Join Tyler Larson ( ⁨@MusicisWin⁩ ) and Jared James Nichols ( ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩ ) as they sit down with blues titan Josh Smith ( ⁨@JoshSmithGuitar⁩ ) for one of the most inspiring guitarist deep-dives we’ve ever filmed, for real! In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Josh opens up about tone chasing, creativity, gear myths, BB King’s 100th birthday album, insane string gauges (yes… 13s in standard tuning), improvisation, career evolution, and the mindset required to survive as a lifelong musician. Expect jaw-dropping playing, hilarious moments, killer stories from the road and studio, and some of the most honest guitar philosophy you’ll hear anywhere. If you love guitar, blues, tone, Telecasters, or just watching masters talk shop—this episode is for you.

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The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.Plug in and hang out.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Welcome to the first NIGHT pod!

1:29 - The jam warm-up

4:50 - Tyler predicts the World Series

5:27 - Who is the Shohei Ohtani of guitar?

7:30 - Electronic drums, The Who, and live performance quirks

9:05 - MIDI guitars and gear rabbit holes

10:30 - Improvisation vs. noodling

12:14 - Playing in time: the secret almost everyone learns late

13:26 - Following intuition and musical breadcrumbs

15:02 - What makes great solos connect

16:01 - Three-way rhythmic improvisation experiment

17:27 - Josh’s year producing the BB King 100th album

18:34 - Tracking 33 songs and wrangling 40 guest artists

20:56 - Paul Rodgers tracks Night Life on the BB King sessions

23:28 - Josh Smith uses 13 GAUGE STRINGS

24:40 - Trying Josh’s guitar out… ouch

27:36 - Roy Lanham and forgotten guitar influences

32:14 - Josh demonstrates how his style evolved

35:36 - Becoming yourself instead of copying your heroes

38:43 - Why the Telecaster unlocks Josh’s true voice

40:14 - The Telecaster is the ultimate apocalypse-proof guitar

41:44 - Tone is personal—and your gear should inspire you

44:45 - Amp vs. guitar: the eternal debate

47:29 - Josh’s new signature Ibanez Flat V2

56:12 - Life updates and reevaluating the dream

The holy grail of overdrives takes center stage in this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast! Tyler Larson ( @MusicisWin ) and Jared James Nichols ( @JJNicholsMusic ) put an original Klon Centaur head-to-head with some of the most popular Klon clones on the market—from boutique builds to budget pedals—to find out if anything can match the legendary tone. Expect deep tone talk, epic shootouts, and plenty of guitar geekery (plus the story of how Jared became a dad mid-podcast).If you’ve ever wondered why the Klon is the most hyped overdrive pedal in history—or if the clones can truly hang—this is the shootout you’ve been waiting for. 🎸⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠

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TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - The Legendary Klon Centaur Episode Begins... Again

1:06 - Jared’s Life-Changing Phone Call: Becoming a Dad Mid-Podcast

3:12 - “Dad Tone” and the Power of Rock

3:25 - Why Guitarists Obsess Over the Klon Centaur

4:05 - Jared’s First Encounter with the Klon Back at Berklee

5:59 – Discovering the Magic of the Original Klon Tone

6:13 – Tyler’s Pandemic-Era Obsession with Finding a Klon

7:28 – Why the Klon Is the “Charizard” of Guitar Pedals

8:02 – Joe Bonamassa’s Gift: The Story Behind Jared’s Klon

10:26 – The Klon as a Gift and a Legacy

11:18 – Breaking Down Klon Versions: Silver, Gold, Long Tail, Short Tail

12:18 – Time to Hear the Real Klon in Action

13:19 – Clean Tone Test: Fender Princeton vs. Klon Magic

16:40 – The Sweet Spot: Finding the Perfect Klon Gain Setting

19:16 – The First Boutique Pedal: Why the Klon Made History

20:25 – Klon Clone Shootout Setup: OG vs. Modern Imitations

25:14 – Comparing the Klon to Its Clones (JHS, Acorn, Wampler & More)

30:08 – High-Gain Madness: Maxing Out the Klon and Clones

37:12 – How Jared Dials In His Klon for Real-World Playing

40:13 – Final Thoughts: Do You Really Need a $5,000 Klon?The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.Plug in and hang out.

Guitar legend Dweezil Zappa ( @thedweezilzappa ) joins Tyler Larson ( @MusicisWin ) and Jared James Nichols ( @JJNicholsMusic ) on The No Cover Charge Podcast for an epic deep dive into guitar tone, technique, creativity, and life lessons from growing up Zappa. Dweezil shares rare insights on his dad Frank Zappa’s genius, the art of improvisation, tone chasing, recording tricks, and why the “mad scientist” mindset is the key to musical freedom. Expect jaw-dropping guitar demonstrations, stories from the road, and thought-provoking conversations every guitarist will love.For all things Dweezil, go to https://www.dweezilzappa.comDweezil's fan engagement platform builder: https://www.rewardmusic.comCheck out Jared on tour: https://www.jaredjamesnichols.comSubscribe on Apple Podcasts

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FacebookTIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Hey Dweezil!

1:00 - Building a house, studio, and a new chapter

3:30 - Dweezil’s YouTube channel and creative freedom

5:00 - The science behind amp tone experiments

7:00 - The Sundragon amp test gone wild

8:50 - How volume changes your playing

9:50 - Taking breaks and musical resets

10:50 - Rediscovering inspiration after time off

11:40 - Dweezil’s guitar fundamentals and interval tips

13:00 - How to navigate the fretboard with confidence

15:00 - Turning wrong notes into right ones

17:00 - Improvisation and the art of risk-taking

18:00 - “Play your phone number” guitar technique explained

22:00 - How to create melodies from numbers

26:00 - Building a personal improvisation system

30:00 - Expanding your playing with permutations

33:00 - Using melodic minor and outside sounds

36:00 - Finding flow and emotional connection on stage

38:30 - Listening vs. overplaying

40:00 - What Dweezil learned from his dad Frank Zappa

42:00 - The story behind “The Black Page”

44:00 - Jared’s questions from tour

45:00 - Desert island gear picks

46:50 - The amp that melts faces

47:40 - The one pedal Dweezil can’t live without

49:00 - Favorite recorded guitar tone ever

50:00 - Inside jokes behind Frank Zappa’s song titles

53:00 - Tube tone myths and recording reality

54:30 - Jamming with Steve Vai and Chick Corea

58:00 - The legacy of Randy Rhoads

1:02:00 - How Zappa and Rhoads shaped modern guitar

1:05:00 - RewardMusic.com and empowering independent

artists

1:08:00 - Closing thoughts and guitar wisdomThe No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.Plug in and hang out.