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Freedom Custom Guitar Research, a boutique guitar builder from Tokyo – Workshop Visit
Thursday, 23 May 2024
After visiting his showroom, I'd like to take you on a tour of the large Freedom Custom Guitar Research (fcgrtokyo.com) workshop, also located in Tokyo. Our guide is Makoto Fukano, the brand's founder and master luthier. Finally, it's reassuring to see that guitars are made in much the same way all over the world. That's
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Mazzucco Custom Guitars, interview with the luthier Diego Mazzucco in Padova
Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Here's an interview with Italian luthier Diego Mazzucco (Instagram account) who was one of the exhibitors at Guitar Show Padova 2024. This craftsman was introduced to me by Paulo Celentano, maker of Celentano Pickups. Diego has the particularity of making his own bridges, whether for Strat or Tele. Diego Mazzucco interview Until the next interview
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Recorded demo of Jimmy Guitar Factory guitar at Guitar Show Padova 2024 with a Zoom UAC-232 audio interface and Blue Cat Audio's Axiom (bluecataudio.com) for amp and effects simulation. Luthier guitar demo Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Luthier Guitar ReviewsPadova Archives
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Guitar Show Padova 2024 – Sunday Report, Interviews & Guitar Demos
Monday, 20 May 2024
Here's the report for the last day of Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it), with videos of guitars recorded on the spot to really get a better idea of the sound of these beautiful transalpine electrics. Interviews of the day: Guitar demos recorded onsite: Sunday report in Padova Until the next interview or gear review, keep on
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Guitar Show Padova 2024 – Saturday Report, Interviews & Guitar Demos
Sunday, 19 May 2024
A busy Saturday for Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) 2024. This report features no less than 5 interviews and 6 guitars tested on site in video. This show is really amazing with a vast array of boutique builders coming from all over Europe, big guitar brands as well as some incredible Vintage guitar collections. Interviews of
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Here's the report for the installation day of Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) 2024, where I'm delighted to come as an exhibitor and above all to cover the event. Friday report in Padova Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Padova ArchivesVideo Blogging ArchivesGuitar Shows
During my last trip to Japan for the Sound Messe Osaka, I had the pleasure of meeting Koji Tagaki, the manufacturer of Peace Hill FX (peacehillfx.com), in person. On this occasion, he offered me a Peace Hill FX SSS preamp, which I used for the FAQ of May 15, 2024. As I'd also bought a
This 2024 trip to Japan was very rich in terms of guitar content production, as after visiting the Freedom Custom Guitar Research showroom and workshop, touring Tokyo's guitar stores, and covering the 3-day Sound Messe Osaka, we ended on a high note with a visit to Fender's brand-new flagship store in the heart of Tokyo's
Here is the full report for Day 3 of the Sound Messe Osaka 2024 on this beautiful Sunday at the biggest guitar show in Japan. Interviews of the day: Guitars reviewed in the video: Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Day 3 Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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Here is the full report for Day 2 of the Sound Messe Osaka 2024 on this beautiful Saturday at the biggest guitar show in Japan. Interviews of the day: Guitars reviewed in the video: Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Day 2 Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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Here's a more than one hour report from Sound Messe Osaka 2024. No less than 4 interviews to kick off the show, which opened in the afternoon for buyers only. The show will open to the public over the weekend, with an expected 10,000 visitors. Interviews of the day: Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Day
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Freedom Custom Guitar Research, a boutique guitar builder from Tokyo – Showroom & Demo
Wednesday, 08 May 2024
It was during my first trip to Japan for the Sound Messe Osaka in 2019 that I discovered luthier Makoto Fukano and his work via his brand Freedom Custom Guitar Research (fcgrtokyo.com). This Japanese craftsman is based in Tokyo, both for the showroom shown here and for his workshop (see the visit in another episode).
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Japan is a country of guitar aficionados, as you can see when you visit a guitar store. This is the case in Tokyo, where there are several districts with multi-storey guitar stores. Here's a visit to Ochanomizu and Shibuya. Tokyo guitar store visits Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar!
Here is the full report for day 3 at the 2024 Montreux International Guitar Show (migs.ch) in Switzerland. The interview of the day is with Erika, the owner of Dowina Guitars (dowina.com). MIGS 2024 Day 3 report Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:MIGS ArchivesGuitar
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Here is the full report for day 2 at the 2024 Montreux International Guitar Show (migs.ch) in Switzerland. Part 1 / Part 2 Interviews of the day: MIGS 2024 Day 2 report - Part 2 Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:MIGS ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier
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Here is the full report for day 2 at the 2024 Montreux International Guitar Show (migs.ch) in Switzerland. Part 1 / Part 2 Interviews of the day: MIGS 2024 Day 2 report - Part 1 Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:MIGS ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier
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Here is the full report for day 1 at the 2024 Montreux International Guitar Show (migs.ch) in Switzerland with an interview with Jack Gardiner. MIGS 2024 Day 1 report Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:MIGS ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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Vintage Authority, interview with Italian Vintage collector Roberto Gandolfi
Thursday, 25 April 2024
Interview with the Vintage guitar collector Roberto Gandolfi de Vintage Authority (vintageauthority.com / rockandvintage.it) at the Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) in Italy. Roberto Gandolfi interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Padova ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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Rufini Guitars, luthier interview Matteo Rufini at the Guitar Show Padova and demo
Thursday, 25 April 2024
Interview with Italian boutique guitar builder Matteo Rufini from Rufini Guitars (rufinifineinstruments.com) at the Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) in Italy. As a bonus, you will have a demo recorded during the show. Matteo Rufini interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Padova ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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Bona Guitars, Cristian Bona interview at the Guitar Show Padova and guitar demo
Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Interview with Cristian Bona from Bona Guitars (Instagram) at the Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) in Italy. As a bonus, you can hear a demo recorded on site of Cristian's instrument. Cristian Bona interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Padova ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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Switzerland, Japan, Italy: The Guitar Channel once again tours the world of guitar shows for its subscribers
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Spring is a busy time for guitar shows. As it happens, between the end of April and mid-May there are three major guitar shows taking place in Switzerland, Japan and Italy. The Guitar Channel will once again be out and about at these three events: The Guitar Channel, the guitar mediaoffering the best coverageof guitar
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Marconi Lab Guitars interview with Guido at the Guitar Show Padova, Italy
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Interview with Guido from Marconi Lab Guitars (marconilab.com / egoguitar.com) at the Guitar Show Padova (guitarshow.it) in Italy. Marconi Lab Guitars interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Padova ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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Walko Guitars, presentation of four Made in France boutique instruments
Monday, 22 April 2024
Nicolas Walkowiak from Walko Guitar (walkoguitars.com) is a luthier based in Toulouse. Here is a presentation with four short demos of the four luthier guitars he brought to the showroom. Marinka Arsis Road One Aged Black Road One Butterscotch For more info:Luthier GuitarsLuthier Interviews
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Josh Smith, interview before the Joe Bonamassa concert in Paris
Friday, 19 April 2024
American musician Josh Smith (joshsmithguitar.com) has a solo career well underway, but he also regularly accompanies his good friend Joe Bonamassa. Here's an interview in a box at the Dôme de Paris just before the concert. Josh Smith interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. Audio version
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Tom Strahle, from Justin Bieber to video game music – Part 1
Wednesday, 17 April 2024
I discovered the American musician Tom Strahle (tomstrahle.com) via a Paul Davids video. As I was preparing my 2024 California campaign of reports and interviews, I thought it would be interesting to meet him at his home. I was wrong, it was fascinating! So here's an in-depth three part guitar-in-hand interview complemented by another video
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Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird is a monument to Southern Rock. Its Slide guitar intro is as beautiful as it is memorable. As the tempo is not very fast, it's an excellent exercise in sound quality and accuracy. Free Bird Slide guitar intro Recording of a work session from April 15th 2024: Setup To record the
During a visit to the showroom, Tanguy Kerleroux (tanguykerleroux.com) fell in love with the Red Apple guitar by luthier Loïc Muller (mullerguitare.fr). The cameras were still on, I pressed Record and voilà, a 100% improvised demo. Démo Red Apple from Muller Guitare by Tanguy Kerleroux Photo album Configuration de la démo A guitar to try
At NAMM 2024, I had the pleasure of doing another in-depth interview with Tomo Fujita (tomojustfunky.com). It was an opportunity to talk about one of his illustrious former students, John Mayer. In this video, Tomo gives a great advice to guitar players to always get better. Tomo Fujita wise advice Full Interview with Tomo Available
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Oopegg Guitars, Kazuma Tanabe interview at the Sound Messe in Osaka, Japan
Tuesday, 09 April 2024
Interview with guitar designer Kazuma "Kaz" Tanabe from Oopegg Guitars (oopegg.com) at the Sound Messe (sound-messe.com) in Osaka, Japan. As a bonus, following the interview, you'll get a demo of the Trailbreaker presented by the craftsman. Kazuma Tanabe interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more
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Interview with Yoshi from KZ Guitar Works (kzguitarworks.com) at the Sound Messe (sound-messe.com) in Osaka, Japan. As a bonus, two awesome instruments by KZ Guitar Works are demoed. Yoshi interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Sound Messe ArchivesGuitar Show ReportsLuthier Interviews
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