Life With Strings Attached
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.
Episodes
94 episodes
Experience Over Ownership: A Conversation on Collecting Guitars
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 relation...
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Episode 94
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1:21:32
"I'm still an album guy." - Adam Miller on the Music Industry
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 no...
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Episode 93
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2:12:58
Michael Sankey on Acoustics, Bracing & the Builder–Player Relationship
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 answe...
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Episode 92
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1:35:21
The Truth About Vintage Gear, Nostalgia & Modern Music with Julien Bitoun
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 ...
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Episode 91
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2:19:21
Ola Strandberg's Empowering the Next Generation in Retail
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 lo...
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Episode 90
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1:53:14
Biography | The Story of John Monteleone
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 ...
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Episode 89
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46:18
The Art of Guitar Making with Max Spohn
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 ...
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Episode 88
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1:34:56
Legacy, Novelty and Evolution with Giulio Negrini
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 b...
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Episode 87
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1:38:56
Michael Greenfield's Inspiration & Evolution
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 evolv...
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Episode 86
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1:48:44
A Conversation with George Gruhn, Part 2
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.buzzsprou...
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Episode 85
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1:18:11
A Conversation with George Gruhn, Part 1
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...
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Episode 84
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1:04:12
A Conversation with John Monteleone
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 c...
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Episode 83
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40:17
John Mlynczak (CEO) on NAMM's Future
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 in...
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Episode 82
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1:40:54
Biography | The Story of Andy Manson
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 buildin...
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Episode 81
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2:06:36
From A Vision To Jimmy Page’s Hands: Randy Parson’s Journey
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...
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Episode 80
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42:05
From Repair Bench to Research Lab: Bryan Galloup Redefines the 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 s...
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Episode 79
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1:37:28
Graph Tech: How Dave Dunwoodie Revolutionized Guitar Technology
** 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 o...
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Episode 78
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1:38:03
Biography | The Story of Michael Spalt
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 a...
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Episode 77
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1:05:13
Biography | The Story of Ulrich Teuffel
In this special segment of our Luthier’s Story series we’re honoured to feature Ulrich Teuffel, visionary in the world of guitar design whose work challenges convention and redefines what it means to build an instrument.Ulrich’s guitars...
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Episode 76
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1:01:59
The Art of Curation in Music Retail, with Joe Caruso of The Music Emporium
Today on Life With Strings Attached, we’re joined by Joe Caruso of The Music Emporium in Boston: a shop that has become legendary for its thoughtful curation and deep respect for the guitar as both an instrument and a cultural icon.
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Episode 75
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2:19:15
In Conversation with Richard Hoover of Santa Cruz Guitar Company
Today on Life With Strings Attached, I sat down with Richard Hoover, founder of Santa Cruz Guitar Company. From California’s redwood forests and the threat of wildfires to the physics of string tension and modal analysis, Richard brings nearly ...
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Episode 74
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1:55:28
From Jerusalem to Guitar Mastery: The Avi Shabat Story
This week on Life With Strings Attached, I sit down with Avi Shabbat. From growing up in Jerusalem, discovering music in the middle of the grunge era and serving in the military, to building a career in sound engineering and eventually founding...
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Episode 73
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1:40:47
Biography | The Story of Giulio Negrini
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. For this week's special biography edition of Life With Strings Attached, we're on location in Switzerland with Giulio Negrini, founder of Giulio Negrini Guitars, to uncover the r...
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Episode 72
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26:04
Biography | The Story of Dion James
Welcome to Life with Strings Attached. I'm your host, Jamie Gale. For this week's special biography edition of Life with Strings Attached, we're on location in Edmonton, Canada to dive deep into the story of Dion James, an extraordinary guitar ...
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Episode 71
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28:36