Steve Baker is the co-owner of Chicago Fret Works. After starting his career as an English teacher, he began working on guitars in 2000, learning his craft at Bryan Galloup's School of Luthiery in Michigan. In 2008, after working together at another Chicago guitar shop, he and Dan Wolf partnered up to go out on their own with Chicago Fret Works. Now eighteen years in, they've worked on instruments by many famous musicians - including lots from Wilco - as well as everyday guitars used by students at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Steve shares a bunch of those stories with us and we talk a lot about the Chicago music community.

Time stamps:

02:00 — How or when did you get into music?

07:48 — Who's your favorite Beatle?

09:06 — What's the most recent thing that's cracked open for you musically?

15:32 — When did you start? How did you learn? What's your journey through the guitar world?

17:47 —how do you start dipping your toes into the guitar repair world?

21:55 — Did it click right away, being in bands?

24:49 — So how did you decide, where's this going?

27:46 — How does that come about? (re: going full time at the shop)

29:30 — Was he like, "you're dead to me" or "fuck yeah, go for it"? (re: telling the boss)

34:18 — Do you have plans for the 20th anniversary celebration?

37:48 — When did you feel, have you felt like, "yeah, we've made it"?

40:14 — How did that relationship with Wilco develop?

45:47 — Do those guys fall in love with something and say, "you've got to keep this thing going"?

48:12 — How did you get that opportunity? (re: tuning guitars for shows)

50:52 — So what's your greatest [story]?

58:54 — Is it hard to find people? Is it a good career working as a guitar tech? Is it hard to get people who know what they're doing nowadays?

69:18 — Are you a deep dish or thin crust pizza fan?

71:10 — What is your favorite venue to see a show at?

72:37 — What do you think makes Chicago a unique music scene?

75:30 — What's your go-to cheap drink?

79:02 — What's happening [at Chicago Fretworks for the next couple months]?

79:12 — What's the easiest way if I have a guitar that needs to be fixed? What's the best way? Do I just come in with it? Do I call you ahead? Do I send you an email?

79:50 — What are your hours?