The Fret Files

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Rating
4.8
from
166 reviews
This podcast has
211 episodes
Language
Publisher
Explicit
No
Date created
2014/01/16
Latest episode
2026/01/15
Average duration
55 min.
Release period
31 days

Description

Guitar Workshop Podcast

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Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from The Fret Files podcast


Ep 212 – Guitar News and an interview with “Freddy”
2026/01/15
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric talks guitar news and hosts an interview with a high school student who is making a kit guitar and is interested in exploring guitar building. In guitar news, Norman’s Rare Guitars has been acquired by the same parent company of Carter Vintage Guitars. In other news, Bob Weir has passed away, and Fender Music Instrument Corporation has a new CEO. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 211 – Listener Questions and a gig recording
2025/12/18
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat take listener questions regarding Jaguar pickup hum, ordering pre-slotted nuts, pickup output, flipping Tele control plates, guitar humidification, and more. Also, Eric and Nat share a few samples from a recording of their latest gig, using a Pin-Up Custom guitar built by Eric. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 210- Listener Questions
2025/11/18
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat take listener questions regarding mystery goo seeping out from under a Mustang Bass pickguard, No-caster Pickups, headstock repairs, Alnico magnets becoming demagnetized, a vintage Fender Jaguar with mysteriously low output, and the ol’ standby, “Are vintage Gibson frets in the wrong place?” To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 209 – String History and Listener Questions
2025/10/16
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat discuss guitar string history. It’s almost as riveting as it sounds. Then comes listener questions, including “how should I ruin my guitar”, and “I bought your book, now what?,” and the perennial favorite, “why can’t I keep my guitar in tune?” Tune in for answers to the above and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 208 – Listener Questions and a Quiz
2025/09/16
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric gives Nat yet another guitar quiz – Common Guitar Abbreviations and Acronyms. Then come the tech questions from listeners, including questions about finishing raw fretted maple necks, 50’s Gibson wiring vs. modern wiring, rare Fender pre CBS custom colors, how to raise the “nut” on a zero-fret guitar, and gigging with guitars that have volume discrepancies. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link. Vector eps10
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Ep 207- Guitar News and Listener Questions
2025/08/15
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat cover some guitar auction news about guitar owned by Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, and the resurfacing of Mick Taylor’s 1959 Gibson Les Paul. Eric and Nat then take questions from listeners about fixing dings in a guitar neck, mystery noise from an acoustic soundhole pickup, hide glue preparation, and some advice for hearing aid users who play guitar. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 206 – Norman Harris of Norman’s Rare Guitars
2025/07/15
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric interviews Norman Harris of Norman’s Rare Guitars. Norm’s famous shop is celebrating 50 years in the business of buying and selling rare and vintage guitars. Norm is a pioneer in the vintage guitar market, dealing in vintage guitars well before the term “vintage guitars” was even used. Norman has authored two fabulous books and his shop is the subject of a great Netflix documentary simply entitled “Norman’s Rare Guitars.” To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 205 – Listener Questions
2025/06/17
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric talks about what’s been going on in the shop lately, and then answers questions from listeners including how to do a proper Vintage Amber neck tint, Eric’s favorite vibrato unit, lots of offset/JM vibrato talk, treble bleed circuits, and more about that weird conductive PVC layer inside instrument cables and what it’s for. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 204 – Listener Questions and a book review
2025/05/15
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric talks about vintage pre-war (pre 1940) Washburns and discusses the book “Washburn Prewar Instrument Styles” by Pleijsier Hubert. Then, Eric answers questions from listener emails including how to remove superglue from a finish, how to properly cut a Fender style nut, and setup tips for those finicky Jazzmasters. Also, something of a follow up from the pictured P-Bass bridge, but it still remains a mystery. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 203 -Guitar News and Listener Questions
2025/04/16
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat talk taxes, tarrifs, and Taylors in a session of Guitar News. Then comes the questions from listeners including questions about touching up lacquer, spraying over nitrate binding, refin color choices, hum in a humbucker, and where to get a Harmony Sovereign bridge. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 202 – Listener Questions and Shop Safety
2025/03/17
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric goes over some shop safety rules. Then, Eric takes questions from listeners including questions about refretting over a fingerboard extension, solidifying a soft finish, buffing advice, advice on starting a new guitar repair business, and finally – what’s the big problem with adding a Bigsby vibrato unit? Oh, let me count the ways. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 201 – Listener Questions and a Top Ten List
2025/02/16
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, we have a top ten list for you – “The top ten things NOT to say to your guitar tech.” Next, Eric and Nat take questions from listeners including questions about a cloudy pickguard, Tele neck pickups that emulate a Strat neck pickup, bolt on neck techniques, humidification recommendations, string trees, and Eric and Nat’s top tips for guitar players to get the most out of their guitar. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 200 – Listener Quiz!
2025/01/16
In this special episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat call listeners who have volunteered to play Guitar Trivia. It’s chaos and it’s fun and you should listen. Thanks to everyone who volunteered and thanks to those who participated! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Ep 199-Quiz and Listener Questions
2024/12/16
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric gives Nat a quiz – “Guitar Pickup or Indie Band?” Then, they take questions regarding wax potting pickups, heavy duty soldering, Strat pickups, spraying lacquer, identifying parts on a schematic, and shielding cavities on electric guitars. .To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link. Vector eps10
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Ep 198 – Listener Questions
2024/11/15
In this episode of the Fret Files Podcast, Eric and Nat talk about being prepared and cleating cracks in acoustic guitars. They then take questions regarding removing glued in saddles, a quiet high string with an acoustic pickup install, how to know what size frets to use on a vintage guitar, vintage guitar refrets, and why Rickenbacker guitars feel different than just about every other guitar. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.
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Podcast reviews

Read The Fret Files podcast reviews


4.8 out of 5
166 reviews
Kevscarb 2025/04/16
Yeah! Love this podcast!
Here in my guitar repair shop listening to this cool podcast. Absolutely love it.
Mikeb2908 2022/12/02
A wealth of information
I’ve listened to this show for years and Eric has addressed many issues and struggles I’ve had from building and setups to finishing. Very helpful, co...
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Greaser James 2022/10/08
Get your guitar geek on!
Great show for the guitar aficionado. Tons of great info for working on guitars and general guitar talk. Eric knows his stuff!
Andrew in New England 2022/10/08
Eric’s the Best!
Great podcast with an even better host: Eric Daw! Super informative, very thought provoking, and all around really entertaining.
water8land 2022/10/03
Awesome!
If you have any interest in guitars at all, how they work, how to modify them, fix them, set them up right, then this is a podcast you cannot do witho...
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mrakswell 2022/02/02
Must-listen for guitar techs and players both
Fantastic podcast that draws on decades of knowledge and experience. He gets into the minute details here. Also Eric’s voice is fantastic, if that mat...
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Nicky McNickname 2021/05/02
Informative, entertaining, and encouraging
Eric is massively experienced and straightforward and Melissa is masterful at keeping the thread of topics on track. Both are engagingly genuine and c...
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R. B. from Denver 2021/02/16
Great show
Very informative show and actually hilarious at times when Grandpa allows Melissa’s “12 year old” humor to make the occasional appearance. Seriously...
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Casey from MN 2020/10/01
Been listening since 2016
I discovered the Fret Files back in 2016 and quickly listened through all the past episodes and have been a dedicated listener ever since!
fleegle427 2020/08/26
Interesting even for non-players!
Highly listenable even for non-players and outliers!
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