Today we’d like to introduce you to Vince DiGioia.
Hi Vince, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started playing guitar in 2006 while living in New York City. Over the years, I’d completely immersed myself in music and surrounded myself with other musicians.
In 2011, I attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. While there, I spent all of my free time in the practice rooms of the Performing Arts Center. I took guitar and vocal lessons once a week, coupled with singing baritone in the choir and playing guitar in the jazz band, for a short time. I worked closely with other music professors and professional musicians, learning about the music industry, basic studio recording, and all aspects of pro audio & live sound.
In 2015, I moved to Burleson, TX with my then-fiancé. Shortly after, I enlisted in the US Army and attended Basic Combat Training in Fort Benning, Georgia. During this time, music became non-existent for me. Luckily, I met James Goodman, a fellow trainee and a stage actor, vocalist, songwriter, and aspiring-author. He and I quickly became close through our love of music.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to pick up a guitar for almost nine months, so when I finally did, it wasn’t the same… In Spring 2016, James and I received a 3-year military assignment to Vicenza, Italy. In 2018, James introduced me to Joel Pickering, a Soldier nearing his discharge from the military. The three of us decided to form a band – James on vocals, Joel on keyboard, and me on guitar – and dubbed ourselves “Circus On Fire.”
Later that year, Circus On Fire wrote and recorded a 6-song EP titled “Like a Silhouette – EP.” Shortly after its release, James received a new assignment and returned to the US. I stayed in Italy and decided to focus on establishing myself as a solo artist. I re-branded myself and released a number of original songs on my own. I collaborated with as many artists as I could from a distance and began making videos for YouTube.
In late 2019, I returned to Texas – this time, near Austin. In mid-2020, I joined pop-rock band White Label Analog as the sole guitarist. Since then, we’ve written and recorded new music and filmed music videos.
In October 2020, I started Vagabond Audio, designing professional pedalboards for other guitarists. I was able to take my love of guitar effect pedals and share that with other musicians by giving them the reliable and clean pedalboard that they deserve. The business was completely established by myself. I designed my own website, marketed my brand, and built it into what it is today all on my own. Due to COVID-19, I had a slow start. Musicians were out of work and couldn’t justify the exorbitant cost of a pro-level pedalboard. I had a few clients trickle in, but things took a little while to really take off.
In early 2021, I began reaching out to independent professional audio manufacturers in an attempt to collaborate and cross-promote. I saw a lot of success with this, meeting many new people in the process – some of which are good friends of mine now. In doing this, I met Lowell-George Granath and Brandon Schock. Brandon is an independent builder of guitar effect pedals in Oregon, and Lowell-George is a musician in Washington. With them, we started a podcast series called “Pedal-Bored,” and are currently in production of a YouTube-based “TV show” about guitar effect pedals – the first of its kind.
In the last several months, I’ve seen an influx of clients looking to engage my services. There’s been steady traffic to my website, with musicians all over the country contacting me to work with them. It’s been incredible to see the business grow over the last year. I never thought in a million years that I would own a business, let alone a business that allows me to share my passion for guitar effect pedals with other like-minded musicians.
In late 2021, I will be discharged from the US Army. I’ll be able to focus on my business full-time while still playing music live and making YouTube videos. It’s been a dream come true, as cliché as that may sound. The Austin community has been great to me so far, and I fully intended on servicing the local music scene for as long as I possibly can.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I was starting out, I offered my services to musicians at cost – no labor costs. Only the cost of materials. I was still in the process of building my brand and my reputation, so I wanted to attract business and, at least, break even financially. I reached out to a few hundred musicians and offered a discount if they worked with me. It was a way of generating business and getting my name out there.
However, due to COVID-19, the music scene was completely shut down. Musicians weren’t playing live, recording in studio, or even rehearsing. Ninety percent of the musicians I reached out to couldn’t justify the high price point if they didn’t have income or if they weren’t playing live shows. It was understandable, and I couldn’t help but feel like it was a bad time to start a business like this. Regardless, I pushed on.
In the meantime, I had to teach myself basic business and marketing skills, content creation, and how social media algorithms worked. It was a bit of a daunting experience. In addition to that, I was learning basic electrical engineering in order to offer a larger variety of services to musicians.
After the country started to open up again and the music scene slowly made a comeback, I started to see more and more clients approaching me for my services. It gave me some hope that this could work out after all.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started playing guitar in 2006 when I was 13 years old. I took to it immediately began teaching myself chords, trying to play along with my favorite albums… unsuccessfully. I taught myself how to read tablature and began to dive into learning how to playing lead guitar. I’d listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers on repeat, trying to learn John Frusciante’s riffs and solos. It was here that I decided I wanted to focus on alternative rock, funk, and pop music as my genre of choice.
In 2007, I got my first guitar effect pedal – a Boss© DS-2 Turbo Distortion – and that started me on a never-ending road…
In high school, I would go to the band room of my school during my lunch period to sit there and play guitar, which caught the attention of other kids who played guitar, including bassist Tyler Munson of Early Retirement. All throughout high school, we’d play guitar together both in school and out, forming band after band, none of which lived more than a few months. Around this time is when I started taking vocal lessons to be able to tune my ear and increase my vocal range.
I became known as the kid who *loved* guitar pedals. I became obsessed with them. It intrigued me that these pieces of gear could completely change the sound of a guitar and make it sound like almost anything else. I could make my guitar sounds like a keyboard or a synthesizer, a bass guitar, or even a singer. I wanted to collect all of them and be able to have the versatility to make my guitar sound like anything.
In 2011, I attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. While there, I spent all of my free time in the practice rooms of the W. Carroll Coyne Performing Arts Center. I took guitar lessons from Ed Ruchalski and vocal lessons once a week, coupled with singing baritone in the choir and playing guitar in the jazz band for a short time. I worked closely with award-winning musician Todd Hobin (The Todd Hobin Band), learning about the music industry, basic studio recording, and all aspects of pro audio & live sound.
While in college, I began collecting more guitar pedals, paying for them all with a minimum wage part-time job.
In late 2011, I formed a band – The Avondales. We practiced every week in a dark, moldy basement, writing original songs and perfecting covers, leading us to dominate the local pop punk scene. In late 2012, we disbanded.
It was at this time that I became an intern at SubCat Studios, a recorded studio in downtown Syracuse. I worked with engineers on dozens of recording sessions, both engineering and as a session musician.
In 2013, I formed a band named “Snowflake Bentley,” with a few other Le Moyne students. We played all over Central New York, playing to crowds of all sizes – and even becoming Le Moyne College’s main choice for live music for their acclaimed “Dolphy Day.” We released a 3-song EP titled “Handle With Care – EP” – coupled with our repertoire of cover songs, Snowflake Bentley quickly became known in the Syracuse music scene as the band to see.
During this time, recording artist Benny Mardones and the Hurricanes (John Mangicaro, Kim Fetters, Pete Levante, Andy Rudy, Todd Troubetaris & Kevin Farrell) came to Subcat Studios to record his album, “Timeless,” released in 2016. I had the opportunity to assist with engineering the sessions and mixing the final tracks. Shortly after, Snowflake Bentley earned a spot on the line-up for The Benny Mardones Benefit Concert in Liverpool, New York, alongside Benny Mardones and the Hurricanes, The Todd Hobin Band, Hard Promises, Under The Gun and 3 Inch Fury.
In 2014, Snowflake Bentley continued to enjoy their local success. Due to members relocating and graduating from school, there was a change in the line-up… but we maintained our forward momentum. We continued to play shows and dominate the local music scene. In 2015, Snowflake Bentley ultimately disbanded due to every member having graduated and moving on to the next chapter in their lives.
In mid-2020, I joined pop-rock band White Label Analog (WLA) as the sole guitarist. Since then, we’ve written and recorded new music and filmed music videos.
In October 2020, I started Vagabond Audio, designing professional pedalboards for musicians. Pro-level rigs are incredibly important to touring and session musicians, and I want to help facilitate that. Because of the reputation I’ve created for myself, I have musicians from all over the country contacting me for advice, consultations, and requests to have me build their rig for them. It’s pretty great!
In May 2021, alongside Lowell-George Granath (Pedalboards of Doom) and Brandon Schock (Schock Rock Effects), I started a new podcast series called “Pedal-Bored.”
In June 2021, I began playing guitar for Braedon Barnhill, an Americana artist from Houston, TX.
I’m most proud of the progress that I’ve made, not only as a musician but as a business owner. Music has been my passion for 15 years now and I’m finally in a place where I can focus on it full-time. I get to play next to incredibly talented musicians, write music, collect guitar pedals, make YouTube videos, and meet all sorts of new and interesting people. If you told me five years ago that I would where I am now, I’d have laughed at you.
I’m now an artist for well-known gear manufacturers and have the chance to play different pieces of gear that I never thought I’d get the chance to.
If I’m being honest, I don’t know that anything about me sets me apart from anyone else doing what I’m doing. And, frankly, I’m OK with that. In this community, everyone wants to be different and unique, and those that aren’t are often chastised by others for it. I’m OK with not being “different.” I’m just happy that I even have the opportunity to do what I do. Other professional pedalboard builders focus on that full-time, with large workshops with seemingly unlimited resources. I work from home, in my garage, independently. While also juggling a full-time band, a weekly podcast, weekly videos on my personal YouTube channel, active duty military service (for now), and a family. It’s a lot. So, I don’t have the time to focus on “being different.” I absolutely love what I do and, to me, that’s all that matters.
What’s next?
I plan on continuing what I’m doing full-time. I enjoy every aspect of this and I don’t plan on giving it up any time soon. If Vagabond Audio takes off to the point where it needs my attention 24/7, then I’ll foster that and continue it. If my band takes off and begins touring, Vagabond Audio will take a brief hiatus. It really all depends on what happens in the next few years.
I figured putting all my eggs in one basket wasn’t the best way to go. So, I’ve invested myself in several aspects of the music industry, and whichever becomes the most successful will likely be the route that I choose to go.
For the time being, the biggest change I’m anticipating is my discharge from the US Army. It’s been my life for six years now and transitioning to civilian life can be tricky. But I feel as though I’ve set myself up enough to where the transition will be fairly seamless.
Pricing:
- Consultation: $25/hour
- Custom Patch Bay/Junction Box: $50 – $250
- Custom Patch/Power Cables: $8/cable
Contact Info:
- Email: info@vagabondaudio.fino
- Website: vagabondaudio.info
- Instagram: instagram.com/vagabondaudio
- Facebook: facebook.com/vagabondaudiotx
- Twitter: twitter.com/vagabondaudiotx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Vince-digioia
- Other: vincedigioia.com
