Rumors of the death of the guitar are greatly exaggerated. In fact, sales of acoustic and electric guitars have picked up notably during pandemic lockdowns, as new players have taken the plunge and experienced axe-wielders have upgraded and added to their gear.
From my point of view, this is the best time in the history of music to be taking up the six-string. Entry-level guitars are now of remarkably high quality, consumers have a vast array of online buying options, and companies have created entire digital-instruction platforms, such as Fender Play.
Other big names have also stepped up. Gibson declared bankruptcy in 2018 after some ill-advised expansions, but since then the Nashville-based legend has been steadily revamping its lineup, opening up ownership to customers who might have previously thought the brand was out of reach.
And California's Taylor — the new kid on the block, started in the 1970s and going up against names that had been around for over a hundred years — has continued to relentlessly innovate with its acoustic designs.
Gibson recently let me borrow an electric guitar and a new acoustic from its Epiphone brand, while Taylor let me check out its latest creation, as well as a guitar made from wood that used to be considered trash. Here's what I thought: