Jack White has carved out a place of distinction for himself. His approach to music is at once considered and no-holds barred. He knows what he wants to hear, and has never stopped looking for it. We’re big fans over here at High Gain HQ. So when we got our hands on the new Fender Jack White Triplecaster Telecaster, we had to take it for a ride. En…

Originally introduced in 1959, shortly after Gibson bought the brand, the Coronet was the first Epiphone solidbody guitar. What started out as a student model would eventually come to be regarded as the rock and roll machine it is today. So why did it take so long to reissue a US made version of the original? Who knows, but we’re sure glad it’s her…

John looked at my problem and offered up his idea of the best solution. Like C-3PO I looked at that path as too rocky. Not only was it more than I had the budget for, I knew that building the app was just the beginning. I’d have to keep a developer on retainer for bug fixes, updates, and security management. I didn’t want to be in the software deve…

In 1981 Gibson introduced one of its pointiest guitars yet. With an Explorer headstock and a slightly offset superstrat-style body, the team in Kalamazoo was ready to meet hair metal head-on. So they marketed the new instrument to - country musicians… It’s hard to say exactly what contributed to its poor showing, but the Victory was gone almost as …

Growing up I always enjoyed adventure and platforming games best while my brother enjoyed sports games best. In fact, whether it was in physical sports we played in the yard or virtual sports we played via video games, I never once beat my brother. That is, until one day while spending the weekend with our grandparents we rented Joe Montana Footbal…

Come float with us (we all float down here!) this episode as we discuss “Os” (Fringe episode 3.16), a (mostly) stand-alone episode in which a scientist tries to cure his son’s physical disability using a combination of two rare, dense metals that, when administered together into the blood, makes people float. The post S3E16 Os appeared first on Gol…

Once a major provider of parts, bodies and necks to brands like Kramer and Schecter (which it ended up buying), ESP now occupies valuable territory in the metal world of guitars. Admittedly, we are less-than-familiar with these beasts, but we gave it our best shot this Horizon, which ticked all the boxes. Enjoy! Like the show? Follow us at these fi…

We had each channeled our inner Grandpa Joe and allowed the alluring wonders of a chocolate factory to serve as our motivation for getting out of bed that day. After a quick stroll down the pier to meet up with our driver, we soon found ourselves standing at the curb of Graycliff Chocolatier. Once inside we were given protective gowns and hair nets…

Scandal is a Japanese band that holds the Guinness World Record for longest-active all-female band that still has all its original members. So it’s no wonder that they’ve all got signature guitars, including this 2014 Mami Sasazaki Jazzmaster, affectionately known as the “Stratomaster” - Enjoy! Like the show? Follow us at these fine establishments:…

The 16mm Shrine" and "Static" are Twilight Zone episodes thematically linked by the persistent pull of nostalgia. In "The 16mm Shrine," audiences witness an actress so enchanted by her cinematic past that she chooses to inhabit it, distancing herself from the present realm. On the other hand, "Static" features a man rediscovering a vintage radio th…

Whether it’s your heart, brain, or gut, there’s definitely something to be said about these intuition moments. I’ve used my gut to make thousands of decisions over the course of my life, some of which I was very aware of how my gut played into the decision, and I’m sure many others where it happened so naturally that I didn’t even realize it. I’m s…

Joined by our loyal listener Missnet, we are once again rewinding back to 1985 for this episode as we discuss “Subject 13,” a flashback episode of Fringe that shows us some of the immediate aftermath of the events that we saw unfold in “Peter” last season. We praise Orla Brady’s performance and discuss the various threads of the show’s mythology th…

Maybe we should start our own procrastinators anonymous group. They say the first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem so here goes: My name is Darrell Darnell and I’m a procrastinator. Feel free to acknowledge your procrastinating too if it seems fitting. For me, I find myself procrastinating mostly around one of two types of tasks…

Greco was among the many brands created to capitalize on the guitar boom of the 1960s. These instruments were mostly copies of well-known American brands, and were made in Japan by a variety of manufacturers, including Teisco and Kandai. The Shrike, however much it might have owed to Rickenbacker, was an original design. Enjoy! Like the show? Follo…

When we face uncertain times, we are wise when we tap into the experience of others who have walked down the road before. We have to face our fears and move forward. Once we make that decision to move forward, it’s best if we have a friend and confidant to hold us by the hand and carry us through. We don’t need to go through those experiences alone…

We are joined by Anna (not Torv) for this episode as we discuss Fringe’s Valentine’s Day episode, “6B”! This is such a great episode that Chris and Darrell feel is even better than we remember it being! Join us and Anna as we discuss some of the interesting parallels between each season’s 14th episode so far as well as some of the parallels between…

Dan Armstrong was an original thinker. As a musician he toured with Van Morrison. He was one of the creative forces behind the Ampog SVT amplifier. Who else, then, in the late 1960s, could come up with the idea of a guitar made out of Lucite? Enjoy! Like the show? Follow us at these fine establishments: Patreon || https://www.patreon.com/thehighgai…

In case you’re wondering if there was a time in my life when I was a pastor that I’ve not shared with you before, I have not. In fact, I have never been in full time ministry. With an episode title of Professing Your Faith, you might think that this episode is about how to tell other people about Jesus. Whether you think that episode topic is a goo…

In 2013, Yamaha was looking to make a splash with a new guitar design. They wanted something that looked both old and new, but not too out there. Taking cues from their own past designs, as well as Cafe motorcycle culture, the came up with the Revstar series. Enjoy! Like the show? Follow us at these fine establishments: Patreon || https://www.patre…

The truth is out there, but do you recognize it when you hear it? "The Old Man in the Cave" is about a post-apocalyptic community guided by a mysterious old man in a cave who provides crucial advice for survival. When outsiders challenge his authority, chaos and disaster ensue. "Black Leather Jackets" involves three alien bikers who infiltrate a sm…

Today is Monday Mailbag day and I’m always excited to hear your stories and feedback. We have two contributors today: Jason and Andrew. Thanks to Jason and Andrew for the contributions. I appreciate your willingness to share your lives with us and you’ve made this episode a great one. The post 613- Monday Mailbag appeared first on Golden Spiral Med…

We finally return to the Redverse for this episode and are joined once again by Mark (who previously joined us for our “Grey Matters” discussion)! In this (mostly) standalone episode of Fringe, the Fringe Division of Over There faces off against a mad scientist who is killing people with beetles, and this is, of course, also the legendary episode w…

When CBS sold Fender to a consortium of employees, the US factory was not included in the sale. So, while the new owners figured out where their new home would be built, production moved to Japan. That was when the Contemporary Series of Stratocasters and Telecasters was introduced - the first set of Japanese instruments to bear the Fender name on …

Back in episode 597 I mentioned that I sold my beloved 1972 MGB GT. For those of you who have followed me on social media for a while, you may have seen me first mention that I sold it back in February of this year, and a few days later I first mentioned that I’d actually purchased its replacement last October, fixed that car up, and had been drivi…

When Guild decided to enter the solidbody guitar game, in 1963, they did it by introducing a series of instruments with funny headstocks and curves cut into the bottoms; some even had built-in kickstands. The least of these was the S-50 Jet-Star, a single-pickup affair targeted at the student market. It boasted a single pickup, a volume and a tone.…

I think we’ve all been in a situation where either we as kids or when we were older with kids of our own ran into someone that we hadn’t seen in a while. Maybe it was a family member at a reunion or perhaps it was an old friend at the grocery store. Either way, that person looks at the kid and is surprised at how much they’ve grown. Even us as pare…

Darrell and returning guest DillyDally (Chris unfortunately couldn’t make it for this episode - he said something about getting a strange doll in the mail and then disappeared?) discuss this myth-alone episode of Fringe which gives us a blend of a stand-alone case of the week as well as an introduction to a new Cortexiphan subject! Tune in to hear …

The Pacific NW is proud to call itself home to some amazing makers of guitars, pickups, effects and more - they grow well in the rain up here. For 30 years Joe Riggio has crafted guitars of singular distinction. And for those in the know, his refinish work is impeccable. We’ve seen guitars that Joe has brought back to life, and we are amazed every …

Okay let me be real with you. When I put together an episode, I start with a moment from my life that has impacted me in some way. In the process of impacting me, I can typically look at it and see a clear, big lesson. This story is not like that. It’s obvious that the story I’ve shared with you today has impacted me in a deep, emotional way. But w…

When guitar builder Dennis Fano was looking to expand the reach of his designs, he partnered up with Eastwood Guitars to create Rivolta. Incorporating design elements from vintage guitars, these overseas guitars are still distinctly Fano, somehow. We got our hands on a Combinata, and found it to be a pleasure to play. Enjoy! Like the show? Follow u…

For today’s episode, let’s think about the disciples. If you were to gather up 12 of your friends for a meal, you can imagine the different characteristics and personality types that would be represented around that table. Jesus’ disciples were no different. Today we’re going to focus on one of the disciples named Peter. Before Peter encountered Je…

Shapeshifters are back this week, but they have definitely met their match in a nocturnal vigilante none other than Peter Bishop! Join us this week as we take on “Reciprocity,” an episode that we don’t look back on as fondly as we remember because of the pieces of the mythology that are established but then never followed up on. We also, as always,…

Justin Motander Jones is making some wonderfully inventive guitars down there in San Diego, CA. He’s been experimenting with creating effects by controlling the pickups themselves, as opposed to simply feeding their output through an effect. He calls this idea the Ardweirdo, since the brain behind all of this is the Arduino open-source electronics …

"A Thing About Machines" and "The Brain Center at Whipple's" each explore the tension between humans and technology. From the second season,"A Thing About Machines," tells the story of Bartlett Finchley, a technophobic man, who is tormented by his household appliances which eventually drive him to his demise. "The Brain Center at Whipple's" from se…

I wanted to die. What was I supposed to do? Stand up and wave? Tell her thank you? Smile? I shrunk down in my chair, gave her a fake smile, and stared at my notebook the remainder of class. I still liked her as a teacher and found her class easy, but dreaded my seat and the attention she’d drawn to me. I appreciated the compliment on my work, but t…

Gibson introduced both the J-45 and J-50 acoustic guitars in 1942. Wood was scarce, and production in Kalamazoo was severely curtailed in favor of war-related endeavors. A few “banner” J-45s were made, but the J-50 would not be reintroduced until 1947. At that time, the J-50 was little more than a J-45 without the paint job. Our example is from 196…

On business trips, business comes first. Whether I’m traveling on my dime or someone else’s, a business trip is for business purposes. Take care of business. But I also learned that it’s okay to get out of the hotel and enjoy the sights of a city while you’re there. I should have realized this by the behavior and encounters I’d had with my boss, bu…

We are once again joined by frequent feedbacker Geoff (xforce11) for this episode as we discuss this absolutely incredible episode of Fringe, "The Firefly!" Listen in as we discuss how much we love Christopher Lloyd’s performance as Roscoe Joyce (keyboardist from Walter’s favorite band Violet Sedan Chair). We also reflect on the ties that this epis…

Fortunately for all of us, impeccable, handmade boutique guitars are easy to find; no one is wanting for choice. We are truly in an instrument-building renaissance. Dan Strain of Danocaster Guitars is one such builder, and his focus is all about having a guitar feel like it’s been yours for years, even if you’ve only just picked it up. We were fort…

In episode 44 I gave you a glimpse at the woman who would become my mother-in-law. She was wonderful on that day and she was a wonderful mother-in-law for the next 23 years. Last week was the two year anniversary of when we lost her. Today, I wanted to set aside this episode as a tribute to her. I’ve asked Dave, my father-in-law, my two brothers-in…

We are torn here at High Gain HQ about the Starcaster that Fender released in 1976. All these years later, it has experienced a rehabilitation of sorts in the indie crowd. Now that the Tom DeLonge Starcaster has been introduced, will those on either side of the great Starcaster debate find common ground? If so, we smell a Nobel Peace Prize for Tom …

I firmly believe we live in an age where it has never been easier to know the truth about God and his teaching, while also having never been easier to be deceived and led astray about God and his teaching. We hear something new, something that’s easier to swallow, less offensive, seems loving, or seems to bring a shiny new meaning to a passage that…

Joined by special guest co-host Pavla, we are so excited to be talking about this beautiful, Gothic, Frankenstein-esque horror story of a Fringe episode this week! We discuss some of the episode’s best scenes such as Olivia’s talk with Broyles when she returns to work, her breakdown in her apartment, and her incredible monologue at the end that sho…

In the immediate aftermath of WWII, the founders of Teisco would get their guitar bodies from a milkman who built instruments on the side. By the 1960s they were responsible for a large chunk of the Japanese import market, coming up with wilder designs as they went along. They mostly built for third parties; case in point this Silvertone bass, made…

"Mr. Bevis" and "The Man in the Bottle" from "The Twilight Zone" each explore the pitfalls of wish fulfillment. "Mr. Bevis" features James B.W. Bevis, whose guardian angel temporarily improves his unlucky life. Bevis soon realizes these changes erase his unique personality, and he chooses to return to his former way of life and his authentic self. …

One of my leading desires for SILY is that these stories would bring in sincere questions from listeners that would in turn bring about a deeper understanding of Christianity, the Bible, and what it means to live in this culture as a Christian both for myself and all of those listening. Put another way, I hoped questions would come in that would le…

It’s been 5 years since we met Justin Abernethy of Abernethy Guitars, and he’s been very busy making top-shelf instruments. It seems like more and more we’re seeing Justin’s guitars in the hands of brilliant musicians. And there’s a reason for that. Like the Sonic Baroness baritone we enjoyed while catching up with Justin. Enjoy! Like the show? Fol…

When I started podcasting in 2008, I never once thought that I might one day inspire someone else to become a podcaster. In times like these, I like to play the what if game. The quick version of it goes something like this: What if I’d never started my podcast about Fringe? What if JJ Abrams had never created Fringe? What if Cliff had never starte…

The riveting season 2 finale’s cliffhanger finally comes to a dramatic climax in “Entrada” when Peter learns the truth about who “Olivia” really is and his actual Olivia finally finds a way home. Joined by guest Michael Hoover (whose interpretation of the show’s theme you will hear!), we discuss all of our favorite moments from this incredible epis…

It’s been quite a while since we had the pleasure of talking to Florian at Millimetric Instruments. He’s one of the most thoughtful designers out there, and his guitars reflect the care he puts into everything he does. We’ve been fortunate enough to play several Millimetrics, and have loved every one of them. And now, Ed has his own! We took it for…