Despite uncertain times, makers unveil guitars, guitars, and more guitars. There have been many new gear releases in the past 12 months - in this story, we explore the year's highlights and trends.
In the midst of a global pandemic, the guitar market soared with high demand for a range of offerings. Here's the best acoustic guitars and accessories of 2020.
“Giant steps” might just be the motto of guitar makers in 2019. It was a year in which we saw the results of several large makers looking to the future of the guitar and daring to do something different. Martin hit the ejector-seat button on its popular Vintage series to launch the new Modern Deluxe line; Taylor built on last year’s buzz around a new bracing system to debut an all-new guitar that’s unlike anything they’ve made before; and Fender dropped an ambitious new acoustic/electric hybrid. Each move stirred the souls of the brands’ biggest fans, and you can say one thing for sure: These companies aren’t treading water. They’re challenging their own legacies by rethinking what can be done—and they’re delivering some of their finest guitars yet.
After several years of quiet trends in the acoustic guitar world, the legacy guitar brands announced big changes that will make this a year to remember.
In recent years, guitarists have shown an increasing propensity for “old wood”—instruments that, due to decades of aging, have arrived at their peak resonant state.