Fingerboard Stories

May 12, 2023

Thalia Capos’ Mother’s Day Playlist

From the 1971 album of the same name, this song is probably a great example of love and appreciation between a mother and her child. Dolly sings how her mother stitched her a coat using many colourful rags (including “the love that Momma sewed in every stitch”). The child recognizes the love put into it, appreciates the gift and is quick to defend her coat from the ridicule of the other kids. Try not to shed a tear at the beautiful tale that Dolly sings.

May 04, 2023

Paul Kossoff - A Glimpse at the Back Street Crawler

Paul Kossoff was born in 1950 in Hampstead, London. After attending his first concert at age 8 (Tommy Steele at the London Palladium), Kossoff soon received his first guitar and started taking lessons. He was also playing with several local groups by his teen years, having taken to the instrument like a duck to water. At age 15, he gave up on academics and began working on his father David Kossoff’s touring productions (David Kossoff was a popular stage and television actor in the UK).

Apr 28, 2023

A New Take On an Old Tradition

Luigi D’Andrea got into the pick-making business in 1922, when he decided to make guitar picks out of sheets of celluloid, which was readily available, more durable than tortoise shell, easy to work with, and allowed him to experiment with several different pick shapes. One shape in particular would become known the world over; the 351 guitar pick shape, famously known as the standard “Fender” pick and used by basically every company that produces picks. 

Apr 21, 2023

The Iconic Guitars of Eric Clapton

Though Slowhand has had a long association with the Stratocaster, it is not the only iconic guitar that he’s had his hands on. During the years leading up to his solo career of the 1970s and beyond, Clapton was seen with several great instruments known for their sound and looks. These helped shape his status as one of the greats and introduced the world to a wide array of tones never heard before.

Mar 31, 2023

The Power of Melody and Rhythm: How Music Affects Our Brain

Music has been a fundamental aspect of human existence since the dawn of time. From the beating of tribal drums to the symphonies of Beethoven, music has been used to express the entire range of human emotions and experiences. Music has been so important throughout history, from the earliest known musical notation on a bone flute dated over 40,000 years ago to the modern-day digital age.