On this week’s podcast, we’re sharing our Q&A session with Martin CEO Thomas Ripsam live from the 2024 Fretboard Summit.
During our chat, Thomas and FJ publisher Jason Verlinde discuss Martin’s plans for the future, the changing demographics of guitar consumers, intellectual property, sales channels, and much more.
Some excerpts from Thomas:
“Uncertainty is absolutely a big part of 2024. [At Martin] we feel pretty good where we are right now. I think we were pretty careful about setting our goals: Not too ambitious and we are ahead of plan. We feel good about the things we did… We basically said that the industry will continue to go through cycles and the boom will definitely be over at some point. But, in general, the industry goes through cycles… So what matters? We think what matters is that you really understand players and the opportunities that come with players and then be able to go after these opportunities.”
“I always refer to what we as a team are doing right now is writing the next chapter for Martin. So I literally think about 10…15 years from now, when you look back and you say, ‘In that timeframe, what happened with Martin? Have we made it a better place? Have we made it more prepared for the future?'”
“I think there’s limitless opportunity when you think about all the different players, all the different generations and all the needs they have and the opportunities that presents for us. At Martin, we offer a lot of variety. We love variety. We love challenge.”
Photograph: Michelle Keim
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Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 21-23, 2025 at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. For a limited time, you can register now with discounted early-bird pricing here. The Summit is a rare consumer event where you can meet industry leaders like Thomas, attend once-in-a-lifetime workshops and concerts, and buy gear from around 75 selected brands and luthiers.
This week’s show is sponsored by: Stringjoy Strings: https://stringjoy.com
(Use the code FRETBOARD to save 10% off your first order)
Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar: https://mmguitarbar.com
Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com
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