The site is called Acoustic Guitar Community, and offers many of the features familiar to users of such culture-shifting sites as Facebook or MySpace. Members create a customized home page, and can post blogs, photos, videos and events viewable by other members, who they can contact directly inside the network.

Members can also add applications to their profile page, many of which are identical – or nearly so – to ones in common use on Facebook and MySpace. The difference, of course, is that the entire environment is dedicated to guitars and guitar players.

Like the other popular social networking sites, membership is free and, as of this writing, is up to nearly 4,000 strong.

Find all the details at www.acousticguitarcommunity.com.

In an eight page section the feature article assesses the merits of seven different makes of the cherished Dreadnought guitar, varying in price from $350 to $4,000 and across the range of manufacturers such as Morgan Monroe, Epiphone, Larivee, Taylor, Breedlove, Martin and Santa Cruz.

The reviewers, who include magazine Senior Editor Scott Nygaard, provide a narrative comment on the characteristics of each guitar, added to which are basic specifications, prices and contact details. Whether it is an entry-level or a professional-quality modern guitar that you are seeking, the general opinion is that all of them are well worth consideration.

While specific models are discussed, comparables from the same price range are mentioned also, bringing attention to 42 dreadnoughts in all.

The complete article can be found at the Acoustic Guitar website, where there is access to two videos which allow a good view of each of the seven guitars, and a sonic appreciation of their tonality.

Another interesting feature of the September edition of Acoustic Guitar is Cross-Cultural Picking in which Nygaard discusses with Italian ace guitarist Beppe Gambetta the latter’s new cross-picking technique, and the poetry of flat picking.

The article includes a good bit of historical information about Clarence, including his influences, and comments from some of today’s legends who were influenced by his playing. One quote that seems to sum up the feelings most professionals have for Clarence is from guitar great Tony Rice.

I couldn’t play like him. I still can’t play like him. Nobody else can either.

Despite Rice’s accurate assessment that no one can play like Clarence, Nygaard feels that we can still learn from him and capture at least a little part of his style in our own playing. To that end, the article includes tablature examples for 13 different licks and passages, including one rhythm passage, a turn through 9lb Hammer, and some wilder licks that might take a bit of practice to master.

The online version of the article includes mp3 audio files to let you hear Nygaard perform the lick as an aid to your learning experience.

If you are a guitar player, here is a chance to grab a couple new moves that will not only expand your mind and playing, but make the other pickers you play with take notice.