Jack Tarlinton’s story is unlike any you’ve heard before. The Australian tinkerer and music lover started out in publishing (he co-founded the Skateboarder’s Journal, a magazine not unlike our own, but for skateboarding); found himself doing carpentry and eventually worked in the prop department of a big budget Hollywood movie. He then caught the lutherie bug, thanks in part to the Fretboard Journal.
Over the last few years, Tarlinton has honed his craft as Wandering Boy Guitars, where he builds ladded-braced instruments inspired by the old Stella / Oscar Schmidt guitars of the ’20s and ’30s. His instruments look like time capsules, available in six, nine, and twelve-string versions, just like the originals. He then ages them using time-period correct relics like belt buckles and handcuffs, employing techniques he learned on the set of Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant.
Like we said, you definitely haven’t heard a story like this before… we hope you love it.
https://www.instagram.com/wandering_boy_guitars/
Don’t forget, the FJ now hosts an entire family of podcasts, about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About Recording & Mixing;Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the Floor.
Our 47th issue features James Taylor, Chuck Prophet, Ben Harper, John Monteleone, Bahamas, Flip Scipio, luthier David Wren and much more. Read about it here and subscribe to the Fretboard Journal magazine to support independent guitar journalism and this podcast.
This episode is sponsored by Mono Cases, Folkway Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.
