Official Luthiers Forum!

More and more recently I find myself reading through an entire thread only to find that the purpose of the thread was self promotional. A poster has a desired end and purpose including an announcement of sorts and the forum, and everyone participating in the thread is essentially just being used to showcase someone's effort to self promote.......

This upsets me to no end and I feel as if I have been conned........

We often have threads that are designed and approved by Lance and Brock to be promotional in nature and since the purpose of these threads is not veiled and is pre-approved we all can choose in advance if we care to read them or not. Our choices are not taken from us - we have full free will. And we may even choose to purchase some pretty cool products too if we wish.

But what I am speaking of are threads where someone solicits what has the look and feel of an honest discussion only to eventually lead to an announcement of sorts or a showcasing of their wares or IP (intellectual property) that is in fact a promotion.

I am NOT speaking of a thread where someone wants to show off a guitar that they just completed and that they are understandably very proud of - you folks rock!

Why Are We Here: It's not my sandbox so-to-speak but I greatly appreciate the OLF and I am very quick to let everyone know that this wonderful forum has done more for my own building than any and all other sources combined.

I see the OLF as a place to learn. To ask questions and to receive answers and if you feel confident that you can answer questions with safe, sound, best practice, do-no-harm advice jump in and do that too. Give something back if you are able. And if you have a plethora of questions, for now, know in advance that you are helping many others by asking these questions and that this is in and of itself a contribution to the forum too. Without the folks who ask the questions we would not exist.........

I have also learned that the more guitar building that I do - the less I seem to know...... What I mean is that as we become more experienced it also becomes obvious to us, at least to me....., that I have FAR more to learn - things that I never even imagined would be issues that I need to become knowledgeable about in time. The learning never ends and in a very big way this is probably the real attraction to guitar building for me personally.

This is why I would like to see more honest guitar building discussion and less self promotional threads and posts please. I also would like to see threads titled more in line with the actual topic. Members should be able to tell at a glance from your thread topic what the thread is about so that we may decide, in advance, if we want to peel back the onion and read the thing....... And if your thread is titled in accordance with the real meat of the thread it will be easier for others to find in the archives as a result of a search on key words.

It's been a year since I last went on the nut here and I am not looking for any pats on the back for not getting all emo for a year - that would be self promotional...... so forgive me please for asking some folks, and you know who you are, to consider my requests and help to keep the OLF a place of sharing and learning and not self promotion.

Thanks

I think when it comes to bonafide sponsors there is no problem or no reason to obfuscate the intent of the post.

However, I agree with you. Lance and I have noticed several folks who think they are clever and are trying to "sell" their wares simply by "showing" them as a good idea, or asking if anyone uses "x". This is going to stop.

Lance and I have seen a few of these and I agree it undermines the community of the forum. We have a very friendly coexistence between businesses and the forum and I think this underhanded promotion will ultimately devalue what we have here.

Good post Hesh.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks Brock!

Todd - what? I reread your post several times and mine as well and I can't understand how Tracy or any OLF sponsor got brought into this by you. I certainly was not speaking of any of our very valued sponsors.

My not mentioning specific individuals was and is and will remain by design. The hope is a correction not a public admonishment.

No, there is no problem with the sponsors. This is regarding OTHERS.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Why beat around the bush?

What rules did they break?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I'm assuming this was my doing. I'm sorry. I didn't really think about it at the time. My referencing my website wasn't a lame marketing play I was just too lazy to post any photos at the time.

I've actually already emailed Lance about picking up sponsorship (I think 2 days ago) I've just been wating to hear back from him.

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

No Jason, it isn't you...

This isn't as much breaking the rules as it is betraying the spirit of the community. When someone says "Hey, what do you think of _______________" and it turns out that they happen to sell _________________ that betrays the spirit of our community.

Sponsors are fine, but being sneaky and trying to "promote yourself without being overt about it" isn't cool.

No reason to make a mountain out of a mole hill here and let this spiral into a big community bru-ha-ha, we will deal with it, but I do appreciate Hesh for having the same observation and bringing it up.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I have also noticed this...and it's so obvious that one would have to have the IQ of a fencepost to think that others don't notice it too.

Jason! Nice to see you back again.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Jason...welcome back. Looking forward to catching up on what you and the Argonauts have been up to for the past 2 years!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Fencepost....hmmm........kinda like it. Lance can you change my user-name?

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"It's a Tone Faerie thing"
"Da goal is to sharpen ur wit as well as ye Sgian Dubh"
"Sippin Loch Dhu @Black lake" ,Kirby O...

Put down the ganja mon!

I've not seen too many self promotion threads, or at least hadn't noticed any. In some ways posting ones own work is self promotion are we talking about redirect links?

"Fence post" Billy Dean

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Cream-puff casper milk toast.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Funny ! I didn't get the connection from the song...thanks for the explanation...LOL.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

well said Hesh! Brock we are on the page as usual..

JASON! Welcome back my friend!
I have not seen your email, try again, spam filter may have caught it...

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Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Perhaps a PM to the person(s) involved would do well. Save a lotta wasted energy

"Luthier's" Forum?

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Can we use that word on the forum!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Only fenceposts can use that kind of language and get away with it.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Wonder if I was the only one that had to look that up?
"to make obscure or unclear."
I must have a "I D 10 T" problem!

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

I learn something new on this website everytime I visit. clinton