Guitarist (magazine)

Guitarist (magazine)
Title	Guitarist
Frequency	Monthly
Category	Music magazine
Company	Future plc
Firstdate	1984
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Guitarist (magazine) is a British monthly publication devoted to electric and acoustic guitarists, covering instrument reviews, technique, artist interviews, and music industry developments. The magazine serves professional and amateur players with gear tests, tablature, lessons, and long-form features on performers and makers. Over decades it has engaged readers through print and digital editions while documenting changes in popular music scenes and guitar manufacturing.

History

Guitarist was launched in 1984 amid rising interest in instrument-focused journalism during the careers of Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Brian May, Mark Knopfler, and Steve Vai. Early issues reflected the influence of hard rock, blues rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, and pop rock movements driven by artists such as Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmour, Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, and Carlos Santana. The title evolved editorially alongside recording industry shifts tied to labels like EMI, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Island Records, and Geffen Records. Ownership and management changes occurred as publishing groups including Future plc and earlier companies restructured portfolios during the 1990s and 2000s, paralleling transitions in magazine distribution seen across outlets such as Rolling Stone, NME, Kerrang!, Mojo, and Q (magazine). Special issues and anniversary editions often commemorated landmark albums by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, and Queen while profiling contemporary figures like John Mayer, Derek Trucks, Jack White, Doyle Bramhall II, and Gary Clark Jr..

Editorial Content and Features

The magazine’s recurring sections include gear reviews of guitars by manufacturers such as Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, PRS Guitars, and Yamaha, amplifiers from Marshall Amplification, Vox, Mesa/Boogie, Orange (company), and Friedman Amplification, plus effects pedals from Boss (company), Electro-Harmonix, Strymon, TC Electronic, and MXR. Technique pages draw on styles linked to blues legends like B.B. King and Muddy Waters, funk innovators like James Brown collaborators, and jazz players such as Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, and John McLaughlin. Interviews and cover stories have spotlighted performers including Slash, Kirk Hammett, Tom Morello, Eric Johnson, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Features analyze recording technologies from companies such as Apple Inc.'s Logic Pro, Avid Technology's Pro Tools, and Universal Audio, while lessons utilize transcriptions and tablature for songs by The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Radiohead, The Smiths, and Oasis. The reviews section frequently compares specifications from luthiers like Paul Reed Smith, Friedrich Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Collings Guitars, and boutique builders.

Circulation and Distribution

Circulation channels have included UK newsstands, specialty music retailers, subscription services, and international distribution through networks associated with publishers such as Conde Nast and Bauer Media Group peers. The magazine’s retail presence paralleled supply chains serving stores like HMV and independent shops stocking sheet music and instruments. Distribution strategies adapted to the decline in print sales experienced across titles like Guitar World and Total Guitar, shifting toward bundled digital editions available on platforms tied to Apple Inc. and app marketplaces. Advertising partners have ranged from instrument manufacturers to music education institutions such as Berklee College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, and music festivals like Glastonbury Festival and Download Festival.

Notable Contributors and Cover Artists

Columnists, demonstrators, and guest writers have included figures from teaching and performance spheres such as Toby Walker, Martin Taylor, Joe Bonamassa, Bert Jansch, and Andy Powell. Session players and producers who contributed features include Mitchell Froom, Steve Albini, Rick Rubin, Nigel Godrich, and Brian Eno. Cover photography and art have involved portrait photographers and stylists who also worked with magazines like Q (magazine), MOJO, and Uncut, while artists featured on covers have ranged from legacy names like Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck to modern stars such as St. Vincent, Florence Welch, Dhani Harrison, and Annie Clark.

Awards and Recognition

The magazine and its journalists have received industry recognition through nominations and awards from associations akin to the Music Week Awards, editorial citations in trade press including Billboard (magazine), and reader-voted accolades. Product tests and lab-style reviews have been cited by retailers and manufacturers in launch campaigns for models from Fender, Gibson, and boutique builders, while lessons and tuition features have been recommended by music schools and conservatoires across the UK and Europe.

Digital Presence and Multimedia

Guitarist expanded into online publishing with a website offering news, reviews, video lessons, and audio demos hosted on platforms like YouTube and integrated with social networks such as Facebook (company), Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (service). Multimedia content includes demo rigs, walk-throughs with session players, behind-the-scenes studio reports involving studios like Abbey Road Studios and Sun Studio, and podcast episodes featuring interviews with artists connected to labels like Sub Pop and Matador Records. The digital strategy mirrors trends seen at peer digital-first brands and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.

Influence and Legacy

The magazine has documented guitar culture across eras defined by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Carlos Santana, Duane Allman, and Mike Bloomfield, shaping gear trends, pedagogical approaches, and collector interest in vintage instruments by Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster, and Gibson ES-335 models. Its role in promoting emerging talent and informing hobbyists and professionals links it to larger ecosystems including festivals, record labels, and instrument makers, contributing to the preservation and evolution of popular music performance practice.

Category:Music magazines published in the United Kingdom