As Summer Starts To Fade...

Welcome to our inaugural posting!

The Podium is a music store located in Minneapolis, Minnesota specializing in high quality, handcrafted acoustic instruments from some of the best and brightest builders today. Our staff is a passionate one, dedicated musicians who care about the tools used to express and further the art of making music. More than one customer has remarked (in amazement) at the "toys" that occupy the space in our store. It's no wonder that one often uses the verb "play" to describe the act of making music!

Today, more than ever, there are some amazing instruments being made that rival (and maybe surpass?) those legendary instruments from the first, pre-war "Golden Age" of luthiery. It is our belief that we are now in such a "Golden Age", and we are glad to be able to offer such remarkable examples of this era to our customers.

OK. So why the blog?

Rest assured, this isn't some sort of high tech way to try to sell you a guitar. In all honesty, the instruments we sell and the services we provide do much of that work for us. Sure, we'll let you know about some of the really cool things that arrive in the store. Post some drool-worthy pictures. Maybe even have some links - to our website - Gasp!

The reality - we eat, sleep, and breathe acoustic instruments. We love 'em. We are the fanatical friend who can sit around for hours gabbing about the particulars of a certain instrument or maker. When a new guitar, mandolin, or banjo comes in the front door, we are excited to get the box open and check it out.

Still.

Every time.

Since not everyone has the chance to make it into our store - and by all means, if you have the chance, come on in - we thought it would be great to share some of the fun with friends and fellow music fans on the Internet. We sell instruments around the world, and this is evidence enough to us that there are many kindred spirits who might enjoy what we have in store.

And what is that, exactly?

Stuff. All kinds of stuff.

Guitar talk of all kinds, from maintenance issues, to playing tips. What's up with all the different kinds of strings? What do different types of woods really mean in terms of tone? Saddles, nuts, and bridge pins...what's the fuss? Pickups, picks, tuners...so many choices.

We can talk about amplification, live sound considerations, and recording...

Interviews with experts in a variety of areas that pertain to acoustic music. Builders and artists, renegades and rocks-of Gibraltar.

Audio? Sure. Video? Why not.

Maybe even some things that shine a little light on the goings-on right here in Dinkytown, USA.

(Do you know why our neighborhood is called Dinkytown? That's a story for another day...)

At the risk of letting the whole cat out the bag, I think I'll end it there. But watch out for things to come!