The Cultured Guitarist (Al Peterson, Kasper Townes)

We’re back in the build series this week and it’s assembly day! We get into why you should double and triple check everything, being brave enough to take irreversible steps and what makes assembly go smoother. We’re joined by Gary from Partscaster Concierge who made the beautiful bodies for our two instruments to get his take on assembling your (and our) builds. Parts Build Series Partners @partscasterconcierge @vigilantguitars @colmaxpickups @gunstreetwiringshop @indra_guitars https://instagram.com/vigilantguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.vigilantguitars.com https://instagram.com/partscasterconcierge?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.partscasterconcierge.com/ https://instagram.com/indra_guitars?utm_medium=copy_link http://www.indraguitars.com/ https://instagram.com/colmaxpickups?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.colmaxpickups.com/ https://instagram.com/gunstreetwiringshop?utm_medium=copy_link https://gunstreetwiringshop.com/thehub

Kasper and Al sit down with one of the mad geniuses of the pedal world, Woolly from Champion Leccy. We find out how a guy obsessed with fuzz builds some of the weirdest modulation pedals around, and how you can marry a girl from Philadelphia if you’re willing to live in Asia. And yes, they talk about sausages having laser eyes.

In a rare treat the boys get to visit Dr Scientist Effects and sit down for a casual and fun conversation with Ryan Clarke and Neil Graham. Never before has Dr Scientist done a podcast so this is a fantastic glimpse into their world! They cover some pretty broad territory ranging from starting Dr Scientist, how Neil came on board, a glimpse into the creation of legendary pedals like The BitQuest and The Atmosphere as well as their newest pedal they haven’t even released yet... but they revealed for the first time during the interview! The first interview for The Cultured Guitarist is exactly what you’d expect, informative and tons of fun. What are you waiting for? Get listening

The Cultured Guitarist Title Track

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Al & Kasper sit down for their weekly round table chat with Ryan Guzman, aka; Gear Fever. Ryan’s a stellar dude who does gear demos and is an avid collector and follower of cool gear. Check out this fresh and rising force in the demo community! https://youtube.com/c/gearfever www.gearfevermusic.com

2020 was a tough year so Kasper and Al decided to send it off by having a little fun. They’re going head to head in a quiz competition hosted by Dan Presencer from Moar Guitars to see who is THE Cultured Guitarist, Al or Kasper. Of course there’s plenty of random side roads and hilarious moments on their journey to snag the coveted title, and Dan makes a special announcement about some new things happening with Moar Guitars for 2021. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/moarguitars?igshid=1umb7fatqiifm www.moarguitars.com

This week Al and Kasper chat with Hank Donovan, owner and founder of the Rattlesnake Cable Company. This Missoula, Montana based outfit is making some of the best cables money can buy and if they don’t make what you need, odds are you can ask them to and they will. There’s a science to why cables are maybe the most undervalued part of your rig, and the boys get into it with one of the pioneers changing the cable game. https://www.rattlesnakecables.com https://www.instagram.com/rattlesnakecables

“Instrumental psychedelic jazz rock” is a big term, luckily Ed Durocher has a big personality to match it, and so does his band Apollo Suns. Having toured across Canada, into the US, played hundreds of shows, bundles of festivals and releasing a handful of mind blowing records Ed has a lot to share. He’s a joyful bundle of energy and best of all, he’s a great guitarist! Listen to our chat now to hear some tales from one of the hardest working indie musicians out there! https://www.apollosuns.ca/ https://instagram.com/apollosunsmusic?igshid=1u19m1yrx6nu8

This week we get a visit from afar thanks to the absolutely delightful Glyn from Mr Glyn’s Pickups. He joins the boys from all the soy over in New Zealand to talk about pickups, wether a strat is a great guitar or a terrible one and so, so much more. It’s a ton of fun and we loved every minute of it. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/mrglynspickups?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instabio.cc/3101822kThG8W

Kasper and Al swoon over the engineering genius of Millimetric Guitars, delve into the immersive Dr Scientist BitQuest and share the juicy deets of Kasper’s new custom made Shoneswood Effects pedal, “Garganchihuahua”. Our heroes fearlessly navigate the waters of the guitar world with tons of enthusiasm and half a clue. Listen in and enjoy!

The boys are back with some cool products they’ve been diving into thanks to some generous and forward thinking brands out there. They give their impressions on the Mask Audio Electronics Yes! fuzz, a custom Onkel Amplification preamp, the Soundslice FX Chop-Chop tremolo, the Electrofoods Pedals Pigpile fuzz, a set of cables from Rattlesnake Cable Co. and the Iron Horse V2 tuner/power supply from Outlaw Effects. It’s a lot of cool in a tidy show! https://maskaudioelectronics.bigcartel.com https://instagram.com/maskaudioelectronics?igshid=vypkpjhtcan6 https://onkelamps.com https://instagram.com/onkelamplified?igshid=23h3hoo6m3a3 https://www.soundslice.com https://instagram.com/soundslicefx?igshid=1u9abddf813w6 https://www.electrofoods.space https://instagram.com/electrofoods.pedals?igshid=18epgxwdkqzzl https://www.rattlesnakecables.com https://instagram.com/rattlesnakecables?igshid=1t01gmvi05e9z http://www.outlawguitareffects.com https://instagram.com/outlaweffects?igshid=csz8zgsurhm0

Steve Demedash returns with stories of his never ending pursuit to perfect the art of imperfections and what to do with what might be the last supply of strange Russian transistors ever. He also schools Al & Kasper on how to make pedals that will blow your mind, all from his home in Winnipeg, Canada. https://instagram.com/demedasheffects?igshid=ym0a05ld2f7c https://www.demedasheffects.com

This week the boys get a return visit from Yuba City, California with Asher from Caulfield Cables. The fellows explore a wide range of topics and have themselves a grand hang out session. Enjoy the magic of three nerds with a love for guitars in an unhinged round table chat. https://instagram.com/caulfieldcables?igshid=jtvumhxxm2m8 https://www.caulfieldcables.com

This week the boys sit down to chat with Trevor from Vigilant Guitars and Reuben from Joi Guitars, the two organizers of the first annual Victoria Guitar show! They talk all about the efforts to create and organize a new guitar show, cover some of their builds and talk about some of what to expect at the show this weekend. That’s right, if you’re listening to this the week it releases then you can go to the guitar show on April 23 in Victoria, BC! https://instagram.com/victoriaguitarshow?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.victoriaguitarshow.com/ https://instagram.com/vigilantguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/joiguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This week our heroes dive head first into Kasper’s OCD inspired pedalboard, Shoneswood Pedals (@shoneswood), introduce a new segment called “UNSUNG HEROES!!!” and give some lovely advice to those seeking those hidden gems out in the world.

This week the guys decided to sit down and go through their picks for the greatest guitar of all time, the Gibson SG. The boys are joined by their good friend and fellow SG fanatic Eric Merrow who took a break from making the awesome demos for his YouTube channel to join in on the SG loving. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/ericmerrow?utm_medium=copy_link https://linktr.ee/ericmerrow

This week the boys have the boundary pushing Seth from Night Owl Industries! From his incredibly unique amps, arcade style synths to the smash hit Edison Preamp pedals Seth is a man of many ideas and inspiring designs. It’s a great listen so get listening!

Al & Kasper get the chance to hang out with Dan, the visionary behind Spun Loud Effects in west Seattle, Washington. Dan has a fun sense of humour and makes super rad pedals. He and the boys dive into what goes into great overdrive together and why wah pedals are not for everyone. Enjoy the show!

Al and Kasper get into it with Alex who’s one of the few brave souls making world class aluminum guitar, bass and baritone necks and they hear a little about his upcoming full guitar model. They debate the new JHS 3 series, talk about juicy pedal gossip and much more. Enjoy! https://www.robotgraves.com https://instagram.com/robotgraves?igshid=63fgqz00v88g

This week Kasper and Al make new friends with James from Lauren Audio! They get to know how being descended from rocket engineers makes for better drive pedals. Making pedal graphics into high art, and learning the ropes of making some of the best pedals in the world, in one of the biggest music centres on the planet. Check out the episode and the pedals!

This week Kasper and Al sit down to chat about the continuing saga of Al’s homelessness, gear acquisition syndrome, modifying SG’s and aluminium guitars. We’re stoked to get to be able to put out episodes two weeks in a row after all the chaos of the past month. Enjoy!

This week we have returning friend of Al & Kasper, the mighty cool Sean from the epic Lollygagger Fx! Sean is a great guy with a heart of gold who’s pedals have wowed people the world over. The boys talk about old pedals, upcoming pedals and much more. Al chokes on water and the boys take a rare dive deep into some serious issues. It’s an unforgettable episode you don’t want to miss! https://instagram.com/lollygagger_fx?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.lollygaggerfx.com

We’re getting into some high art this week as Kasper and Al are joined by Richard, the wizard of lutherie and art with Indra Guitars. If you’ve ever seen an Indra, it’s unmistakable in its elegance, originality and artistic touches at every angle. You might expect the artist behind such beautiful guitars to be a deadly serious person, but Richard jokes often, laughs easy and nearly out weirds our two hosts. It’s a fantastic chat with a fantastic builder, enjoy! https://instagram.com/indra_guitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.indraguitars.com

This week we finally got to sit down and have another visit with Sheldon Ens, the man behind True North Pedals and one of our closest friends of the show. Sheldon is one of Canada’s most respected drive pedal wizards and can boast high praise for his pedals from the likes of Robert Keeley, Brian Wampler and many more. He was lost on to early in our show’s history to close a competition, now he’s back to help us launch a new one! Listen in for more. https://instagram.com/true_north_pedals?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.truenorthpedals.ca/

The boys chat with west coast luthier Reuben of Joi Guitars about his artistic and focused approach to crafting world class acoustics. Building guitars out of the rarest woods from far flung places and down to boards from Jimi Hendrix’s childhood home has made him a legend already. Reuben’s work is owned by collectors, players and rock royalty like Slash. He’s an awesome guy and it’s an awesome episode so please enjoy! And May The 4th Be With you https://instagram.com/joiguitars?igshid=1u3wvy5qyavur https://www.joiguitars.com/

This week Al & Kasper get into the nitty-gritty on cables! The boys took four various options for cables from DIY make your own style all the way up to high end custom ordered stuff. Solderless, soldered and soldered for you are all in head to head competition to see how each tier holds up under scrutiny. Using two different styles of pedalboard layouts, we get a clear picture on what kinds of results you can expect from different levels of the cable universe. Listen in and enjoy!!

Kasper and Al get down and chatty with the world’s only glass guitar maker, Alex Morningstar. Alex’s incredibly unique instruments obviously look like nothing else out there, and they feel like nothing else. Hear about the challenges of pioneering an entire field of luthiery that didn’t exist before him and what drives this incredibly unique builder. Enjoy!! https://instagram.com/morningstarglassguitars?igshid=l1l3bsaksbd5 https://www.morningstarglassguitars.com/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCRUZPM_51l6v-dyzrU-l1pQ

This week the boys are visiting with Nashville effect magician Grant Wilson from Big Ear Pedals. We learn how the brand started humbly in New York City before uprooting to the music city and how making your effects after your pets it’s a valuable move. It’s a killer episode filled with strange stories, goofy jokes and of course, terrible nicknames. Enjoy! https://linktr.ee/bigearpedals https://instagram.com/bigearpedals?igshid=1l1iweppztrb9

Kasper and Al get their chat on with the fabulous Chris Rossi of Dusky Amps. They chat about how Chris got into making some of the coolest pedals on the market with offerings like the Hypatia, Augustus and the Mandorla. Not to mention some world class amplifiers! Get listening! https://duskyamp.com https://instagram.com/duskyamp?igshid=1n6e2zuzlfskg

Hailing from New Mexico Al & Kasper are joined by Fox Fletcher who’s pushing his guitars to redefine vintage soul with modern touches. From luthiery school to a working for Collings Guitars, Fox has honed his chops to become the new brand ready to make big waves in 6 strings. Enjoy our chat with this humble and delightful guy! https://instagram.com/malloryguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://malloryguitars.com/

And we're back!! This time the boys are doing their best to practice social distancing and help do their part, and part of that is to get the show back on the air and back in your lives! Al and Kasper talk about a sweet charity helping musicians. They touch on some recent news about Heritage Guitars, and they dive into a new senario on The Deserted Island! Last time the boys had to choose 5 Boss stomp boxes as their deserted island picks, well this time you'll hear their choices for 5 Electro-Harmonix pedals! It’s a fun debate with some twists that neither host saw coming. Enjoy!!

We’re back! After taking a break for a few months Kasper & Al sit down to chat about 6 strings, wood, and other ways to spend all of the money you have. Joining them on the endless quest for tone is good friend of the show, Eric Merrow to talk about strange guitar mods, Al’s new website and so much more. Hey, we wouldn’t bring anything but the best (and weirdest) guitar content! Enjoy! https://instagram.com/ericmerrow?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.youtube.com/c/EricMerrow

More, More…. MOAR! This week we get to have on our good buddy Dan from Moar Guitars, again! Actually it might be more accurate to say that Al was the guest this week.  Dan’s been on the show a few times and it’s always an absolute pleasure so we thought we’d do things a little differently, so Kasper detoured during a trip to Germany and he and Dan sat down in the Moar Guitars workshop, about an hour outside of Copenhagen Denmark, while Al called in from Canada. It’s a little bit flipped around this week but that makes for some fun banter! Enjoy! https://instagram.com/moarguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://moarguitars.com/

Kasper & Al are joined by one of the coolest builders out there, Sam Evans from Cardinal Instruments. Sam is a very cool luthier hailing from Austen, Texas and since running one custom brand wasn’t enough for his side gig he loves a double life under the banner Old Redbird Guitars. It’s a blast of a chat and we can’t recommend it enough! Listen in! https://instagram.com/oldredbirdguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://oldredbirdguitars.com/ https://cardinalinstruments.com

This week Kasper and Al share a true pioneer of electric guitar and unsung hero who was recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Then the Dorky Duo have a debate on which 5 Boss stomp boxes they would take with them to a deserted island, and why. Oh and did we mention a sweet contest was happening?? That’s right, the All Canadian Mini Board Contest starts now! Here all about that and more, get listening now! Contest Entry Rules: https://theculturedguitarist.transistor.fm/about

We’re back!! After a month off due to a whole slew of crazy and unpredictable circumstances we wanted to update you all on what we’re up to, what we’ve been up to, and what we’re getting up to. It’s a wild story involving hospitals, flames, homelessness and a whole crazy mess. Join us for a very interesting episode!

It’s the 52nd episode and one year since launching the show! Kasper and Al go on a walk down memory lane revisiting the episodes and how they evolved as the show grew. They talk about the guests and the different ways the show broke ground in the ever evolving world of guitar. Thanks for joining our world and here’s to another year of The Cultured Guitarist! https://link.chtbl.com/The_Cultured_Guitarist https://www.instagram.com/culturedguitarist/?hl=en

This week Kasper & Al chat about being guitarists during social distancing, having lots of practice time and reworking their pedalboards... again. Then they switch gears and give a review of Hello Sailor Effects’s custom made Rangemaster type circuit before diving into the long overdue return of their segment “Unsung Heroes”. It’s a great time and a chance to learn some cool guitar history, so get into it!

We’re going unplugged this week and sitting down with a legacy guitar brand from Tennessee, Gallagher Guitars and their owner David Mathis. Gallagher has a rich history of making acoustics and connecting with players across roots, blues, country and more. They closed for a couple years before David bought and resurrected the brand, here all about it now! https://instagram.com/gallagherguitarco?utm_medium=copy_link https://linkinprofile.com/gallagherguitarco

This week we get a visit from the Canadian prairies with Kris Remillard from PegCity Pickups. Fast making a name for himself as a passionate and skilled pickup winder, Kris is turning a passion into a business and making lemonade from lemons. He’s awesome and so is this episode! https://instagram.com/pegcitypickups?utm_medium=copy_link https://pegcitypickups.com/

It’s the finale of the Parts Build Series and to end it with style the boys are joined by Gary from Partscaster Concierge & Trevor from Vigilant Guitars. They discuss everything from last minute problems to wrapping up wiring and so much more. Be sure to listen to Parts 1 & 2 if you haven’t yet, and enjoy! Parts Build Series Partners @partscasterconcierge @vigilantguitars @colmaxpickups @gunstreetwiringshop @indra_guitars https://instagram.com/vigilantguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.vigilantguitars.com https://instagram.com/partscasterconcierge?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.partscasterconcierge.com/ https://instagram.com/indra_guitars?utm_medium=copy_link http://www.indraguitars.com/ https://instagram.com/colmaxpickups?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.colmaxpickups.com/ https://instagram.com/gunstreetwiringshop?utm_medium=copy_link https://gunstreetwiringshop.com/thehub

We’re hopping back across the pond this week to chat with a luthier who’s account is one of our favourites to follow on Instagram, Maybury Guitars. Jason Snelling makes gorgeous and vivid guitars from his workshop/home in England and loves to experiment with colors, patina and even comic books. It makes sense when you listen in, so get listening! https://instagram.com/mayburyguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.mayburyguitars.co.uk/

Chris Swope has been a lot of things in the guitar industry, an apprentice, a master luthier, a salesman, a corporate management member and now the maker of the most innovative vibrato to hit the vintage leaning guitar market in years. I’m fact the Descendant Vibrato has taken off so much that he rarely makes guitars anymore. Hear the full story and so much more now! https://instagram.com/descendantvibrato?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/swopeguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= http://www.swopeguitars.com

The boys chat with Mike Rollinson of Onkel Amplification, whose company delves into the boutique small watt amp world alongside a bevy of ingenious toys. From tube reverb tanks to stereo amp rigs and effects pedals, there’s not much Mike isn’t willing to do or learn to do. He’s a smart guy making amazing stuff so enjoy the show!

This week Kasper and Al hang out with Asher from Caulfield Cables and get the lowdown on why you need to rethink your cabling. The boys bond over a mutual love of ska and heckle Al over his ludicrous beef with saxophones. It’s a whole new level of weird, enjoy!

Norm MacDonald might be the most Canadian name ever plus he might be the nicest Canadian ever and that’s saying something! This Ontario based pedal builder is a rad dude and he’s making a whole bunch of cool, high styled pedals all by hand. It’s another fun episode filled with laughs, guitar talk and terrible nicknames. https://normacpedals.com Instagram.com/normac.pedals

This week The boys have a chat with Tim who’s small custom guitar shop sits about an hour north of Toronto and is pumping out some of the most unique custom builds out there. From the Stealth Fighter like angles of his Ronan model to the sexy curves of his TR Classic there’s a lot to love. It’s a great episode so dive into it!

When you think of vintage guitars one of the most touted characteristics they have is the super old wood giving them magical tonal properties. Well Grez Guitars uses wood that’s a solid 30-40 years older than any 50’s single cut with an enormous price tag. Barry is also one of the nicest guys in guitar making, so listen in and get to know the unique instruments and man behind them. https://instagram.com/grezguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.grezguitars.com

Guitar straps are a big way guitarists express their personality, style and individuality. They’re also often that one thing you forget about when packing up your gear, either way they’re important! This week the boys sit down with Cara Jean Wahlers of Tremelo Leather Co. Who knows better than most people the importance of a great strap. Cara makes custom, artistic, colourful straps for the discerning musician. Her work uses modern and vintage fabrics, as well as tooled leather. Hear how this once successful white collar business woman became a free artistic success story.   https://instagram.com/tremololeatherco?igshid=jj0j7aihhhrj https://www.etsy.com/shop/tremololeatherco

Al Perterson: We’re back! The boys waste no time getting down with Ralf Gottschalk and his brand new pedal company, Wonderful Audio Technology. Based in California Ralf has worked with other brands to develop a line of pedals and finally decided it was time to launch his own and whoa boy did he come out strong! The guys talk gear, what they got up to during the holiday break and somehow even Chris O’Donnell managed to come up again. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/wonderfulaudiotechnology?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.wonderfulaudiotechnology.com/

Drew Walsh is the guru of Walsh Guitars, a heck of a cool guy and a skilled luthier. Created in Richland, Washington this desirable brand is making some of the coolest retro-modern designs on the market. Kasper, Drew and Al get into sparkly guitars, making new but familiar shapes and pushing the envelope. Al attempts to set up a black market for trading wine in exchange for guitars and the nickname game continues to push the boundaries of silly. https://instagram.com/walshguitars?igshid=1cb50m11grc6n www.walshguitars.com

This week Al & Kasper sit down with Scott from Templo Devices. Scott is a wanderer, an inventor and a musician whose very strange (pun intended) circumstances led him to wonder where he could get a great sounding amplifier that was battery powered. Since then it’s been a world of late nights, innovation and solder smoke. The boys had a blast, you will too so dive in and enjoy!

At long last the boys get a second chance to sit down with Leila Sidi from TunaTone Instruments again! They chat about all kinds of things, new instruments, new hardware and cover what two years worth of change can mean for a custom luthier. It's a delightful chat with one of the kindest souls in luthiery, enjoy! https://instagram.com/tunatoneinst?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.tunatoneinstruments.com/

The boys are at it again, this time with Alec from Mask Audio Electronics! We learn how to get cease and desist letters, how to ignore them, and how some of the raddest pedals out there get named “Yes!” & “No!”. They go into custom guitars with strange building materials and so much more. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/maskaudioelectronics?igshid=1oeqxrjut8fsj https://maskaudioelectronics.bigcartel.com/products

Kasper and Al sit down with their buddy Gary from Partscaster Concierge to discuss guitars from the ground up. Building custom spec’d high end guitar bodies is Gary’s bread and butter, but he takes things so much further. Gary’s unique spin on the body market is his concierge approach where he can help a person source parts, make design choices and guide builders of all skill levels with the process of creating their own dream guitars themselves. He offers bodies of shapes and styles you can’t find anywhere else making him a must see stop for anyone considering building a guitar. Things get goofy, weird, lots of laughing and guitar worshiping so don’t miss out on a stellar episode! https://instagram.com/partscasterconcierge?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.partscasterconcierge.com/

Guitarists can be a finicky bunch, often reluctant to embrace change and new technology. Well Rubato Guitars are not afraid of change, they’re embracing carbon fibre and making some of the lightest and coolest guitars while doing it. We sat down with Oliver from Rubato to talk about how they got started, what inspires them, and what challenges they face. They’re also the world’s only source of carbon fibre replacement necks for other guitars. It’s a rad chat with a super cool guy, enjoy! https://www.rubato.guitars https://instagram.com/rubatoguitars?utm_medium=copy_link

This week Al & Kasper get the chance to sit down with one of the friendliest guys in the pedal building industry, Sean Wright of Lollygagger FX. Sean is a huge behind the scenes supporter of countless builders, a hilarious guest, and one of the finest indie pedal builders out there. From gorgeous wood enclosures to Italian names that Al can’t pronounce it’s a killer episode.

This week the boys link up with Shawn of Stringtheory Pedalboards and talk about how a prosecutor from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan became a go to for custom high end pedalboards. It’s a whole new week of fun with Kasper and Al!

This week our good buddy Mike Rollinson from Onkel Amplification is back on the mic with Al & Kasper. The boys talk about Mike’s new workshop, his dozens of new ideas he’s working on, and why Dewalt batteries are the next big thing in guitar. It’s a killer chat with one of the most interesting and talented builders out there. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/onkelamplified?utm_medium=copy_link https://onkelamps.com

This week Kasper and Al sit down to chat with internationally based Arjun Roy and talk about a huge range of stuff from music education, being prepared for going into the studio and the future of the arts. It’s a big hunk of meaty intelligence in one delightful episode! The time to listen is NOW!!!

This week Kasper and Al had the fortunate opportunity to visit with Kevin Leclerc of Soundslice FX. Making delicious sounding pedals in the beautiful French Canadian town of Victoriaville, Quebec. We chat about why he focuses mostly on drive pedals and fuzzes, how he became a member of the brand new brand 4 Track Syndicate, and how he puts such high quality art onto his pedals. It’s an awesome episode with a super cool guy, so get listening!

Birchway Sound isn’t your typical guitar shop, and Ed isn’t a normal guitar ship owner. Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Birchway has carved out a unique place in their community and Canada by exclusively selling Canadian made brands from builders all across the country. Representing some of the top of the industry in the world but with a unique patriotic twist has allowed Ed to not just become a go to spot for killer stuff, but to be friends with other shops instead of competition. It’s a unique perspective on music retail and surviving a pandemic as a one man operation. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/birchwaysound?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.birchwaysound.ca/

Al and Kasper dive into the details of their origins as working musicians, their guitar collections and Al teases a reward for hidden gold.

Here we go! The boy sat down at the Victoria Guitar Show with everyone they could to get interviews with some of the hottest luthiers you may or may not have heard of yet. Part 1 is Otter Guitars & Harms Guitars, both doing amazing work and very new to the industry, these talented makers are hungry to show the world what they’ve got. https://instagram.com/otter_guitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/harmsguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Cam got his dream job in an unusual way; right at the beginning of a once in a century worldwide pandemic. When most people were looking at job security being important, Cam threw caution to the wind and took the job offer of a lifetime with SolidGoldFX... and he hasn’t regretted a thing about that. Hear our chat with the man now running the social media and brand experience for one of Canada’s coolest effects brands. It’s a hot take on following your dreams as record high temperatures rock the North American west. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/solidgoldfx?utm_medium=copy_link https://solidgoldfx.com/

Kasper and Al are joined by John Bomboy of Pedals & Chill. John makes some of the coolest demo videos out there and makes it a personal mission to push the art of demo videos to a whole new level. He’s filmed in tunnels, boats, caves and is even taking to the skies to make original and gorgeous demo videos that are more than knob turning. He’s a great guy and it’s a great chat so enjoy! https://instagram.com/pedalsandchill?igshid=kusk6y6jk9ez https://youtube.com/c/JohnBomboy

In our inaugural episode, Al recounts his time with a fifty guitar collection, we dive into Al’s small niche business of building lunchbox guitars, and Kasper’s love of Kronbauer guitars that has seeped into the air.

John Esterly returns this week as the fellows sit down to chat about effects, over buffering your pedalboard and the secret new pedal from Rare Buzz Effects! Kasper chats about learning to build pedals, Al shares why he can’t eat KFC, and John shares tone secrets from the beyond. Get into it! https://rarebuzzer.com https://instagram.com/rarebuzzer?igshid=1hey8jcsgahxb

This week Kasper and Al got the chance to kick it with Eric Merrow. Eric does gear demos, how-to videos and more on his YouTube channel, which has nearly a million views. He’s also a passionate collector who has a killer collection of pedals, amps, recording gear as well as some awesome left handed axes. He also curates a left handed players Instagram page to help his fellow lefty’s share their passions. He’s a rad dude and it’s an amazingly fun chat!

This week we’re going all the way to Copenhagen to talk with Dan Presencer who’s the “world’s local guitar builder”. From all wenge hollow bodies to a fresh, inspiring offset unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Dan’s work is second to none. It’s a blast to get to know him so enjoy the show!

Our heroes return for the final episode of 2019 and they leave as they started; weird and wonderful! The boys talk recent events, pet spiders, the Origin Effects revivalDRIVE and more. They get a bit wacky, but it’s a lot of fun hearing two deranged weirdos talk about the gear they worship. Speaking of heroes... our segment Unsung Heroes makes a return! They reminisce about the venerable Peavey T60 & T40 Guitars and basses, and share some thoughts on a 1990 Fender Dual Showman amplifier, with snakeskin tolex!

This week Kasper and Al get the privilege of sitting down with an almost overnight rockstar of the pedal building world; Steve Demedash of Demedash Effects. They talk about Steve’s humble origins, how he got into pedals and how he became one of the most in demand pedal builders in a crazy short amount of time. It’s a fun and wacky interview showing Steve’s sharp wit and fast joking personality. Also just a reminder that the Aussie Bushfire Gear Giveaway fundraiser is still going on so head to @aussiebushfiregeargiceaway on Instagram to contribute to that and maybe win some pretty awesome prizes.

Kasper and Al get return visit with James from Lauren Audio and dive into his latest release; The Mustang. They also talk 500 series preamps before getting into a deep discussion on the competitive nature of the music world and the health of the pedal community. It’s a great time all around and one you won’t wanna miss, enjoy! https://instagram.com/laurenaudio?igshid=1aa9a1qo257jz https://www.lauren.audio

Kasper & Al sit down with Mitch Bullock of Lurch Audio to chat about the rad pedals he’s making in Hamilton, Ontario. Mitch’s hand painted pedals are all named after cereal grains and provide a big range of unique tones that are as good sounding as they are looking. Bon appetit!   https://instagram.com/lurchaudio?igshid=wmbdrl6nxhb4 https://lurchaudio.bigcartel.com/

Eric Merrow returns this week to hang out with Kasper and Al! The boys discuss how Eric won his first Dundee award, the hazards of buying guitars from online retailers and how Eric is launching his brand new pedal brand, ELM Effects. It’s always a great time to hear from Eric and you’ll have a blast listening in, so get tuned in and enjoy! https://instagram.com/ericmerrow?igshid=r4jvnrd8qt0i https://instagram.com/elmeffects?igshid=1xf7ml5x29v5x

Our final episode of the Victoria Guitar Show Recap Series see the boys chatting it up with Caleb Pennington from Wood to Works, a rad Canadian woodworking and luthiery supply brand that is a one stop shop for anything you might need to build guitars. And we had to have a sit down with the founders of the VGS, Trevor of Vigilant Guitars and Reuben of Joi Guitars, to talk about the crazy day and reveal one last surprise. Enjoy! https://instagram.com/woodtoworks?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.woodtoworks.com/ https://instagram.com/vigilantguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.vigilantguitars.com https://instagram.com/joiguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://www.joiguitars.com There we go!

This week we’re visiting the tropical heat of Miami with Rick from PureSalem Guitars. We talk weird guitars, fighting big business, starting a guitar brand from nothing and chasing your dreams.  It’s a killer episode with a very unique mover and shaker in the guitar industry, enjoy! https://instagram.com/puresalemguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.puresalemguitars.com

“Greedy” Greg Williamson has had a long and storied musical career that has literally taken him around the world. As a sound tech he’s toured with acts like Sunny Day Real Estate, Mike Watt, The Foo Fighters as well as managing Sunny Day Real Estate. He’s worked with SubPop Records, Eddie Vedder and others who changed musical history. As if all of that weren’t enough he’s designing and building pedals and amps under his brand Greedtone Audio. It’s a super fascinating chat with a guy who was part of a critical music scene in the 1990’s and beyond. Enjoy! https://www.greedtoneaudio.com https://instagram.com/greedtone?utm_medium=copy_link

Chris Nielubowicz describes himself as Florida Swamp Goblin but he’s also a tone wizard. Wether it’s the searing drive tones of the Silver Birch or the fuzzy goodness of the Rattle Bones he’s got unique sounds on tap. We had a blast talking with him and you’ll have a blast listening so get in there and enjoy our chat with the Swamp Witch! https://www.swampwitchpedals.com/product-page/rattle-bones https://instagram.com/swampwitchpedals?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/almaelaineshoafart?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/sunfox_arts?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/joshua352?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Set sail with us this week as we chat with Joe Halliday of Hello Sailor Effects all the way in the UK! We get to find out why so many of his enclosures are mind blowing and unique shapes as well as being cool one of a kind artwork. Hear all about his approach to making boutique, hand wired pedals that don’t break the bank.

It’s a special milestone for us! We hit our 100th episode and we wanted to celebrate by having a bit of fun. So we dialed up a couple pals to hold our biggest quiz show yet! Asher from Caulfield Cables dons the mantle of Quizmaster and delivers a competition to pit us against each other! We’re also joined in the ring by Benjamin Bond from Bond Guitars going head to head with Kasper & Al. Who will emerge victorious? Listen in to find out! https://instagram.com/caulfieldcables?utm_medium=copy_link https://linktr.ee/caulfieldcables https://instagram.com/bondguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://bondguitars.org/

This week Kasper & Al are joined by guitar maker Jonathan Fellows of Fellows Guitars from California. The guys chat about what makes a unique guitar these days, they discuss how no cutaways are the new cutaways and how lasers are our friends. Enjoy! https://www.fellowsguitars.com/ https://instagram.com/fellowsguitars?igshid=1ambuxaeq3sok

This week Al & Kasper are visiting with Michael Pack from Los Angeles, California. Mike is a rad guy who has worked extensively in movies, TV, and is now making some of the most respected high end pickups around not to mention accessories like switch tips, full wiring jobs and custom made pickups done reliced and more. Sonic Pickups is Mike’s personal stamp on the world of guitar. It’s a fun chat with a man dedicated to tone so enjoy! https://sonicpickups.com https://instagram.com/sonicpickups?utm_medium=copy_link

This week the boys sit down with their buddy Cam Janzen aka Slōwhei to talk a little about politics… just kidding! It’s guitar, duh! They get into custom guitars, throw some punches at Gibson, talk about Cam’s new ventures with Trent Guitars and Al once again manages to force Vertical Limit into the chat. In short it’s a sweet episode of chaos and guitars! Enjoy! https://instagram.com/slowhei?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://instagram.com/trentguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= https://linktr.ee/trentguitars

This week Al & Kasper get chatting with a rising star in the pedal world, Brandon Schock who makes some of the craziest pedals around all under the name of Schock Rock Pedals. Al makes a weird intro, Brandon makes weird pedals, and Kasper gives Al weird looks. Overall it’s a strange journey with weird people! https://Instagram.com/schockrock?igshid=4rd1irha7os9

Surprise! In a Cultured Guitarist first Kasper and Al have another chat with Dan Presencer to chat even more about Moar Guitars; this time diving a little bit deeper into some of the models and ordering custom guitars. Who doesn’t wanna know Moar?

This week Kasper & Al are joined by Kevin Shone as a guest co-host for a special everything goes round table discussion. All three of the boys are in the middle of mod projects and share their insights amid lots of utter goofing around and more. It’s a nice and casual episode this week. Be sure to stick around til the end, the boys have a cool surprise to share with everyone. Go check it out.

This week the two best looking faces in podcasting get chatting with Curtis Lambert of Frederick Guitars. Frederick is a young company that is making big moves in Canada, with some awesome takes on classic electric designs as well as a very unique foray into electric resonator guitars. The boys have a fun round table chat with another groundbreaking luthier, enjoy! http://www.frederickguitars.com/ https://instagram.com/frederick_guitars?igshid=1vj2y8dy8hbmk

Benjamin Bond of Bond Guitars joins our two heroes this week to talk about his custom creations from Oregon. Of course the boys wind up talking about  a dozen other things as well, with many a laugh to be had within. It’s a fun chat with a hidden gem of a builder who’s rising fast, so dig in! https://bondguitars.org/ https://instagram.com/bondguitars?utm_medium=copy_link

The boys get down, way down under to Australia with Jack from Jaketto Picks. This young brand has quickly become a rising star amongst plectrum aficionados. Their beautiful, handmade picks are so sought after they often sell out immediately after being posted on their website. There’s a secret world behind handmade picks and we get to know one person in it. Listen in now! https://instagram.com/jakettopicks?igshid=9qe2shqij6ew https://jakettopicks.com/

Kasper and Al finally get the chance to sit down and review some amazing pedals, it’s a full hour of chatting about some of the best fuzz, drive and boost boxes on the market!! The guys talk shop about Ground Control Audio’s Amaterasu, Spun Loud Effects’s Blister & Peel V2, Lauren Audio’s Spitfire and the Dirty Haggard Audio 3904 fuzz. It’s all about loud and proud this week!

Kasper and Al are joined by plectrum guru John from Heavy Repping! online blog. John has a passion for picks that goes way beyond the usual and into the near obsessive, he’s helped foster a community of collectors and enthusiasts from all over the globe, and is now build a world class online shop for some of his favorite custom and boutique brands. The conversation goes beyond that and gets into some deep stuff, exploring some of the psychology behind guitar. Dig it! https://www.heavyrepping.com/ https://instagram.com/heavyrepping?igshid=1o9spm8ns93bp

This week Al & Kasper get into the inner workings of True North Pedals wizard Shedlon Ens. They talk about his origins on guitar, pedal building, buying used gear from Randy Bachman and playing Chet Atkins’ Gretsch. Along the way we hear about how the Tweed Drive became one of the hottest pedals of 2019 and where 2020 will take True North. Also we announce the winners of our All Canadian Mini Board Giveaway!! Listen in to see who won!

Meredith Coloma is a very storied individual who took a very unique path to guitar building. From world stages to hit song making and highly unlikely apprenticeships you’ll be hard pressed to find someone more accomplished. She’s charming, funny and knows more about guitars than your two favourite goofy hosts ever could. It’s a really great chat so enjoy! https://instagram.com/colomaguitars?utm_medium=copy_link https://www.colomaguitars.com/new-page

This week the guys visit the jungles of Jumangi, review a pedal from the frozen prairies of Canada and then they're off to fantasy island. There’s never a dull day with a new episode of The Cultured Guitarist. As usual Kasper and Al have a lot of fun wandering through the world of guitar nerdery, this week tackling a subject every guitarist has debated before; what gear would you buy if you suddenly had a huge pile of money? Our heroes go there but with a special twist, listen to find out the zany details!

This week Al, Kasper and Asher from Caulfield Cables get together to reminisce and rate all of the band/guitar/music movies they could think of. There’s some legends on the list, there’s some obscure ones on the list. There’s a couple that probably should never be mentioned by human beings again. It’s a good laugh and a hilarious glimpse into the taste (or lack of taste) the three boys have. Enjoy!

This week Al & Kasper had the chance to speak with author, lawyer, professor and historian Craig E Jones. He’s just released his new book “Odyssey: Attila Balogh and the Quest for the Perfect Guitar”, Craig has done more research than anyone on earth into the lost guitar brand Odyssey and the visionary luthier behind them. Odyssey influenced brands like Larivee, Godin, some say PRS and many more. Played by Prism, Loverboy, and many more major artists of the time. It’s a fascinating chat about one of the first boutique brands and their rise and fall from the mid 70’s to the early 80’s. https://amazon.com/dp/0228843294 https://amazon.ca/dp/0228843286

For this episode of the VGS Recap we wanted to share a couple of living legends in the guitar world. Bernard Funston has been building guitars for 20 years and has a reputation for beauty, elegance and tone. The boys talk about a crazy experience with him you won’t wanna miss! And our two hosts were beyond lucky to be able to sit down with Michael Dunn, whose work is near mythical in it’s beauty, legendary quality and far reaching impact on luthiers and players. Now mostly retired, Dunn has literally written the book (two of them in fact) on guitar building, lost luthiery secrets and more. He also apprenticed good friend of the show, Meredith Coloma of Coloma Guitars. Don’t miss it! https://instagram.com/funstonguitars?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This week is a milestone for Kasper & Al, they finally got to sit down with their most elusive guest yet. John Esterly of Rare Buzz Effects is a super down to earth guy from Columbus, Ohio who makes rad pedals and drives trains. The guys chat pedals, the hidden dangers of buying on Reverb and more.

In this episode, our heroes navigate the world of pedal boards and the messy affair that is Gibson USA. Or at least, they try to.