A celebration of the rich heritage and exquisite sound of the acoustic guitar

As the world begins to open up to live performances again, this special acoustic supplement to Guitarist magazine is designed to help you bring the magic of unplugged music to an audience near you – even if that audience is just family and friends at home. At the top of the bill is David Mead’s deep dive into how to get a top-flight acoustic sound on stage. It’s not easy to get a natural, feedback-free tone when performing live, but, over on page 12, we talk to some of the world’s greatest players and acoustic sound engineers who share how to sound incredible and keep the sonic gremlins at bay. Of course, it helps to have the right kit, too, and that’s why, from page 28, you’ll find guides to the best acoustic guitars on the market, to suit all your musical and budgetary needs. Over on page 22, we also explore a holy grail of vintage guitar tone in the form of a beautiful, pre-war Martin 000-45, the yardstick against which so many subsequent guitars have been measured. Rod Brakes uncovers the history of this extraordinary instrument and of Martin’s opulent ‘Style 45’ grade of ornamentation and build, which is top of the tree among the guitars made by the revered Pennsylvania company. But as much as we love beautiful and rare guitars, they only come to life in the hands of inspired musicians. So we also have interviews with some of the great unplugged talents of our time, including CSN legend David Crosby and KT Tunstall who share their songwriting wisdom inside. Enjoy the issue.