R.I.P. Guitar Player Magazine

[Blackwood]

In news that will be shocking to no one, another magazine bites the dust, but it always hurts a bit when it’s a music magazine.

Guitar Player came out in 1967. I didn’t start reading it until the 80s.

They included flexi-discs from time to time which was always cool.

The magazine held an interesting spot between Guitar World and Guitar for the Practicing Musician, at least in the era when I started reading it. GP was a little more broad where you might find folk, jazz, blues and rock guitarists all covered in the same issue.

Final issue features Jimmy Page on the cover.

 

[jaap74]

How much guitar does Jimmy actually play now I wonder?

 

[Quad Linda]

On their recommendation, I bought an LP of a (then unknown) band called Steppenwolf. A few months later, WLS started playing Born to be Wild.

In 1976, I found a new release on Guitar Player records by Michael Bloomfield. If You Love These Blues, Play em as You Please features Bloomfield playing and explaining a wide variety of blues styles. Later rereleased on CD by Kicking Mule records.

I'll miss Guitar Player, just as I miss Tower Records and Korvettes.

https://www.discogs.com/release/306...If-You-Love-These-Blues-Play-Em-As-You-Please

 

[GOS]

On a very related note, I received my LAST paper copy of Sound & Vision just yesterday. The front of it says, it's the last as they are moving to fully digital.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I still have dozens of their mags. from the 70's, 80's and 90's stashed in a box; learned a ton of stuff from finding new & exciting artists; to their lesson sections. Stopped subscribing as the genres moved away from my preferred focus. Kinda wish I'd never stopped though.

I know I've kept those flexi-discs also, but man those things were definitely "flexi" and prone to scratching easily.

So no digital for GP, or is that staying with us at least?

https://www.guitarplayer.com/

 

[MikeMonaco]

I too have stacks of old GP mags. I still go through them from time to time, it’s especially fun to look at the old ads for gear and music lessons. I hope they continue online.

Like mentioned in a prior post, I also got the news on Sound & Vision stopping their print edition. This one hurts, as I read these front to back.

 

[Blackwood]

I still have dozens of their mags. from the 70's, 80's and 90's stashed in a box; learned a ton of stuff from finding new & exciting artists; to their lesson sections. Stopped subscribing as the genres moved away from my preferred focus. Kinda wish I'd never stopped though.

I know I've kept those flexi-discs also, but man those things were definitely "flexi" and prone to scratching easily.

So no digital for GP, or is that staying with us at least?

https://www.guitarplayer.com/

Having just bought a turntable this week after not having one for four decades, I wish I had kept the flexi-discs I had. (sigh)

Doesn’t appear we’ll get a digital version of the mag, just content through the website.

While not in the music realm, Total Film got its death orders in the past few days, too. It’s another Future-owned mag just like GP. A lot of consolidation and mag closures going on there. One might say the future does not look good if you’re working for some of their mags.

 

[GOS]

Interesting to hear that some of you have kept all you copies over the years. Many years ago, I had kept ALL of my subscribed music/audio gear mags. I mean, I had boxes and boxes.

At some point, I threw them all away. I truly have major regret about that now. So, what did I have?

Rolling Stone
Many metal mags (honestly can't remember what the names were) but man oh man. So many great stories and photos that don't seem to exist any more.