FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL Fifteen years later, the Fretboard Journal is still at it. Beyond the printed page, our tiny team now produces videos, podcasts, live events and a lot more all for discerning musicians around the globe. If the idea of an independent, adventurous, informative and beautiful magazine dedicated to guitar culture appeals to you, consider a FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1953 MARTIN D-18 1953 Martin D-18 Every now and then a vintage guitar shows up like this 1953 Martin D-18 that looks like it was never played. To be honest, I always have mixed feelings about these instruments. On the one hand, the historian in me loves to see guitars in untouched condition, in the the same state they left the factory. On the other hand, the musician in me gets sad to see a wonderful guitar CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL Fifteen years later, the Fretboard Journal is still at it. Beyond the printed page, our tiny team now produces videos, podcasts, live events and a lot more all for discerning musicians around the globe. If the idea of an independent, adventurous, informative and beautiful magazine dedicated to guitar culture appeals to you, consider a FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1953 MARTIN D-18 1953 Martin D-18 Every now and then a vintage guitar shows up like this 1953 Martin D-18 that looks like it was never played. To be honest, I always have mixed feelings about these instruments. On the one hand, the historian in me loves to see guitars in untouched condition, in the the same state they left the factory. On the other hand, the musician in me gets sad to see a wonderful guitar CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios JAMES & JIM: THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP There aren’t many players and luthiers as inextricably linked as James Taylor and Jim Olson. Guitar players are a notoriously fickle bunch, prone to acquisitiveness, seemingly more likely than most to covet thy neighbor’s toys, but Taylor defies the stereotype, and he has been faithful to Olson since the latter found a way to get one of his guitars into the hands of the former way back in

TONY RICE: 1951

He looked like a pilot. He had a pilot’s moustache and the tailored suits. The all-knowing half-smile. He wore a vintage Accutron watch around his wrist (the ultimate statement piece for a horology-leaning, engineer-minded type the same watch the Mercury 7 astronauts wore) and there was often a cigarette perfectly cradled around his fingers. As CATCH OF THE DAY: 1953 MARTIN D-18 1953 Martin D-18 Every now and then a vintage guitar shows up like this 1953 Martin D-18 that looks like it was never played. To be honest, I always have mixed feelings about these instruments. On the one hand, the historian in me loves to see guitars in untouched condition, in the the same state they left the factory. On the other hand, the musician in me gets sad to see a wonderful guitar CATCH OF THE DAY: 1966 MARTIN D-18 Confession: I’ve got Martin issues. I know, that sounds like some particularly virulent strain of G.A.S., but it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m a man with a whole lotta guitars and not a single Martin. I want one, of course, and I’ve had a few for a few brief, shining moments, but never has one managed to stick. I’ve tried to fill the gap with Martin-esque guitars, and most of CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CAN BUY A THRILL: THE LUTHIER-BUILT GUITARS OF WALTER On October 17 and 18, 2019, over a thousand of Becker’s instruments were auctioned off at Julien’s. Interestingly, one of the most heated auctions wasn’t for a vintage instrument butratherfor his green Chihoe Hahn-built Strat-style guitar. That one fetched over

$68,000.

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1959 DANELECTRO GUITARLIN 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL Fifteen years later, the Fretboard Journal is still at it. Beyond the printed page, our tiny team now produces videos, podcasts, live events and a lot more all for discerning musicians around the globe. If the idea of an independent, adventurous, informative and beautiful magazine dedicated to guitar culture appeals to you, consider a FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam CATCH OF THE DAY: 1920S STROMBERG-VOISINET GUITAR Today’s Catch was made sometime in the mid-1920s, at the height of America’s infatuation with all things Hawaiian. (You can read how Stromberg-Voisinet became Kay in 1931 here .) Along with the colorful tropical image on the top, this model sports a matching celluloid fretboard and pickguard as well as some elegant multi-colored

purfling.

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL Fifteen years later, the Fretboard Journal is still at it. Beyond the printed page, our tiny team now produces videos, podcasts, live events and a lot more all for discerning musicians around the globe. If the idea of an independent, adventurous, informative and beautiful magazine dedicated to guitar culture appeals to you, consider a FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam CATCH OF THE DAY: 1920S STROMBERG-VOISINET GUITAR Today’s Catch was made sometime in the mid-1920s, at the height of America’s infatuation with all things Hawaiian. (You can read how Stromberg-Voisinet became Kay in 1931 here .) Along with the colorful tropical image on the top, this model sports a matching celluloid fretboard and pickguard as well as some elegant multi-colored

purfling.

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios JAMES & JIM: THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP There aren’t many players and luthiers as inextricably linked as James Taylor and Jim Olson. Guitar players are a notoriously fickle bunch, prone to acquisitiveness, seemingly more likely than most to covet thy neighbor’s toys, but Taylor defies the stereotype, and he has been faithful to Olson since the latter found a way to get one of his guitars into the hands of the former way back in CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

THE ORIGIN OF PRINCE'S CLOUD GUITAR The Origin of Prince’s Cloud Guitar. Julien’s Auctions has announced that, on June 19, 2020, Prince’s “Blue Angel” Cloud guitar (pictured above, courtesy Julien’s) will be auctioned with an estimate is $400,000-600,000. Though many Cloud copies exist, this particular guitar was Prince’s primary performance instrument from

1984

TONY RICE: 1951

He looked like a pilot. He had a pilot’s moustache and the tailored suits. The all-knowing half-smile. He wore a vintage Accutron watch around his wrist (the ultimate statement piece for a horology-leaning, engineer-minded type the same watch the Mercury 7 astronauts wore) and there was often a cigarette perfectly cradled around his fingers. As THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1953 MARTIN D-18 1953 Martin D-18 Every now and then a vintage guitar shows up like this 1953 Martin D-18 that looks like it was never played. To be honest, I always have mixed feelings about these instruments. On the one hand, the historian in me loves to see guitars in untouched condition, in the the same state they left the factory. On the other hand, the musician in me gets sad to see a wonderful guitar CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a CATCH OF THE DAY: 1966 MARTIN D-18 Confession: I’ve got Martin issues. I know, that sounds like some particularly virulent strain of G.A.S., but it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m a man with a whole lotta guitars and not a single Martin. I want one, of course, and I’ve had a few for a few brief, shining moments, but never has one managed to stick. I’ve tried to fill the gap with Martin-esque guitars, and most of 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1959 DANELECTRO GUITARLIN 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

VIDEO ARCHIVES

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking GIVE THE GIFT OF THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL Fifteen years later, the Fretboard Journal is still at it. Beyond the printed page, our tiny team now produces videos, podcasts, live events and a lot more all for discerning musicians around the globe. If the idea of an independent, adventurous, informative and beautiful magazine dedicated to guitar culture appeals to you, consider a CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

TONY RICE: 1951

He looked like a pilot. He had a pilot’s moustache and the tailored suits. The all-knowing half-smile. He wore a vintage Accutron watch around his wrist (the ultimate statement piece for a horology-leaning, engineer-minded type the same watch the Mercury 7 astronauts wore) and there was often a cigarette perfectly cradled around his fingers. As INTERVIEW: MINI WALL OF SOUND BUILDER ANTHONY COSCIA Anthony Coscia recently completed the ultimate labor of love: A working, 1/6 model replica of the Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound. All told, Coscia ended up spending over 200 hours building tiny cabinets, individually soldering and installing 390 tiny speakers (some meant for cell phones), and even creating a lighting rig for his miniature take on the Dead’s 1974 stage setup. 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and TELECASTER TALK WITH JULIAN LAGE Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage. Not too long ago Julian Lage put out a lovely little record called Arclight. It’s an album inspired by an appreciation for Telecasters that dates all the way back to Lage’s days as an 8-year old prodigy and grew deeper with his acquisition of a ’54 Blackguard. He toured most of the summer supporting the

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 63 The Truth About Vintage Amps with Skip Simmons. Ep. 63: "Chapter Four: Handles". 30. 00:00:00 / 01:50:12. 30. Once again, Skip Simmons is fielding guitar amp questions from around the world, but this week we’re joined by special guest, Ian Moore! Ian shares Austin music scene tales, Fender mods, and a simple recipe that will have you

racing

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: C. 1890S DOBSON / BUCKBEE FIVE-STRING Here’s one noteworthy exception: a late 1800s Buckbee 5-string banjo with all the provenance you could ever ask for. As paperwork shows, the banjo’s original owner was George W. Weindel, who served in the Navy from 1899. His first training cruise was on the (wait for it banjo fans) USS Hartford, a three-mast sailing ship with a steam BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and TELECASTER TALK WITH JULIAN LAGE Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage. Not too long ago Julian Lage put out a lovely little record called Arclight. It’s an album inspired by an appreciation for Telecasters that dates all the way back to Lage’s days as an 8-year old prodigy and grew deeper with his acquisition of a ’54 Blackguard. He toured most of the summer supporting the THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

VIDEO ARCHIVES

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking

TONY RICE: 1951

He looked like a pilot. He had a pilot’s moustache and the tailored suits. The all-knowing half-smile. He wore a vintage Accutron watch around his wrist (the ultimate statement piece for a horology-leaning, engineer-minded type the same watch the Mercury 7 astronauts wore) and there was often a cigarette perfectly cradled around his fingers. As HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS PODCAST: BIG INDEX PAGE By popular demand (well, at least one of you asked for it), a growing index of topics found on the Truth About Vintage Amps Episode 1 -Restoring a Gibson “Charlie Christian” amp from the ’30s/’40s -Repairing amps on a drawbridge -60Hz/50Hz hum -Troubleshooting amps -Solid-state rectifiers -Recommended new vacuum tubes for amps -The

magic

CATCH OF THE DAY: CIRCA 1969 ACOUSTIC 360/361 BASS The 360 was designed for Acoustic in 1967 by Harvey Gerst and Russ Allee, two engineers who felt the world needed a bass amp that could compete in volume with the Marshall stacks that rock guitarists were using in ever growing numbers. The 360 was loud but thanks to the well designed 361 speaker cabinet, that featured a single 18-inch speaker 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 71  It’s the 71st installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps, featuring noisy Fenders (and a Vingtor!), clip-on fans, more candy cigarette talk and other surprises. As always, tech Skip Simmons is here for you, fielding your questions on all-things-tube-amp. This week’s episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Some of the topics

PODCAST 294: BRUCE HARVIE (ORCAS ISLAND TONEWOODS Aug 11, 2020. Podcast 294: Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) 00:00:00. For forty years, Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) has carved out a nice existence for himself in the instrument making world as a tonewood supplier. His one-man operation is based in one of the most beautiful spots in North America (Washington State’s San Juan BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a CATCH OF THE DAY: 1966 MARTIN D-18 Confession: I’ve got Martin issues. I know, that sounds like some particularly virulent strain of G.A.S., but it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m a man with a whole lotta guitars and not a single Martin. I want one, of course, and I’ve had a few for a few brief, shining moments, but never has one managed to stick. I’ve tried to fill the gap with Martin-esque guitars, and most of TELECASTER TALK WITH JULIAN LAGE Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage. Not too long ago Julian Lage put out a lovely little record called Arclight. It’s an album inspired by an appreciation for Telecasters that dates all the way back to Lage’s days as an 8-year old prodigy and grew deeper with his acquisition of a ’54 Blackguard. He toured most of the summer supporting the

1952 MARTIN D-28

A few Saturdays ago I was hanging out at Gryphon Stringed Instruments when a women walked in the store with this brown guitar case. As she walked to the back counter, the store got quiet, sort of like the scene in a western movie when a stranger first walks into a saloon. All eyes were on that case, which was obviously old and most likely contained a great vintage guitar. Being brown, I 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

REMEMBERING BOB BAIN: 1924 Remembering Bob Bain: 1924 – 2018. FJ Staff June 2018. Bob Bain. From The Magazine. Issue 36. Guitar legend Bob Bain used to have a print-out summarizing some of the many sessions he appeared on. He’d present it to visitors like me, making the pilgrimage to his beachfront Oxnard, California home, eager to meet a man who helped

shape

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCAST The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 71  It’s the 71st installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps, featuring noisy Fenders (and a Vingtor!), clip-on fans, more candy cigarette talk and other surprises. As always, tech Skip Simmons is here for you, fielding your questions on all-things-tube-amp. This week’s episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Some of the topics

PODCAST 294: BRUCE HARVIE (ORCAS ISLAND TONEWOODS Aug 11, 2020. Podcast 294: Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) 00:00:00. For forty years, Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) has carved out a nice existence for himself in the instrument making world as a tonewood supplier. His one-man operation is based in one of the most beautiful spots in North America (Washington State’s San Juan BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a CATCH OF THE DAY: 1966 MARTIN D-18 Confession: I’ve got Martin issues. I know, that sounds like some particularly virulent strain of G.A.S., but it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m a man with a whole lotta guitars and not a single Martin. I want one, of course, and I’ve had a few for a few brief, shining moments, but never has one managed to stick. I’ve tried to fill the gap with Martin-esque guitars, and most of TELECASTER TALK WITH JULIAN LAGE Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage. Not too long ago Julian Lage put out a lovely little record called Arclight. It’s an album inspired by an appreciation for Telecasters that dates all the way back to Lage’s days as an 8-year old prodigy and grew deeper with his acquisition of a ’54 Blackguard. He toured most of the summer supporting the

1952 MARTIN D-28

A few Saturdays ago I was hanging out at Gryphon Stringed Instruments when a women walked in the store with this brown guitar case. As she walked to the back counter, the store got quiet, sort of like the scene in a western movie when a stranger first walks into a saloon. All eyes were on that case, which was obviously old and most likely contained a great vintage guitar. Being brown, I 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

REMEMBERING BOB BAIN: 1924 Remembering Bob Bain: 1924 – 2018. FJ Staff June 2018. Bob Bain. From The Magazine. Issue 36. Guitar legend Bob Bain used to have a print-out summarizing some of the many sessions he appeared on. He’d present it to visitors like me, making the pilgrimage to his beachfront Oxnard, California home, eager to meet a man who helped

shape

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCASTTHE FRETBOARD JOURNAL The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios

FRETBOARD JOURNAL

2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL PODCASTTHE FRETBOARD JOURNAL The Fretboard Journal magazine's weekly podcast, featuring candid interviews with luthiers, guitar dealers, musicians and more. CATCH OF THE DAY: 1952 GIBSON J-45 1952 Gibson J-45. In issue 30 , we have a great interview with The Milk Carton Kids in which the folk duo talk extensively about their guitars. Joey Ryan tells the story of how he acquired his early 1950s Gibson J-45, a guitar that looks pretty much like the one featured here. Ryan was looking for a Gibson from this era because an early

1950s J

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1970 MARTIN D12-20 1970 Martin D12-20. Martin’s naming system can be a little mysterious at times. Take this 1970s D12-20 for example. At first glance it looks like an 18 style. Like an 18 from 1970 it has a spruce top, mahogany sides and back, dark binding, rosewood bridge and

fretboard and a

FRETBOARD JOURNAL #47 Fretboard Journal #47. With our 47th issue, the Fretboard Journal continues its 15th anniversary celebration with a bang. Within its 128 pages, we've packed some of favorite stories from the past, present and future of guitars. On the cover, James Taylor sits down with the FJ's Brian K. Saunders to talk about standards, gear acquisition HANDS ON: EASTMAN ERM EL REY MANDOLIN Hands On. Mandolin. In the world of electric mandolins, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the more widely available the instrument, the lower the quality. But the Eastman El Rey may be poised to change all that. Introduced at Winter NAMM 2019, the El Rey hits stores this summer. At $1299 MSRP ($1039 street), it appears to

be targeting

CATCH OF THE DAY: 1935 NATIONAL DUOLIAN 1935 National Duolian Personally, I've always liked the tone of National Duolians. The more famous Style 0, with its shiny nickel finish looks great, but to my ear its brass body has a little too much ring and reverb to it. The Duolian was a cheaper model and its body was made from steel, which has a slightly drier timbre. If you look carefully at the photo, you can see the steel peeking CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a HANDS ON: NICKEL ACOUSTIC GUITAR STRINGS As it happened, Laurence Juber left us a set of the Martin Retro strings (LJ’s Choice, of course), so that took care of one alternative. A quick internet search found a couple more–Newtone Nickel Master Class and John Pearse Acoustic Guitar Pure Nickel Wound strings–and a new “Hands On” was born. D’Addario’s Nickel Bronze strings are their “premium uncoated acoustic strings CATCH OF THE DAY: 1962 FRAMUS ELECTRO UNIVERSAL 2221 NW 56th St. #101, Seattle, WA 98107 | (877) 373-8273 ©2016-21 Fretboard Journal. Built to be Seaworthy by SeaMonster Studios THE FRETBOARD JOURNAL SHOP Purchase back issues and subscriptions for The Fretboard Journal, a keepsake magazine for guitar collectors, builders, players and

enthusiasts.

THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 71  It’s the 71st installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps, featuring noisy Fenders (and a Vingtor!), clip-on fans, more candy cigarette talk and other surprises. As always, tech Skip Simmons is here for you, fielding your questions on all-things-tube-amp. This week’s episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and Grez Guitars.

Some of the topics

PODCAST 294: BRUCE HARVIE (ORCAS ISLAND TONEWOODS Aug 11, 2020. Podcast 294: Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) 00:00:00. For forty years, Bruce Harvie (Orcas Island Tonewoods) has carved out a nice existence for himself in the instrument making world as a tonewood supplier. His one-man operation is based in one of the most beautiful spots in North America (Washington State’s San Juan BENCH PRESS: IGNACIO BAÑOS OF NACHOGUITARS Bench Press: Ignacio Baños of Nachoguitars. Obsessing over classic guitars is nothing new – it’s more or less central to our job description and probably a big part of why most of you are reading this. Focusing that obsession on Leo Fender’s creations from the 1950s isn’t particularly novel, either, and CATCH OF THE DAY: 1969 MARTIN N-20 1969 Martin N-20. Martin first cataloged the nylon-strung N-20 in 1969 although they actually started building them in late 1968. The first year or so of production the guitar had a 25.4″ scale length, fan bracing and a squared-off standard Martin slotted headstock. Classical players didn’t take to that scale length, which is short for a CATCH OF THE DAY: 1966 MARTIN D-18 Confession: I’ve got Martin issues. I know, that sounds like some particularly virulent strain of G.A.S., but it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m a man with a whole lotta guitars and not a single Martin. I want one, of course, and I’ve had a few for a few brief, shining moments, but never has one managed to stick. I’ve tried to fill the gap with Martin-esque guitars, and most of TELECASTER TALK WITH JULIAN LAGE Telecaster Talk with Julian Lage. Not too long ago Julian Lage put out a lovely little record called Arclight. It’s an album inspired by an appreciation for Telecasters that dates all the way back to Lage’s days as an 8-year old prodigy and grew deeper with his acquisition of a ’54 Blackguard. He toured most of the summer supporting the

1952 MARTIN D-28

A few Saturdays ago I was hanging out at Gryphon Stringed Instruments when a women walked in the store with this brown guitar case. As she walked to the back counter, the store got quiet, sort of like the scene in a western movie when a stranger first walks into a saloon. All eyes were on that case, which was obviously old and most likely contained a great vintage guitar. Being brown, I 70281: THE FIRST LOAR-SIGNED F-5 MANDOLIN GETS A SECOND 70281: The first Loar-signed F-5 mandolin gets a second life. To mandolin aficionados, the sight of the earliest known Gibson F-5 mandolin should have been a gratifying – if not inspiring – experience. After all, it is the first example of a mandolin design that, in the hands of such players as Bill Monroe, Dave Apollon, David

Grisman, Sam

REMEMBERING BOB BAIN: 1924 Remembering Bob Bain: 1924 – 2018. FJ Staff June 2018. Bob Bain. From The Magazine. Issue 36. Guitar legend Bob Bain used to have a print-out summarizing some of the many sessions he appeared on. He’d present it to visitors like me, making the pilgrimage to his beachfront Oxnard, California home, eager to meet a man who helped

shape

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THE TRUTH ABOUT VINTAGE AMPS, EP. 71  It’s the 71st installment of the Truth About Vintage Amps, featuring noisy Fenders (and a Vingtor!), clip-on fans, more candy cigarette talk and other surprises. As always, tech Skip Simmons is here for you, fielding your questions on all-things-tube-amp. This week’s episode is sponsored by Amplified Parts and...

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