Ugh.

I just purchased the January 2007 issue of Guitar World. I don't know why, because on the cover there's this stupid picture of all these guys from bands I've never heard set against a wall of fire, and it's titled something like "SHREDFEST EXTRAVAGANZA" or something equally dumb.

The majority of the issue is lessons on how to shred (which I will never ever read) and a massive interview with the guys from the cover, which I read this morning. They all seem like bozos. Here's a sample:

GW: So, um, you like guitar, huh?

Some heavily tattooed metalhead with a crazy pointy guitar with a headstock as big as the body: F***! Yes! F***!

I think I may have just bought my last issue of Guitar World.

I subscribe to GW and I got that mag not too long ago. I agree, some parts of the interview made me laugh. Especially with Sam Totman and Herman Li when they kept going back and fourth saying how much Sam sucks at guitar. Every time they were asked a question, Sam's playing was mention, it was very annoying. Even then, the shred lesson really wasn't all that great. A couple cool riffs, but I was dissapointed. Trivium did a good job with their song lesson though, they usually do.

I stopped buying guitar magazines years ago. The last one I bought was the B.B. King issue of Guitar Player about 6 years ago, only cause GuitarTricks was mentioned in it. The last one before that was the issue of Guitar Player introducing Yngwie Malmsteen with a little plastic 45 rpm record inside it.

Some magazines are just way too overpriced. Like, $10 CND for a magazine that's mostly advertisements just ain't worth it.
Import magazines from the U.K. are almost 20 bucks once you pay the tax and duties.

Go to the library man. You can grab 20 magazines and a bunch of books for free. The one in town here even loans out DVD's. (just got the making of Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon and a biography of Robert Moog ... totally awesome :)

I agree that for the most part, they are over-priced and don't really offer much. I subscribe to Guitar Player just because they do seem to cover a fairly wide spectrum of styles. Not being a metal-head, the Guitar Worlds and such really don't appeal to me.

They do have a tendency to make me feel old as they have bands on the cover that I have never heard of and doubt I would ever listen to them even if I had.

I like to hit the library and 1/2 Price Books for stuff like that.

Yeah, you're absolutely right. The last one I bought before this awful GW was an issue of Guitar Player which I bought because it mentioned both Kaki King and Sonic Youth on the cover. As it turned out, they were just interviews which came to a combined total of about three and a half pages.

But one thing I did like about Guitar Player (which I had never purchased before) was the general lack of disgusting, in-your-face ads about gross metal amps. The info on gear seems to be quite informative, too. It's my new favourite guitar magazine.

That's not to say I'll ever buy one again, though. :)

yeah , you tend to get a lot of hype and advertising in mags , i guess it must be the market they aim at !

Originally Posted by: earthman buck
It's my new favourite guitar magazine.

I take it you don't buy guitar one.

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyI take it you don't buy guitar one.

Once in a while, but not often. The only reason Guitar World and Guitar One are good is because of the tabs of songs. I used to base my purchases on what songs they featured. Just recently I realized I never learn the songs anyway, so why bother?

Originally Posted by: earthman buckOnce in a while, but not often. The only reason Guitar World and Guitar One are good is because of the tabs of songs. I used to base my purchases on what songs they featured. Just recently I realized I never learn the songs anyway, so why bother?

I subscribe, and it's really an amazing magazine. It's so full of great stuff like lessons with pro instructors and authors, there's always lessons with famous guitarists, funny crap, and cd reviews.

The only part that pisses me off is that they never review guitars under $1500 or pedals under $150. They call this the affordable stuff.