The Guitar Channel

I’d been wanting to go and cover the Fretboard Summit (fretboardsummit.org) in Chicago for years. It’s a guitar event created by Jason Verlinde, editor-in-chief of the Fretboard Journal (fretboardjournal.com). It features concerts, talks, panel discussions and, of course, a guitar show. Well, 2026 will be the year this plan comes to fruition, as I’ll be in Chicago from 19 to 24 August.

As I explain in the video below, I firmly believe that when times are tough, as they are at the moment, it’s the best time to break new ground. The program for this Fretboard Summit looks brilliant and promises some wonderful encounters and fascinating reports. I can’t wait to be there.

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar!

Pierre Journel.

For more info:
The Guitar Channel Reports
Guitar Show Archives

In 2026, The Guitar Channel travelled to Finland for the first time to cover ToneFest (tonefest.fi), the country’s biggest guitar show. Here is an interview with Petri Matero, organiser of this wonderful event and owner of the shop Tonefest Guitar Gallery (tonefestguitargallery.com), also located in Tuusula, just north of Helsinki.

A big thank you to Petri, who partly funded my trip to Finland and thus made it possible

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

I absolutely loved covering this guitar show. It was a blast to meet luthiers producing instruments of the very highest standard. The Finnish musicians who were there, whether performing in concert or giving masterclasses, were top-class; I was truly blown away by meeting all these talented people.

If the stars align, I hope to be able to go back there in the future.

Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar!

Pierre Journel.

For more info:
ToneFest Reports

Thanks to a long-time subscriber to La Chaîne Guitare (thank you, Michel!), I was able to get in touch with Polish musician Robert Pieculewicz (Facebook page). Here he is in a Zoom interview to learn about his career and his projects.

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar!

Pierre Journel.

For more info:
Guitar in Hand Interview

The Puteaux Guitar Festival / Festival Guitare de Puteaux (culture.puteaux.fr) will hold its 6th edition from October 10th to 12th, 2025. It will be the first under the direction of Florent Monfort, who is now the director of the Puteaux conservatory. I work for Florent again via The Guitar Channel, as organizer of the luthier show and also to advise him on programming at his request. Here's the interview to start revealing what's going to happen in October.

Puteaux Guitar Festival
October 10th to 12th 2025

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

Puteaux music academy is a magnificent venue with a top-class concert hall seating over 600. There are also numerous spaces available for masterclasses, instrument practice and additional concert halls.

Conservatoire Jean-Baptiste Lully
5bis, rue de Pressensé – 92800 Puteaux

Depending on the date on which you read this article, there may still be time to apply as a guitar builder to take part in the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel.

Click Here to Submit Your Application for the Guitar Show

Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar!

Pierre Journel.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports
Guitar Show Reports

A major innovation for Montreux International Guitar Show aka the MIGS (migs.ch) is that this 2024 edition will be preceded by a guitar workshop with top Classical, Fingerstyle and Rock musicians! This is the MIGS Academy (migs-masters-camps.com) which will take place from Monday April 22 to Friday April 26 in Montreux.

Here's an interview with organizers David Rosset and Emmanuel Cottier, accompanied by musician Vincent Schmidt, one of the coaches.

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar!

Pierre Journel.

For more info:
MIGS Reports & Interviews
Guitar Show Archives

Presentation and demonstration of two instruments by Nyl Guitars (fr.nylguitars.com) by musician Michel Gentils (michelgentils.com) in the presence of luthier Julien Jalaguier.

Sound, video and edit: Philippe Camus

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

As always, the Puteaux Guitar Festival included demo concerts, giving the opportunity to discover the instruments exhibited at the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel during the festival in the magnificent Jean-Baptiste Lully conservatory.

The filming and editing of the demo concert videos is 100% financed by The Guitar Channel

It's an investment that's made because it's a great way of promoting the show for exhibitors who want it at no extra cost, for the demo musicians, for the festival and for the guitar in general.

The professional musicians are paid by the conservatory for their performance at the concerts.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports & Interviews
Demo Concerts Archives
Luthier Interviews

Presentation and demonstration of two instruments by CF Guitars (Facebook page) by musician Hugo Martin (coursdeguitaremoderne.fr) in the presence of luthier Fred Charpiot.

Configuration:

Sound, video and edit: Philippe Camus

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

As always, the Puteaux Guitar Festival included demo concerts, giving the opportunity to discover the instruments exhibited at the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel during the festival in the magnificent Jean-Baptiste Lully conservatory.

The filming and editing of the demo concert videos is 100% financed by The Guitar Channel

It's an investment that's made because it's a great way of promoting the show for exhibitors who want it at no extra cost, for the demo musicians, for the festival and for the guitar in general.

The professional musicians are paid by the conservatory for their performance at the concerts.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports & Interviews
Demo Concerts Archives
Luthier Interviews

Presentation and demonstration of two instruments by Criman Guitars (criman.ro) by musician Hugo Martin (coursdeguitaremoderne.fr) in the presence of luthier Christian Sandu.

Configuration:

Sound, video and edit: Philippe Camus

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

As always, the Puteaux Guitar Festival included demo concerts, giving the opportunity to discover the instruments exhibited at the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel during the festival in the magnificent Jean-Baptiste Lully conservatory.

The filming and editing of the demo concert videos is 100% financed by The Guitar Channel

It's an investment that's made because it's a great way of promoting the show for exhibitors who want it at no extra cost, for the demo musicians, for the festival and for the guitar in general.

The professional musicians are paid by the conservatory for their performance at the concerts.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports & Interviews
Demo Concerts Archives
Luthier Interviews

Presentation and demonstration instruments by Thomas Grumler Lutherie (lutherieguitare.wordpress.com) by musician Hugo Martin (coursdeguitaremoderne.fr) in the presence of luthier Thomas Grumler during the Puteaux Guitar Festival.

Sound, video and edit: Philippe Camus

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

As always, the Puteaux Guitar Festival included demo concerts, giving the opportunity to discover the instruments exhibited at the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel during the festival in the magnificent Jean-Baptiste Lully conservatory.

The filming and editing of the demo concert videos is 100% financed by The Guitar Channel

It's an investment that's made because it's a great way of promoting the show for exhibitors who want it at no extra cost, for the demo musicians, for the festival and for the guitar in general.

The professional musicians are paid by the conservatory for their performance at the concerts.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports & Interviews
Demo Concerts Archives
Luthier Interviews

Presentation and demonstration of two guitars by Marine Guitars (marineguitars.com) by musician Marwan Boulaïd (marwanboulaidmusic.com) in the presence of luthier Marine Pacaut.

Sound, video and edit: Philippe Camus

The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below:

As always, the Puteaux Guitar Festival included demo concerts, giving the opportunity to discover the instruments exhibited at the guitar show organized by The Guitar Channel during the festival in the magnificent Jean-Baptiste Lully conservatory.

The filming and editing of the demo concert videos is 100% financed by The Guitar Channel

It's an investment that's made because it's a great way of promoting the show for exhibitors who want it at no extra cost, for the demo musicians, for the festival and for the guitar in general.

The professional musicians are paid by the conservatory for their performance at the concerts.

For more info:
Puteaux Reports & Interviews
Demo Concerts Archives
Luthier Interviews