TJ Thompson and Folkway Music’s Mark Stutman are two of the most respected authorities on Earth when it comes to the repair and restoration of 1930s and ’40s vintage acoustic guitars. In this unforgettable session from the 2023 Fretboard Summit, TJ and Mark share some never-before-heard revelations from their decades of working on rare and collectible Martins and Gibsons.

During this conversation, you get to be a fly on the wall and hear two repair people at the top of their craft, geek out on the little details that add up. They talk about guitar rosettes, popsicle braces, bridge plates, neck angles, how wood ages, 1970s Martins, and so much more. It’s a 90-minute masterclass on the minutia and magic found inside old instruments…and why it’s so hard to make a new, luthier-built instrument sound “old.” We hope you love it.

Registration is now open for our 2024 Fretboard Summit in Chicago: https://fretboardsummit.org/

Links:

TJ Thompson: https://proluthiertools.com/
Mark Stutman: https://folkwaymusic.com/

Photo: Brian Fisher

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Our podcast is sponsored by Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); and Stringjoy Strings (get 10% off your order with the FRETBOARD discount code). This episode is also sponsored by iZotope. Use the discount code FRET10 to save 10% off off your Izotope order. You can also get 10% off your Native Instruments software at Native-Instruments.com with code RUIN10. Some restrictions apply.