What ever happened to the magazine Guitar (For The Practicing Musician)

[johnvice]

I hadn't seen it on the newstands in a while. When I checked their website, guitarmag.com, it auto directs to Future Newtworks who aquired Guitar World mag.

This leads me to believe Future bought it and folded it so it would not compete with Guitar World.

[embellisher]

That was a cool mag, back in the day. Always wondered what happened to it.

[The Golden Boy]

Back in the day, it was way too dry for me. Then again, I was 18.

But they got a posed photo of Jimmy Page on the cover!

[jokerjkny]

hehe,

Guitar Mag was the first mag i ever had a subscription to. still have a few back issues somewhere in storage.

still remember dog earing a copy with Warren DeMartini on the cover. had a transcription of Living Colour's "Type".

ya know, thinking back, it was sorta like a cross btwn GP and Hit Parade.

[Gard]

Oh man, I hadda subscription to that mag back in the 80's, and still have BOXES of them in my closet (I never throw ANY music mags out, never know when a lesson or transcription or interview may come in handy!).

It was kinda "teenybopperish", but the transcriptions were pretty accurate, and at least they used both standard notation as well as that...uh...that....stuff that shall remain nameless!

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Gard

(I never throw ANY music mags out, never know when a lesson or transcription or interview may come in handy!).

You & me both, Gard.

FWIW, for me, it was Guitar Player & Downbeat...then Bass Player(every issue in the house).

[jokerjkny]

yea, i used to save all the mags that had cool articles. but after a while, thought there was sense in keeping the ads as well.

so, i laminate all the cool lessons and articles i dig. if its a mag like GP's "All Blues Revue", or Jazziz's "Coltrane retrospective" then i'll keep it.

[johnvice]

Originally Posted by Gard

but the transcriptions were pretty accurate, and at least they used both standard notation as well as that...uh...that....stuff that shall remain nameless!

That's what I miss, the standard notation! I use to learn every song transcribed whether I liekd it or not, then I'd play along with the vocal line, and try to play the other transcribed instruments.

I found out from Andy Alderoit (Guitar in the 80s) that the magazine folded. Future Networks (Which owns Guitar Wolrd mag) bought a spin-off (Guitar One, which also folded) and through this aqusition, got the right to the GFTPM domain name (Guitarmag.com)

[FCM3]

good question....i think the magazine morphed into "Guitar player or guitar world". Guitar player has a similar format complete w/ 5 music transcriptions every month
Like gard I had kept about 10yrs of that mag in boxes- from 86 on. Just last week, I decided to toss them only after i cut out all the transcriptions to all the music. Now I reduced over 200mags into 4 3-ring binders.
I recall seeing a whole catalog of this mag in Berklees library

[keb]

I had heard that it just plain went under, but who knows...

[troll]

Yeah that was a pretty good mag and I had a subscription at some point. I found a stack of those not long ago. It's fun to look back at the ads...

I got it because it was the only mag that I can recall at the time that also included bass transcriptions.

[Thor]

They used to have some wicked funny hair band pics.

And articles on Slayer and stuff like that.

I also thought the music was a good quality transcription.
I finally got the guitar changes to Pinball Wizard correct after
one of thise issues. Well worth the money, that mag.

[JoshuaR]

It was a sad day when I left the magazine. A decession that, in my opinion, was based on weak factors and not on performance or results. For 10 years, starting as a nobody at the magazine, I rose to the title of Dealer Sales Mgr. I also handled in store promotions, later worked with the Indie Label Guitar Recordings (from the same family as the magazine) and also put both dealer and trade show promo performancestogether to help boost awareness, as well as work the NAMM show(booth design and audio to promote both products) along with John Stix (Sr. Editor and founder of the concept Guitar FTPM), Barbara Seerman (Adv. Sales Director) and other members dedicated to the cause of making this the best magazine out there in its catagory.

Not to long after I was asked to leave, I too began to see less of its positon on newstands and in retail dealers. I wondered why and knew that it wasn't because of its lack of providing excellent editorials, or the use of its cutting edge transcriptions or advertising the latest in what was out their for the players.

I feel it might have been another sword that cut the final blow. This magazine was a key part of the industry, born of an idea from a great editor and part of a great family of musical products from Cherry Lane Music.....I would love to see it back, I would love to be joined with it again and I would love for the crew that I loved to work with be on board for a repositioning of a great reading and teaching tool.

These people were part of my family and I miss them all.

Josh Rikelman
Former Dealer Sales Manager / Guitar FTPM
email - mayor.rik@comcast.net

[Thor]

Thanks for sharing that Josh.

I sure wish I had kept all the back issues. If you know of any sources of those, PM me.

Actually, reading the thread again, looks like my ole buddy Gard is getting a PM.