Can you do a friend of the forum a favour?

JerkMoans

lonestar said:

Thank you so much @ThorpyFX , I wasn’t expecting to find this here this morning. This has cheered me up after some other bad news (not guitar related).

Okay, after sitting on this and waiting for Instagram to pull their finger out I got a half assed reply after following their bizarre appeal process. It was the same info as on their help/support pages. They refuse to tell me specifically what the issue was but after a number of friends (in and out of the music industry) got in touch it appears that one reason makes perfect sense. Before I tell you, I have no reason to believe fender have said anything to Instagram. Thus far, I have had no issues or contact regarding this via email, the website, post or Facebook. There are far more prominent brands and builders out there with larger audiences sailing far closer to the wind than I have ever done. I also know of many people behind the scenes who use fender images, branding and names to describe their work. None of them have been affected. Besides, I’m a partcaster body and neck supplier/painter. I don’t advertise full builds, just bits.

Sooo... it appears that using these hashtags, “guitarsofinstagram” and “instaguitar”, has drawn Instagrams attention to my work. Basically these “infringe on their brand identity”. I’ve put the whole debacle down to this because I can’t see what else I’ve done wrong. The other theory is I’ve been hacked and in which case Instagram have been equally useless in assisting me.

Why am I bothered so much by this? Well, I had 1200+ followers and a 600+ picture story of the evolution of the business. Not one bit of advertising was done so this is a naturally built fan base. At the point of the account being deactivated I was getting 150-250 likes per picture. While this might seem like “....so?” to me it was a massive number. It also provided a revenue stream for the business and that is something we will need to address. Remember, this is a business started from an idea to now having a 3-4 month lead in time, that page was my diary. 

So, without getting annoyed, miffed, upset any further I will crack on and build my audience again without any shortcuts. Any support is much welcomed and you’ll see a good mixture of ideas, mock ups, full builds and inside info on the page.

As a precaution, the only fender-esque names I will be using is on “Straturday” and “teletuesday”. 

That is ever so mildly fucked up out of all recognition...  No warning?  No ability to say 'terribly sorry Mr Instagram I won't use the bad words again'?  Just *pow* and all your hard work - and memories - vapourised?

Wankers.

DrHankWangfordSnr

Jeeso !

horse

Do they state anywhere that they don't like the use of insta in hashtags? Seems massively counterproductive, particularly given how established many of these hashtags are and that Instagram encourage the following of hashtags

darthed1981

Liked your pages on Facebook

Does anyone who knows Lee Anderton want to mention SCRelics predicament?  He gave a great mention to ThorpyFX the other day and his reach is huge.

stuagu

Wildo.

MikeS

Don't do Instagram, but clicked the link and really like the look of that pink Telemaster, looks just what I need.

GoldenEraGuitars

@TTony thank you very much  

Guys, thank you too. All your support means the world. I’m not doing this all for my own glorification, I want everyone to enjoy at least one thing I’ve done (be it aged or NOS). Instagram has been a shop window for me and this knocked me for six tbh. 

I think we’re doing better today, 197 followers inside 24 hours from starting up again. That’s amazing

FelineGuitars

I've added you again Scott 
Feel free to add me back 

Here is the Feline Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/felineguitars/

SteveRobinson

Yes that's terrible behaviour from Instagram. Why didn't they just remove (and block) the offending hashtags?

skaguitar

this is a travesty... my main job is as a tattooist and I always use the hashtags #tattoosofinstagram and #inkstagram and others...and I know that a lot of the other tattooing fraternity often use them...like you we also use instagram as a catalogue of our work and a diary of our businesses evolution as such....I've never heard of any tattooists accounts being pulled for this reason and will now be very wary of using those hashtags..!! I'll be giving you a follow too...sorry this has happened to you..