Best PZac Childs Podcasts (2025)

1
A Tele-Guy Discovers The PRS DGT SE 21:31

2M ago21:31

21:31

Since the DGT was released by PRS in 2007, I have been a fan. I didn't buy one then because I foolishly decided to get a more vintage-flavored reissue 1959 Les Paul, but have regretted that purchase ever since. With the new SE PRS DGT, I was able to scratch that humbucker with trem itch, but at an incredibly affordable price. The PRS DGT SE is a fa…

1
A Look At Mike Campbell's Heartbreaker Memoir & His Incredible Musical Legacy 20:41

2M ago20:41

20:41

Mike Campbell is one of the most significant guitarists of our time as a result of his 40-year stint with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and guesting with everyone from Don Henley, to George Harrison. He recently released his memoir, Heartbreaker, a lovingly honest telling of his life with the help of author Ari Surdoval. We take a look at the comp…

1
Joe Fick of Kelley's Heroes & The Don Kelley Band 1:12:31

2M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Joe Fick, leader of Kelley's Heroes and alumnus of the Don Kelley Band, joins us today. He shares of his time with the Dempsey's, The Don Kelley Band, working movies Walk The Line, and Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, to currently leading Kelley's Heroes. We also discuss the history of the upright slap style, challenges of transitioning from electric to uprig…

1
Why Leo Fender Never Acknowledged The Influence of Paul Bigsby 25:26

2M ago25:26

25:26

Leo Fender was heavily influenced by the work of Paul Bigsby in the late 1940s, yet in all of the interviews he did, he never acknowledged it. Today we look at both the influences, and the reasons why Leo did not give the credit that Paul Bigsby deserved for his innovations that filtered into every Fender guitar. To help us, we have an amazing copy…

1
My Favorite Backup Amp - The 1985 Peavey Studio Pro 40 13:10

3M ago13:10

13:10

I love Peavey amps from the early-to-mid 1980s, because I grew up with them in my favorite music shop, Clawson's Music in Corpus Christi, TX. In my last 80s Peavey episode, I looked at the Special 130, that is a killer amp, but is heavy, way too loud for most gigs, and at times a bit non-intuitive due to the mid-shift and multiple gain controls. My…

1
The Modified Broadcaster/Telecaster Blend Control & 2 YT Channels I love 16:10

3M ago16:10

16:10

With the recent visit with a real-deal 1950 Broadcaster, I had the chance to experience the unique tonal options that Leo Fender's original blend control offered over your run-off-the-mill tone control. The only problem, was that awful #1 position, that put a suffocating blanket over the neck pickup. I started searching for a modified wiring scheme…

1
Baxendale Harmony Conversion Guitars 21:23

4M ago21:23

21:23

Scott Baxendale sent me a 50s Harmony H-162 that he had done his conversion work on to check out. So we take a look at it, laying out the conversion process, and also looking at my Baxendale mandocello, and my Dan Lambert converted/repaired Buck Owens American. We end with a look at my refinished Waterloo WL-14, that also has a dual pickup system, …

1
Meet Nashville Tele Slinger - Gabe Tonon 19:32

4M ago19:32

19:32

Today we get introduced to Gabe Tonon, and he shows off his 50s Esquire with a long throw Bender, and his two 60s maple-cap Fender Telecasters with Glaser B-Benders. Gabe is a wonderful player you can see opening for Zach Top in 2025 with Jake Worthington. Find Gabe here: https://www.instagram.com/gabe_tone_on/ Follow me on Instagram https://www.in…

1
The Fender Broadcaster Story 31:01

4M ago31:01

31:01

Today we look at one of the rarest and coolest members of the Telecaster family, a December 1950 Fender Broadcaster. To give some context, I cover what Fender was up to in late 1949 through the Summer of 1950 with the single and dual pickup Esquire, and how the addition of a truss rod caused the Broadcaster to be born. We also take a look at what m…

1
A Glaser Strat With A B-Bender? 22:22

4M ago22:22

22:22

Today we look at this cool Glaser B-Bender equipped Strat that I put together using a Glaser made neck from the 80s, and a non-tremolo swamp ash body. We get to hear the Seymour Duncan Hot Strat Stack pickups, and get a bit of history along the way. Much thanks to Jason Cornelius for the buddy deal on the Glaser neck, and to Brad Paisley for donati…

1
Flat-Wound, Pure Nickel, and Ground-Wound Strings on my Telecaster 25:30

5M ago25:30

25:30

A comparison between flat wound, pure nickel, and ground wound strings on my Tele. I was inspired to do this by the back of a set of D'Addario strings, showing a chart of their string offerings, from mellow to bright. Today, we start at the mellow end of the spectrum with the flat wound, going mid-way through the chart to the all-steel half-round s…

1
A Real Road Worn 1952 Telecaster 20:14

5M ago20:14

20:14

I love honest, beat-up, Telecasters. Today we tell the story of one of the most aged butterscotch Telecasters I have laid eyes on. Besides telling its story, we also compare it to a near mint 53 Telecaster. Thanks to Andy T, for letting me borrow his beautifully aged Tele. Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askzac/ To Support the Chan…

1
The Tim Lerch Interview 1:01:05

5M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Today I sat down with one of the finest solo-Jazz guitarists of our time, Tim Lerch. We discuss how a non-jazz player might get into solo guitar, his influences, his highly modified Fender Nocaster, and how he approaches tone and touch. Much thanks to Tim for taking the time for this interview while he was in Nashville teaching at a guitar seminar.…

1
The Resurrection of my 1970 Buck Owens "American" Guitar 18:57

6M ago18:57

18:57

Earlier this year, I did an episode on the Buck Owens "American" guitars made by Harmony from 1969-1971. Mine was in pretty good condition, but missing its headstock overlay, and having survived a neck break. The day after I released that show, the head broke off again on its own. With learning there was a major structural issue, I turned to a Harm…

1
Vintage Solid State? Lab Series Amps 29:47

6M ago29:47

29:47

Gibson has never been known for their amps. Though we may revere certain models, they pale in collectability with those made by Fender of the same era. After years of slow amp sales, Norlin, the owner of Gibson from 1969-1986, decided to start a new amp division under its own name, Lab Series. To design the new line, they turned to another division…

1
Tone Snob Confessions With Barry O'Neal of Xact Tone Solutions 50:05

6M ago50:05

50:05

We all have a tone obsession, but when is it healthy, and when is it not? I asked Barry O'Neal of Xact Tone Solutions to have a discussion on the "tone suck" of certain pedals, and it quickly morphed into a philosophical discussion on the potential pitfalls in the pursuit of tone. Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askzac/ To Support …

1
Luther Dickinson Interview 1:17:27

7M ago1:17:27

1:17:27

Luther Dickinson is an acclaimed sideman, solo artist, and producer, noted for his work with the North Mississippi Allstars, Phil Lesh, and the Black Crowes. We begin with a discussion of his legendary producer/musician father, Jim, and how he nurtured his son's playing and his work ethic. We also dive into how Luther became a devotee of open tunin…

1
A Look at the "Champ Killer" 1954 Wide-Panel Fender Princeton Amp 18:04

7M ago18:04

18:04

Built from 1953-55, the Wide-Panel Princeton was short-lived, yet in that brief time had 5B2, 5C2, and 5D2 iterations with earlier versions using octal preamp tube, and the latter using a 12AX7. Though both the tweed Princeton and the Champ were single-ended (single power tube) amps, the mighty Princeton throughout the 50s in most years had a bigge…

1
The Last Glaser Bender Guitar 45:54

7M ago45:54

45:54

In the mid 1980s, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner were frequently seen on television playing eye-catching Tele-looking instruments equipped with B-Benders, in vibrant colors, with beautiful flame maple necks. Though I had no idea what they were, I wanted one. I finally found the answer in the January 1987 issue of Guitar Player magazine, where it wa…

1
Playing The American Music Awards 24:42

8M ago24:42

24:42

Today I share the story of playing the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special with Brad Paisley. He had a new single, "Truck Still Works," and wanted to fill things out with another guitar player. I lay out what I did to learn the guitar parts he wanted covered, the experience of playing on the show, and the gear that I used. Follow me on I…

1
Stuie & Sonny French of The French Family Band 1:15:59

8M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

Today we sit down with the incredible father/son guitar team of Stuie and Sonny French, of The French Family Band. They tell their tale of how they moved from Australia to the United States in 2019, and quickly made an impact on the Nashville music scene through their shutdown era livestreams, and their more recent appearances on the Grand Ole Opry…

1
Ricky Skaggs Highways & Heartaches And The Glaser Mandocaster 24:33

8M ago24:33

24:33

Ricky Skaggs released Highways & Heartaches in September 1982, and the album quickly moved to the number 1 spot on the Country Album chart, and spawned 3 number 1 singles. Besides being a well polished example of Ricky's Bluegrass/Country hybrid style, it also spearheaded the neo-traditionalist movement that brought an end to the more pop oriented …

1
The Best Speaker For Your Deluxe Reverb 27:13

8M ago27:13

27:13

What is the best speaker for my Deluxe Reverb, is one of the most asked questions of all-time. A friend recently asked me about doing an episode on this topic, and added that I should give it some added weightiness by finding out what all the pros I know use. So I queried Brent Mason, John Leventhal, Tom Bukovac, Duke Levine, Luke McQeary, JD Simo,…

1
That Famed EVM-12L Sound 27:00

9M ago27:00

27:00

In the 1960s and 70s, the JBL D120/K120 was the top choice for the touring pro who didn't want to worry about blowing a speaker on the road. However, in 1983, Electro-Voice released the EVM-12L, and soon after everyone from Eric Clapton & Stevie Ray Vaughan to Mark Knopfler and Larry Carlton were using EV speakers in their rigs. Today, I lay out so…

1
Hardtail Stratocaster: The Lowdown 17:24

9M ago17:24

17:24

The hardtail Strat is a different beast from it's tremolo equipped brother, with a tone, and feel of it's own. Today we look at the history, and spotlight the famous players, all with a beautiful 1957 hardtail Stratocaster. Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askzac/ To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip ja…

1
The Vince Gill Interview 1:30:29

10M ago1:30:29

1:30:29

Vince Gill is at the top of his game. He recently completed a 4-night run at the Ryman where he played a three-and-a-half hour show each night, still singing & playing the songs in the same keys, or higher. Gill is some kind of superhero, as artists half his age could barely do this. Today we sit down with Vince, as he shares stories about some of …

1
Celebrating the Don Kelley Band 20:34

10M ago20:34

20:34

Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Johnny Hiland, J.D. Simo, and Daniel Donato reunited with Don Kelley on August 5th 2024 for a one-time concert to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Robert's Western World. Besides being a fete for one of the longtime anchors of Broadway's club scene, it was also a celebration of Don Kelley, and the incredible alumni of h…

1
Fender's Marvelous Mandocaster - The Vintage Fender Electric Mandolin 24:22

10M ago24:22

24:22

In the Spring of 1956, Leo Fender introduced the greatest little solid body of all-time, the Fender Electric Mandolin. Nicknamed ,Mandocaster, by collectors, they were designed to replicate the sound of Tiny Moore, and Johnny Gimble, the fiery 4-string mandolin playing veterans of Bob Wills Texas Playboys Band. The instrument was not a success as W…

1
The Birth of Light-Gauge Strings 25:38

11M ago25:38

25:38

Have you ever wondered how we got light gauge strings? To give some context, until 1962, strings were 12-52, or heavier, with a wound third, and nothing lighter was available unless you used a banjo string. How about this, did you ever wonder why every string manufacturer has a 10-46 set that has the exact same gauges, 10,13,17,26,36,46? And the sa…

1
The Most Underrated Electric Guitar String Gauge - 9.5-44 18:42

11M ago18:42

18:42

For years I went back and forth between 9s and 10s on my Telecaster, always frustrated with both gauges for different reasons. 9s, although easy to bend, were just not as full sounding, and I had to be careful not to "overplay" them, as they really needed to be played with a light touch. 10s, while certainly fatter sounding, always felt a bit too s…

1
The Story of Cling Foil & the Blue Flower Telecaster 22:08

11M ago22:08

22:08

In the summer of 1968, Fender released their most unconventional finishes to date, the Blue Flower & Paisley Red finishes. Available on only the Telecaster and Telecaster Bass, their striking appearance was made possible by a new product line from Borden Chemicals of Columbus, Ohio, "Cling Foil." This new "beautifully embossed" & "beautifully print…

1
The Impact of The Blues Brothers Movie 26:46

11M ago26:46

26:46

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ The Blues Brothers movie was a blockbuster in the summer of 1980. Even with a 27.5 Million dollar budget, that's 102 million in 2024 money, it managed to make th…

1
Delbert McClinton "Live From Austin" Influential Albums 21:57

12M ago21:57

21:57

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today we look back at Delbert McClinton's 1989 Alligator Records release, Live From Austin. The year it was released, I was 16 and a drummer friend gave me this …

1
How The Telecaster Came To Nashville 24:30

12M ago24:30

24:30

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Nashville is a "Telecaster-Town," a common phrase bandied about, and many will stress the importance of Tele ownership if one wants to work as a pro guitarist in…

1
Tele Pickup Height with JD Simo and Dan Strain 26:38

1y ago26:38

26:38

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ A discussion with my friends, JD Simo, and Dan "Danocaster" Strain about how they set pickup height on Telecaster type guitars. The discussion begins with a look…

1
Tele Tone Tricks 15:32

1y ago15:32

15:32

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Tips and tricks to help you unlock a wider array of tones from your Telecaster. We look at a combination of picking hand placement, and some counter-intuitive pi…

1
Iconic Riffs by Forgotten R&B Guitar Greats 22:06

1y ago22:06

22:06

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today we look at forgotten R&B guitar greats Chips Moman, Tommy Cogbill, Booker T. Jones & Joe South. They each played on huge hits, yet are rarely hailed, and w…

1
A Conversation With Joe Glaser & Steve Wariner 1:42:30

1y ago1:42:30

1:42:30

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today's episode features two legends of the Nashville music scene, Joe Glaser and Steve Wariner. Glaser's innovations include a neck plate mounted bender system,…

1
Baffled? How To Baffle Your Amp & Not get Fired 21:28

1y ago21:28

21:28

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ If you play gigs with an electric guitar, you have most likely been told to "turn it down" multiple times in your performing career. To help you address this com…

1
Albert Lee Talks Emmylou Harris & Her Luxury Liner Album 17:07

1y ago17:07

17:07

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Albert Lee shares the background and process of recording Emmylou's seminal Luxury Liner album released in December 1976. From the gear he used, to how the music…

1
1950 Broadcaster VS 1953 Telecaster - A Comparison by Nacho Banos 21:17

1y ago21:17

21:17

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Nacho Banos, the patron saint of the Telecaster, compares a 1950 Broadcaster and a 1953 Telecaster backstage at a Brad Paisley concert in Zurich, Switzerland. He…

1
The Story Of The 1970s Buck Owens American Guitar by Harmony 27:18

1+ y ago27:18

27:18

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ My first memory of seeing a guitar in person was seeing a Buck Owens “American” guitar leaning against a couch at a neighbor’s house while visiting my grandmothe…

1
A Telecaster Fanatic Looks at the PRS NF-53 18:27

1+ y ago18:27

18:27

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ One of my Patreon members offered to send me his PRS NF-53 to check out, as he was curious as to my take on Paul Smith's version of a Tele-Style guitar. Being bo…

1
Leo Fender and the Birth of the G&L Broadcaster/ASAT 34:46

1+ y ago34:46

34:46

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Ever wondered how Leo Fender came around to making the G&L Broadcaster after a decade of Music Man guitars, and the early G&L designs with active electronics and…

1
Top Loader Telecaster History & Comparison with String-Thru 24:19

1+ y ago24:19

24:19

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ We kick the episode off with a direct comparison using my 2023 Danocaster guitar which is equipped with a bridge that handles both top loading and string thru. W…

1
John Leventhal Talks First Solo Album, Rumble Strip 1:04:23

1+ y ago1:04:23

1:04:23

John Leventhal returns to go in-depth on his first solo album, Rumble Strip. We discuss his process of composing, recording, and the gear he used to create the 16 poignant tracks on the album. Leventhal also discusses his signature acoustic guitar tones that utilize both the natural "acoustic" sound, plus an "electric" sound hole pickup run-through…

1
My Direct + Amp Pedalboard Built By XTS 16:19

1+ y ago16:19

16:19

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ After rebuilding my board numerous times depending on if the gig was an amp or direct situation, I decided to have a pedalboard built that could easily do one or…

1
Eldon Shamblin & His Gold 1954 Stratocaster 38:39

1+ y ago38:39

38:39

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Eldon Shamblin was Leo Fender's favorite guitarist, playing in his favorite band, Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys. Fender supplied the Playboys with amps and stee…

1
Danocaster Talks Telecaster Tone 34:28

1+ y ago34:28

34:28

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ What started as a walk-thru, became Dan Strain sharing a gold mine worth of tone-tips for Telecaster fans. We talk about tuners, string trees, saddles, bridges, …

1
Duke Levine Talks Touring with Bonnie Raitt & the Eternal Tone Hunt 1:28:25

1+ y ago1:28:25

1:28:25

Duke Levine's resume is filled with a catalog of stellar solo albums, high-profile sideman gigs, and essential session work. We have Tom Bukovac to thank for making this interview happen, as he had requested Duke on a recent session here in Nashville, that gave us a chance to catch up in person with the Boston-area great. To kick off, we begin with…

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