I love Guitar World. I’ve been reading it since well before there was a digital version and I’ve subscribed to the digital version for several years now. However, the changes I’ve noticed lately have me considering canceling altogether. The company seems to think throwing in random pop-up ads whenever I come back to read are a good idea. You’ll see pop ups for “2 MONTHS FREE”* or “COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION”. There were very few in the beginning, but they’re becoming more and more common. Why do companies always thing “more ads” are a good idea? Leave the ads in the pages of the magazine where they belong.
I no longer have a subscription but when I had a print subscription many of those issues were also included in my library. I opened the app after a long while and all of my back issues in My Library had been removed. Like most things today, buying something doesn’t mean it’s yours, and they can take it away at anytime, either from greed or incompetence.
Buyer beware after years of being a loyal reader, o suddenly lost all my magazines. I had purchased all back issues and was up to date. Contacted support and we are now 10 emails over 2 weeks in and they are not able to restore my purchases. Customer support is non-existent
I don’t know what the problem is, but they just can’t get it correct. I feel Customer Service, is not doing it’s job. I’m thinking about canceling permanently. I can’t download any of my digital edition copies. Absolutely ridiculous.
I bought the pdf subscription online, and apparently the only way to access my magazines are through this app. Yet there is no way to login to my guitar world account on this app so I cannot access my magazines!!!
These issues used to come with 4-5 song transcriptions of current songs. For example, if Petrucci was on the cover, they would have a transcription of one of the new Dream Theater songs. Seems like they are just recycling transcriptions from the past.
No real support, lose all your past issues, no phone contact for United Kingdom who controls the App. No fixes. Apple will not get involved with this as many reviews complain of App Failures and lost already paid for issues. Downloads gone, not in the cloud. Emails of dozens take days and days to get a non fix response, then days pass before another non fixed response. Screen shots sent fail to get delivered, mail box full is response , or logs go to another Future company that says not them yet on App Future is main name of App and help menu asks for log and controls where it goes ? They must believe we Americans are idiots !! Apple needs to shut this one down. Enough of this 3rd party hide behind, your customers are being robbed of paid for content !!!! Stay away from all their Guitar Magazine Apps from My Magazines Direct and Future Publishing Apps !!! APPLE HELP US !!!! No real support at all, things go from bad to worse when you email. Their help inside apps that instructs what to do crashes you and you lose more issues. I have 2iPads, different versions, problems are on both and on their Guitar apps only, more sofistcated software works well, stupid magazine dumb app fails. The editors of these magazines , the advertisers all should also be ashamed of their loyal customer base being ripped off. App needs a total overhaul or shut down refunding all. There are plenty of reviews all with same app problems...What will it take ? Class action lawsuit possibly ? Lastly receipts from purchases to prove you paid are links that go no where all of a sudden. Until fixed if ever save your money.
App has gliches, pages do not always load well, links do not work....It's a real drag as I used to love the original GW with all its gear reviews and demos...sadly, it's gone, and replaced with a digital version that has less material, no gear demos like before and the magazine is poorly edited. Last couple issues several of the links did not work. I sent an email to customer service and the guy wanted exact page numbers...he said he could not do anything unless I told him the exact pages that have problems. WHY do I have to do the editors job? He is still asleep at the wheel as this month's August issue has page 166 repeated at page 168 and the end of the EVH interview (page 168) is missing/not finished. Editor: If you are reading this THE MISTAKE IS ON PAGE 168.
Being a paper subscriber I am highly disappointed that wasn't able to transfer my subscription. So, I purchased one magazine to test it out. (it's not like 8 bucks ever killed anyone). The digital version seems to hold true to the paper edition, but with the CD or other special content not included, you're not getting your monies worth. For now, I'll leave the 3 star rating until those two issues are resolved. And once they are I'll gladly give a 5-star rating and continue my subscription exclusively on the digital format. P.S. to the users complaining about the app being "free", you make a moot point. It sounds like to me you would rather them make you pay for the reader app AND then purchase issues once inside. No? I thought you might say that. So until the checker at 7-11 forces you to pay a dollar to just LOOK at the magazine, I would say it's a pretty straightforward system. Cheers!
I had previous issues with my subscription and even after downloading the 1.2 update, I was still being asked to purchase subsequent issues as they hit the Newsstand. My iPad was updated but after manually syncing and pushing through iCloud, my iPhone was still 'pay-per-issue'. After reporting a the problem to iTunes, Guitar World and Future Publishing (all to no avail), I gave a two-star rating (even though I praised the magazine & app's look & functionality). Anyone having the same problem should take the time to use the HELP tutorial button. Anyway - Great mag! Amazing on iPad! Buy it!
Issues are huge, slow, expensive, and don't exploit IOS interface
If you really want to read GW on an iPad, then buy a separate iPad for each copy you download. (Forget the iPhone version as the issues are unreadable on the small screen.) If instead you want Guitar World with a good user face, then your only option is to buy the print version. With the print version, you can clip the tabs you like for convenient use, quickly flip through the issue to find that page that grabs you, and keep multiple copies on hand for easy reference. NONE of this is possible with this clunky app. It is dreadful. On top of that, new issues cost $8 each, yet you get less than what the print version offers. I gave the app 2 starts instead of 1 because no matter what your taste is, GW always has content to offer. But the app version is a huge disappointment.
I've been a Guitar World subscriber since the beginning, literally, when I used to wait each month for Guitar For the Practicing Musician and Guitar World issues to come, and both grew up on it and taught myself how to play guitar with it. Guitar World has been a part of my life for the better part of two decades. After I upgraded to iOS 5, I was having a look around newsstand or whatever it's called for Revolver and Guitar World, and was TOTALLY stoked when I saw Guitar World. Immediately paid for a year subscription to compliment my print subscription..... BUT first flag went up when it says FREE and not jack is free...deceit right out of the gate, and complete false advertising. Strike one. Then, as I made my way through the clunky interface and began downloading the first issue with much anticipation, when I began to navigate the first issue, I was underwhelmed to say the least. As a few of the other reviews have said, it simply the pages of the magazine scanned in. The pages are a bit slow to render, and it's a big disappointment to say the least. An interface like People Magazine, or something taking advantage of the rich features that could be possible would make this an incredible publication. Instead, it's an underwhelming dissapointment, and I'm considering a refund, as much as I don't want to.
It comes with a free back issue so I don't know what people are complaining about. Download the app, download the free issue and see if you like it. If you do then you can in-app purchase the latest or subscribe for a year. The app renders an excellent facsimile of the paper magazine. The graphics are awesome. Nothing seems to be lost reading it on an iPad. The file for each magazine must be huge (which is understandable) - the free one took about 10 minutes to download through wifi. If you like the magazine (which I do very much) then you will not be disappointed with this app.
I'm not sure how to rate this app if it's going to tell me to pay for an issue I already paid for once. I suppose if I subscribe, the same thing will happen? From what I can see in other reviews, this app works on iPads & iPhones, but not iPod touch. Very disappointed :-( No where do I see it is not compatible /W iPod. So happy for those of u that have it on ur iPads, but those of us with other iOS devices are SOL. I am not complaining about a free issue that is not free, cuz one must buy an issue or a subscription in order to download the "free" issue. The whole idea we have about the "free" issue is to see if 1. Will it work on our iOS device, and 2. Will we like what we see? Well, it doesn't, and I don't. That is NOT worth $7.99 US dollars! Avoid this app like the plague and stick to your print issues!
This is great and I subscribed for a year but they haven't given us the newest issue yet!! The newest issue is the one with Hendrix on it and I've been able to buy it at my local grocery store for a week now but was waiting for it to come to my iPad since I subscribed, but nothing yet!! I thought subscribing this way would bring the issues to me a little quicker or at least the same time the stores get them, but I don't know what's up and I'm not gonna go buy it at the store when I already paid for my newsstand subscription version. I would give it 5 stars if they were more on top of it and didn't leave us hanging. Get it together Guitar World! I've been buying this magazine for 20 years!! Where is the new friggin issue already?!
This app is great. But you know the best part? The reviews! Instant entertainment! Wow, people believe that everything in the app store should be free, go figure! It says it plain and clear in the app description the subscription costs money. So to all you freeloaders out there who feel cheated from a free app, get a job and quit whining about things you're going to see in life. Paying for magazines is nothing new at all.
Lousy app design and terrible support means I can no longer access the issues that I purchases through two years of subscriptions. Asked GW for a refund. They said Apple handles that. Apple refused the refund so I am basically out of the money I spent on two years worth of subscriptions. At least with the paper issue, I would still have my copies. The way my issue was handled made it clear that digital subscriptions to magazines are not superior to traditional paper types. Due to an atrociously poorly developed app (Guitar World) I'm unable to acces past issues that I should own. With Apple saying I can't get a refund, I'm basically out the cost of two years worth of subscriptions. I also like how if you do something wrong when writing a review, it makes you start over.
I haven't been able to read the past four months worth of magazines and am getting quite fed up. Even before recently it was hit or miss with fingers crossed as to whether or not it would open. I've had an iPad subscription to this mag for a long time. Fix it. Just fix it. Future PLC's magazine app for ImagineFX, which I subscribe to also, was finally fixed a few months ago, as it always crashed as well. It's ridiculous that people have to complain for months to get anyone to work on an app that already wasn't terribly complicated nor functional.
I love the content of this magazine.... Great transcriptions and articles. All three points come from that. But it does not live up too an iPad magazine. It's no better than a PDF without any benefits. It mentions some extra features will come along, but don't buy an app based on promised features. This is still a decent way to get a great magazine at an amazing price. But I cannot fully endorse it at this version number. Once some design work gets done I think this will be very good app, but simple high quality scanning with URLs linked in text is not what this magazine deserves. Give us the GQ interface and your content and I'll recommend it to anyone.
I've been a fan of Guitar World since the first issue. Great magazine. The iPad format is very nice and it is a great way to read the magazine. I do have one gripe though. I bought the subscription. The problem I have is the latest issue is out on newstands yet I don't have that issue on the iPad yet. You would think you would get the iPad version at least the same time the newstand version comes out. So I may have potentially read the magazine before I get it on the iPad. Either that or I will have to avoid the hard version and wait for the latest version to be available for download.
This application was literally "rocking my world" LOL but really this is a great app and I considered one of my favorite apps the app never crashed and was always letting me get into it and always reading great literature thank you to the app creators in please download this I surely recommend this to all Guitar fans and all Guitar people in general please download this app immediately and have fun rocking thank you app creators and thank you people who download it have a wonderful day✌️
Look I get it. You can't pay for the magazine without advertising. This magazine takes it to a whole new level though. The app itself is fine and the print looks great on the new iPad, but I was blown away at how much advertising is in this magazine now. There are literally 8 straight pages of advertising between the cover and the table of contents. I'd guess at least a third of the magazine is advertising. I will not be renewing ever again unless this starts to change before my subscription runs out.
They are still no hooking up print subscribers when nearly every other magazine company does. I have Newsweek, Businessweek, Bon Appetit and others without paying twice. These guys are really greedy. On top of that the other mags created a made for iPad experience not just a scanned PDF. Future plc can go to hell. I will not renew my sub or ever buy anything from them again.
Neonoah75: You're stupid. The app is free. You have to pay for the content. Jesus. You are lame. And Gregory Crain: It's not the app's fault that the download is failing. It might be Apple's, but it's more than likely something to do with your connection. Thousands of people have had no trouble downloading this. Use a little trial and error to figure it out.
C'mon people, I think majority are over reacting. If you actually read the description before downloading it says what the subscription cost is! If you thought that guitar world would actually put there magazines in digital form for free than you shouldn't even be writing a review..
Just upgraded my phone. Saw a new app called news stand. Lists this magazine as FREE. Thought I would take a look. All you get for free is the cover! Not even a bone. This is bogus as a 3 dollar bill. They want you to buy a subscription to something that's listed as free without even so much as a look. Been a professional guitarist for 45 years. No one hires without an audition and no one buys a magazine without at least a peek! Especially one listed as FREE. Leaves a very bad impression for a possible future subscriber who might have bought in if only allowed one Real FREE issue.
Guitar Workd was one of the few publications I missed having a digital version. Now the wait is over and I will save a lot of space at home! ;-) Just wished it had the sound clips for the lessons built in the app, such as brazilian Guitar Load e-magazine.
The app works fine. Issues show up exactly like they should. Why does it keep asking me to subscribe when i have already bought a subscription? Also, why can't the centerfold (fold out poster) be included with the digital subscription? That seems like a strange omission to me...
Don't listen to the idiots that gave this magazine a bad rating because it wasn't FREE! They were too stupid to actually read beyond where it said FREE. If they had they would have seen the part of the description where it tells you how much the magazine subscription costs. It's a great magazine!
Sadly, this magazine app should be a lot more than it is (which is just a scanned copy of the print magazine). One would expect features like: linked table of contents, linked audio samples and video samples/lessons at minimum. But none of that is here. It's just an overpriced scan of the print magazine. You can do better.
It has gotten better over time, very slow at first but has improved over the 2 plus years I've been a subscriber. Looks and works fantastic on my iPad. Was really looking forward to having these on my iPhone 6 Plus, but alas this wasn't the best experience. Need an update for the 6+.
While I am willing to pay for the convenience of having magazines on my iPad, I wish they would offer more than their paper counterparts. Simply slapping the paper issue on a scanner and calling it a day isn't going to cut it if publishers want to attract digital subscribers. This is a missed opportunity to offer more to the reader.
This app desperately needs a preloader so that page images don't buffer while loading. It's pathetic, I feel like I'm reading a "downloaded" issue on dial-up. As has also been said, no table of context/indexed articles, or links to audio/video accompaniments to articles make this a pretty worthless "digital" representation of the magazine.
Terrible app first you buy a year subscription on the guarantee that all issues can be used on all devices. All I did was upgrade from iPhone 4 to 5. Now they've revoked every issue I've owned and revoked the 3 I have left for subscription. It's been two weeks of diverting emails and apple support still won't help with the issue. Do not buy unless you like throwing money away and being taken advantage of!
First off I'd like to say its a great app and I enjoyed the free issue (which is a full issue btw, not just a ripoff) I want to go back and purchase an a cover from earlier this year (with Asking Alexandria). However only two are available for purchase at a time. Please add a bigger variety of issues that can be purchased. (The popular science app has a pretty good setup for this)
So far, this is nothing but a scanned PDF type subscription that is a month off. I paid for a year and now have to buy the latest issue at the store? Very disappointed in guitar world. I thought you guys were better than this poor effort. Take a look at other subs to gain some insight on how a real sub should work.
I am an idiot who plays guitar. This idiot also really enjoys reading Guitar magazine and I don't mind paying for it. The "free"newsstand app is not what is being marketed as free (it came pre-installed on my phone). It is clearly the e-magazines that are being advertised as free. The description and screen shots are soely promoting Guitar Magazine's content. No mention or promotion of an Guitar Magazine application or it's functions can be found in the description or screenshots. Another auto-renew scam. I expected more from apple and their partners.
For more than 31 years, Guitar World has served as North America's leading publication for rock guitarists, providing unique instructional content, exclusive photography and interviews with the genre's leading celebrity guitarists. Each month, Guitar World offers lessons that help players refine their craft, in-depth reviews of the latest guitars, amplifiers and effects, current happenings from around the rock scene, celebrity columnists and one-on-one conversations with artists ranging from iconic superstars to the young guns of today. Join thousands of others and download our free app now! ------------------- Once you’ve downloaded our app, you will need to take a free trial or purchase a single issue or subscription to access our in-depth content. We also publish specials and guides - browse our publications, read what interests you most, and get inspired. Back issues, specials, and future issues are available for purchase within the app. Subscriptions are available on various monthly and annual terms, and auto-renew until you decide to cancel it. Check inside the app for current pricing. *** Please Note: Our digital edition is not printable and does not include the covermount items or supplements you would find with the print edition *** • The free trial offer is only available to new subscribers. If you have previously subscribed then payment will be taken immediately. • You can cancel at any time during the free trial period and you will not be charged. Simply turn off auto-renew in your Apple account subscriptions page at least 24 hours before the auto-renew is due. • Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product. • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase . • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. This does not affect your statutory rights. • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. • We will be collecting information about your use of the app both when you are online and offline. To find out more please see our privacy policy. The subscription will include the current issue if you don't already own it and subsequently published future issues for the duration of your subscription period. ------------------- By purchasing a subscription or downloading an app you agree that you have read and accept Future Publishing Ltd's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy/ www.futureplc.com/terms-conditions/
