Know Your Gear Podcast with Phillip McKnight

Episode Title: They Don’t Want Affordable USA Guitars To Come Back
Date: September 24, 2025

Overview

In this episode, host Phillip McKnight dives deep into guitar industry topics and wide-ranging listener questions. He offers his seasoned perspective on critical themes like guitar intonation, the reality behind affordable USA-made guitars, manufacturing economics, and the ever-evolving guitar market. Phil keeps the mood light with humor and memorable anecdotes—most notably, the saga of Fender kitchen sponges—while also offering practical advice for guitarists and enthusiasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is Guitar Intonation Overrated?

00:02–27:21

• Listener Question: Is guitar intonation overvalued by players?
• Phil’s Take:
  • Most players didn’t notice intonation problems before cheap, accurate tuners became widely available.
  • Many concerns over “bad intonation” come from what tuners show, not what players actually hear.
  • Proper intonation depends on bridge setup, string gauge, fret height, and—crucially—the player's touch.
    • Quote: "Intonation is more than just the calibration of the bridge and the setup of the guitar. It's actually the player, too." (22:14)
  • Anecdote about a customer who thought intonation was off (influenced by a tuner), but later admitted it was emotional stress, not the guitar.
  • Different genres and playing standards have varying demands for intonation. For example, top-tier Nashville session players require extremely precise, customized setups.

2. Affordable USA Guitars: Unlikely to Return?

1:26:41–1:45:27

• Listener Question: Will Gibson or other big brands bring back cheap USA-made guitars?
• Phil’s Perspective:
  • Major brands have shifted to anchor pricing—marketing ultra-high-end, limited-run guitars to make their imports seem like bargains.
  • Quote: "The business model is... why make a bare-bones, low-margin US guitar, when you can sell a high-margin import for a premium by referencing the expensive US model?" (1:29:15)
  • Profit incentives drive the focus to overseas manufacturing: higher margins, lower costs, and reputation boosts thanks to premium US "anchors."
  • Only likely to change if the market collapses and manufacturers are forced to adapt.

3. Guitar Market: Current State & Trends

1:17:01–1:26:41

• Phil demonstrates how Reverb’s “My Collection” tool shows a ~20–30% drop in used gear value—even accounting for additions to his collection.
  • Quote: "The collection has gone down, even though I've added to it." (1:21:44)
• The boom is over, but the market hasn’t crashed outright.
• Buying habits and perceptions are heavily shaped by high-priced flagship models; import prices creep up, justified by comparison.

4. Unusual Fender Products: The Kitchen Sponge Story

47:31–1:05:46

• Phil humorously reviews the new Fender "Twin Amp" kitchen sponges found at Guitar Center.
  • Jokes about the fate of the meeting that produced the idea, and the marketing logic: guitar players do dishes, so why not branded sponges?
  • Quote: “These things are magical when they align... Who at Fender pitched kitchen sponges and got it through?!” (1:02:49)
  • Ponders what other weird products may have been suggested (“tweed edible underwear,” “Fender colostomy bag”).
• Notes that novelty items like this are part of a broader trend with guitar brands branching into lifestyle products.

5. Practical Guitar Tech & Repair Q&A

Selected throughout; see timestamps below.

• Intonation & Technique:
  • Exercise: Rest finger on string, apply only the lightest necessary pressure, see how little force produces a clean note.
  • Tall frets and aggressive playing push notes sharp, exacerbating intonation loss.
  • Some top-level players need custom intonation (Nashville setups)—even specifying string offsets by cents.
• Salvaging a Flooded Amp: (31:20–34:24)
  • Water damage is tricky; drying, cleaning, and use of contact cleaner may help.
  • Cost of professional repair may exceed replacement cost for budget amps.
• Switching a Right-Handed Acoustic to Left-Handed: (34:30–44:14)
  • If the bridge is flat, it’s straightforward; angled bridges complicate things for intonation.
  • Suggests using “silk and steel” strings and a new left-handed nut for beginner comfort and lessened intonation concern.
• Nut Slot Buzzes: (1:06:57–1:11:08)
  • Too-wide/deep slots or wrong angles (not just slightly oversized) are the usual culprits for sitar-like buzzes.

6. GNL’s Supply and Market Presence

1:45:30–1:53:28

• G&L is a smaller, semi-custom builder producing in much lower volume than Fender Custom Shop.
  • Quote: “G&L is very small—smaller than Fender Custom Shop in volume.” (1:47:18)
• Messaging and low resale value keep G&L’s profile lower despite quality; accessibility varies by demand cycles.

7. Brand Legacy: Does History Dictate the Future?

2:13:21–2:22:47

• Marshall, Fender, Gibson are “legacy brands” cemented by their historic role in popular music—not just product quality.
  • New boutique builders (e.g., Friedman, Amplified Nation) produce excellent amps, but lack the same cultural pull.
  • Lines blur as modern music no longer relies solely on iconic amps/sounds.
  • Quote: "As long as the music with Marshall stays iconic, Marshall will remain iconic." (2:18:55)

8. Acoustic Guitars and Jumbo Frets

2:33:50–2:37:58

• Rarely used—possibly to avoid sharp intonation from heavier strings and higher playing pressure.
• Refrets with jumbo wire may require new saddle compensation.
• Some anecdotal evidence that pros who wear frets quickly benefit from taller wire for longer lifespan between jobs.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Intonation and Perception:
  “When players told me the intonation was out, it was because, like I said, the tuner said so.” (05:55)
• On Brand Marketing:
  “Anchor pricing... It takes us away from thinking what something costs to make and instead compares it to the unattainable version.” (1:30:12)
• On Fender Sponges:
  "I'm not making this up. Adults got paid salaries to sit in a room and decide we need amplifier-shaped kitchen sponges!" (1:02:39)
• On GNL's Relative Size:
  “GNL is making guitars pretty much the same way the Fender Custom Shop is, if not more accurately… at a fraction of the price and a little less volume.” (1:52:20)

Other Fun Segments

Fender “Twin” Kitchen Sponges:

• Phil does a live “unboxing” and riffs on the absurdity of the product, imagining the pitch meeting and suggesting their “wet/dry rig” as a joke for dishes.
• Calls for Fender to make “garbage bags”—as a tongue-in-cheek follow-up.

Gear Value Tracking (Reverb):

• Shares how Reverb’s inventory tracking shows a real-world “devaluation” in current used market prices—even as he purchases more gear.

Brand Diversification & Novelty Merch:

• Discussion of brands branching into non-musical products for fun or profit—are we better/worse for it? What’s next after sponges?

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Intonation debate (Is it overrated?): 00:02–27:21
• Salvaging a waterlogged amp: 31:20–34:24
• Converting righty acoustic to lefty: 34:30–44:14
• Fender kitchen sponge rant: 47:31–1:05:46
• Nut slot buzzes explained: 1:06:57–1:11:08
• Gear value/market softening with Reverb: 1:17:01–1:26:41
• Why no return of affordable USA guitars: 1:26:41–1:45:27
• GNL’s supply, size, and market: 1:45:30–1:53:28
• Brand legacy vs. boutique talent: 2:13:21–2:22:47
• Jumbo frets on acoustics: 2:33:50–2:37:58

Conclusion: Community & Perspective

Phil ends with his characteristic warmth, reminding listeners that guitars and music can be a meaningful escape in hard times:

“The best thing we can do sometimes is take a few hours out of your life and enjoy yourself. If that means listening and talking about guitars for two hours or playing the guitar for two hours, I highly recommend it... I hope you spend this weekend with people you love and play some music.” (2:50:10)

For deeper dives and live clinics, Phil invites listeners to join on Patreon or subscribe to the channel.