I'm a sucker for guitar magazines, especially those that spotlight the acoustic guitar like the monthly Acoustic Guitar magazine. The cover of Guitar Aficionado caught my eye while browsing in a magazine store. What do you expect from a guitar freak like me, I grab a copy because it's a premier issue.
Just as this blog is affectionately devoted to the sound of wood and wire (aka the acoustic guitar), Guitar Aficionado is the new quarterly magazine "for passionate people who enjoy the guitar in all of its timeless, functional beauty."
This Summer '09 copy of Guitar Aficionado was launched recently with an 'aristocratic' mission statement by publisher Greg Di Benedetto (he also publishes Guitar World) that this magazine celebrates the art of fine living "with the guitar as the common point."
Thumbing through its pages, I soon realized that this high-gloss mag belongs to a different crowd - it addresses the person whose lifestyle encompasses more than just the guitar.
These folks are just not your regular guitar guys working out in a garage, they are more into expensive cigars, wine, watches, cars, fashion and other collections that fall under the hedonistic culture.
Did I mention cigars? Now I remember seeing a somewhat similar-looking mag called Cigar Aficionado. However, a check indicates that the two magazines are not related. Could be just a coincidence.
By the way, the cover story features award-winning chef Tom Colicchio, owner of the Craft empire of restaurants. Obviously, Colicchio talks not only about how he ventured into cooking but also his collection of guitars and music.
The guitars on view in the magazine belongs to the upper-end range, probably not less than $6,000. So it's not for the average picker like you and I.
If you want to learn guitar techniques and chords, I guess you will not find it in this magazine. It's for those who want to polish up their status symbols and enjoy the celebrity lifestyle.
To be frank, it's not likely to be a magazine that most of you guitar pickers would fall in love with. Oh well, let's get back to our Seagull, Yamaha, Washburn, Maton... - AcousticTwang
