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Ask Zac

Ask Zac

By: Zac Childs
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About this listen

Zac Childs is a music insider and historian. He is the host of the acclaimed Truetone Lounge interview series and contributed to Vintage Guitar Magazine for 15 years via his Ask Zac column, and numerous featured articles, product reviews, and cover stories. On his ASK ZAC channel, Zac takes a look at players and gear and also answers guitar-related questions in ways that were never possible via print.

© 2025 Ask Zac
Music
Episodes
  • Why The Telecaster Bridge Is the Heart & Soul of the Tele
    Dec 23 2025

    If you want to understand why a Telecaster sounds and feels like a Telecaster, you have to start with the bridge.

    The Tele bridge isn’t just a place where the strings anchor, it’s the heart of the instrument, and the single biggest reason a Tele responds the way it does. Leo Fender’s original design brilliantly combines the bridge, tailpiece, and pickup mounting system into one integrated unit, creating a level of coupling, attack, and clarity that no other electric guitar quite matches.

    In this video, we explore:

    -Why the Tele bridge defines the guitar’s tone and feel
    -How the steel bridge plate acts as both bridge and tailpiece
    -Why the bridge pickup is mounted directly into the bridge
    -The often-overlooked pickup elevator plate, and how it allows precise height adjustment

    Decades later, the Telecaster bridge remains one of the most elegant and effective designs in electric guitar history.

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    16 mins
  • Lou Toomey Interview (Brooks & Dunn, Keith Whitley, Faith Hill)
    Dec 9 2025

    Today we sit down with Lou Toomey, one of the most successful and enduring road guitarists in Country Music.

    In this conversation, Lou walks us through his unbelievable first pro gig as Keith Whitley’s lead guitarist during the height of Whitley’s all-too-brief but iconic career. From there, we follow his journey through the ’90s as he hit the road with Faith Hill, and into his remarkable three-decade run with Brooks & Dunn, all legendary Country touring acts.

    We dig into how he landed each of those gigs, the gear that shaped his tones across the years, and the mindset and work ethic that have kept him at the top of his game for nearly 50 years.

    www.truetone.com

    To Support the Channel:
    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac
    https://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.com
    Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac
    Venmo @AskZac

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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • How I Ended Up Playing on Brad Paisley’s Snow Globe Town (and the Tonight Show!)
    Nov 25 2025

    This year has been one for the books. In this video, I’m sharing the unbelievable story of how I ended up performing on Brad Paisley’s new Christmas album, Snow Globe Town, and the fun we had in the studio bringing those tracks to life.

    I also dive into what it was like hitting the road with Brad on his November–December 2025 Canadian tour, from the gear I brought, to backstage routines, to the moments that made this run unforgettable.

    And to top it all off… The Tonight Show. I break down how that opportunity came together, what the day-of looked like behind the scenes, and the surreal feeling of stepping onto that stage under the bright lights.

    NEW MERCH SITE!
    https://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.com

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    17 mins
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