ABSTRACT

In the new guitarscape, evidence suggests that the exploration of the cultures of the guitar by guitarists and others around the world has never been so intense. Guitarists may operate with reference to a single point of origin or more than one, as defined by a sense of their own cultural identity and ethnicity but also by their musical influences. The guitar travels and is subject to translation, assimilation and customization in many different ways. The emergence of the electric guitar on local African music scenes brought with it 'increased institutionalization of music. Guitars became a vehicle for explicit use by the nationalist leadership in disseminating their ideas and shaping national identity'. The new guitarscape is a place where knowledge of the canon of the great guitarists and their masterworks still fire the imaginations of musicians across the planet. A small group of famous guitarists can be seen to be empowered across the planet, especially in rock and jazz guitar.