weapon known as the Epiphone Seville (who knew?). We even brainstorm on a rather hilarious Fretboard Summit golf tournament.  
https://www.bryansutton.com
https://www.blueridgeguitarcamp.com

Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is now mailing:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

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

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

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Maisy Owen joins us this week to talk about her gorgeous debut album, Dark on a Sunny Day (Tompkins Square).
Maisy talks about her music-filled upbringing (her dad is songwriter Gwil Owen; radio programming legend Rob Bleetstein is a family friend); her decision to take up the guitar; unlikely jobs (and songwriting sessions); her newfound love for British folk and so much more. Maisy also performed some songs while visiting us, available on our YouTube channel.
https://www.maisyowen.com
 
Get the record: https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/dark-on-a-sunny-day
Register for our 2026 Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/tickets
Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is just a few weeks away:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

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

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

Today, we pay tribute to singer-songwriter Glen Hansard (1970-2026), frontman for the Frames and Swell Season. 
In 2009, Fretboard Journal publisher Jason Verlinde sat down with Glen at Seattle's Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub for an hour-long chat about guitars (including his famously worn Takamine), meeting your heroes, busking, and more. Today, we're sharing the audio from that conversation for the very first time. 
This interview ended up serving as the cover story for our 17th issue, which we published in 2010.
As you'll hear, this was recorded 16 years ago in a busy pub and was not meant to be a podcast. There is plenty of background restaurant noise and the occasional interruption from fans and waitstaff. But we think it paints a nice portrait of a truly unique artist. We hope you enjoy it. 
The article that came out of this interview can be found here. We also filmed Glen busking in front of Pike Place Market minutes after this interview. Watch that here.
Register for our 2026 Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/tickets
Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is just a few weeks away:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

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

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

Today on the podcast, Summer School Electronics founder Mark Turley joins us once again. We talk about Summer School's current pedal offerings, the 2026 Fretboard Summit, and the two pedal-making classes that Mark will be teaching at the Summit.
https://www.summerschoolelectronics.com
Sign up for Summer School's Pedal Classes: https://www.summerschoolelectronics.com/shop/p/fretboard-summit-pedal-building-class-amnk8
Register for our 2026 Summit: https://fretboardsummit.org/tickets
Subscribe to the Fretboard Journal's quarterly print magazine. Issue 60 is just a few weeks away:  https://shop.fretboardjournal.com/products/fretboard-journal-annual-subscription

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

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