kelly campbell Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 I currently receive "Guitar World" magazine and I don't know that I am all that happy with it so before I renew the subscription I would like some other opinions. Thanks Guys and Girls
Pin Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 To be honest I don't much of any of them. I wouldn't trust a single Review in any of them regarding any guitar, amp or effects. I think the "interviews" tend to be boring and never provide any analysis of the music. I think the teaching examples tend to be mostly boring single melody line stuff and too narrow in genre range. In short, don't waste your money.
Dennis G Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 Funny, a similar thread was on another forum I frequent, just can't remember which one. Here was the rundown: Most, if not all, are nothing more than ad venues for various mfgrs. I currently still have sub's to Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Player but will let them expire when done. I cruise Barnes/Noble once a month or so and if something I see strikes my fancy, I may buy an issue. Otherwise, meh. I think that Guitar Techniques, while a bit pricey is aimed at, well, technique, and is quite often worth while. And there's a CD with lessons to boot. Haven't subscribed to it, but do "cherry pick" issues now and then. YMMV.
Kaiser Bill Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 Its been every bit of 35 years since I last bought a guitar mag. For a while it was all ads, and articles that didn't really say much and the same players over and over again. Got sick of wasting my dough.
zigzag Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 I read Guitar Player. Couldn't tell you why. I read them all, cover to cover including every ad. BUT, the only time I read them is when I travel or when I've got an hour or so wait for whatever reason. I don't read them out of curiosity, but more out of boredom. That said, I find the interviews, reviews, and lessons entertaining enough. And if you wait long enough to renew, you can get a year's subscription for about a dollar an issue.
SteveFord Posted October 14, 2014 Posted October 14, 2014 I used to buy Guitar Player every single issue back in the late 70s/early 80s and remember drooling over the BB King article when the Lucille was introduced. It took me all summer to save up enough money for one but I got it. I also remember a full page Gibson ad FORCING ME to buy a beautiful 25th Anniversary Les Paul a few years prior. What a beauty! I did pick up a Guitar Player a while back and what a disappointment that was so to answer the question, I have no idea if there are any good guitar magazines still available. Guitar Player used to be great but that was a long time ago.
'Scales Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I've travelled to England a bit over the past few years and there's a UK one called Guitarist that I liked. Unless long distance travelling though now I much prefer YouTube reviews, concerts and documentaries for my guitar fix.
flyingfrets Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I enjoy Vintage Guitar. As the name implies, the focus is more on the instrument & its history than the current flavor of the month player. Yeah, you'll find interviews, but they're generally with collectors, builders and so forth. The players' interviews tend to be with some of the lesser known guys, though they do run a few with the big boys now & then (one of Johnny Winter's final interviews ran the month before he passed away). Lot more interesting to me than Guitar Player or Guitar World.
RevDavidLee Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 The only one I subscribe to is Premiere Guitar. I used to also subscribe to Vintage Guitar as the gentleman above & for the same reasons but that was when they published the extra large version. I loved those huge color photos of vintage guitars. But then they shrunk it down to the size of other guitar mags and I let my subscription run out. They're like Gibson - can't leave a good thing alone.
quapman Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I haven't bought a guitar mag for a couple of decades. But I do get them stuffed in my xmas stocking or on bdays or fathers day. And I do enjoy them when I get them. Can't say I prefer one over the other but I do like getting the occasional guitar mag. Always nice to have something new to read on the crapper.
kelly campbell Posted October 15, 2014 Author Posted October 15, 2014 Well the biggest reason I like them is to learn..being I am just getting into playing there is a lot about music, guitars and just the terminology that I am unfamiliar with..so it help me learn as well I like some of the articles.
IanHenry Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I've travelled to England a bit over the past few years and there's a UK one called Guitarist that I liked. Unless long distance travelling though now I much prefer YouTube reviews, concerts and documentaries for my guitar fix. Guitarist Magazine, here in the U.K is offering a free digital copy of this month's issue for your Apple or Android device: http://www.yourfuturemags.com/ Also, their Youtube reviews are available here: http://bit.ly/guitarist387 I particularly like the review of the Gibson Memphis guitars. Ian
Riffster Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I get Guitar World and Vintage Guitar, the subscriptions are cheap enough. Not every issue interests me but the ones that do make the subscription worth it for me. Their tabs are excellent too. I like the gear ads. Just as a curiosity.
Karloff Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 i quit buying guitar magazines in the late 80's. I realized on almost every page I was reminded of what I didnt want to look like, sound like or play. Within the past year I have started buying Guitar Player or Guitar World, if there is an interview I'd like to read.
matonanjin Posted October 15, 2014 Posted October 15, 2014 I currently receive "Guitar World" magazine and I don't know that I am all that happy with it so before I renew the subscription I would like some other opinions. Thanks Guys and Girls I think that Guitar Techniques, while a bit pricey is aimed at, well, technique, and is quite often worth while. And there's a CD with lessons to boot. Haven't subscribed to it, but do "cherry pick" issues now and then. +1 Guitar Techniques. I did subscribe to Guitar World, Vintage Guitar, Guitar Player and a fourth one. I can't, as I am typing this, remember the name of the fourth one. I let all subscriptions lapse and subscribed to Guitar Techniques. It is obscenely expensive for us here in the colonies, £84.99, which converts to about $120 for a year subscription. But I rationalized that cancelling my other four subscriptions funded a large part of GT. But every issues is just as Dennis said, and its name would suggest, about technique. Every issue has articles dedicated to different genre, blues, jazz, country, acoustic, ,classical, etc. And every issue comes with a cd with files for every article. Every CD has a monthly video as well and that genre varies. Every month has lessons based on skill level: beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc. Finally every cd has a handfull of backing tracks. I think October's CD has about 80 files on it total. Kelly, I first stumbled across GT at Barnes and Noble. If you are close to a major city there in Indiana you can find a copy in the music section. I used to go buy mine monthly until I finally subscribed. Of you can just buy one back issue at that link above or get a free two month digital edition subscription if you're an iPad person. (btw, I used to travel to Batesville all the time on business.)
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