Guitar Dads

The Dads are back after a little radio silence — rusty strings, sharp opinions. Alex from Coppersound Pedals joins to unpack the new JHS DIY pedal kit collab, the Boost Drive Fuzz — three pedals, one box. Then it's Bon Jovi and David Lee Roth's live vocal struggles — rough night, rough tour, or rough decade? Plus the D'Addario AI backlash and Fender CEO Bud Cole's now-viral take comparing cover bands to "analog AI." We aren't holding back on these ones. Welcome back to Guitar Dads. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW JHS DIY Pedal kit collab, which goes LIVE on August 6th, 2026! 

Dan Tremonti joins the Dads — artist, founder of Fret12, and brother to Creed and Alter Bridge guitar legend Mark Tremonti. Dan's built something rare with Fret12: a company genuinely committed to curating music culture and keeping the true spirit of analog music alive through thoughtful products and experiences. We get into his own journey as an artist, what drives the Fret12 vision, and yes — what it's like growing up in the Tremonti household. 

Check out Fret12 at Guitar Supply - Apparel - Art - Gifts - Pedals - Amps | FRET12

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

The Dads are BACK after some time off with another episode! Slash speaks out about his ditching Marshall for Magnatone — we break down his Guitar World interview and what it means. Plus, Fender's cease-and-desist drama, and the big question: is Matt selling his Marshall?

Dave takes us through his amp journey and lands a PRS DGT. Matt reports back from the Fuzzy Guitars Pedal Party, featuring Coppersound Pedals and dispatches from Summer School Electronics, Roma Devices, Cosmodio, plus, Dave talks Jade Electric's new J-6 pedal.

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

The Dads are BACK with new episode, this time with a special guest! 

Chris Cassone is a musician, writer, and photographer obsessed with the artwork that rides on guitar pedals. For Art of the Stomp Box he visited and Zoomed with builders on six continents, and eighteen countries, capturing designs and stories in vivid, full-color spreads. A NAMM regular and former chief recording engineer, he has credits from Ace Frehley to A Bronx Tale. Between gigs he created museum-based team adventures that brought thousands of executives into the country’s top museums, a byproduct of which was his love and understanding of fine art. He’s also writing The Cakeman Chronicles, a memoir of life in his family’s Italian bakery (“Almost Famous” meets “The Godfather”).  But this was pre-empted by the death of his friend, Ace Frehley. His “Me and Ace” memoir is scheduled for release by the end of 2026. 

BUY Art of the Stompbox at Chris Cassone writer of ART of STOMP BOX

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

The Dads are back and the Dadaverse is packed this week: David Lee Roth sells his catalog, a flurry of tour announcements including BLS/Zakk Sabbath, Buckcherry with Black Stone Cherry and Tyler Bryant, and Jason Newsted and the Chophouse Band opening for Blackberry Smoke. Alice Cooper taps 22-year-old Anna Cara — handpicked by Nita Strauss — as her maternity leave fill-in, adding to the social media guitarist trend. Guitar prodigy Grace Bowers quit YouTube in a blaze of glory, calling out the "old men" in her audience and ditching the blues label for good. In Gear: speakers, DG and the RD question, the new Jake Kiszka Gibson SG Standard, and Way Huge's 30th anniversary Swollen Pickle XXX. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

This week the Dads are once again joined by Alex Guaraldi of Coppersound Pedals as the third chair and we get into some great Dadaverse topics, including Coachella happened — do we care? We care enough to talk about David Lee Roth showing up at Teddy Swims' set to destroy "Jump" one more time. Then it's Journey drama: Arnel Pineda says he's being pressured to tour, Neal Schon has responded, Then Gear: we dig into the new Yamaha Pacifica SC Standard and ask if we've been sleeping on Yamaha or are they just sleepy? Plus Mateus Asato makes his Fender artist debut official. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

The Dads are BACK, but more importantly, Matt returns from the Amigo Guitar Show in Franklin, TN with a new guitar and no regrets (and no regerts). Plus: Vinny Vincent wants $2 million for his new album (yes, really), Keith Urban goes full yacht rock, Dave ponders a new Les Paul journey, Source Audio's new release, Pathways, the EVH 5150 DX series, and capture tech finally comes to the Helix Stadium. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

 This week, we're joined by Ricky from Roma Devices — a boutique pedal company doing things a little differently. We get into the origin story behind the Conviction pedal and what drove Ricky to build it. Then in the Dadaverse, we break down Fender's landmark copyright ruling in Germany and why it could have big implications for the guitar industry. Strap in — it's a good one. 

Check out Roma Devices at ROMA Devices – Hand-Built Circuits. Earned Tone.

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the  NEW ION FUZZ 

This week, Dave sits down with Ryan Kiefer, guitarist for East Texas hard rockers Blacktop Mojo. Ryan talks about the band's journey from playing flatbed trailer shows in Palestine, TX to sharing stages with Sammy Hagar. We dig into Pollen, the band's most sonically adventurous record yet, the dual-guitar dynamic with Malcolm Booher, and how a band from a small Texas town keeps pushing their sound forward. We also "dad out" over their jaw-dropping cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On" — how they approached it, what it takes to do that song justice, and why it's become a fan favorite. Of course, we get into Ryan's gear as well, this is Guitar Dads and we can't help ourselves. 

Check out Blacktop Mojo here: Blacktop Mojo

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit! 

This week on Guitar Dads, we're asking whether Gibson's relentless collector's edition releases are getting out of hand and putting the new JHS Double Dragon lo-fi octave pedal under the microscope. Alex from Coppersound Pedals stops by for our Quiz Eye segment, and in the Dadaverse we tackle two big conversations: whether the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has completely abandoned rock — with Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, and Chubby Checker all in the 2025 class — and whether Metallica's newly announced Sphere residency in Las Vegas is the ultimate live music experience or just expensive spectacle. 

Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit!