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
101 episodes
The Lesson Every Maker Needs to Hear | Ervin Somogyi
Welcome to Life With Strings Attached, I’m your host Jamie Gale.There are certain figures in guitar making whose influence runs so deep, it begins to shape not just instruments, but the way we think about them. Ervin Somogyi is one of those...
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Episode 101
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1:51:46
The Role of the Artisan in the Age of AI | Grit Laskin | LWSA Ep 100
Welcome to the 100th episode of Life With Strings Attached. There are certain conversations that stay with you. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, they’re the ones you get to return to. For this milestone episode, it felt right to come back to whe...
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Episode 100
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1:09:43
Experience Filters w/ Neural DSP, Fishman, D'Addario & Two Rock | Live Panel Discussion
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 anni...
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Episode 99
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49:41
Verso Instrument's New "LOG" Lapsteel and Creativity through Play
In this episode, Robin Stummvoll returns to the podcast to talk about the release of Verso Instruments’ latest design and the broader ideas that continue to shape his work.Robin is a designer and luthier whose work consistently challeng...
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Episode 98
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1:28:52
Guitar UI w/ Bob Taylor, Ola Strandberg & Sheldon Dingwall | Live Panel Discussion
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 anni...
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Episode 97
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38:18
Future Collectibles w/ George Gruhn, Dustin Miller & Joe Glaser | Live Panel Discussion
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 anni...
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Episode 96
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41:52
The Fretboard Journal's Legacy and the Evolution of Guitar Culture, with Jason Verlinde
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...
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Episode 95
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1:26:41
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