Ask Zac – Details, episodes & analysis

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Ask Zac

Zac Childs

Music

Frequency: 1 episode/4d. Total Eps: 275

Zac Childs is a music insider and historian. He is the host of the acclaimed Truetone Lounge interview series and contributed to Vintage Guitar Magazine for 15 years via his Ask Zac column, and numerous featured articles, product reviews, and cover stories. On his ASK ZAC channel, Zac takes a look at players and gear and also answers guitar-related questions in ways that were never possible via print.

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https://paypal.me/AskZac
245 shares
https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/
72 shares
http://www.texastoastpodcast.com
51 shares

https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/askzac
155 shares
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/telecaster
122 shares
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/guitartech
116 shares

https://www.patreon.com/AskZac
467 shares

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The Tour From Hell: My First Time on the Road

Episode 252

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 • Duration 33:35

When you’re young and dreaming about hitting the road, touring sounds like the ultimate adventure, until you actually do it.

In this episode, I look back on my first tour experience with the long drives, bad gigs, and all the hard lessons that came with it. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me things I still carry with me every time I step onstage.

NEW MERCH SITE!
https://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.com

To Support the Channel:
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac
https://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.com
Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac
Venmo @AskZac

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Telecaster Bridge Shootout! 3-Saddle vs 6-Saddle on My 1957 Esquire

Episode 251

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 • Duration 19:10

In this episode of Ask Zac, I put my 1957 Fender Esquire through a true bridge showdown, comparing the classic 3-saddle setup that defined early Tele tone with a modern 6-saddle bridge known for better intonation, and for beefing-up the sound.

We’ll dig into:
The history of Fender bridge designs, and why Leo Fender stuck with 3 saddles
The tonal differences between the two setups
Direct sound samples recorded on the same guitar for an honest comparison
My verdict after playing both

Guitar: 1957 Fender Esquire

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How Eric Clapton (and Albert Lee) Got Me Into Country Music – Just One Night

Episode 242

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 • Duration 17:42

In this video, I share how Eric Clapton’s Just One Night album completely shifted my musical direction, and how the real surprise was Albert Lee. Clapton’s fiery playing grabbed my attention, but it was Albert’s Telecaster tone, precision, and country-infused style that opened the door to a whole new world of music for me. In the episode, I forget the names of 1985 tour members Shawn Murphy and Tim Renwick.

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WAH, TELE, & STRING TALK with JD SIMO - Ask Zac 152 @JDSimoMusic

Episode 152

Monday, September 4, 2023 • Duration 34:41

Truefire Link https://prf.hn/l/LbY3nGL

Enter promo code "ASKZAC30" to save 30%

To Support the Channel:

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac

Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac

Venmo @AskZac

Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

A visit to JD Simo's House of Grease to get a tweak done on my wah ends up leading him to demo his new fly board, talking about his love for StringJoy Broadway pure nickel strings, and us getting to hear his Headstrong Lil King (Princeton Reverb) amp that he has been relying on recently for shows and sessions. We also cover in-depth his Danocaster's wiring scheme, which features a Gibson humbucker, plus a Telecaster bridge, that has the tone control wired to only the bridge pickup.

No tone on the neck schematic
https://www.askzac.com/post/no-tone-o...

The #1 Country Music Podcast in Texas!

Finding the Perfect Wah - Ask Zac 151

Episode 151

Saturday, September 2, 2023 • Duration 43:17

Enter promo code "ASKZAC30" to save 30%
Truefire https://prf.hn/l/LbY3nGL

To Support the Channel:

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac

Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac

Venmo @AskZac

Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

I have loved the classic wah sound for years, but have never been able to find one I liked. Years of buying various models, and feeling like they had too wide of a tonal variance finally caused me to quit looking. Recently, a friend told me that old wahs had less travel and that 70s models were available for well under $200. I picked up a Thomas Organ Wah for $120 off reverb.com, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find out how much difference the lesser travel made. It was now more vocal sounding and more in the range of useability for me. Besides my wah journey, we also have Bill Keck modify the unit to be true bypass, and we follow up with our book nook segment.

Schematic to true bypass your old wah
https://www.wah-wah.co.uk/bypass.htmlThe proper switch for True Bypass WahGibson Amp Book, which is unfortunately out of print:Gear Used:1957 Fender Esquire with a 1954 neck pickup, and original bridge pickup. Restoration an

The #1 Country Music Podcast in Texas!

Gig Stories From Las Vegas - Ask Zac 150 @austinskinner

Episode 150

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 • Duration 29:29

To Support the Channel:
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac
Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac
Venmo @AskZac
Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

The low down on my 5 nights of gigging with @austinskinner in Las Vegas. Being that the venue had a Boss Katana amp, I decided to leave the Strymon Iridium at home, and try it out. I also took a mid-70s Cry Baby Wah, and my 2008 R9 Les Paul to have more tonal offerings than just my '57 Esquire & my grab-and-go pedalboard. I also had a crazy adventure trying to visit J & E Guitars. I found out they were closed due to a robbery committed during business hours. The assailants used a crowd-control pepper spray device that coated all of the store's stock, rendering everything unsaleable.

#askzac #austinskinner #zacchilds

Texas Toast
The #1 Country Music Podcast in Texas!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

3 Keys to Success in Music - Ask Zac - 147

Episode 147

Monday, August 28, 2023 • Duration 17:36

Enter promo code "ASKZAC30" to save 30%
Truefire https://prf.hn/l/LbY3nGL

To Support the Channel:

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac

Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac

Venmo @AskZac

Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

Between my work with the Truetone Lounge and Vintage Guitar Magazine, I have interviewed many award-winning musicians with long and storied careers. It struck me recently that every one of them had a pivotal moment in their story where 3 important elements came together to launch their careers. These integral ingredients can be distilled down to hard work, risk-taking, and timing/luck. All 3 of these are incredibly important, and the house quickly falls if any one of these elements is absent. To illustrate, I share anecdotes from my interviews with John Jorgenson, Pete Anderson, and JD Simo showing how the elements of hard work, risk-taking, and luck played out in their careers.

Gear Used:

Baxendale Kay Mandocello

Pick:
Blue Chip TPR 35

Amp:
2021 Fender Handwired 64 Princeton Reverb with a Jensen Neo 10-100 speaker.Effects:Boss Analogman mod TR-2, MXR Reverb

The Bob Warford & Clarence White Telecaster - The Second B-Bender Tele - Ask Zac 146

Episode 146

Saturday, August 26, 2023 • Duration 21:20

Enter promo code "ASKZAC30" to save 30%
Truefire https://prf.hn/l/LbY3nGL

To Support the Channel:

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac

Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac

Venmo @AskZac

Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

Today we spotlight Clarence White's former #1 Telecaster, which he used on some of The Byrd's "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" tracks, and likely the "Nashville West" recordings. After Gene Parsons installed the B-Bender on his sunburst backup Tele, it knocked the white Tele to the #2 position, and it was soon traded to his bandmate Bob Warford for a Nobel acoustic guitar. Wanting to also use a B-Bender, Warford & his dad engineered their own system based on Gene's original design, but with a few improvements including the allowance for a slimmer body to fit in a standard guitar case. Once learning the ropes of the mechanism, Bob would feature the B-Bender-equipped Tele with such greats as the Everly Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Herb Pedersen, and Chris Hillman. Today's video drills down on the modifications done to it, and we look at the ingredients to his rig to produce the memorable tones he featured on Ronstadt's "Willin'" and "Dark End Of The Street."Spotify PlaylistBender plans and photosGear Used:Crook Paisley Tele.Strings: Webstrings pure nickel 9-42 Pick:Blue Chip TPR 35Amp:2021 Fender Handwired 64 Princeton Reverb with a Jensen Neo 10-100 speaker.

Luke McQueary - Don Kelley’s Last Hero - Ask Zac 145

Episode 145

Thursday, August 24, 2023 • Duration 01:10:22

Luke McQueary was Don Kelley's final guitarist in his long line of amazing players. Today we sit down and talk about his beginnings and the importance of Don's tutelage in his progression as a musician and performer. Though Don Kelley is now retired, the tradition lives on with Kelley's Heroes Wednesday through Saturday, 6:30 -10:30 PM at Robert's Western World. Luke also shows off his rig which includes a specially ordered Custom Shop Telecaster Thinline, vintage Deluxe Reverb, and a small pedalboard.

#askzac #donkelley #lukemcqueary

Texas Toast
The #1 Country Music Podcast in Texas!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

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The Story of James Burton's 1969 Paisley Telecaster - Ask Zac 144

Episode 144

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 • Duration 18:44

Enter promo code "ASKZAC30" to save 30%
Truefire https://prf.hn/l/LbY3nGL

To Support the Channel:

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac

Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac

Venmo @AskZac

Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com

In 1969, Burton put his 52 Telecaster into semi-retirement, and would use his 1969 paisley Telecaster all throughout the 70s and 80s playing on countless recordings, and touring with Elvis, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Costello. During that time, he made quite a few modifications to the instrument, including changing pickups, bridges, hardware, and even a neck swap or 2. Today's episode spotlight all the changes the guitar went through in the years he used it as his main guitar for both the studio and the road.

Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/47J...Gear Used:Crook Paisley Tele.Strings: Webstrings pure nickel 9-42 Pick:Blue Chip TPR 35Amp:2021 Fender Handwired 64 Princeton Reverb with a Jensen Neo 10-100 speaker.

Ask Zac – Details, episodes & analysis

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Ask Zac – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other67

Youtube99+

Patreon1

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other67

Youtube99+

Patreon1