I am pleased to announce the lineup for our 2026 Fretboard Summit.

This year’s Summit is all about discovery: Hearing new artists who should be on your radar, along with the voices you’ve heard on our podcast and in our print pages. It’s also all about fun.

Included for 2026’s lineup: Jessica Dobson/Deep Sea Diver (Solo); Antoine Boyer; Hand Habits; Jake Xerxes Fussell; Michael Daves & Jacob Jolliff; The Volcano Brothers, featuring Steve Dawson, Fats Kaplin, Richard Bennett, Andy Reiss, & Dave Jacques; Shane Parish; Gabe Noel; Corey Congilio and others. 

2026 speakers and instructors include many of the artists mentioned above along with Chris Martin IV (Martin Guitars), Josh Scott (JHS), Fender historian Terry Foster,  TJ Thompson & Greig Hutton, Sofia Wolfson, Gabe Noel, Evan Gluck (New York Guitar Repair), Mark Stutman (Folkway Music), Barry Grzebik (Grez Guitars), yours truly and others. 

Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars) will be doing a deep dive extended look into sourcing and using woods for guitars and sharing the decades of experience he’s earned navigating CITES laws, ethically sourcing tropical woods and more.

Mark Stutman (Folkway Music) will be creating the ultimate vintage Gibson acoustic petting zoo, letting you all get your hands on 1930s Kel Kroydons and Gibson L models that you rarely see in person.

Our on-site lutherie showcase (one of the biggest in the world) will spread across the two buildings of Old Town School’s campus and feature big brands like Martin, Yamaha, Taylor, Iris, Bourgeois, and Collings; pedal makers (JHS, Browne, Summer School Electronics, Chase Bliss), amp builders (from Henriksen to Two-Rock), and over 50 independent and small-batch builders of acoustics and electrics.

In years past, Collings and other brands unveiled new instruments and prototypes that weren’t even displayed at NAMM. This is your chance to see what may be next year’s coolest gear release.

The fun doesn’t stop there.

There will be a loud room based on our Truth About Vintage Amps Podcast if you want to try your next guitar purchase out on dozens of vintage amplifiers and PA heads. More into acoustics? We have quiet audition rooms just for those.

The Summit Pinewood Derby is returning, where luthiers put all their craft and heart into a tiny Boy Scout-approved block of pine and see who is the fastest.

We’ll have wine tasting thanks to FJ reader and vintner Bill Downie (coming all the way from Australia).

A 5K run just for guitar geeks.

Our annual Science Fair is happening, where all the uber-creative guitarmakers can show off their cutting-edge creations.

We’ll have pedal-making classes thanks to Mark from Summer School Electronics, where you can go home with the ultimate Summit souvenir, a pedal you just soldered and assembled.

Plus live podcast tapings from the FJ and other content creators, gear givaways just for registrants, and lots more.

Register here for our 2026 Summit and don’t forget to tell your friends. This is like a giant family reunion for anyone who loves guitars. All abilities, ages, styles are welcome.

Some FAQ re: the Summit. 

What is the Fretboard Summit?

It’s a hang, a conference, and a music festival rolled into one.

Basically, it’s our take on the ultimate guitar geek weekend, where you can meet the heroes we celebrate on our pages and podcasts (players and builders); see some ridiculously cool concert lineups; try out (and buy) some insanely unique guitars; learn a bunch; and make some new friends.

It’s also one of the only open-to-the-public conventions that features a who’s-who of legendary guitar and gear makers, large and small batch.

Why?

Because we wanted to celebrate the community around the Fretboard Journal. Acoustic and electric. We also wanted you to be able to meet all these great personalities we interview and showcase in our magazine.

You don’t need to be a serious collector, gigging musician, or virtuoso to attend. Just have an open mind and you’ll have a blast.

Should I bring a guitar?

Only if you want! Most of our workshops are guitar-optional. We do have a guitar check-in if you want to safely store your instrument or grab a bite somewhere, but there are also hundreds of instruments to try out so you may enjoy feeling unencumbered without a guitar case.

Is this just for professionals? 

No! While some of our classes are wonderfully geeky, we craft everything to be inclusive and welcoming to players of all levels. This is a festival made for musicians of all stripes. Beyond all the included guitar workshops, there are unlimited opportunities to play, jam with friends, or try out new guitar gear. We have soundproof rooms if you want to rock out (or just try guitars in private).

Space is limited because this is about as interactive as festivals get. We want you to get hands-on time with cool gear.

What is the Old Town School of Folk Music?

A Chicago institution. Founded in 1957 the Old Town School of Folk Music provides a wide range of music, dance, theater, and visual arts courses to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. It’s a magical 501(c)(3) not-for-profit with an expansive campus featuring two buildings across the street from one another. We take over both facilities and fill them to the brim with sessions, workshops, jam rooms, and demo spaces.

When you picture Chicago, you may think of Wrigley Field or some busy downtown street or that one Wilco cover with the two buildings. The neighborhood that Old Town is in is easily walkable and there are dozens of nearby cafes, shops and restaurants. It’s like the cool neighborhood in your town, but in Chicago.

Who attends the Summit?

An eclectic mix of guitar fanatics (of all abilities), collectors, luthiers, industry members, and working musicians from around the world. Our crowd tends to be more eclectic and diverse than you’d think – young and old, all genders. But we all connect over a love for guitars.

Having said that: We limit Summit all-access passes to just a few hundred. We want everyone who attends to see the concerts, meet their heroes, and have fun without crowds. So if you want to come, it’s best to register soon before it sells out.

Who will I meet?

That’s up to you!

This year’s Summit has some of the most respected names in guitar craft: You can meet the crews behind Martin, Collings, Santa Cruz, Taylor, Lowden, Yamaha, JHS, Bourgeois, JHS, and Chase Bliss. It’s a rare opportunity to talk to lutherie legends like Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars), Richard Hoover (SCGC) and Martin’s Chris Martin IV under one roof.

You’ll bump into dozens of world-class players and former FJ subjects. We also attract some of the biggest YouTube and podcast influencers around (Rhett Shull will be attending in 2025, along with the Acoustic Shoppe, Josh Scott, Dipped in Tone and others).

Best of all, you’ll meet a bunch of great players who probably aren’t currently on your radar…and fellow collectors.

What does a day look like?

Each day has over 12 hours of programming planned. We don’t expect you to catch it all (that would be crazy), but it’s there for you.

Get to Old Town School on Friday morning (August 20) at around 9 or 10 a.m., get your pass, browse the schedule and decide whether you want to browse guitars at the lutherie showcase or attend a workshop. Proceed however you like.

The Old Town campus has two buildings directly across the street from each other. It’s a little daunting at first, but just consider it a giant guitar funhouse. (Someone from the FJ or OTS will be at the front registration desk to help you if you have any questions.)

I encourage pass holders to take their time and not expect to attend everything. Some of the coolest music moments happen in the lobbies or just by sticking around a sponsor booth for a while.

There’s a lunch break every day, during which attendees and their new friends grab a bite to eat nearby. I like the Indian place about a block away, but there are burgers, dumplings, cafes and more within about 300 yards of the venue. You’ll see lots of Summit badges at neighboring restaurants. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself. After lunch, there’s a whole new slate of afternoon sessions.

Concerts tend to start after dinner in the two theaters: The historic Maurer Concert Hall (capacity 420) is where our bigger names play, while Szold Hall is where you can catch some of the more adventurous programming. Your three-day pass gets you into everything. You can come and go as you please.

What are the workshops like?

After you’ve made the decision on what class to attend, you just show up. No reservation is needed with your all-access pass. Some classes are intimate affairs, some have 20-50 people. We put the bigger-name workshops in the main theater, but there’s typically room for everyone. You definitely don’t need a guitar to attend these workshops, though an acoustic instrument is nice to have at a few of them (we’ll let you know).

Every year, we have live podcast tapings, advanced master classes, songwriting workshops and more.

If you want to leave a session early, just politely get up and go. There are usually two to three sessions going every hour, so you can try something else.

What styles of music are represented?

Rock, bluegrass, roots music, blues, jazz, folk, singer-songwriters, and all points in between. Basically, the pages of the FJ coming to life.

How expensive is it?

For 2026, we’ve preserved our pricing from last year: Three-day passes are $400.

This includes everything, all-day-long.

Admission to all the evening concerts, all the instructional workshops, opportunities to win some truly cool guitars in our raffles, the ability to buy Summit exclusive gear, networking events, a great swag bag, and surprises.

You also get early and unlimited access to the lutherie showcase featuring over 80 guitarmakers.

Even without the rest of the Summit programming, this is arguably the largest handmade and boutique guitar showcase in North America.

Walkable dining options abound near the venue at every price point. You can stay wherever you like (see below).

Where should I stay?

We get asked this a lot.

Honestly, you can stay wherever you like in Chicago. Probably aim for a hotel or Airbnb that fits your price range somewhere north of downtown Chicago and south of downtown Evanston. If the reviews online look good and it fits your price range, go for it. (Checking your cab fare ahead of time using an online calculator is also a good idea.)

All Summit activities take place at Old Town School, from morning to night. So once you’re there each day, there’s no need to go anywhere else. Hotel Zachary near Wrigley is an Old Town staff favorite, but you really can’t go wrong if the Tripadvisor reviews and room rate meet your standards.

If you’re on a guitar forum or have friends into guitars, post about the Summit and see if you can go in on an Airbnb. There are many in the vicinity of Old Town, but they tend to get reserved quickly.

How do I sign up?

Register today at www.fretboardsummit.org. And holler if you have any questions.

Still trying to picture this event? Check out these totally unsolicited videos posted by some of our past attendees…