Photo Credit: Guitar Player
Guitar Player magazine has announced it will end its physical run after more than 58 years—as the legacy of rock n’ roll leaves fewer guitarists interested in the hobby.
A Fender study found that 90% of guitar players quit the hobby within three months of playing. But the 10% that don’t quit on average spend more than $10,000 on guitars and accessories over their lifetime, buying 5-7 guitars and multiple amps. But that 10% of core guitar enthusiasts is no longer enough to support a physical edition of Guitar Player magazine.
The last physical issue of the magazine goes out on October 15, featuring an interview with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. While the physical edition of the magazine is ceasing production, the GuitarPlayer.com website will continue under editor-in-chief Christopher Scapelliti. Print subscribers will have their physical subscriptions transferred to Guitar World unless they specify to stop and receive a refund for any remaining months.
“You have witnessed a revolution,” Scapelliti wrote in his final editor’s letter. “When Guitar Player made its debut 58 years ago in 1967, it marked a new era for guitar. For the first time, the instrument was celebrated in a regularly published magazine devoted to furthering guitarists, guitar gear and its makers, and guitar virtuosity.”
“The ‘why’ will be obvious even if you don’t keep each issue tucked away chronologically on shelves. These increasingly slim volumes demonstrate our almost heroic efforts to persist in an era where advertisers find greater opportunities online. Throughout the ups and downs of these years, we’ve appreciated the support of those readers and advertisers who have kept Guitar Player’s print edition a going concern.”
It’s also hard for a print magazine to compete with multiple avenues for people to learn guitar—if they’re so inclined. Numerous YouTube channels teach basic chords and guitar chord theory, while music podcasts often land interesting and in-person interviews with rock legends like Dave Navarro or Bruce Kulick.
