Commercial Users Identification

[Steve Swan]

I want to stay on the right side of things with this new policy, so forigive my inexperience with forums and such. Would this be a good example for a guy with a bass business to use at the end of each post?

"Steve Swan

Double Bass and Acoustic Guitar Retailer
Steve Swan Guitars"

Is it okay to post the website address on this I.D. tag as well?

-Swanski

[Jeff Bollbach]

Here's where we need a lawyer in our mix. I'm confused, Sam-reading the policy suggests to me that I need to remove the link to my site. But what you just said leaves me a little confused. What up?

[Brent Norton]

Likewise.

[Sam Sherry]

Sorry, I was paying too much attention to lawyering and too little to reading TB policy.

The policy states: "Commercial users must refrain from including any text or links relating to their business in their profile signature." Guys, no links.

The new Commercial User Policy was something which Paul spent a lot of time on. It seems to me that he was responding to problems which are far more prevalent on the Plank-Spanking side than over here, but having a uniform policy was important. (It's not like people are leaping into Sliding Doohickey DB Tailpiece fabrication and dissing Mike P on the sly in their signature blocks, eh?)

If it turns out that any of you find yourself constantly biting your tongue to avoid running afoul of The Policy, please let me, Chris or Paul know. We all feel that the very healthy luthier contingent on the DB Board is one of the strengths of the place. We aim to please (and we're pleased to aim).

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

We all feel that the very healthy luthier contingent on the DB Board is one of the strengths of the place. We aim to please (and we're pleased to aim).

I hope we ALL agree on this!

[Wil Davis]

Sounds like a good policy…

Although, in light of some of the prolonged pissing-contests which have occurred here in the past, perhaps "We aim to please, you aim too, please!" might be more appropriate…

- Wil

[AMJBASS]

One of my reasons for spending the time that I do here!

[Steve Swan]

Out of all the 20+ forums and newsgroups that I have actively participated in during the last 6 years, this one is by far my favorite. I only post in 4 forums now because most seem to be free-fire zones for folks who want to take out their free-floating aggression in relative safety of hiding behind anonymous "handles" or nicknames, that is, they never sign their real names to their usually negative, argumentative postings. I don't see that culture of nastiness here at all and it is a beautiful breath of fresh air. Thankyou folks for making me feel very welcome here.

Steve Swan
Waiter in the worldwide Double Bass and Acoustic Guitar Cafe
Steve Swan Guitars

[Jeff Bollbach]

Sam-
You edited out your quote that I innocently posted and that of course changes the sense of my post. Feels wierd to me.

[Jeff Bollbach]

The second day I posted here I ponied up my 20 bucks because I immediately saw what kind of a resource TB was and I loved the community vibe here. No advertisement at all was my kind of place. I even put up a coupla threads trying to coerce people to become supporting members and I got a few. Then I remember when Paul apologetically anounced he was gonna put up one unobtrusive banner in order to make ends meet. Now we got girls in miniskirts hawking product. Well, I guess that's the way of things. I'll not continue my supporting membership.I don't mean any disrespect at all to Paul, his creation is amazing and he certainly has the right to earn a dollar or two. TalkBass is still one of the best things on the Net that I have seen.
I just sorta miss the old vibe. I guess instead of Lex Luthier I should be Rex Luthier [the dinosaur].

[Sam Sherry]

Originally Posted by Jeff Bollbach

Sam-
You edited out your quote that I innocently posted and that of course changes the sense of my post. Feels wierd to me.

Yes. My quote was wrong and stupey and I wanted to get rid of my wrong, stupey stuff. Obviously you did nothing wrong (or stupey), Jeff.

Originally Posted by Jeff

I guess instead of Lex Luthier I should be Rex Luthier [the dinosaur].

From my persepctive, you are Rex Luthier, king of helpful, thoughtful advice. You have to share the crown with a few other luthier-kings but it's yours nevertheless. Thank you for all your help to me over the time we've been "here" together.

Personally, I'm already on record saying that most of the problems which the new policy addresses really aren't focused on the Double Bass board. I also agree that the board feels different with advertisements than before. That said, the ads don't trouble me as much as they seem to bother you. I am at ease with Paul's need to ensure that his TalkBass.com business makes enough money to pay for VBulletin software, humungo memory, sufficient bandwidth to support several hundred users AND his time & mind.

Your point really gets to the underlying trail of commerce through much of our daily lives. It's a worthwhile inquiry.

Now, to no-one's surprise, "I have to get back to work."

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Jeff Bollbach

I'll not continue my supporting membership.I don't mean any disrespect at all to Paul, his creation is amazing and he certainly has the right to earn a dollar or two. TalkBass is still one of the best things on the Net that I have seen.
I just sorta miss the old vibe. I guess instead of Lex Luthier I should be Rex Luthier [the dinosaur].

This doesn't mean that you're also NOT going to be contributing to TBDB verbally does it????

[godoze]

what did i miss ?

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Ok, so my link is below my signature. My asst. set that up years ago. I don't know how to remove it. "Be my Guest" !! Chop it up as you see fit.

By the way, why is their a Luthiers Forum in BG but not in DB? Also, most posters in Luthier/BG never even saw a single Lute in their life let alone even know what a Lute is?

Can I be a 'Basseheir' or however you wanna spell it? I don't do much with Lutes myself, but have seen a few in pics mostly.

The olde transportation method was Horse and Carrige. If you had the Horse shoed or the Carrige fixed, you went to the "BlackSmith".

Now, the main means of transportation is the Car/automobile. If you need them fixed, you go to an "Auto Mechanic".

If Guitar repairmen are called "Luthiers" then why are Auto Repairmen called "BlackSmiths"??.. HuH? Huh?

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

. . . If Guitar repairmen are called "Luthiers" then why are Auto Repairmen called "BlackSmiths"??.. HuH? Huh?

I don't know of many guitar techs who actually call themselves luthiers. I have made a buck or two in and out of shops as a tech, but there's no way I'd call myself a luthier. I can solder a pot, set intonation, align a neck, action this, action that. I've even done a refret or two, but I'd never call myself a craftsman. Nor have I ever heard any of my many friends or acquaintances who refer to themselves as such.

I think much of that comes from the slab gang on the other side that have read just enough over here to be dangerous.

I have noticed that these guys out there making handmade Martin knockoffs for the bluegrass kingdom call themselves luthiers. I guess that's OK.

Or what about you Ken or the Bill Conklins, etc who make EBGs by hand?

In truth, none of you guys are making lutes!!

Thoughts?

[godoze]

***? I thought they <i>were</i> making lutes !

[Jeff Bollbach]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

This doesn't mean that you're also NOT going to be contributing to TBDB verbally does it????

Naw, I've got too big a mouth for that to happen. I probably overreacted here but sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of exponentially growing commerciality. I fully understand the math of this equation and its obvious not enough follks became supporting members to keep this place the way it was. But it's just my nature to rail against this grain. I'm old enuf to remember when you paid for cable TV because it had no commercials-that's what you were paying for and that's how they sold it. Now not only are there commercials but they run littlewindows or lines of type across the bottom of the screen hawking the latest reality bs WHILE YOUR WATCHING YOUR SHOW. I remember when there were no commercials in the movie theater. Recently I took my kid to a movie, plunked down my 19 bucks for 2 tickets, 8bucks for his candy and soda and sat down to a string of commercials before the flick. They started this years ago by showing "special" commercials, ya know a really long hi-tech Nike or BMW thing that looked like a movie trailer. Now we get regular commercials just like on TV. I gotta pay 30 bucks to see Rosie pitching the "quilted picker upper". So we're in the middle of some dumb ad and I turn to the audience and in a loud voice ask"When did we allow commercials in the theatre?". Those near me shirk away like I'm a terrorist and those farther away look at me as if I'm a crazy homeless guy. No one sez "Yeah! lets complain to the manager!"
Oh well, I'll get over it.

[mpm]

"Sliding Doohickey DB Tailpieces..."...love that! So you think this issue is confusing, how about being an advertiser on this board? I don't know whether to poop or go naked...This issue has been a point for me since I discovered the board. I hesitate to post for the very reason this issue exists. There does seem to be a point of existential business ethics that comes into play. Since I choose to advertise here, everyone of my posts could be considered a business related post. Everyone of my email addresses are business related in the sense that they contain 'mikepecanicmusic'...but this not withstanding, the value of the information that happens here makes it very wothwhile to continue this forum. I do think it would be an interesting addition to have a "Luthier's Forum" but then again, between the various threads, it might be superfluous to have such a forum. If we want to continue getting the input from some of the finest luthiers around, we need to realize that they are not only contributing to this forum but do make a living from the very activity that makes them such a valuable asset to this entire board. In conclusion, I quote my good friend JBollbach, who succinctly put it, "ain't Capitalism grand?"

[KSB - Ken Smith]

So Jeff, you remember when there were no commercials at all on Cable huh?........ Well youngster, I remember seeing signs outside move theatres saying "Stop PAY TV"... And I said to myself, "what's Pay TV?"........

So ... Paul W....... What do you remember?... How about the Wonderama Show with Sonny Fox, Live !! Remember the Live Bosco Commercial when they asked a 4 year old boy if he liked the Chocolate Milk he was drinking with the Bosco in it? And he answered, LIVE, "but My Mommy buys Hershey's" !!... Funny huh?... He kicked me under the table and I said, "Oh yeah.. it's real good" !!.. Yep... I was the 4 year old in the audience that day as the mascott to the Cub Scout group that my older brother was in and my Mom was the 'Den Mother'.

Live TV....... Who remember's that.. and in Black n White.. No Color yet...

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

So ... Paul W....... What do you remember?... ..

I remember it all and more, Sonny.