Guitar Player - Full Year 2018 Collection File
A chronological narrative through the 2018 archives of Guitar Player magazine reveals a year defined by a reverence for tradition and a sudden, sharp turn toward the future. Winter: The Resilience of Icons
The narrative shifted dramatically in the July and August issues. The "modeling revolution" finally moved from a niche curiosity to a mainstream necessity. Long-form interviews with players like and the rise of "bedroom shredders" on Instagram forced the magazine to address the Kemper and Fractal ecosystems. The collection captured a palpable tension between the "old guard" who demanded vacuum tubes and a new generation of players who were recording world-class albums on laptops. Fall: The Acoustic Renaissance and New Blood Guitar Player - Full Year 2018 Collection
Toward the end of 2018, Guitar Player looked toward the diversity of the instrument. The collection highlighted the percussive, complex styles of acoustic players like , while the "New Gear" guides were flooded with high-end boutique pedals. The year concluded with a focus on St. Vincent (Annie Clark) , symbolizing a break from the "guitar hero" tropes of the past. Her signature Ernie Ball Music Man guitar was a centerpiece of the year-end discussion, proving that the future of the instrument lay in bold aesthetics and genre-bending utility. A chronological narrative through the 2018 archives of
By the final issue of 2018, the collection told a story of a community that had successfully bridged the gap between the legendary "Burst" era and a digital-first future. Long-form interviews with players like and the rise
As spring arrived, the collection pivoted toward the "British Steel" influence. Deep dives into the rigs of and Iron Maiden dominated the mid-year pages, analyzing how dual-guitar harmonies had evolved from the 70s into the modern day. This period also saw a massive retrospective on the Fender Stratocaster , documenting its 60-plus year reign. The editorial tone was one of stability—the guitar world seemed content to polish its trophies and discuss the merits of analog over digital. Summer: The Digital Disruption
The year began under the shadow of loss and the celebration of longevity. The early 2018 issues focused heavily on the technical perfection of , whose meticulous approach to tone remained the gold standard for the "gear-head" community. However, the narrative was soon dominated by the passing of Eddie Van Halen’s peers and the introspective look at the blues-rock lineage. Features on Joe Bonamassa highlighted a "preservationist" era, where the magazine obsessed over the provenance of 1959 Les Pauls and the "magic" of Dumble amplifiers. Spring: The British Invasion & The Stratocaster
