Play for Keeps: Stories for the Custom Curious

Greg Ellis — multi-instrumentalist, former fine-dining chef, and barber for dozens of musicians — is a two-time MachMachines custom player with matching concert and baritone ukuleles. He chats with David Mach Showalter and Jennifer Vianello about finding MachMachines during COVID, the custom instrument process, a multifaceted career meeting some of Chicago's most storied musical and culinary artists, and the joys of sharing both music and food with his daughter.

Play for Keeps playlist picks: For the companion Play for Keeps collaborative playlist, Greg recommends Shellac, PUP, Dolly Parton, Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show), Masayoshi Takanaka, Hermanos Gutierrez, Vandoliers, and Ween. Find the playlist at machmachinesmusic.com/listening-material.

Play for Keeps features the custom instrument clients of MachMachines — a Chicago-based independent builder of guitars, basses, and ukuleles. Every MachMachines commission begins with a conversation and ends with an instrument fine-tuned to the player's sound, style, and story. Play for Keeps aims to continue the conversations and share the stories.

#guitar #ukulele #luthier #music #machmachinesmusic

Harvey Doo-Wop, former guitarist and bassist in Black Math and Le Tour, chats with old friends David Mach Showalter and Jennifer Vianello. Harvey is a two-time MachMachines custom player with a short-scale T-style electric guitar and a MachMachines Cuyler Model hollow-body electric guitar. He talks about the custom instrument process, changing careers, reconnecting with music, and his obscure hobby photographing portapotties.

For the companion Play for Keeps Collaborative Playlist, which you can find on Spotify, Harvey recommends Le Tour (of course) and the Cramps.

Play for Keeps features the custom instrument clients of MachMachines — a Chicago-based independent builder of guitars, basses, and ukuleles. Every MachMachines commission begins with a conversation and ends with an instrument fine-tuned to the player's sound, style, and story. Play for Keeps aims to continue the conversations and share the stories.

#guitar #luthier #music #machmachinesmusic

In this first episode, Matt Vianello - guitarist, attorney, pilot, taxi commissioner, and marathoner - sits with his sister, Jen, and Dave for a surprisingly raucous chat. From his first MachMachines guitar to his current acoustic in-progress, the St. Louis Blues to Pablo Escobar, this inaugural podcast episode is worth listening through until the end. Warning: NSFW. Matt has a potty mouth.

For the companion Play for Keeps Collaborative Playlist, which you can find on Spotify, Matt recommends The Grooveliner (of course), Hazard To Ya Booty, Hot Hot Heat, and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Play for Keeps features the custom instrument clients of MachMachines — a Chicago-based independent builder of guitars, basses, and ukuleles. Every MachMachines commission begins with a conversation and ends with an instrument fine-tuned to the player's sound, style, and story. Play for Keeps aims to continue the conversations and share the stories.

#guitar #luthier #music #machmachinesmusic