should we give "our guys" a platform

FelineGuitars

Wez - I'd probably say that you might be considered semi-pro as guitar making has taken up a fair amount of your time .

The only thing I said about full time makers was my group on Facebook as it might allow us to discuss in relative discreet confidence things that affect our daily work and really aren't a public face that we might want to share with people who don't face the same work related challenges.

digitalscream

FelineGuitars said:

Wez - I'd probably say that you might be considered semi-pro as guitar making has taken up a fair amount of your time .

The only thing I said about full time makers was my group on Facebook as it might allow us to discuss in relative discreet confidence things that affect our daily work and really aren't a public face that we might want to share with people who don't face the same work related challenges.

What a polite way to say "bitching about fucking annoying punters"

FelineGuitars

TTony said:

FelineGuitars said:

I'm really enjoying the new forum, although struggling a bit with some of the new format and some things that I was used to from MR I can't find and it may just be me struggling to come to terms with the format

 

Give us some specifics - what are you struggling with?

 

Make it easier to look through posts someone has done 

A clearer Private message system

Click on the person's name.  That takes you to their profile page.  Under their avatar, on the LHS of the page, you should see headings for Activity, Discussions and Comments.  Click comments to see everything that they've posted, when, and in which discussion.  Click on the discussion title (in blue at the bottom of each comment made) to see the full context of the discussion in which the comment was made.

For PMs, click the envelope icon which is always displayed, under your userid.  That'll take you to the PM screen where you see the list of PMs by title and correspondent.  Click on any of the individual messages to see the full history of message in/out.

If you want to include someone else into a PM discussion, invite them with @FelineGuitars.

 FelineGuitars said:

Lose some of the silly token thingies - like getting brownie points etc in favour of straightforward functionality

I don't need LOLs Wows and facepalms - just easy navigation 

Don't go there!

The intention was that those would give a better indication of someone's contribution to the forum rather than just "post count".  Thus, if a person was giving advice, but had no advice points and lots of facepalms, you might not treat it too seriously (etc).  The concept is still finding its way ...

I think it's just learning my way around and was getting frustrated not knowing where to look for things and was finding some of the funky icons a bit distracting. 

I do see the value of the allocation of reputation marks rather than just seeing high post numbers to reflect their standing in our community. I'm sure it will even itself out as time goes on and we all collectively find our way.

WezV

TTony said:

I think the bigger challenge is to raise awareness of the quality of guitars being produced by UK small builders so that they become a recognised choice for UK guitar buyers. 

that is always going to be the bigger challenge... but even my cousin/sprayer/padawan has brought himself a PRS, Gibson and ESP since we have been building guitars together.   but then i have got a john birch, regal resonator and framus archtop in the same time period

the people that worry me are the ones that claim they are doing it better than anyone else out there (zachary!!).  I build guitars because i love guitars and i love guitars because good guitars existed for a long time before I was born and continue to exist outside my circle of influence

WezV

also, i got a fairly significant promotion in the day job this week which means not only will I have more responsibility and money in my bank every four weeks.   I will also be working less hours,  regular 9-5 so get my evenings and weekends back!!  I will actually be getting guitar things finished again!!

TTony

WezV said:

also, i got a fairly significant promotion in the day job this week 

Congrats Wez

OilCityPickups

I think that actual amount of income earned from building is not really a criteria. personally I had no choice ... I had to make my full time living winding pickups ... but the way each individual pro goes about things will be different. You are a respected maker ... semi pro (in effect) or pro, it makes little difference. A professional attitude and a being a part of the UK music scene is my cutoff point
As Jon (Feline) said earlier Id love to see a UK music show, with all of us little guys being able to put our best work out to the public. the USA is not the be all and end all

TTony

TheGuitarWeasel said:As Jon (Feline) said earlier Id love to see a UK music show


I wonder .... do you think we actually could ???

monquixote

Speaking for myself, I helped to build this place to make a replacement home for MR exiles, but I would be honoured if it could be used as a platform to promote UK builders. 

Would be happy to work on any features that might help to support that. 

I've never found myself in the privileged position to have a couple of grand to spend on a guitar, but should that change then I have no interest in a Knaggs, or a PRS. I would most probably be banging on Jonathan's door. 

digitalscream

TTony said:

I wonder .... do you think we actually could ???

I think we've got a bit of growing to do yet I don't see that it's totally out of the question, but you have to remember The Great British Guitar Show in Brum already has a pretty good thing going. For the most part, it was all UK companies, and there were some smaller ones there (Matrix and Jaden both had stands).

FelineGuitars

It would be good to draw in more UK pros as well as more players too . 

As far as the show goes it's a nice idea.

the London show used to be ace till it all got a bit too corporate and the magic was lost 

Guitar Nation was good from what I saw but it cancelled a couple of times.

I exhibited at a Music live at the NEC and whilst it was fun - it was almost painful in a way being confronted with the lack of disposable income in the West Midlands - constantly being told you were having a laugh asking that much for a guitar.

But what was good was that they had quite a selection of UK makers showing off the wares in a hall where the stands didn't cost so much

OilCityPickups

There are far more affordable venues in London now than there used to be ... I have pretty first hand experience in this as my missus is a freelance production manager, both for live music and for big 'shows' at venues like the O2, the Royal Albert hall etc. It's far more competitive that it used to be, and venues are now 'hunting' new business. Certainly a small London based show, (connected to FB or not) is more doable these days than it would have been a couple of years ago. Perhaps something to think about for the future.
I never cease to be amazed by the industry talent we have in this country ... we can produce work that stands right up next to the prestige US brands quality wise ... yet still some people still treat us  - and in particular the luthiers - almost as 'eccentrics'. The reason top flight UK built guitars don't tend to hold their price like Gibson or fender is entirely down to public perception ... not quality.
(Starts humming Rule Britannia under breath) ....

Jalapeno

Evilmags said:

Maybe a page of links to small guys websites and a photogallery.

All for it - How would people be eligible to join posts/nominations/frets ? Needs a debate.

nickp

Jalapeno said:

Evilmags said:

Maybe a page of links to small guys websites and a photogallery.

All for it - How would people be eligible to join posts/nominations/frets ? Needs a debate.

as others have said - all for it - I have great pickups by the weasel.  the danger is that we then have guys joining the forum just to promote their goods rather than being all round good guys and trusted suppliers which could become a ball-ache

Jalapeno

nickp said:

as others have said - all for it - I have great pickups by the weasel.  the danger is that we then have guys joining the forum just to promote their goods rather than being all round good guys and trusted suppliers which could become a ball-ache

Exactly .....

ChristophEar

Not to derail the conversation from builders - but I'd like to suggest there might be other small UK music businesses that would benefit from having a business-owners discussion board, and/or some way to share what they're doing without it being spammy/overly-promotional.

For my part, I'd love to offer a discount on any of my company's stuff to FB members, or let the guitar teachers on the site know about our free stuff for teachers - but I've been unsure how to do that without it just seeming like advertising so I haven't

Evilmags

Well we know who our current lot are. When new builders arrive they should be ankle to register as a builder then post for a month. If after that month they are deemed to have contributed by the mods then they are in.

jaygtr

On another forum I visit landyzone , you have to have posted 50 "useful" comments before you can do much. They work on the basis that you have to put something in before you can get anything out.

monquixote

I don't really want to put any artificial limits in. 

I expect people with commercial interests to put something in if they want to get something out. (as all the people in this thread are doing). If you don't do that the mods will banhammer you however many posts you have.

TTony

I think it'll work well enough with natural selection.

Those "pros" who contribute will become known and trusted. 

Those who just pitch up to show their wares may get the odd "wow" vote, but they're unlikely to build the sort of relationship with potential buyers that's needed to persuade the buyer to part with £2k (or more) for a custom guitar.