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© 2026 Life With Strings Attached
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Everything in life is better understood if you can learn to see the strings attached.
Jamie Gale is a thought leader who rose to prominence in the guitar industry by simplifying complex concepts. In this podcast, he engages in cross-disciplinary discussions to reveal how everything from guitar design to architecture, philosophy, physics and more can be better understood if you learn to see the universal truths that underpin our world.
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Welcome to Life with Strings Attached. Today's episode is recorded live in Anaheim, California at The NAMM Show as part of the 125th anniversary of NAMM within the 10th annual Boutique Guitar Showcase. As part of these special anniversary events, we moderated a three part series of panel discussions on the unwritten future of guitar. Our panelists are some of the most influential people in the guitar business today. I hope you enjoy this special three part series on Life with St...
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I’m your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode, I’m joined by Jason Verlinde, publisher and co-founder of The Fretboard Journal; one of the most respected voices in guitar culture today. Jason’s work has always focused on documenting the deeper stories behind guitars, the builders, the players, the history, and the community that surrounds the instrument. For over twenty years, The Fretboard Journal has prioritised quality, curiosity, and independence over ...
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, I’m your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode I’m sitting in the home of Lou Vergne for a very special collector-focused conversation, one that isn’t really about collecting at all. It’s about relationships; with instruments, with the people who make them, and with the experiences that give those objects meaning. We talk about discovery over acquisition, use over display, and why definition can sometimes feel like confinement. Lou shares what it means to ...
Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined by Adam Miller. A musician whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, technology, and deeply personal musical expression. Adam is one of those rare artists who understands music not just as performance, but as process. From recording and production, to collaboration, touring, and the evolving relationship between musicians and the instruments they choose. In this conversation, we explore how technology has reshaped the way music is ma...
Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined by luthier Michael Sankey. This conversation is rooted in a simple but demanding idea: showing up. Showing up to the work, to curiosity, and to questions that don’t have easy answers. Mike’s guitars are known for resisting category, but that resistance comes from something deeper. A willingness to examine why we do things the way we do, and whether those ideas still serve us. We talk about originality, tradition, and what happens when in...
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I’m your host, Jamie Gale. Today, I’m joined by someone whose curiosity about the guitar has taken him across countries, genres, and generations of musical history: Julien Bitoun. Julien is a guitarist, an author, a content creator, and a lecturer. You’ve read his work in major French publications, and you may know his books Les Paul: 70 Years, Guitars and Heroes, Gallagher’s Guitars, and Woodstock Live. What I love most about Julien isn’t just h...
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. In this episode, I sit down with Ola Strandberg to talk about a shift that's happening right now in the guitar world. The next generation musicians isn't looking back. They're looking for instruments that fit their bodies, their workflows, and the music that they're making today. On tour with the boutique guitar showcase and at NAMM, we've watched younger players and younger shop staff gravitate towards guitars that are l...
In this special biography episode of Life With Strings Attached we explore the life and legacy of one of the most significant luthiers of our time, John Monteleone. Born in Manhattan and raised in Islip, John grew up in a world shaped by sculpture, architecture, and music, thanks to a family deeply rooted in the arts. From his early work repairing instruments at Mandolin Brothers to creating the Grand Artist mandolin and his celebrated archtop guitars, John developed a voice unmistakably his ...
Today I’m joined by Max Spohn, a luthier whose path into guitar making has been unusually intentional. While many makers discover the craft by accident, Max set out early with a clear plan: a childhood surrounded by music and art, formal training in Markneukirchen, and a pivotal apprenticeship with Raymond Kraut, drawing from the Somogyi lineage. His work reflects that depth: modern acoustic guitars shaped by design thinking, informed by early influences like Kandinsky and Klee, and rooted in...
In this episode of Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined once again by Italian luthier Giulio Negrini. Someone who sits right at the intersection of tradition, innovation, and the changing culture of music. Today, we’re stepping back from the bench and looking at the bigger picture: how music is evolving, what novelty means in a post–rock-era world, and why the legacy of the great musicians of the 50s through the 90s still shapes the way we think about instruments today. We talk abou...
Today on Life With Strings Attached, I’m joined once again by master luthier Michael Greenfield. Someone whose work and thinking continue to shape the modern acoustic guitar. In this conversation, we look at how musical inspiration evolves across generations, from the impact of cultural moments like Elvis and the Beatles to the way those sparks still influence why so many of us first picked up a guitar. And we explore how those early inspirations intersect with the changing needs of today’s ...
This is the second part of a two-part episode with our guest George Gruhn. If you've not listened to part one, we suggest you go and do that first. Then return here for part two. Find the first part right here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2305961/episodes/18258900 Watch the video version on YouTube: 🔗 YouTube Channel – Life With Strings Attached Learn more about Life With Strings Attached and Boutique Guitar Showcase: 🔗 Boutique Guitar Showcase Support the deeper conversations: 🔗 Th...
Today, I'm speaking with someone whose name is synonymous with vintage guitars and collecting: George Gruhn. Since opening Gruhn Guitars in 1970 George has become the go-to authority for everyone, including the biggest names in guitar like Eric Clapton, Vince Gill and Paul McCartney, and frankly anyone who wants to understand the soul of a great instrument. George changed how we think about guitars not just as tools but as cultural artefacts with stories and lineage. In this conversati...
Today, we sit down with one of the most celebrated living luthiers, John Monteleone, a maker whose instruments have graced museums, concert halls, and the hands of some of the world’s finest players. From his Long Island workshop, John crafts guitars and mandolins that are as visually captivating as they are sonically alive. Instruments where Art Deco elegance meets timeless tone. His work expands the tonal palette of the guitar, inviting musicians to explore new colours, new expressions, an...
This week, I’m joined again by John Mlynczak, CEO of NAMM. With the NAMM Show 2025 right around the corner, we talk about what it really takes to lead the world’s largest music trade organisation in a time of rapid change. John shares insights on how NAMM is more than just a show, it’s a mission-driven association that serves and strengthens the global music products industry all year round. From policy and tariffs to cultural insights in music making, member engagement, and even the implica...
Welcome to another special Life With Strings Attached 'Biography' episode. Today, we trace the incredible life of legendary luthier Andy Manson, a craftsman shaped as much by chaos and curiosity as by chisels and wood. From building forts as a child in Hertfordshire to busking through Europe with a self-made guitar, Andy’s journey to becoming one of the most respected voices in luthiery is anything but ordinary. In this deep dive, Andy shares the pivotal moments that defined him, his ...
In this episode we visit a century-old church in the heart of Kansas, now transformed into the creative sanctuary of luthier Randy Parsons. Randy’s story is one of risk, reinvention, and the courage to live life outside the lines. We talk about creativity, faith, music, and the strange moments of luck that shape our paths. This is a story about following your calling, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Enjoy. Find Randy's work here: https://www.facebook.com/p/Parsons-Guitar...
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached! In this episode we explore the evolving world of guitar making, where craftsmanship meets innovation. From the floor of guitar shows to the heart of the workshop, we reflect on how artistry, science, and sound continue to shape our musical culture. We pay tribute to the late Ken Parker, a visionary who redefined what a guitar could be. We also discuss the ongoing quest for authenticity, from the design bench to the stage. Along the way, we dive into Proj...
** Whoops! It seems we've forgotten to cut out the end of the podcast, which is usually reserved for the members of our Patreon 'Business of Guitar'. Oh well, we're happy to give everyone a glimpse into what they're missing... 😉 Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/thebusinessofguitar On this episode of Life With Strings Attached we welcome Dave Dunwoodie, founder of Graph Tech Guitar Labs Ltd. and one of the great innovators in guitar technology. From solving the problem o...
In this special Life With Strings Attached biography episode, we explore the remarkable journey of Michael Spalt. Guitar builder, sculptor, and creative force who’s redefined what a guitar can be. From his roots in Vienna and early fascination with music and film, to his innovative Totem guitars and the founding of the Holy Grail Guitar Show and EGB, Michael has merged art, craftsmanship, and community like few others. In this intimate conversation, Michael opens up about working in Hol...
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