For years, Nelson, British Columbia’s Craig Korth could be seen at bluegrass festivals sharing a trio of exceptional (and extremely pricey) instruments – his 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin, a 1937 Martin D-28 and a pre-war Gibson flathead 5-string banjo – with nearly anyone. But Craig is a lot more than just a laid-back instrument collector. On this week’s podcast, he fills us in on his early love for bluegrass, how he accumulated a world-class array of instruments with a blue collar job (hint: a lot of hard work, hustling and trading up) and about the NimbleFingers music camp he ran for many years.

We also talk about Craig’s foray into lutherie, the lessons he took from archtop maker Bob Benedetto and how Craig is currently coping with focal hand dystonia. Whether or not you’re a fan of bluegrass music, we think you’ll love this episode and Craig’s outlook on life.

Note: The first few minutes of our interview have some internet connection issues but it clears up very soon.

This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.