Fretboard Summit Lutherie Show - Bashkin, Wells, Kostal, etc (8/25-26 in Chicago)

[jasonv]

As some of you know, I've been plotting a pretty cool guitar festival in collaboration with Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. The Fretboard Summit is now going to be an annual event with great concerts, speakers, panel discussions, workshops and jams featuring some truly amazing custom builders.

This year's event is next week (gulp!)...Aug 24-26. And while the all-access passes that get you into the Tommy Emmanuel, Jeff Parker, and Bill Frisell showcases and workshops are sold out, we still have room for the public to come and meet the makers at the lutherie showcase.

Among the builders exhibiting: Michael Bashkin, Maegen Wells, Mike Baranik, Jason Kostal, Micah Bruce, Lamehorse, Michael Kennedy, Noemi, RS Muth and dozens more. The whole list of exhibitors is here.

Tix for the lutherie showcase are $25 per day (link). If you know anyone near Chicago or the Midwest, tell them to come down!

One of the cool things about the Summit is that we have several bigger brands scattered around the show and the folks who run those companies will also be there. You can meet folks from SCGC (Richard Hoover will be on-hand), Taylor (Bob and Andy will be there), Collings (Steve McCreary), Huss & Dalton, Preston Thompson, Yamaha, etc. Not exhibiting but walking around are some legends like TJ Thompson and Wayne Henderson, too.

It's a big guitar party and the Old Town School is such a perfect venue for this. Hope to see some of you there!

[sinistral]

Last year’s Summit was amazing and we were all wondering how you could possibly top it, and you did! Wish I could make it this year but sadly can’t.

[Guitars44me]

Wish I could come, but family obligations…. Sigh

This should be a wang dang doodle of a party

Cheers

Paul

[dcn]

Hi Jason, I will be there!
Got a 3-day all-access this time so will visit on each of Thu, Fri, and Sat.
Really looking forward to it, it was a ton of fun last year.
All the best,
Diogo

[sprucetophere]

I'm curious what the Luthers showcase involves. Would anyone want to share and describe what's entailed?

Thanks!

[dcn]

Originally Posted by sprucetophere

I'm curious what the Luthers showcase involves. Would anyone want to share and describe what's entailed?



Thanks!

Lots of luthiers with their guitar(s) for the attendees to admire, play, and even buy!

[soma5]

I'd love to visit. Maybe next year. It's a long trip for me.

[jasonv]

Originally Posted by sprucetophere

I'm curious what the Luthers showcase involves. Would anyone want to share and describe what's entailed?

Thanks!

The luthier showcase is not unlike the guitar shows at Artisan, La Conner, Woodstock or Healdsburg. Around 50 builders from around the world with guitars available at their tables to purchase or demo...plus a handful of larger production brands showcasing their wares and fielding questions. We have a few private/quiet rooms where guitars can be checked out and auditioned by potential buyers.

The venue is actually two side-by-side buildings, so builders are spread amidst various rooms that you can go in and out of. I know a lot of shows are held in one big room but that wouldn't work at this facility so we have lots of rooms with 5-12 builders in each. It's like a fun house for guitar fanatics.

[jasonv]

Originally Posted by dcn

Hi Jason, I will be there!
Got a 3-day all-access this time so will visit on each of Thu, Fri, and Sat.
Really looking forward to it, it was a ton of fun last year.
All the best,
Diogo

Please find me and say hi! I'll be the guy who looks exhausted.

[sprucetophere]

Originally Posted by jasonv

The luthier showcase is not unlike the guitar shows at Artisan, La Conner, Woodstock or Healdsburg. Around 50 builders from around the world with guitars available at their tables to purchase or demo...plus a handful of larger production brands showcasing their wares and fielding questions. We have a few private/quiet rooms where guitars can be checked out and auditioned by potential buyers.

The venue is actually two side-by-side buildings, so builders are spread amidst various rooms that you can go in and out of. I know a lot of shows are held in one big room but that wouldn't work at this facility so we have lots of rooms with 5-12 builders in each. It's like a fun house for guitar fanatics.

Thanks for the additional info... it sounds like a great (and dangerous) opportunity.

[jasonv]

Starting to get lots of previews of what people are bringing to Chicago this weekend. I'm in awe!

Maegen Wells Guitars


Dale Fairbanks will have this reproduction of an ultra-rare Gibson from the 1930s at the Iris Guitars booth.


Noemi Guitars is coming all the way from Italy with this OM. Mad/Italian Spruce.


The full lineup of exhibitors is here. I can't wait to see what surprises are in store from the other 50 luthiers!

We also have Taylor Guitars, Santa Cruz, Collings, Preston Thompson, Huss & Dalton, Pre-war, Bourgeois, Yamaha and Martin showcasing their guitars. It's like NAMM without the parking headaches (or the actual headaches)...and with a lutherie show attached.

Again, the showcase is open to the public this Friday and Saturday in both buildings of the Old Town School's Chicago campus.

[jt1]

See you there, Jason!

Fretboard Journal's summits--this is the fourth--have been extraordinary. Basically, a guitar show combined with concerts and a guitar-themed TED talk gathering.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by jt1

See you there, Jason!

Fretboard Journal's summits--this is the fourth--have been extraordinary. Basically, a guitar show combined with concerts and a guitar-themed TED talk gathering.

That’s a great description. As good as the Artisan and Woodstock shows are—and they are excellent—the Fretboard Summit last year was off the charts. Sorry I can’t make it this year.

Everyone was wondering how Jason could possibly top last year’s lineup, and I think he did!

[Marshall]

It was a lovely show. I only bought the one day Luthier Showcase pass. It was exciting seeing and playing these wonderful instruments, from $34k Santa Cruz down to the “proletariat” $8k instruments. I took some pictures, but they are n my phone. I’ll get them off later.

My personal fav was a Bourgie J35. It just rang all my bells. At $13k I’ll have dream about it. But tempting news is after the show it goes to Downhome Guitars in the south suburbs about a tempting hour’s drive from my house.

**sigh**

[Marshall]

A few pictures from the show.

Friend LJ Mattingly with a lovely Bourgie




A Flammang take on the J200 - MUCH better sounding instrument.