Alone in the field

Most guitar magazines are about mainly equipment and to a lesser extent, the thrash/metal/punk/whatever hero of the moment. "Acoustic Guitar" is different. It does talk about equipment, sure, but the primary focus has always been the music and the artists.

I have a couple years' worth of "Acoustic Guitar" on my bookshelves, unlike another popular magazine that gets read and tossed or given away. I don't save every issue, but I save a lot, as there's so much timeless information and good music to be found. In the few issues withing arm's reach I see a story on the music of "O Brother Where Are Thou?" with an arrangment of "Man of Constant Sorrow". Here's an article on Jazz Manouche and Django Reinhardt, with a tutorial written by John Jorgenson. Another issue spotlights the then-new MTV Unplugged phenomenon, and has a transcription of Clapton's unplugged "Layla".

Issues have covered contemporary singer-songwriters, Cuban "Son" music, African music, 1920s American Jazz guitarists... just about anything that can be played on a guitar. Evry issue is a surprise, and even if it doesn't have one of your favorites it'll have something you'll find interesting and useful.

Subscription Problems

While I love the magazine, I have had problems getting the issues delivered. This has also happened when I tried to subscribe by phone and over the Internet. They can't seem to get it right.

When a customer WANTS to pay, why make it difficult for him? And since I DID pay a subscription..., why am I still having trouble getting all the issues? Customer service is NOT a phrase in their vocabulary.

A must for serious acoustic guitar players

If you love to pull out that acoustic and knock off a few songs when the world seems to be going crazy and your soul needs the healing energy of music, then you should read this magazine. It provides good product reviews, playing tips, and song tabs. Also helpful are tips for tuning up and maintaining your guitar so it stays in the best playing condition. Although I am not a fan of magazine ads, the ads in this magazine are cool because they provide useful information about new products and services that would otherwise be difficult to discover. The interviews with top acoustic players like James Taylor, Neil Young & Bert Jansch are also a big plus. In all honesty, I do not read every issue--I grab issues when they have something I am interested in. In sum, if you are serious about playing that Martin or Gibson sitting in the corner, then read Acoutic Guitar every now and then--you will learn something!