The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

Nearly every guitar player has daydreamed about running their favorite gear company. On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we hear from two individuals who are currently living that dream: Nashville's Pete Mroz and Shannon Pollard. Earlier this year, these two guitar fanatics and businessmen became the new owners of Bend, Oregon's Breedlove Guitars. During our chat, we talk about the realities of running a guitar business in 2025, the surprises they weren't anticipating, what changes they are implementing at the 35-year-old company, and where they see growth in the guitar space. Whether or not you're currently a Breedlove owner, Pete and Shannon's enthusiasm for guitars is downright infectious. We think you'll love this chat. https://breedlovemusic.com Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org Our 58th issue of the Fretboard Journal will mail later this month. Subscribe here to get it. We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com    

Mandolin hero John Reischman joins us this week to talk about his new album, 'The Salish Sea.' We chat about the influence the Pacific Northwest has had on his music-making, discuss his famed Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F-5 mandolin, and so much more.  Check out the Salish Sea here or on your favorite streaming platform: https://johnreischmanandthejaybirds.bandcamp.com/album/the-salish-sea https://www.fretboardjournal.com/ Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org Our 58th issue of the Fretboard Journal will mail later this month. Subscribe here to get it. We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com  

Every year during the holiday season, we chat with Guru Singh, a third-generation yogi and spiritual teacher who also happens to live and breathe guitars. On this installment (Guru Singh's third visit), we go deep. This former Reprise artist and friend of Janis Joplin talks to us about the spirit of giving, the benefits of A.I. (even for musicians), how he stays optimistic during difficult times, and so much more. We'll be sharing the video from this interview on our YouTube channel soon. https://gurusingh.com/ https://www.fretboardjournal.com/ https://fretboardsummit.org/ Check out Rhett Shull's video from our 2025 Fretboard Summit here. Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org Our 58th issue of the Fretboard Journal will mail later this month. Subscribe here to get it. We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com We are also brought to you by Seattle's own Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. https://mmguitarbar.com

Today's podcast episode is with Liam Kazar, a Chicago-born singer-songwriter and guitarist currently touring in Jeff Tweedy's band. Liam just put out a new record, Pilot Light, which he made at Flying Cloud Studios in upstate New York. Check it out and catch him on the road. https://www.instagram.com/liamkazar https://liamkazar.com Our 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it. Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com We are also brought to you by Seattle's own Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. https://mmguitarbar.com

On today's episode of the podcast, Sofia Wolfson talks to TJ Hiemel, owner of Troy, New York's Love of Fuzz store. TJ shares with us some of his favorite gear that has come through the shop, his role in the upstate music community, the magic behind his ever-evolving inventory, and much more. Be sure to follow the shop's Instagram to stay up to date with their inventory. https://www.instagram.com/love_of_fuzz/ https://www.loveoffuzz.com/ Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it. Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout). Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com We are also brought to you by Seattle's own Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. https://mmguitarbar.com