So long Wood & Steel

[Guitarsan]

It had to happen sooner or later, and that time has come. Just received my last printed copy of Wood & Steel. They announce in the issue they're discontinuing it due to costs and sustainability and to focus on a richer multi-media experience in the digital version they introduced during the pandemic. They say they will continue to refine and innovate the digital version and you can subscribe to it to be notified when it comes out. A sad milestone.

[Earl]

We knew it would come eventually.  I'm surprised that hard copy lasted this long.  I mostly enjoyed them, but some issues were getting hard to read (non-guitar content that was rather "preachy").  The crazy uncommanded scrolling of the web version is a real turnoff and makes it hard to read.  I would prefer if they made a PDF version to download, as I have been doing for the past 18 months or so.  At least then the pages turn only when *I* want them to, not when the window thinks it should.

I'll watch for this final printed copy and hang onto it.  Mailed copies seem to take longer to get to Idaho than others here, so maybe in the next three weeks?

[SDTaylorman]

Oh well. There goes my Taylor reading material. I refuse to read magazines like that online. I'm no luddite (I do a lot of I.T. work and other high level computing). Nope, not a good way to take in information (studies prove it) and I prefer to have Taylor only know they sent the mag, not when, where and how I'm reading it (highly likely as a digital product). I'm sad as I liked W&S but it's dead to me now.

[lwilliams]

Yep, mine came today delivering the BAD news.   

I will not be reading it online.   I would be OK to pay a small subscription to continue the "dead tree" version.

Oh well......I will enjoy this one and that will be the end of it.

[Toucan256]

It's a darn shame. I guess it's another casualty of the times we live in. I'm not going to say I won't read some of it digitally, but I will not be able to give it the same attention than the physical version.

[Edward]

Agree with all the lament above!   Likewise, I won’t be clicking on either.  The printed format is perfect leisure material and a whole different vibe than net reads.  Another casualty of the times is right!  Yet another fallout of a garbage economy.  Big bummer!

Edward

[DennisG]

As a former contributor to the magazine, this makes me sad.  There's nothing like settling back, opening a copy of Wood & Steel, and reading about the world of Taylor guitars.

[TaylorGirl]

I'm with the general consensus here. I can somewhat understand Taylor's decision to move to completely digital. I won't seek out the Wood & Steel online. I enjoyed sitting down and reading the print copy.....just not the same with a computer or tablet.

[SDTaylorman]

One would hope (though this is the UNofficial Taylor Guitar Forum) that someone from Taylor actually sees this thread at some point and reverses this error. There was a lot of customer goodwill with that printed product and a little goodwill goes a long way. Naturally the reverse of that is that when you constantly give someone something they don't ever expect and then take it away there's a level of expectation created upon first receipt that continues to build over time. Of course that is, conversely once again, part of that goodwill I was referring to in the first part of this post.

[woodnut]

This is a sure cure for GAS, no more drooling over the latest offering.
Danny

[Earl]

This is a sure cure for GAS, no more drooling over the latest offering.
Danny

Good point, Danny.  Looking back, much of the GAS I've had for Taylor guitars over the last 25+ years has come from the quarterly issues of W&S.  Almost every issue sent me to my local dealer to test drive something, out of curiosity.  A fair percentage of those times, a guitar followed me home.  Now there will be one less area of temptation.  It was the last guitar-related print media that I received on a recurring basis.

In fairness, I just noticed that the 1st and 3rd issues for the past couple of years are downloadable as a PDF.  While that is really not the same visual and tactile satisfaction as print, at least the format is actually readable unlike the web version.  Look under the "see past issues" tab.  https://woodandsteel.taylorguitars.com/product-spotlight/hands-on-learning/

[Frettingflyer]

I just got my final issue, what a sad day. Like many here I really enjoyed checking out the new guitars and reading the articles. I don’t care for the online version. Reading on a tablet or computer is much less likely. Of course, I have already purchased most, if not all of the Taylor’s I am likely to buy and they are likely after a younger buyer.
That said, while I doubt I want one of the new 500’s it will be fun to try one when I see one….

[jricc]

I'll add my disappointed sentiments too.
I always looked forward to sitting down with a cup of coffee (or glass of wine) and reading the print edition of W&S. 
Another sad sign of the times

[TaylorGirl]

An indirect casualty?

I enjoyed the discussion here, after we all received  and read our print copies of W&S. Yes, it's still available  digitally, but with the sentiments here, I wonder if our discussions will suffer. Just thinking out loud.   

[Earl]

....Of course, I have already purchased most, if not all of the Taylor’s I am likely to buy and they are likely after a younger buyer....

These posts may have hit the nail on the head.  Us older folks already have our Taylor guitars and have churned through the "flavors of the month" to settle on the keepers.  So they are using the new media to go after younger customers.  Us old fogies who like paper and print may not be all that important to ongoing sales any longer.  We've aged out of the new business model.

....but with the sentiments here, I wonder if our discussions will suffer.  Just thinking out loud.   

As for Susie's second point, it seems like things are pretty quiet around here lately.  The changes as implemented by Taylor Guitars over the last couple of years seem to be alienating many of us, intentionally or not, and that seems to be reflected in reduced forum participation recently.  My dos centavos....