Show Notes
In this episode of Guitar Center’s Inside the Noise with Gabe Dalporto, our CEO travels to the PRS Guitars headquarters in Stevensville, Maryland to tour the manufacturing facility and have a casual and informative chat with founder Paul Reed Smith. The two leaders detail business struggles and successes and dig into Smith’s enthusiasm for “just wanting a chance” when artists try his guitars. Smith kicks things off by having Dalparto tap a block of tonewood to experience its bell-like resonan...
More from Inside The Noise with Gabe Dalporto
Guitar Center Senior Manager of Content Max Lauer-Bader joins the company’s CEO Gabe Dalporto to reflect on the biggest moments from Inside the Noise Season 3, including the return of Drum-Off and conversations with artists such as Stephen Perkins, Jimmy Eat World, Dave Kushner and others. Dalporto also shares how these interactions with artists are helping to shape Guitar Center's future—from creating better in-store experiences and supporting emerging musicians to building stronger creative...
Episode 9 of Inside the Noise season 3 keeps things close to home, as Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto talks to Velvet Revolver guitarist, Emmy-nominated composer and Guitar Center Senior Director of Artist Relations Dave Kushner. In a warm, honest, funny and instructive discussion, Kushner shares stories of perseverance, surviving setbacks, his longtime friendship with Slash and building a sustainable career in the music business.
Hoobastank guitarist Dan Estrin joins Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto to revisit the band’s origins at Agoura High School, where the local scene also produced future members of Incubus and Linkin Park. Estrin also recalls writing “stupid” songs with singer Doug Robb on a Tascam four-track and growing up in Agoura Hills before the area had a Guitar Center or other attractions.
Backstage at the Vans Warped Tour 2026, Mayday Parade guitarist Alex Garcia spoke with Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto about the band sneaking into early Warped Tours, making friends with artists while on the road, why he obsessively “Shazams” unknown music while shopping and the changing “stage-scape” of guitar gear.
Taking a break from their Vans Warped Tour set, Jimmy Eat World—lead guitarist/vocalist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind—joins Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto backstage to discuss the 25th anniversary of the alternative-rock band’s platinum-selling Bleed American album, collaborating on songwriting and how the business of making music has changed.