Before the Interpages came around, issues like the Bass Player Session Legends and Studio Gear or the Tone and Technique specials would end up on the newsstands for a certain price, and the regular subscribers would get zilch – “newsstand specials” don’t end up in the subscribers’ mailboxes. The content came from previous issues, so the subscribers aren’t really missing anything. However, a nice combined reference issue would be a great resource.
Now, these issues come in a digital format. We get the issue, the publishers don’t have to outlay the publishing costs, and there is joy for all. Minus the newstand sales, however, – instead, it becomes a bonus for readers instead of an income source.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way, Bass Player magazine. I have the vast majority of your issues, minus a few in the beginning, and I’ve been a subscriber for almost 17 years. And I would still pay for a digital archive. A searchable, high-quality digital archive like what Modern Drummer put out would be fantastic, and you’d have my money in a heartbeat. Besides, are you really going to let drummers get a leg up on us?
You don’t even have to put it on quickly-going-obsolete optical media. Sell it in conjunction with a bass-related collectable of some sort and make it a download. You’ve already done it with these special issues. Do it to the rest of the issues, and we’ll be in business. Thanks in advance!