More nostalgia - The Guitar Magazine - Vol 1 #1 from Aug 1990

guitars4you

Still ploughing through my old mags and trying to get some better storage and some order to the mags

Just found vol 1 #1 of The Guitar Magazine - starts Aug 1990 - Was free - So I assume part of another mag as a promo run - I'm guessing International Musician - But maybe someone can update me on that 

Steve Vai on the front cover and talking about Passion and Warfare - Is it that old ?

Looking at the editorial notes - Part of Northern Shell and yes Richard Desmond - Yes RD of the Star + Express + some porn mags and for a while CH5

And Dave Burrluck was part of the editorial/features/consultant team

So 2 facts, above, that I'd forgotten about 

In no particular order - features and ads included

Marshall 9004 Stereo rack pre-amp

A Carvin ad - Hot Rodded Tube amps - with a UK address in Hampshire

A big 'coming soon' ad to launch 'Trace Acoustic'

Zoom 9002 - The nifty version that could attach to your guitar strap - slightly bigger than a packet of fags

One I've never heard of and/or certainly can't recall - So over to @HarrySeven - Monitech - a 19" stereo power amp - A Cambridge company

How about SGS - Sensible Music and Sensible Guitar Systems - A hire company and shop that also hired 'classic guitars'  - 071 telephone number so assume a London Company

Ampeg distributed via Bluebridge - An ad for a Tri Ax Series Tube combo 

Jack Bruce interview and feature - him playing his Warwick fretless 

Another one I forgot - Rotosound Spacer - Black anodised bass strings  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feature + interview with Roger Mayer

Gig Sounds of Streatham _ Catford -advert -  a couple to note - Fender AM Strat Std - £459 (case £45 extra) - Gibson Les Paul Custom £699 - Gibson 335 dot in blonde £799 - Charvel 4 £420

Johnny Mar feature + interview

One I recall - Interview + Feature with Jeff Beck and SRV - During their joint USA tour - what a gig to see 

Malmsteen interview + feature

Pearce Amps - ad with Frank Dunnery  - I forgot about Pearce Amps

Sounds Great - Heald Green/Cheshire ad - key features - PRS Classic £799  - PRS Classic Maple Top £965 - PRS Custom £1599 - Nady 101 radio system package £175

Not one product review - and rarely only 2 or 3 dealer ads - Looking on this first publication you might well think another mag that won't get of the ground - But 30 years later and still going strong

Nitefly

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

guitars4you

Nitefly said:

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

around 1990 then Chandlers would still be acting as a distributor to feed a few select dealers - I recall trying to buy stock, for the store I worked for and supply was close to zero - Plus what you could order might well be months before it was shipped

Not sure I can recall Paul's first UK trips for such evening clinics - But certainly Gary and Tina would be on the radar for such events - Pity an end to such an era for Sounds Great etc 

Philly_Q

guitars4you said:

Just found vol 1 #1 of The Guitar Magazine - starts Aug 1990 - Was free - So I assume part of another mag as a promo run - I'm guessing International Musician - But maybe someone can update me on that 

You've got me on this one!  I've bought TGM since the first issue with a cover price but they must have done a free issue (or issues) prior to that.  If it was IM&RW, I probably didn't see it because I only bought that mag occasionally.

Fez

Nitefly said:

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

I didn't get to that one but I remember it happening. Sounds great did do some great clinics the Seymour Duncan one was brilliant, Vinnie More was good too.

guitars4you

Philly_Q said:

guitars4you said:

Just found vol 1 #1 of The Guitar Magazine - starts Aug 1990 - Was free - So I assume part of another mag as a promo run - I'm guessing International Musician - But maybe someone can update me on that 

You've got me on this one!  I've bought TGM since the first issue with a cover price but they must have done a free issue (or issues) prior to that.  If it was IM&RW, I probably didn't see it because I only bought that mag occasionally.

Funnily enough, so far the next copy I've found is Vol 1 #12 - So either yet to find more, or didn't have them, or lost them 

I've got shed loads of IM&RW to go through yet, so need to find the Aug 1990 version to see if they mention it 

KKJale

Yes, TGM began as a separate section in the back of International Musician, printed on coarser paper with red spot-colour only. I have a feeling there were four or six issues before it launched as a standalone title. 

You can imagine the sighs and suppressed grinding of teeth at Guitarist as a UK competitor appeared, and with such a clever and obvious title. The Guitar Magazine! Grrr! 

guitars4you

KKJale said:

Yes, TGM began as a separate section in the back of International Musician, printed on coarser paper with red spot-colour only. I have a feeling there were four or six issues before it launched as a standalone title. 

You can imagine the sighs and suppressed grinding of teeth at Guitarist as a UK competitor appeared, and with such a clever and obvious title. The Guitar Magazine! Grrr! 

Thanks for that about IM&RW

The reverse of this is that IM&RW were under threat as a general mag covering a vast scope of interests - Guitarist as a specialist mag, followed by a dedicated drum mag (Rhythm), etc, were leading the way - So IM&RW needed to respond - Music stores were already going down a similar direction, with dedicated acoustic shops, bass shops, guitar shops, and less 'general rock shops' 

CountryDave

Nitefly said:

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

Went to this event.  Quite a small event IIRC compared to later ones they put on.  He also brought along (in a gigbag) his Dragon Prototype.  At the end of his talk he left it on a stand at the front and invited 'anyone who wants to try it out, feel free', then wandered away for a chat with Gary and Tina.

A group of PRS spotters were ogling it with deferential admiration but not actually picking it up.  I along with @Caspercaster  were straight in there for a go.  One of the first 22 fret PRS guitars I believe.

They did a few with Patrick Eggle guitars too including one with Big Jim Sullivan playing his signature model and talking about modes and studio sessions.

Philly_Q

guitars4you said:

Philly_Q said:

guitars4you said:

Just found vol 1 #1 of The Guitar Magazine - starts Aug 1990 - Was free - So I assume part of another mag as a promo run - I'm guessing International Musician - But maybe someone can update me on that 

You've got me on this one!  I've bought TGM since the first issue with a cover price but they must have done a free issue (or issues) prior to that.  If it was IM&RW, I probably didn't see it because I only bought that mag occasionally.

Funnily enough, so far the next copy I've found is Vol 1 #12 - So either yet to find more, or didn't have them, or lost them 

I've got shed loads of IM&RW to go through yet, so need to find the Aug 1990 version to see if they mention it 

What are you doing with them all, Mark?  Sorting them out and keeping them, or having a clear-out?

I'm going to get rid of most of mine if I ever have time on my hands.  I'll keep some of the older ones from the '80s (and '90s in TGM's case) because they have nostalgia/sentimental value, but I don't feel any attachment to the recent ones, they just take up a stupid amount of space (along with all the other things I have which take up stupid amounts of space).

guitars4you

Philly_Q said:

guitars4you said:

Philly_Q said:

guitars4you said:

Just found vol 1 #1 of The Guitar Magazine - starts Aug 1990 - Was free - So I assume part of another mag as a promo run - I'm guessing International Musician - But maybe someone can update me on that 

You've got me on this one!  I've bought TGM since the first issue with a cover price but they must have done a free issue (or issues) prior to that.  If it was IM&RW, I probably didn't see it because I only bought that mag occasionally.

Funnily enough, so far the next copy I've found is Vol 1 #12 - So either yet to find more, or didn't have them, or lost them 

I've got shed loads of IM&RW to go through yet, so need to find the Aug 1990 version to see if they mention it 

What are you doing with them all, Mark?  Sorting them out and keeping them, or having a clear-out?

I'm going to get rid of most of mine if I ever have time on my hands.  I'll keep some of the older ones from the '80s (and '90s in TGM's case) because they have nostalgia/sentimental value, but I don't feel any attachment to the recent ones, they just take up a stupid amount of space (along with all the other things I have which take up stupid amounts of space).

Initially just dumping them - I kind of had forgotten about them as they were in storage and I could not be bothered to sort them out - Kind of re-discovered when my wife left and tidying up etc - But now having a ball going through them etc and great nostalgia - So keeping them

I'd actually stopped collecting any of the mags around 1996/97 anyway - Combination of to many mags now on the market - Mags were already then just circulating the same 'old song' etc - Plus already up a few hundred and running out of space - So no mags after 97

So kept Guitar Player, The Guitar Magazine, IM&RW up to this period 

spooner248

Marshall 9004 Stereo rack pre-amp
I still have one of those.

richardhomer

CountryDave said:

Nitefly said:

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

Went to this event.  Quite a small event IIRC compared to later ones they put on.  He also brought along (in a gigbag) his Dragon Prototype.  At the end of his talk he left it on a stand at the front and invited 'anyone who wants to try it out, feel free', then wandered away for a chat with Gary and Tina.

A group of PRS spotters were ogling it with deferential admiration but not actually picking it up.  I along with @Caspercaster  were straight in there for a go.  One of the first 22 fret PRS guitars I believe.

I was there too. There was a real ‘buzz’ around Sounds Great during the Gary/Tina/Rick Lowe period. Definitely the most exciting music shop in the North West at the time.

Rick has recently started working for Wilkinson, I believe, after many years with Zoom.

guitars4you

richardhomer said:

CountryDave said:

Nitefly said:

I remember Sounds Great arranging a PRS demo evening at a local hotel, they actually got Mr Smith himself in to demo his own guitars.  They were shifting quite a few PRS guitars at that time.

It was a bad evening for me, as some scroat broke into my car and nicked my gig-bag with all my mics, leads and pedals - grrr!

Went to this event.  Quite a small event IIRC compared to later ones they put on.  He also brought along (in a gigbag) his Dragon Prototype.  At the end of his talk he left it on a stand at the front and invited 'anyone who wants to try it out, feel free', then wandered away for a chat with Gary and Tina.

A group of PRS spotters were ogling it with deferential admiration but not actually picking it up.  I along with @Caspercaster  were straight in there for a go.  One of the first 22 fret PRS guitars I believe.

I was there too. There was a real ‘buzz’ around Sounds Great during the Gary/Tina/Rick Lowe period. Definitely the most exciting music shop in the North West at the time.

Rick has recently started working for Wilkinson, I believe, after many years with Zoom.

Not seen Rick for a while - Saw him at the odd guitar show - Often when I saw Trevor W - Say hi to him, from me, if you see him