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Franfret luthier’s guitar model #1, a Strat with a Mahogany body
Friday, 12 February 2021
The Spanish luthier Francisco Rodriguez is the craftsman behind the Franfret brand (franfret.net). Already interviewed several times, he sent to the showroom of The Guitar Channel a Strat like no other. Indeed, not only is the inspiration clearly David Gilmour's vintage guitar #00001 but its body is made of Mahogany. On this kind of guitar
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The French musician Sylvain Luc recorded a superb album with Renaud Letang, he came to talk about it with his guitar in hand to explain the composition and recording process. Sylvain Luc interview Activate the sub-titles in Englishin the YouTube viewer Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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The Clubhouse audio chat application is currently all the rage on the Internet. Launched in the United States a year ago, it has been making its debut in Europe in recent weeks. As a podcaster since 2005, I find the principle very interesting because it allows very simply to establish an audio discussion with its
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Jason Sinay interview about Mike Campbell Dirty Knobs debut album
Monday, 08 February 2021
Jason Sinay (jasonsinay.com) is a Los Angeles studio musician who is playing and singing in Mike Campbell band The Dirty Knobs. They have just released their debut album Wreckless Abandon which is full of cool songs and great dual guitar tones. Jason Sinay interview The Guitar Channel podcast The audio version of the video is
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Pierrejean Gaucher plays Zappe Satie mixing Frank Zappa and Erik Satie music
Saturday, 06 February 2021
The musician Pierrejean Gaucher (pierrejeangaucher.com) plays in this session some selected pieces from his album Zappe Satie where he mixes the music of Frank Zappa and Erik Satie. Pierrejean Gaucher plays Zappe Satie Gear used Guitar: Tausch Guitars model 665 Raw Deluxe (tausch-guitars.de) Amp: Kelt V-Twin Sound: Universal Audio Ox Box Pedals: Jan Ray Vemuram,
As part of the service proposed to boutique guitar builders to exhibit and try out instruments in our private showroom in Paris, France here is the model 665 Raw Deluxe from Tausch Guitars (tausch-guitars.de). This guitar built in Germany by the luthier Rainer Tausch is full of cool features (see specs below) Tausch Guitars 665
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Thierry André luthier interview at the Holy Grail Guitar Show
Monday, 01 February 2021
Thierry André (andreinstruments.com) is a boutique guitar builder based in the province of Québec in Canada. He was one of the exhibitor of the 2016 Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin, Germany, Here is in interview presenting one of his super original instrument. Thierry André luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the
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Sam Evans luthier for Cardinal Instruments at the Holy Grail Guitar Show
Monday, 01 February 2021
Sam Evans from Cardinal Instruments (facebook page) was one of the American boutique guitar builder exhibiting at the 2016 Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin Germany. Here is an interview recorded with him during the show. Sam Evans luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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The luthiers explain why The Guitar Channel interviews are the best
Friday, 29 January 2021
During the Winter NAMM 2021 online edition, the Believe in Music week, The Guitar Channel organized a Zoom call with some of the best European luthiers, the full video is available in this article. At the end of the call, we started an informal discussion and the luthiers shared why they think the interviews done
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Showroom feature: Franfret model #1, a gorgeous guitar from Spain
Thursday, 28 January 2021
As part of the service proposed to boutique guitar builders to exhibit and try out instruments in our private showroom in Paris, here is a gorgeous guitar from Franfret (franfret.net) model #1. This one is inspired by the famous 1954 David Gilmour Strat but the luthier Francisco Rodriguez made it his own. Franfret model #1
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Montreux International Guitar Show, live interview with the organizers
Wednesday, 27 January 2021
If the situation allows it and the planets align, the Montreux International Guitar Show will hold its first edition in Montreux, Switzerland from April 23rd to 25th, 2021. The Guitar Channel is a partner of this event organized by Emmanuel Cottier and David Rosset. Here are the two Swiss acolytes in a live interview to
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Invaders Bluegrass 550 tube amp, a 50W single-channel powerhouse
Tuesday, 26 January 2021
The Bluegrass 550 from Invaders Amplification (invadersamplification.com) is a 100% tube amp single-channel tube amp that has a pretty phenomenal sound. One thing is sure, you won't run out of headroom with this amp! Invaders Bluegrass 550 review Until the next gear review or interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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Winter NAMM 2021 live wrap-up – Spalt, Ruokangas, Ergon, Teuffel and Taylor Guitars
Sunday, 24 January 2021
As a wrap-up of the online edition of the 2021 Winter NAMM here is a live discussion with some of the best European boutique guitar builders who are regular exhibitors at NAMM and Andy Powers from Taylor Guitars. Guest list Projects of Three by Michael Spalt, Adriano Sergio and Ulrich Teuffel : projectsofthree.com Subjects discussed
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Projects of Three 2021 – Interview Adriano Sergio, Michael Spalt and Uli Teuffel
Wednesday, 20 January 2021
For the second year the amazingly creative luthiers Adriano Sergio from Ergon Guitars (ergonguitars.com) in Portugal, Michael Spalt from Spalt Instruments (spaltinstruments.com) in Austria and Uli Teuffel from Teuffel Guitars (teuffel.com) in Germany are joining forces under the banner of their Projetcs of Three (projectsofthree.com). In 2020 they released the Red Collection, for 2021 it
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Doug Aldrich interview about the album from The Dead Daisies with Glenn Hughes
Monday, 18 January 2021
The Dead Daisies (thedeaddaisies.com) will release Holy Ground their 2021 album with Glenn Hughes as a lead singer and bass player. Here is a Skype video interview with Doug Aldrich to talk about the whole process of composing and recording the album. We also touched base on his participation to the United Guitars Vol.2 project.
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Boost an amp with a Klon or simulate it with a Ceriatone Centura in a Simplifier
Friday, 15 January 2021
Changing the sound of an amp with a boost pedal is a recipe almost as old as the first tube amps. In this gear video, we listen in detail to the sound changes when you push a Marshall sound with a Klon Centaur type pedal. In order to simplify the configuration and to have everything
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Massimo Biolcati (massimobiolcati.com) is a professional American upright bass player who has developed iReal Pro (irealpro.com), an application that has become an indispensable tool for many musicians. Indeed this iOS, Android and MacOS application allows you to play chord charts with a full backing track. It provides you with the best way to work on
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Jeff McErlain guitar in hand interview from Brooklyn with Robben Ford sideman
Monday, 11 January 2021
Jeff McErlain (jeffmcerlain.com) is a professional American guitar player who plays very often with the great Robben Ford. In fact in 2019, Jeff released the album titled Now where Robben is featured in all tracks, some of which he composed. Here is a guitar in hand interview recorded via Zoom from his studio in Brooklyn,
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Octopus G2002 Spalt review, awesome sounding guitar and a piece of art
Friday, 08 January 2021
Make no mistake the Octopus G2002 from Spalt Instruments might look like a piece of art (guess what, it is one!) but it is first and foremost a badass guitar! It was a real pleasure to review this guitar which spent a couple of weeks at our showroom in Paris before heading to Japan. This
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Julia Hofer and Ferdinand Rikkers interview – EGB Community Build
Tuesday, 05 January 2021
On the occasion of the Holy Grail Guitar Show in 2018, the European Guitar Builders (europeanguitarbuilders.com) association launched a project to build instruments for several female musicians. Here is the interview with bassist Julia Hofer and luthier Ferdinand Rikkers (rikkersgitaarbouw.nl) to talk about the bass designed and built in the framework of this EGB Community
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Jacky Bastek guitar player and Jacky Walraet luthier interview on the EGB Community Build
Saturday, 02 January 2021
At the occasion of the 2018 Holy Grail Guitar Show the European Guitar Builders (europeanguitarbuilders.com) association launched a project to build a guitar for several female guitar players. Here is the interview with musician Jacky Bastek with luthier Jacky Walraet about the guitar built during the EGB Community Build project. Jacky Bastek and Jacky Walraet
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Rory Dowling interview from Taran Guitars at the Holy Grail Guitar Show
Thursday, 31 December 2020
Rory Dowling was one of the top acoustic guitar builder at the Holy Grail Guitar Show edition of 2018. Here is a video interview with the British luthier for Taran Guitars (taranguitars.co.uk). Rory Dowling luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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There are not many women luthiers. The Austrian Christina Kobler (koblerguitars.com) is one of them and was one of the exhibitors at the Holy Grail Guitar Show 2016. She builds high end acoustic guitar. Christina Kobler interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.
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Mike Lewis, his story with Eric Clapton, the phone call from George Harrison
Monday, 28 December 2020
Mike Lewis is an English born luthier who has been living in France for many years and works as a builder for Fine Resophonic (fineresophonic.com). He builds some of the best, if not the best, resonator type guitars. Just to name a few, he sold guitars to Eric Clapton, Robbie Macintosh and many more. Fine
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Nik Huber live interview with the luthier and founder of Nik Huber Guitars
Wednesday, 23 December 2020
Nik Huber is a German luthier who founded Nik Huber Guitars (nikhuber-guitars.com) and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the guitar building business next year. Here is a live interview recorded with him right before Christmas to do a wrap up of the crazy year we've been through. Nik Huber live interview Archives of interviews
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Thomas V. Jones interview from TV Jones at the Holy Grail Guitar Show
Monday, 21 December 2020
During the 2016 Holy Grail Guitar Show I had the pleasure to do an interview with Thomas Jones from TV Jones (tvjones.com). Yes, Thomas is a worldwide pickup builder but also an awesome guitar maker, hence his presence at this prestigious guitar show in Berlin, Germany. Thomas Jones interview Until the next interview, keep on
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Tone Bender, review of one of the ultimate and sought-after Fuzz pedals
Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Thanks to a faithful premium subscriber of The Guitar Channel (thanks Steven), I was able to test a vintage Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional Mk II. It is one of the most sought after Fuzz pedals by aficionados. Tone Bender Professional Mk II review Impressions Fuzz pedals are difficult beasts to tame. This Tone Bender
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Riccardo Gioggi interview, virtuoso guitar player from Roma, Italy
Monday, 14 December 2020
Riccardo Gioggi (riccardogioggi.com) is an Italian guitar player from Roma I had the pleasure to meet during past Winter NAMM shows. He is involved in many music projects such as band like Inkfall or Inno. Riccardo is also a full blown sound engineer and producer. Here is a Skype interview recorded with him. Riccardo Gioggi
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Gate Guitar #047 Spalt Instruments review: a piece of art you can play for good!
Friday, 11 December 2020
The Gate Guitar #047 from the Totem resin top series built by Austrian luthier Michael Spalt is one of the three guitars recently received at our Paris, France showroom. This is part of the service proposed to boutique builders described here in this post. Yes! It is definitely a piece of art but, boy, is
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Jamie Gale, live interview with the Boutique Guitar Showcase founder
Thursday, 10 December 2020
Jamie Gale is an important player in the world of boutique guitar. He is the founder of the Boutique Guitar Showcase (boutiqueguitarshowcase.com), which recently toured Europe, making a stop at Guitare Village (huge guitar store North of Paris) last October (see the full story in this article). Here is a live interview recorded with him
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