Fretboard Journal Print Magazine

I am very happy with this magazine as it is more of an art piece than a periodical on the same old stuff for guitar players. I recommend it to all guitar lovers. If there is a problem with the magazine itself, it is that it is not published often enough. 4 issues per year may leave you wanting more. The bigger problem though is in its distribution (This is also the reason for only the 3 stars). I have had my subscription for a year now. The first 2 magazines were delivered without problem but the 3rd was a no show. I called and after 2 attempts was sent another issue. The 4th (and last) in my subscription is still missing in action. I have emailed and called without reply but do not have the time to continue to spend for a $10 magazine. While I recommend the journal, I would say it may be advantageous for the reader to find/locate a good distributor or bookstore that sells it and pick it up there on a regular basis.

Most magazines, and guitar magazines included, are primarily mediums to distribute advertising. This is NOT one of those. While it does have ads, they are aimed at the knowledgeable, not the impetuous. FBJ has well written, insightful articles about the music, and the people and instruments which make it. FBJ, as its name implies, explores not just guitars, but all fretted instruments, which allows a great expansion of many readers' perception of the art. The articles are long enough to wonderfully cover the subject, a refreshing change from most periodicals where article size cuts down on ad space and articles are often designed to sell advertiser's product. It explores the artists and instruments of the past and the present. It's one-on-one interviews are exceptional. Pictures are high quality, relevant, and large. Most of all, FBJ carries the reader into the very personal world of instrument making and playing like no other source will, and it delivers four times a year. An exceptional magazine by, for, and about an exceptional group of musicians and instruments.

The best writing I've found in a beautifully done quarterly about stringed instruments and the people who love them.

Update - it is now delivered in a nice cardboard sleeve, no chance of a rollup by the postmanGreat publication! Currently I purchase in-store only. It is a large magazine, so be warned you may receive it rolled up in your mailbox as mine came.

State of the art guitar-centric magazine for fans and artists alike.

I started with Fretboard Journal's very first issue picked up at an airport newsstand while on vacation. I stuck with the magazine until this time of writing, issue #31 and this is where it ends for me.The magazine itself is a high quality publication with good photography and decent articles. Features on artists focus on their instruments and some of North America's finest luthiers and builders are given the opportunity to showcase their talents in the quarterly.The founder and publisher, Jason Verlinde, is a great guy with lots of passion for guitars and their heritage. I was pleased to meet him at a Montreal guitar show in 2010. The magazine, and Mr. Verlinde, also show interest in other fretted instruments like mandolins and banjos. I never saw an Irish bouzouki in FJ, but I only read around half of the issues put out to date.So while it is a good magazine, its downfall is in it being somewhat difficult to acquire. I bought several issues from Chapters here in Canada, but the location nearest my home isn't near at all and they didn't always get the magazine at its release date. So, I eventually opted for subscription which became very problematic here in Canada as the magazine more often than not arrived damaged.The best way to acquire this magazine, in my opinion, is the iPad version. If I were ever to buy it again, this would be the way I would get it. The hard copy, if you don't live in the US, is probably not a good choice.

A beautiful publication, sort of the Architectural Digest of the guitar, banjo and mandolin world. The articles are long form,profusely illustrated, and very well researched and written. Recently Fretboard Journal has had difficulty keeping to its quarterly publishing schedule, but the magazine itself is without peer. Worth every penny and actually a bargain at the current subscription cost.

Finally, a killer looking instrument magazine with interesting articles about players and collectors. This mag covers a pretty wide range of topics--interviews with players, builder interviews, some historical/esoteric stuff, etc. Even has some artsy photo spreads of instruments themselves. But I loved every page of the first issue. This is mag is stunning! No tab or instruction but plenty of entertaining, smart articles.I love it. Even my wife read it!