Acoustic Guitar

Take a virtual road trip across the United States to visit four independent guitar stores and learn what makes them vital to the communities they serve. As you’ll hear, each of these shops is more than just a retail outlet – and each of these shopkeepers has a unique perspective on why that is and what to look forward to in the future.

Catch up with Richard Johnston of Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, California; Stan and Lillian Werbin of Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan; Raymond Morin of Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and George Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee.

We’re releasing this episode during peak holiday shopping season for a reason. Please visit your local music store for all your gifting needs (or to treat yourself!) When you buy from local, independently owned businesses, 29.3% of the revenue is recirculated into the local economy (as opposed to 5.8% from Amazon.) And, please leave a comment on our website to give a shout out to your favorite store, wherever you live!

Support the show:

• Join our community on Patreon, where you’ll find bonus podcast episodes, guitar lessons, and plenty more great perks.
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts (This helps other guitarists find the show and helps us. We really appreciate it!)

Additional resources:

• Acoustic Music Works (2142 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217)
• Elderly Instruments (1100 N Washington Ave, Lansing, MI 48906)
• Gruhn Guitars (2120 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204)
• Gryphon Stringed Instruments (211 Lambert Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306)
• If you’re shopping for a guitar, you might be interested in our guide to identifying acoustic guitar shapes and sizes. Also check out “Ask the Expert: Why Does My New Guitar Need a Setup?”  and “How to Shop for a Used Guitar.”

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Elton Bradman, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman. Executive producers are Lyzy Lusterman and Stephanie Campos Dal Broi.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

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Does the Great American Songbook endure because the songs themselves are timeless or because musicians give them a fresh spin? San Francisco–based jazz guitarists Mimi Fox, Nick Rossi, and Paul Mehling weigh in! Join us for a lively roundtable discussion on acoustic jazz standards and making jazz accessible to all kinds of listeners. 

Support the show:

• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts (This helps other guitarists find the show and helps us. We really appreciate it!)

Additional resources:

• Mimi Fox’s website
• Nick Rossi’s website
• Paul Mehling/The Hot Club of San Francisco’s website
• Watch Mimi Fox perform “Blackbird” for Acoustic Guitar Sessions and learn to play her jazzy arrangement of “America the Beautiful.”
• Paul Mehling plays “Minor Swing” in this Acoustic Guitar Session. If you’re feeling inspired to play like Django Reinhardt, check out Mehling’s gypsy-jazz lesson, “Learn the La Pompe Manouche Style in 6 Easy Steps.”
• Nick Rossi teaches the rhythm of Harlem Swing greats Freddie Green, John Trueheart, Bernard Addison, Morris White, and Al Casey in this video lesson. And learn the Nick Lucas classic “Picking the Guitar” here.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Mimi Fox.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Mimi Fox, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman. Executive producers are Lyzy Lusterman and Stephanie Campos Dal Broi.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
•  Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

 Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

Join us us for an in-depth discussion on the songwriting process and the importance of following your ear with trailblazing singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz. We explore her evolution as a multi-instrumentalist, her guitars, and how she leaned into the unfamiliar to create some of her most powerful music yet.

Support the show:

• Listen to Part 2 on Patreon, where you’ll learn how Jarosz prepares for songwriting sessions and how her 2021 album Blue Heron Suite came to be, despite and because of the pandemic.
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Post a review

Additional resources:

• Sarah Jarosz’s website
• Listen to Blue Heron Suite and World on the Ground
• Learn to play Sarah Jarosz and John Leventhal’s take on “Little Satchel”
• Get to know I’m With Her
• Watch our 2014 Session with Sarah Jarosz and this 2011 performance at the Acoustic Guitar office

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman. Executive producers are Lyzy Lusterman and Stephanie Campos Dal Broi.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

Did you know you can expand the sonic possibilities of your acoustic guitar simply by plugging in? But how do you use a guitar, pickup, preamp, and effects to craft your own particular sound? How do you fight feedback? When is it worth investing in high-end gear? We get answers from the recording engineer who wrote the book on acoustic amplification: Doug Young.

Support the show:

• Listen to Part 2 on Patreon, where you’ll learn how to choose the right pickup for your playing style (plus find out what gear iconic artists like Billy Strings and Jimmy Page use!)
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Give a rating and review

Additional resources:

• Doug Young’s website
• Acoustic Guitar Amplification Essentials by Doug Young
• Explore some recent articles by Doug Young for Acoustic Guitar: Online Learning Resources and Digital Tools for Acoustic Guitar and Learn the Essential Techniques of Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar
• Check out our reviews and how-to articles on home recording, amplifiers, and other gear. Plus, host Nick Grizzle’s roundup of pickups and microphones.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Doug Young.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Elton Bradman, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman. Executive producers are Lyzy Lusterman and Stephanie Campos Dal Broi.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

“I feel drawn to using my ability, talent, and platform to fill in some gaps that I feel are being hewn into the historical record… We have to do more than just tap our feet.”

We Zoomed from California to Sweden to talk with the great guitarist, singer, and songwriter Eric Bibb. Tune in for captivating stories and insights about his musical upbringing, the limits of being known as a blues player, and the role music plays in uniting and shaping the world today.

Support the show:

• Listen to Part 2 on Patreon, where Bibb demos guitars from his collection – including the 12-string he played for the King of Sweden and BB King. Plus, Bibb shares what he looks (and listens) for at guitar shops.
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Give a rating and review

Additional resources:

• Visit Eric Bibb’s website.
• Listen to Dear America.
• Learn to play guitar like Eric Bibb.
• Watch his Acoustic Guitar Sessions video.
• Read Blair Jackson’s review of Global Griot.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Eric Bibb.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Elton Bradman, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman. Executive producers are Lyzy Lusterman and Stephanie Campos Dal Broi.

Photograph of Eric Bibb courtesy of Michael Wall.

Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

Join Happy Traum, Jane Miller, Jess Baron, and Sean McGowan for an uplifting roundtable on teaching (and learning) guitar. We discuss community building, the pros and cons of different lesson formats, the challenges and opportunities of starting guitar at any age, and much more. Not to worry – this episode isn’t just for music instructors, but should prove illuminating and encouraging to all guitarists.

Support the show:

• Listen to Part 2 on Patreon, where Happy Traum gives an impromptu lesson and all of our panelists share their favorite things about teaching guitar.
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Give a rating and review

Additional resources:

• Visit Happy Traum’s website, Homespun Music Instruction, and learn a few songs from his storied career.
• Visit Jane Miller’s website, check out Triads for the Improvising Guitarist, and explore some of her lessons for Acoustic Guitar.
•  Learn more about Jess Baron and Guitars in the Classrom, read this story about the nonprofit in our sister publication, Ukulele, and check out her book Your Musical Child.
• Visit Sean Mcgowan’s website, check out this collection of his 5-star rated books, and videos on Truefire.
• Visit co-host Jamie Stillway’s website and lessons for Acoustic Guitar.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

 The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Jamie Stillway.

 This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Jamie Stillway, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman.

 Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

We were so excited to talk with bluegrass superstar Molly Tuttle, we couldn’t wait to share the conversation with you! So here’s a bonus episode, outside of our regular monthly schedule. Tuttle discusses her guitar education, playing music with friends, and how a surprising wood made its way into her signature Thompson dreadnought. Plus, we learn about her guilty pleasure listening and what the punk music she grew up on has in common with the music she’s making today.

Support the show:

• Join our community on Patreon
• Make a donation on PayPal
• Give a rating and review

Additional resources:

• Molly Tuttle’s website
• Listen to Crooked Tree and …but i'd rather be with you
• Crosspicking 101: A Private Bluegrass Lesson with Molly Tuttle
• Video Lesson: Molly Tuttle Breaks Down Her Deft Right-Hand Techniques
• Learn more about Molly Tuttle Signature Model Thompson guitar

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Campos Dal Broi
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers.

This episode is hosted by Nick Grizzle and Jamie Stillway, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman.

Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show

Tommy Emmanuel is a Certified Guitar Player, an honorific bestowed on him by fingerstyle legend Chet Atkins. Emmanuel has recorded over 35 albums, sells out venues across the globe, and is renowned for his virtuosic solo guitar skills. We explore his approach to writing and arranging; collaborating with fellow musicians; and what makes a great guitarist. (Hint: it’s not being a purist with your sound or mastering every bit of music theory.) We hope this conversation inspires you to pick up your guitar and let the music flow through you!

Support the show:

• Listen to Part Two, our bonus episode, on Patreon. You’ll learn all about Tommy’s guitars and gear, how he chooses who to tour and record with, and more.
• Make a donation on PayPal

 Additional resources:

• Tommy Emmanuel’s website
• Listen to Accomplice One and Best of Tommysongs
• Lessons with Tommy Emmanuel on Truefire
• A step-by-step breakdown of his guitar styles and techniques
• Info about his next in-person guitar camp
• ‘Guitar Boogie’: Watch Tommy Emmanuel Shred on this Acoustic Classic

 The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Powell
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

 The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Tommy Emmanuel.

 The show is hosted by Nick Grizzle, produced by Tanya Gonzalez, and directed and edited by Joey Lusterman.

 Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon and to the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California for their hospitality.

Support the show

In our first episode, we share stories of first guitars. Tune in for renowned musicians Eric Bibb, Bruce Cockburn, Courtney Hartman, Richard Thompson, Badi Assad, Sharon Isbin, and Tommy Emmanuel; heartwarming, inspiring, and surprising tales from the community; plus previously unheard recordings of Doc Watson and Michael Hedges. Find out who volunteered to study music out of a sense of family duty, who had his first guitar smashed, and who's still playing theirs today.

Support the show:

• Listen to Part Two, our bonus episode, on Patreon. You’ll hear more fascinating guitar stories, including Dick Boak demonstrating the first instrument he ever built, long before his storied career with C.F. Martin & Co began.
•  Make a donation on PayPal

Additional resources:

• Learn more about the artists who shared their stories in this episode:
  • Badi Assad, Eric Bibb, Dick Boak, Bruce Cockburn, Tommy Emmanuel, Courtney Hartman, Sharon Isbin, Richard Thompson. 
• If you want to keep your first (or second, third, or 30th!) guitar in top playing condition, check out the Acoustic Guitar Owner’s Manual and Acoustic Guitar Care & Maintenance guides.

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast is produced by the team at Acoustic Guitar magazine, including:

• Publisher: Lyzy Lusterman
• Editor: Adam Perlmutter
• Managing Editor: Kevin Owens
• Senior Editor: Blair Jackson
• Creative Director: Joey Lusterman
• Digital Content Director: Stephanie Powell
• Digital Content Manager: Nick Grizzle
• Marketing Services Manager: Tanya Gonzalez

The Acoustic Guitar Podcast theme music is composed by Adam Perlmutter and performed for this episode by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers.

Thanks to Nick Grizzle and Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers for hosting this episode, to Tanya Gonzalez for producing, and to Joey Lusterman for directing and editing. 

 Special thanks to our listeners who support the show on Patreon.

Support the show