Bassplayer Magazine. ***

[LaklandBass]

So I stopped at the bookstore on my was to work and picked up the new Bassplayer magazine. All 74 pages of it, for $6. Are they freaking serious? Now I know the economy isnt doing so well and they'll use that excuse till theyre blue in the face.
But doesnt anybody there realize that since the economy is so bad they should probably offer a consistant product so sales dont dramatically fall? Im pretty sure that half-a$$ing it isnt a good answer to having less income with a company.
Not to mention they'll probably say that the advertisers are pulling out due to the economy.... did it dawn on them that once the economy gets better the advertisers probably wont want anything to do with a 74 page mag that lost half its audience?

Sorry for ranting but Im growing tired of seeing everything in this country use the economy as an excuse to offer the consumer less.

[Joey3313]

I hear ya. I bought Bass Guitar Magazine the other day (it's a UK one), and no only was it half the cost (though I think the cashier just screwed up, but whatever), but twice and big with about half the ads.

Really well done.

Next, if I ever see it, I'll check out that Bass Gear mag everyone here talks about.

[RickenBoogie]

The UK Bass Guitar Mag has always been a much better rag than our own Bass Player. Costs twice as much, since it's an import, but I gladly hand over my cash for a magazine as great as that. ( Barnes & Nobel carry it in the US).

[nutso42]

I subscribed to BP mag a while ago (because I got a deal of 30 mags for 28 bucks), but once the subscription runs out, I am NOT renewing it.

Besides, they had Jonas Brothers' bassist in there once. They've soiled themselves forever.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

Sorry for ranting but Im growing tired of seeing everything in this country use the economy as an excuse to offer the consumer less.

Many here will know that I throw my support towards Bass Player mag (I'm one of those with every issue)...that said-
My girlfriend picked up the latest issue with Scott Lafaro & even she said "...is this all there is to this? It's all ads".
I countered with there's articles on Lafaro & Bill Laswell & a cool transcription of "Christmas Wrapping", etc.

I do appreciate your rant, however.
It's (still) the economy, huh?
If advertisers are not buying as before...lower the ads' price.
If people are not buying instruments as before...lower the price.
It's Supply & Demand only when it works against the consumer?
It may be difficult for some bean counters to ponder this-
Maybe people are now spending their discretionary income with better discretion?

[LaklandBass]

JimK.... very well put.

[Rocker949]

The only way you can get your money's worth is to have a subscription to BP. It is about all there is out there now. I'd say to be appreciative of it. If it shuts down like "Bass Guitar" did, then there will be nothing. The economy is brutal now. I just hope BP stays in existence. I still remember the feeling I had when "Bass Guitar" went under.

[refbassist]

i still have few months left in my subscription and if this's all i get like the last issue i'm not renewing it!

[Thunderitter]

I just renewed my subscription to Bass Player. It's definitely not the magazine it was and seems to be pretty repetitive these days, but, I don't want to be with out it!

For anyone renewing, do so on the 1-800 number and you'll get a two year subscription for less than the one year sub they offered me in the mail. It comes in at less than a dollar an issue, which even with the quality slip is definitely worth it.

[scottice]

Get a subscription and quit bitchin'.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by nutso42

I subscribed to BP mag a while ago (because I got a deal of 30 mags for 28 bucks), but once the subscription runs out, I am NOT renewing it.

Besides, they had Jonas Brothers' bassist in there once. They've soiled themselves forever.

Yeah, they had the audacity to interview a bass player who's making a living with his instrument, and they talked to that guy about being a professional musician. That's such a blight on the magazine.

OK, it IS the economy. Specialty magazines never have been very profitable, and as the cost of paper, ink, mailing, compliance with Sarbane/Oxley, accouning, etc. all go up, and the advertisers hammer you to cut costs it means that you don't have very many options for cutting costs in the face of declinging revenue. One post says "cut the cost of the ads", but offers no suggestions of how to pay for the paper and everything else.

Plus, general purchases of magazines and specialty ones in particular have declinded not just because of "the economy" but also due to the 'net. Well-managed and very large newspapers have shut down recently and they can generate more advertising revenue by factors of 10 or more than can BP.

I still like BP- where else am I gonna find well-written, intelligent (those two criteria alone eliminate about 95% of the web-based stuff like TB) coverage of Scott LaFaro, Bill Laswell, transcriptions of Willie Weeks' bass lines (transcribed with Willie's help, BTW), etc.? And reading the music reviews gives me some new ideas of stuff to seek out.

John

[251]

Easy big fella. Breathe 3 deep breaths & then count to 10.

My last subscription to BP cost $12 for a year. That was before the economy s**t the bed & after their major competitor (Bass Guitar Magazine) stopped publishing.

I seem to remember Bassics stopped publishing about that time & I don't think I got a full year of 'zines.

So who told you the price of BP had anything to do with the state of the economy? Please, don't say it was the bookstore clerk, even if you have to make it up. 8-)

[jerry]

As a old guy that was around before we had a dedicated bass magazine, I agree with the subscription argument. My copies of Bassplayer come to me at about the price of a candy bar, still well worth it. I have some beefs with BP and still wish they didn't let Bill Leigh go, but they also have been giving props and transcriptions of older bassist some cats might not be aware of. Modern Drummer magazine used to have more pages too, just a sign of the times I guess.

[scottice]

Comic books are now $1.50 as well. They used to be 12 cents.

Truth of the matter is paper and transportation are very expensive and a magazine with a small circulation is VERY difficult to sustain in rough economic times.

[Geddyfleaharris]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The UK Bass Guitar Mag has always been a much better rag than our own Bass Player. Costs twice as much, since it's an import, but I gladly hand over my cash for a magazine as great as that. ( Barnes & Nobel carry it in the US).

+1 to the above. Great magazine.

I don't have issue with the cost of BP but the content is just not there. The last couple of issues have hardly been worth buying. IMO.

They also really got me. They have a compilation/reference issue out right now. Trouble was I didn't realize it was a compilation magazine until I got home and started reading it. I have all the articles that are in the issue. I saw "pedals reviewed" and thought it was something new. My own fault but sort of felt a little taken.

[Mike Dimin]

Well I have to say how much I like Bass Guitar Magazine (oh yeah ... I am now writing for them).

BTW - Bassics Magazine is coming back. Ron Garant is still the editor, but they have a new publisher. I will be writing for them as well. I do believe than an enhanced CD will still come with every issue of Bassics.

Mike Dimin

[PhatBasstard]

Originally Posted by JTE

Yeah, they had the audacity to interview a bass player who's making a living with his instrument, and they talked to that guy about being a professional musician. That's such a blight on the magazine.

OK, it IS the economy. Specialty magazines never have been very profitable, and as the cost of paper, ink, mailing, compliance with Sarbane/Oxley, accouning, etc. all go up, and the advertisers hammer you to cut costs it means that you don't have very many options for cutting costs in the face of declinging revenue. One post says "cut the cost of the ads", but offers no suggestions of how to pay for the paper and everything else.

Plus, general purchases of magazines and specialty ones in particular have declinded not just because of "the economy" but also due to the 'net. Well-managed and very large newspapers have shut down recently and they can generate more advertising revenue by factors of 10 or more than can BP.

I still like BP- where else am I gonna find well-written, intelligent (those two criteria alone eliminate about 95% of the web-based stuff like TB) coverage of Scott LaFaro, Bill Laswell, transcriptions of Willie Weeks' bass lines (transcribed with Willie's help, BTW), etc.? And reading the music reviews gives me some new ideas of stuff to seek out.

John

It's nice to see a post from someone who "gets" the big picture once in a while. Bravo.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by JTE

OK, it IS the economy.
One post says "cut the cost of the ads", but offers no suggestions of how to pay for the paper and everything else.

That would be me.
You pay for the paper, etc. with more ads at a lower price; ya know, few ads at a now-inflated price vs. many at a reduced price. Maybe that wouldn't work, I don't know...has it been attempted?
My gut feeling is people have become spoiled during the "normal times of excess"...the economy we're in now may turn out to be the new "normal" for the next few years.
So, do you continue to run a business like it's still 2005?

[Mike Dimin]

Originally Posted by JTE

Yeah, they had the audacity to interview a bass player who's making a living with his instrument, and they talked to that guy about being a professional musician. That's such a blight on the magazine.

OK, it IS the economy. Specialty magazines never have been very profitable, and as the cost of paper, ink, mailing, compliance with Sarbane/Oxley, accouning, etc. all go up, and the advertisers hammer you to cut costs it means that you don't have very many options for cutting costs in the face of declinging revenue. One post says "cut the cost of the ads", but offers no suggestions of how to pay for the paper and everything else.

Plus, general purchases of magazines and specialty ones in particular have declinded not just because of "the economy" but also due to the 'net. Well-managed and very large newspapers have shut down recently and they can generate more advertising revenue by factors of 10 or more than can BP.

I still like BP- where else am I gonna find well-written, intelligent (those two criteria alone eliminate about 95% of the web-based stuff like TB) coverage of Scott LaFaro, Bill Laswell, transcriptions of Willie Weeks' bass lines (transcribed with Willie's help, BTW), etc.? And reading the music reviews gives me some new ideas of stuff to seek out.

John

Almost everything you said is right on (we could "discuss" the "well written" comment). Additionally, manufacturers and retailers have MUCH less advertising dollars and MANY more marketing opportunities than in the past.

That being said, the real issue is that, we, as subscribers have certain expectations based on the the quality and quantity (size of the mag) that mag has provided at a certain price point. As the price goes up and the mag gets thinner, the perceived value of the magazine declines

Mike

[Lazylion]

Originally Posted by JTE

I still like BP- where else am I gonna find well-written, intelligent... coverage of Scott LaFaro, Bill Laswell...

+1 See, right there is two guys I've been curious about for years, never got around to researching them on my own. So I thank BP very much for that issue. Keep it up! We can get through this!

I'll be re-upping when the time comes.