Anyone fancy a well-used Editor (complete with a distinctly shop-soiled artwork staff?) I doubt if anyone of us would fetch 10p just now — so clapped-out are we this month! The trouble began with a last-minute rush to get the MUSIC U.K. GUITAR SPECIAL to the printers in time. Well — I say 'in time' but, of course, we're behind schedule with it. Needless to say (Murphy's law existing in downtown Bromley, as in all other places) that we ended up putting the finishing touches to it over the same weekend as this month's mag. was scheduled to make its appearance at our ultra-patient printers (got to say that or they'll print my name as Yrag Repooc!).

Anyway, by the time you see this issue, the MUSIC U.K. GUITAR SPECIAL '84 will be out on the streets, and I hope you feel it was worth the wait! We really have tried to get as many facts and pics, into it as could be — even copious (all right lots of if you prefer!) inside photos of Japanese and American guitar factories — something which few, if any, publications have managed before. I'd say that we looked forward to your reaction with baited wallets, if I didn't know how much we'd spent on the colour transparencies and platemaking (not to mention the rest of the production!) Oh, what the heck — it's only money (sob!). The MUSIC U.K. GUITAR SPECIAL '84 is available right now from any newsagent, lots of music shops, or direct from us (see the order form in the back of this issue). Don't miss it!

My pet vultures in the basement tell me that there are many MUSIC U.K. CLUB entries coming in every day — but, horror of horrors, they appear to have grossly miscalculated printing enough copies of last month's issue. Accordingly, supplies are like hens' teeth and we've had to 'up' the print run for this issue considerably. If any of you missed the November number, sorry — we're hoping we've scheduled enough of this one, but who knows? I'd suggest that you played safe and ordered a copy from your newsagent or asked your local Music Shop to save you one, but that's a bit corny isn't it? You can work that out for yourselves. Either way we've got the serfs working a 23 hour day to bash out more copies on the 'John Bull' rubber printing set so with luck there might be enough to go round this month. If not... well, legs do break, don't they?

Seriously, though. I'll leave outrageous circulation growth claims to others — you possibly know how last month's issue was hard to get in some areas — so you can draw your own conclusions about how many converts to MUSIC U.K. are presently swelling the ranks of the demented!

The perceptive among you might have noticed a curious absence of our regular price listings of late. The reason is sheer lack of space. However, we don't intend to dispense with them altogether — they'll become an occasional extra, making way, some months, for more reviews, articles, etc. As inflation has slowed down, so prices aren't changing as fast as they used to and monthly listings aren't as necessary as they were a couple of years ago. Bargain hunters, however, need not fear — 'son of price listings' will be appearing — bigger than ever! Anyway, that's it for now — must go as I hear there's a rebellion brewing in the art studio — damn cheek — 10p an hour's good enough for the Publisher, why not them! Exit stage left, pursued by moths fluttering from wallet!