The electric guitar has been considered "dead" at least twice in the last 30 years. The latest death came with the evolution of technology in the Eighties and Nineties.

With the arrival of microchips and samples and fast advancing disk space, it was suddenly possible to replace a guitar player. Plus music styles and tastes were diverting from rock, blues and jazz for a while. At least, that's what was going on in Europe.

It may have been better in the States for cultural reasons, but I'm certain that even in the US some dealers were banking on Yamaha DX7s or Korg M1s when planning their budgets for the coming year, instead of considering to expanding brand selection in their guitar department. Everything was geared toward "tech".

It's 2006 and the guitar is back stronger than ever. Man, I should have kept all of my guitars instead of buying a couple of keyboards!

I recently read an article claiming that US households and their members own an average of 1.2 guitars! That's an incredible number! I'm not sure what the situation in Europe is exactly, but I reckon it's below .4. Asia is even lower, but growing fast. You can't just export an entire culture in a few years.

American companies are usually a bit impatient when looking at, for example China. Ten years ago Chinese people weren't allowed to listen to Western music and we expect them to play Jimi Hendrix tunes ten years later?

I believe it's going to take a bit longer than we thought.

Why is the guitar so popular?

Many people have expressed their opinions and findings. I think it is the most personal instrument there is. It touches your hands, your arms, your belly and other areas of your body (depending on what you're doing) and it makes you feel what's going through it. It's not just what you hear when playing the guitar.

To me, it's what you can feel through the vibration of the strings making the guitar body and neck vibrate. The better built an instrument is, the more of that are you getting. Most guitar players know what I'm talking about. Nobody but you can feel it. What everyone else can pick up, though is how much better you play and sound if it's going on in your guitar.

I suppose the rejuvenated interest in guitars, even as an investment also has to do with the fact that some manufacturers in the late seventies and early eighties have forgotten about the art of making guitars the right way. The lack of care on their part has allowed new companies to bring their talent and creativity to the surface, which in return benefits players and the industry as a whole.

Besides, a guitar player just looks so much cooler.

I have literally played thousands of guitars in my life. I can tell you in 2 minutes if and how it rings and what the response and the decay is and the natural compression that is going on without even plugging it in. It's obviously easier with acoustic guitars than it is with electrics, especially solid bodies, but it's the same principle. In a nutshell, this is why I think guitars are so popular today.

I have every indication to believe that we are on a continuing upward trend regarding the guitar playing community with hopefully no end in sight.

I think that's good news for all guitar makers, guitar stores and guitar players and the industry as a whole. It's also good news for all people who like to listen to music. And who doesn't?

Cheers,
Pete