Podcast 146: Matt Hampton of the Hampton Brothers

The first time Matt Hampton sought out to harvest Red spruce for
guitar tops, he, quite simply, "searched Google Earth for dark
patches on top of tall mountains." Matt and his brother Nate are
now continuing the legacy started by Ted Davis and John Arnold
and making a full-time living hunting down Adirondack red spruce
for luthiers and larger-scale guitar manufacturers. 


Matt describes the process and how one tree can yield up to 500
tops, their unlikely start in the world of guitarmaking, their
relationship with John Arnold and more. He also busts a few myths
about spruce. We also hear about the brothers’ quest to find
quality domestic back and side tonewoods. It’s a fascinating
story, they sound almost like the American Pickers of trees.


Watch the Brothers harvest a Red spruce tree here on
YouTube. 


You can contact the Hampton Brothers via email
(hamptonbros@live.com) or eBay. 


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