R.I.P. Guitar Player Magazine

[Sonik Wiz]

Stereophile, itself has been around for decades. I'm sure @Kal Rubinson could maybe tell us how long. I'm thinking about '69/'70?
Love it or hate it, it's survived.

Wiki says founded by J. Gordon Holt in 1961 or '62. That's further back than I thought. IIRC Holt was also writing the stereo column in Popular Electronics. His article Hafler vs Scheiber: 4 Channels on Disc 1970 propelled me into the world of Quad.

 

[SeanSKA01]

I looked for the final Guitar Player issue at Barnes & Noble, but all they had was the November issue with David Gilmour on the cover. Has it not hit the racks yet or is it only available on their website?

Update: I see it comes out 10/15.

I saw it at a B&N in NYC last Friday

 

[SeanSKA01]

I think it’s been alluded to in some of the last-issue editor pages that the advertising just isn’t there like it used to be. That money is going to online advertising where it’s easier to track results and pivot quickly. So there’s just not enough money from ads to sustain always-increasing printing costs, mailing/distribution costs added to the fact that more and more people don’t see the need to pay for print material when so much is available online for free or next-to-nothing.

In the case of the guitar magazines, it must be tough to own so many titles and try to get enough advertising for each one. It would be neat if they’d take all those properties and create a mega-guitar magazine that had bits of all of them. But they’re probably better off investing in their web, YouTube and social media presence. It feels like for print, Guitar World will be the focus, but who knows how long that one will last.

Another thing... I assume Future is accountable to shareholders or at least is more corporate-centered than music-centered. If it isn’t making a good profit, it has to be killed. I’m guessing that applies to their non-music titles, too.

My guess is that they made the calculation that the US and the UK could only support one guitar magazine in each territory

 

[barfle]

I believe my first magazine subscription was Popular Electronics when I was in high school, back in the early 1960s. When I discovered Audio magazine, I subscribed immediately, and loved it for as long as it lasted. I imagine I continued with whatever it folded into (lost to time and age) and I don't believe I was without some sort of hi-fi or TV magazine until now.

This sucks.

 

[knifeman]

As a subscriber to Sound & Vision, I’m with you there. Stereophile reviews equipment that costs about the same as typical home in Idaho, and they have boring reviews of boring music

I gave Stereophile a try, and I agree with you on the tests of equipment that most of us can't afford. Some of their music reviews were decent but when my subscription ran out, that was it.

 

[watsontr]

Very sad that this is now the way of the world. I did learn so much from GP. Loved all the Craig Anderton stuff, circuit diagrams etc. I remember building preamps and installing them in my guitars in the late 70s. Just another memory that will fade away just like us. Unfortunately some kids may never know what it feels like to hold a book in the hands. I bought my children and grandchildren Kindles (fine piece of gear IMO) but make sure that I buy them real books as well. I've told them since they were little that books make you imagine and think for yourself whereas movies etc you get to experience someone else's view of something. They all read a lot now so I think that is one of my finest achievements
PS ~ I think that I still have Electronic Projects for Musicians somewhere!

 

[Sal1950]

Korvettes.

OMG, now that brings back memories of Chi Town.

 

[Sal1950]

As a subscriber to Sound & Vision, I’m with you there. Stereophile reviews equipment that costs about the same as typical home in Idaho, and they have boring reviews of boring music

Well dang, I just got my last issue out of the mailbox today, I only glanced at that "last issue" front page thinking my normal year was running out, time to send money again. NOT & NOT
I already have a sub to Stereophile and after decades and decades have been thinking about letting it lapse next renewal date. Stereophile has just gone off the deep end over the millionaire luxury level gear. What little "affordable" gear they do review, they make you feel dirty about maybe buying, like "ok if this is all you can afford it's alright but you really should be more willing to step up to XXXXX".

 

[barfle]

Well dang, I just got my last issue out of the mailbox today, I only glanced at that "last issue" front page thinking my normal year was running out, time to send money again. NOT & NOT
I already have a sub to Stereophile and after decades and decades have been thinking about letting it lapse next renewal date. Stereophile has just gone off the deep end over the millionaire luxury level gear. What little "affordable" gear they do review, they make you feel dirty about maybe buying, like "ok if this is all you can afford it's alright but you really should be more willing to step up to XXXXX".

I don’t fit Stereophile’s target market. How many turntables can one person use, and how many can he or she afford?

I get their monthly email that is similar to the daily one I get from QQ, and I generally browse their linked articles, along with the ones for S&V and Analog Planet. Rarely do I see anything that calls my name.