Guitar Player

[@v2vroth]

My favorite all time guitar publication. I have every issue from 72-present. I was fortunate to have been featured in there 3 times.

[@thepracticingguitarist]

My collection of guitar magazines is golden. I’m so glad I still have them. An end of an era, indeed. Great episode, David.

[@jkris2361]

Wow …so sad….I remember the awesome flexible plastic records they had for a while….I remember reading your articles as well ! Thank you for all the awesome work you do!

[@c.g.vonhagenstein7576]

Indeed. "Sound Pages" they were called. Still have several including Vai's "Blue Powder", Firkins' "Laughing Stacks", a comping lesson from Joe Pass, and several more.

[@brucerobenalt8048]

In my formative musical years, GP was probably my most important teacher. Its interviews and lessons gave me the chance to get into the minds of so many great guitarists, taught me about gear, and introduced me to an endless list of indispensable recordings that shaped me as a player and as a person. It was always thoughtful, well written, and impeccably curated. And most of all, it was always fun. Thanks for everything, Guitar Player.

[@jestymist]

This was a fantastic episode and homage to Guitar Player magazine, not to mention the halcyon days of physical media.

[@RodWilliams-m7r]

too true

[@imacmadman22]

I've been a reader since 1979, I learned so many things from GP magazine and I'm truly shaken. I own several Guitar Player books, including a couple that you mentioned. Thank you for this video, David.

[@srwaite7]

Say it isn’t so! I’ve been a subscriber since 1977. I look forward to it every month. This is a sad day. 😭😭😭

[@danpalmer4820]

Great video. 1978-1986 was my wheelhouse for GP. Sold my collection a few years back, but picked up GP's "Rock Guitarists" volumes 1 & 2 books on Ebay. Gonna hold on to those.

[@MT-or7lv]

Sad to hear. Been reading this mag since the 80's. Thanks for all the info and lessons Dave.

[@captcraig777]

This is a great video. I remember buying these magazines. It brings back many memories. You have a great collection! Thanks for sharing.

[@DBroce]

I did the same thing last year. I got the Rhoads and the EVH ‘78. RIP GPM!! Sad indeed. I waited for GP every month since I was 12.

[@rickyjoeshippyful]

I have an old Bassman cab that I converted into a book shelf for all of my guitar mags, Arnie Berle's Fretboard Basics was my favorite. Thanks Dave!

[@stratpack9591]

Very sad. In the UK the US mags were all imported and available in newsagents like a month behind or so. It was like finding the rosetta stone when you found a transcription that unlocked how to play a favourite track! Guitar Player, Guitar School, GFTPM and Guitar World - loved them all and before Guitarist and Guitar Techniques was all we had over here really🫡😢

[@siepip]

'I've been buying Guitar Player Magazines since 1974 I have a Dresser full and crates full them too

[@chetcalhoun613]

Sorry to see it go away. Thanks for what you’re doing.

[@rickm1255]

Damn! End of an era. RIP

[@jeffwojcik8244]

Still have alot of Guitar Player magazines from the 80's in basement. I think I'll break them out and look for your articles. They were great!

[@nickprudent8632]

Whoah! What a blast! My very first issue of Guitar Player magazine was the August 1987 issue with a beautiful candy Apple red Stratocaster Plus (the ones with the Lace pickups) on the cover. I devoured each page like it was a delicious chocolate cake. I’ve been hooked ever since. Very sad to see them go. Thanks!

[@paulhicks3595]

Oh no! I’ve learnt so much from Guitar Player over about 40 years - technique, theory, gear, players etc - and I’ve got boxes of old issues I regularly dip in to. However I must admit that over the last 20 years or so I’ve been buying it only occasionally, especially with the advent of KZbin.

[@RodWilliams-m7r]

too true

[@Jasonjk74]

Just the other day I was going to the grocery store and randomly thought about when I was in Guitar Player in the 2000s, and went to that store to buy a few copies of that issue when it came out

[@ltgray2780]

Read it religiously in high school...'76 to '80. The Blackmore interview was a hoot!

[@jperryfan]

Bummer! I've been a subscriber since 1979! I always looked forward to the next issue coming in the mail. Definitely sad and another casualty of the modern age, such as it is. Thanks Dave

[@BlugubriousMusic]

I am a child of the 80s... in fact, just ordered my original amp online from just nostalgia! Love what you've said here... I had a rough upbringing so it was rare I could get an issue of GP. When I did they were special. For what it is worth, your videos are a lot like getting an issue of GP. I get that same fun vibe when you release a video as opening a new issue. No pressure to reply to me. Keep up the good work.

[@tonepoet]

Oh, man, this news is quite depressing. This is the first I've heard of this. My first exposure was also the Eric Johnson episode. If I'm not mistaken, that issue came with a flex-disc (remember those?) of a live version of Cliffs of Dover. I remember going to my friend's house to hear this. We wore that copy out. I did end up clipping the Eric Johnson portion from the magazine and still use his chordal ideas to this day. I actually used to cut out (and I still have) all of the lesson materials that I treasured and keep them in binders. I've been subscribed for decades (still am). I do have a few print issues that I never parted with (Prince and Eddie Van Halen cover issues, and a few others). Sad, man, the end of an era.

[@billydeewilliams9104]

Wow.. I was just looking online at how to sub to Guitar Player magazine. 30 min ago. Thanks for the heads up!!

[@johnvcougar]

I have dozens of issues dating back to the late 70s. Now I’m never ditching them!

[@Emlizardo]

"I should like to thank Guitar Player, in the persona of Tom Wheeler and Tom Mulhern, for allowing space in this finest of guitar publications for the Guitar Craft column. If only the current magazine had been available to me when I was a beginning player. . . ah. But I am grateful to have it now. The breadth of experience and information offered freely by the magazine's columnists is immense (my current faves are Frank Gambale and Paul Gilbert). When beginner students ask me which books on theory to read, my advice to them is simple: Read Guitar Player." Robert Fripp, February 1991

[@BillLarkinmusic]

Gosh, i used to buy every magazine back in the day (from 1979 to 2011 at least ) And a few others too. This sucks because there are other tree-wasting mags that still print garbage. Thank you for the news as i'm living in France since 1987 and didn't know this. Frances culture doesn't cater to guitar or Guitarist's, especially rock guitarists'. Sad for me because i grew up in the U.S. and England and guitar has a major platform in these countries.( not just accordian or electro music and hip hop like France atm )

[@Rufusdoc]

Another casualty of internet modernity... keep keepin' the spirit alive, man!

[@kevinquinn6874]

I still remember buying, reading and just staring at the cover of the Frank Zappa guitar player issue, great tribute and channel 🎸

[@RodWilliams-m7r]

100% agree with your critique...This is still the most comprehensive collection of history, technical and equipment development, players as well as educational references for all guitar styles. This feat has probably not been matched in any other field of publishing. (am I raving?)

[@andrewmcarthur3843]

The Blackmore one you showed was my first issue. Brings back memories

[@c.g.vonhagenstein7576]

Aww mannnn. Talk about the "end of an era". If Video Killed the Radio Star, I guess the Internet Killed the Magazine for Guitar. I'm going to be nostalgic all weekend now going through my boxes full of Guitar Player, Guitar For The Practicing Musician, etc. Edit: I REALLY need to get some of those protective sleeves for mine. I checked a local comics shop but they didn't have magazine-size covers.

[@ponzo1967]

Something very sad about the passing of Guitar Player RIP I probably have 100 issues in various conditions. It was such a big deal getting those in the mail or off the news stand.

[@timjim10]

I have that Zappa cover framed on my wall

[@connlajones5222]

Great magazine, I read it in the 80s as heavy metal kid, I loved the way it covered jazz and experimental players too. I got heavily into Sonny Sharrock, Sonic Youth and Adrian Belew from Guitar Player. The writing was beautiful, I remember the Sonc Sharrock article was particularly passionate and descriptive and when I finally heard his music, it was just as described. Also we mustn't forget the massive contribution of Mike Varney and the Spotlight column, most 80s shredders were featured there in their young days. A whole genre and style guitar playing came from that column ,in a way. I always remember the excitement of the pre internet days, reading about some interesting player in the Spotlight column and waiting two years for a Shrapnel record or them to join a band. I remembering being particularly keen to hear Michael Lee Firkins and Brian Carroll (Buckhead) Shame to hear it is no more, I drifted away by 1992 but still have my motheared 80s collection

[@davidbieloh1382]

Curious if you ever got to work at all with Rik Emmett, who also wrote a column for something like 12 years?

[@Emlizardo]

Rik Emmett's column was great!

[@azbluesdog]

I have a collection of old Blues Revue magazines. So many great players on those covers! They suddenly ceased publication right after I re-upped my subscription. No refund. I still got the blues.

[@cinpa2968]

That Leo Kottke issue you showed is the first issue I ever bought and I still have it! I also have almost a full set from then to now. I moaned when I read the email notifying me the end of GP was coming. I often pull out specific issues based on memory now that I’m (barely) advanced enough to digest some of those lessons. I recently gave away all my Guitar World issues from their first issue through about 2012. Too much T&A and gossip so I cancelled my subscription. Didn’t go back to them too often so I found a local high school kid and helped cart out 9 liquor boxes of GW. I don’t see myself ever getting rid of GP! Thank goodness I was lucky enough to discover GP and grow with them but right now this is a sad day.

[@fearlessfrankie6479]

I had a couple boxes FULL with Guitar Player Mags all in my mom's attic.Unfortunately I lost everything that I had in that attic in a Huge Fire last year!! I had a couple issues that I had in my other storage place.

[@1loveMusic2003]

That last riff was sick. Surfs up!

[@jimwalshonline9346]

Wow! Bummer. Good job.

[@jamlsn]

So sad they’re stopping print. I get Guitar World and Guitar Player delivered to my mailbox every month. I always get excited when they arrive. Nothing like print. We spend too much screen time…computers are good and bad.

[@coalfacechris1336]

Hi David, have a bunch of GP's and other rags (GW, GFTPM, Frets, English rags) in storage covered in dust in milk creates. All of those issues I left laying at friend's places, ex-girlfriend's etc. Years back I started cutting them up for the lessons and throwing them away! To think they're worth something now that GP is pulling down the curtains is kind of bittersweet - like people will make buck out of a death. We've stopped supporting printed media, missed out on its charm, and imo are worse off for it.

[@greg77hot]

"Print is dead"...Igon from Ghostbusters

[@aminahmed2220]

What a great video have a great day also happy first day of fall ❤😊🎸🍂🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@skipneumann1]

There were fantastic columns on many styles. It used to be the only source for guitar. Will be missed

[@patrickmckay6621]

That's sad new in my opinion although i know that everything goes digital these days. Its very different to hold a piece of paper in your hands,ssme with books! And books and magazines are "for ever" and not depended on electric power. When it comes to certain books/ information we already see things disappearing or being modified. Great episode as usual, thank you!.Greetings from germany!

[@jimkon1479]

That Guthrie Guvan riff sounds like intergalactic rain. Could you teach me Frank Marino's He's Calling? Tutorials of that song are hard to come by.

[@PaulNelson156]

Nostalgia gets me high

[@Truthosaurus]

I grabbed the whole 1986 year at a flea market for $10.00 It didn't have the April Getty Lee cover edition tho ... but had that May Eric Johnson cover you showcased.

[@shanehen]

GP was the gold standard of guitar periodicals; from its inception until around the early 90s, it was an excellent magazine for serious players. But it lost its way somewhere.

[@natemendsen1629]

Be fun if maybe you did some videos on the old lessons in there.

[@sagemaier4126]

this guy is GOOD

[@jamessator5564]

Dave……… Was Gary Rossington ever on the cover or Allen Collins ?

[@FenderBenderBilly]

My first issue had an unknown Joe satriani on the cover !!

[@MarkEdward-bl6cr]

You have quite a collection there David its understandable why you put slipcovers on them some great copies it's always sad when something that has been a staple for years closes its doors a real bummer !!

[@codydafoe2951]

there is this guy on youtube named joel rivard he has some lesson on playing shawn lane stuff over jazz changes

[@billyknowdownside5026]

All is lost 🚷

[@midiman5045]

Wow sorry to hear Guitar player is dead. I remember it back in the days. I did purchase a few prints. I think it is dying becasue there really are not that many guitar players any more. Like Hendrix, Van Halen, etc. Sad to say but I think guitar is dead also. Now I know there are still guitar players out there but no one has broken the barriers like Hendrix, Van Halen. Now before you slam me that is just my feeling on this matter. I do hope we get another Van Halen or Hendrix to revive guitar.

[@oldmanshreds]

Hey! Have you covered Jennifer Batten in your videos yet?

[@mudnducs]

Damn. What will replace it?!

[@fabghassem]

💯✔️✨

[@nacuda9]

Will this make our back issues worth more? 😁

[@Duke_de_Plata]

damn this sucks. pretty sure I have every months release from 1999-2010

[@christianboddum8783]

I lost interest when Joe Gore became editor in chief...

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey! I was wondering if you could elaborate as to why you feel that way. I've noticed while reading these back issues that there were a lot of readers that didn't like Joe, and there were letters from angry readers. I've also seen some angry folks surrounding Molenda and the current E.I.C. Chris. So, I was just curious what you didn't like when Joe took over. Thanks for watching and for chiming in too! ROCK ON!

[@billtice5057]

It’s a shame… I’m all about new technology and I embrace it however we’re going to be subtracting something here much like Album covers and liner notes. 😢

[@nattydread666]

nooooooooooooo