What is the 'old' TalkBass?

[Highs&Lows]

Started reading and occasionally participating on talkbass in the early 2000s when I was just a teenager learning to play bass (made a new account in 2010). So I have observed this forum for well over 20 years.
As a young bassist from overseas I was mightily impressed and got the feel that everyone on here must be a pro with outlandish chops and musicality…sometimes only to be proven differently later on It seemed like many members actually knew each other and there was an “inner circle”.
Still there was so much to be learned and discovered. Information was much more scarce back then and the way the internet felt was very different (no social media, no YouTube or just the beginning phase, no smartphones, different online business etc.).

There was a time when Extended Range Basses were the hottest thing. Lots of small builders like JPBasses, Conklin, Benavente, BeeBasses or even Nordstrand back then were experimenting a lot. Figured woods, single cuts, 6 + strings…..build in progress threads and NAMM pictures that were super exciting.
I remember watching videos of NAMM or Talkbass gatherings where this unattainable to me equipment was tested and played on. Double thumbing a la Victor Wooten was the thing.
Reading Ask a pro with Janek Gwizdala made me want to tune my bass E-C.

 

[HolmeBass]

Behndy, Nobody, Phalex, that guy who wrote douche canoe…

it’s just different folks and this mix doesn’t have quite as many outlandishly funny posters, or that’s just my impression, or really I just miss reading what those guys wrote.

 

[Chickenwheels]

You can still access the “good old days” if you fancy. Search it up. I still hit up some old threads for a good read/laugh, or info.

 

[dusterdan70]

December 1999 join date?! Wow! Don't think I've seen a join date from the 90s in ages..

I was thinking the same. I wonder who the eldest (active) members are? I don’t know when this site went live, maybe mid to late 90’s?

 

[Pauly 4001]

There is no Old Talkbass.
There is only Now Talkbass.

 

[tom once dead]

Anyone remember the old TB chat?
I remember hanging out there a bunch and making some cool friends.

 

[groovaholic]

Talkbass isn’t the same without JAUQO-IIIX.

Jauqo is a Chicagoan, and posts on the Chicago Bass Players FB group.

IMO, his internet demeanor has mellowed a bit

 

[DJ Bebop]

Talkbass isn’t the same without JAUQO-IIIX. Dude was a larger than life characterization of something, but I could never figure what.

In other news I’m legally changing my name to STNLYCLRQ-LXV. It feels like the right way to express myself.

Jauqo is a Chicagoan, and posts on the Chicago Bass Players FB group.

IMO, his internet demeanor has mellowed a bit

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.instagram.com/jauqoiiix/?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwj-2YClxuuDAxVvIUQIHUOfA5IQjjh6BAgmEAE&usg=AOvVaw19gBODjEogbJkeE_qNadm4

 

[TeeSee]

Two seconds ago I checked the TB stats: 331,409 members total, 502 currently online. That's a grand total of 0.15% of all the members, which is nothing in terms of engagement. Often the main splash page of topics doesn't change for a few days, which is astounding since the "old" TB was in continuous change. In other words, participation is almost nonexistent. Dead.

Sadly, a few moments ago there were also 546 robots online. More robots than live members.

TalkBass has turned into a ghost town compared to the "good ole days," which is probably just a sign of the death of legacy forums, and/or a sign of membership dying off. Or maybe there's just nothing left to talk about?

I respectfully beg to differ.
As you can see from my profile I'm a n00b only joining in 2018 and pretty much dormant for the first 2 and half years before I started returning here in earnest. Obviously I hadn't experienced the original TB back in the day but I used a lot of DIY/Car/social forums before and during the turn of the century and it was like the Wild West; flaming, trolling, spamming etc. really nasty places to be.
What I like about TB today is it's heavily moderated and this kind of behaviour is not tolerated, leaving us to get on with the subject of talking about all things bass without fear of disruption. It's a steep learning curve as I'd been pulled by the mods 3 times which in each case was patiently explained to me where I went wrong. I love this community, the sheer amount of knowledge on here cannot be replicated anywhere else. I've found posts from the early noughties whose authors have left or sadly gone radio silent, whose posts have helped me immensely in mods to my basses and conversely I've got advice and help from folks right here and now with advice on pickups or just posts wondering 'why this?' 'why that?' Everytime I've engaged with this community I've had respectful and helpful replies and no feeling that any reply has been supercilious or contemptuous. Maybe differing answers or opinions but all helpful. I've met a lot of people from all parts of the globe who have become semi-friends if you like and that opportunity would never have arisen had I never joined. So all I can say is that the contemporary version of TB suits me fine.

 

[bassboysam]

Behndy, Nobody, Phalex, that guy who wrote douche canoe…

it’s just different folks and this mix doesn’t have quite as many outlandishly funny posters, or that’s just my impression, or really I just miss reading what those guys wrote.

What happened to Behndy?

 

[pcake]

I've never seen any mention of "the old Talkbass" and I'm an old Talkbasser.

or would that be an "old talkbassian"?

2013 is not old. i would consider anything pre-iphone as old TB. Once people no longer needed to be behind a desktop computer to participate, it changed

i'm on my desktop on TB right now...

I miss Chef too

I dont miss the 20 mile walk thru the snow just to get to my local GC. Got a horse after that.

By the way is he going to chime in?

i also miss Chef.

was your long walk through the snow to your local GC uphill?

Moderating is tough. I was a mod for another bass player site. It's a thankless job.

i used to mod over at AGF. even for such a tightly moderated board, it sucked the fun out of being a board member.

 

[knumbskull]

What happened to Behndy?

I don't know the guy but I've seen him post on synth forums from time to time.

EDIT I mean, I recognize him from TB. Always enjoyed reading his posts.

 

[IanStephenson]

Old talkbass, refers to th BC era: Before Carrots

 

[onda'bass]

wait there's an old talkbass? I must have logged off that day.

 

[KPJ]

I think the only member of the "old guard" (old Gard(?)) I still see regularly is @JimmyM, who convinced me to buy my first Ampeg probably 15 years ago. It's weirdly comforting to see him continually doing his thing.

I remember when JimmyM was the new guy and was pretty abrasive and pissed some people off. Especially about Mark Bass.

 

[Nashrakh]

I miss Jeff Berlin. Good times all around.

 

[Mili]

I'm not old here but when I was new it was like a university, much more good questions and much more answers by really experienced members. everyday you could find an interesting thread about something useful.
Now...

 

[Tom Bomb]

Respect (to all the good people being roundly ignored.)​

 

[bench]

You could find 37 used Mexican Fenders in the classifieds for about $350 tops.

And Gorns posts were usually even shorter than this one...

 

[hrodbert696]

Two seconds ago I checked the TB stats: 331,409 members total, 502 currently online. That's a grand total of 0.15% of all the members, which is nothing in terms of engagement. Often the main splash page of topics doesn't change for a few days, which is astounding since the "old" TB was in continuous change. In other words, participation is almost nonexistent. Dead.

Sadly, a few moments ago there were also 546 robots online. More robots than live members.

TalkBass has turned into a ghost town compared to the "good ole days," which is probably just a sign of the death of legacy forums, and/or a sign of membership dying off. Or maybe there's just nothing left to talk about?

A snapshot doesn't tell you much. I check the TB stats two seconds ago and there were over 2000 users online, still about 500 bots. Six hours from now, who knows what the numbers will be. A handful of people sit on the site all day, but most people check in for a few minutes or half an hour once a day or once a week.