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Guitar Dads

Matt and Dave

A podcast by guitar dads FOR guitar dads! This is a guitar podcast focused on all things related to guitar dadery - including our favorite guitar dad music, breaking music news, and music-related gear. It's not just a gear podcast and it's not just a music podcast!

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20 episodes
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August 5 · 1 hr 3 min
A String of AI Controversies and a Coppersound Collab!
The Dads are back after a little radio silence — rusty strings, sharp opinions. Alex from Coppersound Pedals joins to unpack the new JHS DIY pedal kit collab, the Boost Drive Fuzz — three pedals, one box. Then it's Bon Jovi and David Lee Roth's live vocal struggles — rough night, rough tour, or rough decade? Plus the D'Addario AI backlash and Fender CEO Bud Cole's now-viral take comparing cover bands to "analog AI." We aren't holding back on these ones. Welcome back to Guitar Dads. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW JHS DIY Pedal kit collab, which goes LIVE on August 6th, 2026!
June 16 · 1 hr 3 min
Strung Out on Analog with Dan Tremonti of Fret12
Dan Tremonti joins the Dads — artist, founder of Fret12, and brother to Creed and Alter Bridge guitar legend Mark Tremonti. Dan's built something rare with Fret12: a company genuinely committed to curating music culture and keeping the true spirit of analog music alive through thoughtful products and experiences. We get into his own journey as an artist, what drives the Fret12 vision, and yes — what it's like growing up in the Tremonti household. Check out Fret12 at Guitar Supply - Apparel - Art - Gifts - Pedals - Amps | FRET12 Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
June 9 · 56 min
Fender: Cease and Deceased?
The Dads are BACK after some time off with another episode! Slash speaks out about his ditching Marshall for Magnatone — we break down his Guitar World interview and what it means. Plus, Fender's cease-and-desist drama, and the big question: is Matt selling his Marshall? Dave takes us through his amp journey and lands a PRS DGT. Matt reports back from the Fuzzy Guitars Pedal Party, featuring Coppersound Pedals and dispatches from Summer School Electronics, Roma Devices, Cosmodio, plus, Dave talks Jade Electric's new J-6 pedal. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
May 19 · 58 min
The Art of the Stompbox with author Chris Cassone
The Dads are BACK with new episode, this time with a special guest! Chris Cassone is a musician, writer, and photographer obsessed with the artwork that rides on guitar pedals. For Art of the Stomp Box he visited and Zoomed with builders on six continents, and eighteen countries, capturing designs and stories in vivid, full-color spreads. A NAMM regular and former chief recording engineer, he has credits from Ace Frehley to A Bronx Tale. Between gigs he created museum-based team adventures that brought thousands of executives into the country’s top museums, a byproduct of which was his love and understanding of fine art. He’s also writing The Cakeman Chronicles, a memoir of life in his family’s Italian bakery (“Almost Famous” meets “The Godfather”). But this was pre-empted by the death of his friend, Ace Frehley. His “Me and Ace” memoir is scheduled for release by the end of 2026. BUY Art of the Stompbox at Chris Cassone writer of ART of STOMP BOX Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
April 28 · 1 hr 1 min
No YouTube for Old Men
The Dads are back and the Dadaverse is packed this week: David Lee Roth sells his catalog, a flurry of tour announcements including BLS/Zakk Sabbath, Buckcherry with Black Stone Cherry and Tyler Bryant, and Jason Newsted and the Chophouse Band opening for Blackberry Smoke. Alice Cooper taps 22-year-old Anna Cara — handpicked by Nita Strauss — as her maternity leave fill-in, adding to the social media guitarist trend. Guitar prodigy Grace Bowers quit YouTube in a blaze of glory, calling out the "old men" in her audience and ditching the blues label for good. In Gear: speakers, DG and the RD question, the new Jake Kiszka Gibson SG Standard, and Way Huge's 30th anniversary Swollen Pickle XXX. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
April 14 · 1 hr
Why are artists playing THESE?!
This week the Dads are once again joined by Alex Guaraldi of Coppersound Pedals as the third chair and we get into some great Dadaverse topics, including Coachella happened — do we care? We care enough to talk about David Lee Roth showing up at Teddy Swims' set to destroy "Jump" one more time. Then it's Journey drama: Arnel Pineda says he's being pressured to tour, Neal Schon has responded, Then Gear: we dig into the new Yamaha Pacifica SC Standard and ask if we've been sleeping on Yamaha or are they just sleepy? Plus Mateus Asato makes his Fender artist debut official. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
March 31 · 58 min
The Guitar that DIDN'T get away
The Dads are BACK, but more importantly, Matt returns from the Amigo Guitar Show in Franklin, TN with a new guitar and no regrets (and no regerts). Plus: Vinny Vincent wants $2 million for his new album (yes, really), Keith Urban goes full yacht rock, Dave ponders a new Les Paul journey, Source Audio's new release, Pathways, the EVH 5150 DX series, and capture tech finally comes to the Helix Stadium. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
March 17 · 1 hr 3 min
Playing with Conviction — with Ricky from Roma Devices
This week, we're joined by Ricky from Roma Devices — a boutique pedal company doing things a little differently. We get into the origin story behind the Conviction pedal and what drove Ricky to build it. Then in the Dadaverse, we break down Fender's landmark copyright ruling in Germany and why it could have big implications for the guitar industry. Strap in — it's a good one. Check out Roma Devices at ROMA Devices – Hand-Built Circuits. Earned Tone. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the NEW ION FUZZ
March 10 · 1 hr 1 min
Dreaming On with Ryan Kiefer of Blacktop Mojo
This week, Dave sits down with Ryan Kiefer, guitarist for East Texas hard rockers Blacktop Mojo. Ryan talks about the band's journey from playing flatbed trailer shows in Palestine, TX to sharing stages with Sammy Hagar. We dig into Pollen, the band's most sonically adventurous record yet, the dual-guitar dynamic with Malcolm Booher, and how a band from a small Texas town keeps pushing their sound forward. We also "dad out" over their jaw-dropping cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On" — how they approached it, what it takes to do that song justice, and why it's become a fan favorite. Of course, we get into Ryan's gear as well, this is Guitar Dads and we can't help ourselves. Check out Blacktop Mojo here: Blacktop Mojo Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit!
March 3 · 1 hr 3 min
Gibson Is Out Of Touch, JHS Is Not.
This week on Guitar Dads, we're asking whether Gibson's relentless collector's edition releases are getting out of hand and putting the new JHS Double Dragon lo-fi octave pedal under the microscope. Alex from Coppersound Pedals stops by for our Quiz Eye segment, and in the Dadaverse we tackle two big conversations: whether the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has completely abandoned rock — with Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, and Chubby Checker all in the 2025 class — and whether Metallica's newly announced Sphere residency in Las Vegas is the ultimate live music experience or just expensive spectacle. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly box kit!
February 25 · 55 min
Hot Takes, Dumb Opinions, Zero Apologies
This week we dig into some spicy News & Notes — a private forensics team just dropped their own investigation into Kurt Cobain's death, and the Foos announced a new album called Your Favorite Toy (we had questions about that title). We also check out the Walrus Audio Mantle bass preamp and discuss some genuinely dumb guitar takes that we absolutely stand behind. Don't @ us. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the MOD CLUB monthly mystery box kit!
February 10 · 1 hr 9 min
Pedal “Nirvana” with Supercool Pedals and Summer School Electronics
The Dads welcome a double dose of pedal wizardry this week! Jamie Muir (Supercool Pedals) and Mark Turley (Summer School Pedals) join forces to reveal their new collaboration pedal, Smokin in the Boys Room—a love letter to 90s guitar tone. We explore the origin story behind this epic team-up, what makes the 90s sound so iconic, and why AI can't steal your creative spark. Plus, you get to hang with two of the coolest builders in the boutique scene. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADPOD10 (THAT's a NEW CODE) to get 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
January 30 · 52 min
NAMM 2026: Mini Modelers, Machine Learning, more GAS!
The Dads are back with a special NAMM 2026 episode! We were not at NAMM this year, but it still brought the heat with some massive announcements. Neural DSP unveiled the Quad Cortex Mini, while Wampler dropped jaws with their Pedalhead—a revolutionary machine learning-powered power amp that's changing the game for direct recording. Gibson made their triumphant return to the NAMM show floor after years away and shocked with new Epiphones that are blurring the line between budget and premium instruments. On the amp front, Slash debuted a new signature Magnatone that's already turning heads, and Friedman added more fire to their lineup with several new amplifier models. It's shaping up to be an expensive year for gear heads—your wallet has been warned. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
January 13 · 1 hr 2 min
Fender's new CEO is Amped Up | You STILL Don’t Know $h!t About Pedals
This week the Dads are all amped up with big industry news! We break down Fender's appointment of their new CEO and what it could mean for the iconic brand's future direction. Speaking of Fender, we also dive into their surprising new line of Bluetooth speakers—are they a hit or a miss? Special guest Alex Guaraldi from Coppersound Pedals joins us to put our pedal knowledge to the test with another round of "Quiz Eye for the Pedal Guy." Can we name the knobs, or will we completely embarrass ourselves? (Spoiler: probably the latter.) We also pay tribute to the legendary Bob Weir and reflect on his incredible contributions to music and guitar culture. Plus: dad jokes, and the usual chaos. Tune in! Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
January 6 · 55 min
2026: The Year We Finally Stop Buying Gear (and other lies we tell ourselves!)
The Guitar Dads kick off 2026 with news on the Lukather/Alex Van Halen tribute album honoring Eddie (can Luke really not play a note on it?), cryptic Aerosmith Instagram teases pointing back to their debut, and a debate on pedal board excess in our Utility Futility segment. Then we look ahead to pre-NAMM gear anticipation and discuss whether the used market is truly trash or just correcting from pandemic-era inflation. New year, new gear, same GAS problems. Check out the Reverb article about the market trends: https://reverb.com/featured/electric-guitars-reverb-price-index Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
Dec 18, 2025 · 51 min
The 2025 Daddys Awards
That's right, it's the end of another year which means another Daddys! The Guitar Dads very own award show! Grab your tuxedos and gowns and buckle up to hear all about the Dads favorite music and gear things of 2025! Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
Dec 9, 2025 · 1 hr
When bands destroy legacy | Return of Quiz Eye Pedal Trivia!
This week, we are once again joined by Alex Guaraldi of Coppersound Pedals and that means the return of Quiz Eye for the Pedal Guy! Can Matt and Dave name the controls of iconic pedals or are they just going to fall flat? Also, Guns N' Roses drops two new tracks, and we're asking the tough question: when does "music taste is subjective" stop being a valid defense? We break down why these might cross the line from mediocre to objectively questionable. Plus, fresh interview with Joe Perry reveals Aerosmith isn't quite done yet, but do we REALLY care at this point? Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
Dec 2, 2025 · 56 min
Jack White Proves EVERYONE Wrong | Helix: The Stadium Tour
This week, the Dads are BACK and we cover Creed's return to writing new music, David Coverdale's official retirement announcement, and the electric Jack White/Eminem halftime performance at the Lions-Packers game. We break down Phil Collen's legendary Hysteria-era rig featuring his modded '78 Strat "Felix," Rockman amps, and that direct-to-board magic. In gear: We sample an amazing new pedal from Greer Amps, and the Line 6 Helix Stadium units are shipping with rave reviews—and some cool new features. But are we hitting diminishing returns with amp modelers? Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW!
Nov 11, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
You don’t know $h!t about your pedals!
This week, Coppersound Pedals' Alex Guaraldi joins the Dads once again! We discuss all things Coppersound including the new Foxcatcher V2 that you've heard so much about already on the pod, BUT we go deeper. Also, Alex puts the Dads to the test with a very special new quiz segment. Will Matt and Dave know their knobs from their elbows? We'll find out! To access the Foxcatcher V2 giveaway, please visit: www.coppersoundpedals.com/guitardads ALSO, use code DADS10 to 10% off your order at Coppersound Pedals.
Nov 4, 2025 · 53 min
Epiphone makes a Bonehead move | Gear to get or forget?
This week, we're covering Megadeth's announcement that their next album will be their last, Bon Jovi's 2026 comeback tour (but will they still have it?), and the vintage guitar phone cases that are lighting up the guitar internet. We'll also dive into Gibson's new $2,999 Noel Gallagher Standard and the full Oasis signature line from Gibson and Epiphone. Plus, we're spotlighting blues guitarist Davy Knowles and a killer new record of originals that's pure blues rock gold. Finally, our Get It or Forget It segment features The Knobifyer pedal controller and innovative volume pedals from Black Mountain Picks and Chase Bliss. Please support our sponsor, Coppersound Pedals www.coppersoundpedals.com and use code DADS10 to 10% off your order, INCLUDING the new Foxcatcher V2 which is available NOW for pre-order.

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