Let's get this thing going!

I'd like to see this forum take off. The forums I've been a part of are generally dominated by elitist players, who bash brands, music tastes and the like. I'm just looking for some friendly guitar conversation.

Hello Cliggity, nice to know your thoughts

I agree! I'm a bit new to the guitar world, but I have already seen and heard people just like the ones you describe. Let's chat about guitars, and guitarists. That's why this site was created.

Yes, this seems to be quite simple forum. Why it isn't so popular? They aren't doing any promotion. This is shame

I'm amazed this site isn't more popular, it has quite a good number of members, but hardly anyone is posting. Why? I also started a guitarist / band promotion type forum a few months back, very slow to get going even though it's a popular niche.

Yeah, I'd like to see this forum get going too (I came over from the basstalk forum, though I'm a guitarist by trade). I've been playing guitar for 30 years, and I find most guitar forums extremely dull (too much bitching about this guitar vs that guitar, who gives a rat's ass?). I hope this one gets going and turns out to more music based (if you know what I mean). Nothing wrong with discussing gear, but if hear one more argument over Mexican Fenders vs. U.S Fenders, I might electrocute myself with a Fender (I won't say where it was made)

I think what I like so much about TB is that it's big enough that you can avoid the gear debates if you want and still have plenty to read. But if this forum continues to grow, the Mexican vs. American Fender debate is sure to come up often. We've already got a little controversy over string gauges, so if that's any indication...

I'm not sure there was too much controversy. Heavier strings sound better, if you can actually bend them. It really depends on your the size of your hands and your strength. I used much heavier strings when I was younger. Light strings used to break every 5 minutes for one thing, and I could bend the heavier ones easily back then. Not so anymore - 30 years of playing haven't done my hands much good. Still, these days, even the lightest strings don't break that often (unless you're using a floating bridge, which I hate). Whatever works for you though - I don't think it matter much on electrics; on acoustics though, it makes a huge difference.

I'm sure you're right SF, the Mexican/U.S/Japan Fender debate is sure to come up.

Cheers,
Mark

Actually, I prefer lighter gauge strings on my Mexican Fenders, because they use lower quality wood, and don't hold up as well to the tension of thicker strings.



Just kidding.

Yeah, it's that crap wood they use LOL. Whenever people bring up the Mexican/U.S Fender debate, I always point out that I saw Eric Clapton playing a mexican strat on stage about 2 years ago. I was 2 metres away from him. It was probably modified, but even so, if it's good enough for him, then there ends the debate as far as I'm concerned.

I teach a few young guys guitar, and they always ask me what they should buy. If they like Fenders, I tell them to buy a Mexican Strat or Tele, install some Grover tuning heads (or whatever is the best price), and if they want, upgrade the pickups, and I'll set the thing up nicely for them for a few drinks. That's a better guitar than a standard U.S Fender for well under half the price. Everyone has their opinion, but I hate the "guitar snobbery" mentality. The "if it doesn't cost a fortune it's crap" type thing. A good guitarist will sound great playing any guitar. I a lot people think the they can "buy talent" with expensive equipment. I wish! If that were true I'd sell my farm and buy the world's most expensive guitar.

Have a good one, SF,
Mark

I agree, you're always going to get this type of debate / argument or what ever you want to call it. I run a Guitarist / bands website, and also a Photography website , and have this happen quite frequently. Canon cameras are better than Nikon, and vice versa.

Where this site is concerned, I wonder if the software being used is putting people off, I really don't like XenForo from a users perspective. I use SMF for both of my sites.

I have no idea how long this forum has been running, but the site stats are quite worrying, given the amount of members, that's what makes me wonder about the software. I can't see any other reason.

I think it's just going to take a while to establish an identity. There are a LOT of guitar forums out there, and the ones that have been around a long time have developed their own personalities. TGP, for example, is a granddaddy but has very little decent information about bass. It's truly about Gear, and with the recent influx of Harmony Central refugees, the Mods have become a bit draconian. Harmony Central has changed a lot and that's a challenge for them. And so on.

A bit of healthy...er...discussion can spark interest in a forum, where a forum with a lot of, "I like your guitar," "I like yours, too. Pretty!" will wilt pretty quickly.

I don't think I've been to Harmony Central, why the sudden migration to TGP, what happened? The more I look around for guitarist / band type forums, the more I see virtually non active. I'm determined to keep mine going, even if it is dead atm. Trouble is we (forum owners) are now competing with the likes of facebook and twitter, they seem to be taking over.

I'm assuming talkguitar.com is being pushed in the usual blogging / social sites etc, if it's not then I really think it should be. I got most of my members doing this.