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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
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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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

** 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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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. 

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

[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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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/
~

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

[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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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.

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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

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 and Boutique Guitar Showcase:
🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase

Support the deeper conversations:
🔗 The Business of Guitar – Patreon

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