Calling all lurkers and new members!

Bridgehouse

In an unusual moment I put my sensible trousers on, and volunteered to try to encourage our lurkers and new members to join in and engage a bit more.

Why? Well, I was a lurker for a long time. I originally read tfb not as a member but just a guest for about 12 months. Then joined and still lurked for a while. 

This was mainly because as an outsider, the whole thing can feel like a roundabout where you don't know when to jump on. 

So here's a jumping on point for you. 

Been lurking? Don't know how to join in? Bit shy? Worried you might get laughed at or shouted down? 

Post here.Tell us something about your playing or post a pic of your fave guitar. 

Regulars: please please play nice. Pretty please. 

Bridgehouse

Now now, don't derail it into a tagging me thread.. I get notifications if someone replies to this thread anyway...

Maybe some regulars could encourage by sharing their lurking stories too.. who else was a lurker and what got you to come "out"?

And don't be shy - even if it's your first post!

TTony

Ok, apologies to those whose posts have just disappeared, but we'd like to keep this thread ON topic rather than it disappearing off down a rabbit hole. 

Which, I imagine, would defeat the purpose of the thread.

Bridgehouse

Thanks @TTony - I suspect the rabbit holes are one of the reasons many lurkers don't post often..!

Teyeplayer

Ok I’ll stick my neck out.

Lurked for a year or so, then was seriously trying to sell a guitar that had become an albatross and as a result of a few pleasant comments I felt a bit more comfortable getting involved.

This can feel a slightly intimidating place at first glance, lots of injokes, occasionally brutal banter and perceived cliques but once I stepped in, I realised that the fretboard is full of welcoming souls that like me are a little too into guitars. It’s great for advice on gear and spending money you dont have available to spend.

So, for those that are stood around watching: welcome, jump in and get involved.

Bridgehouse

Teyeplayer said:

Ok I’ll stick my neck out.

Lurked for a year or so, then was seriously trying to sell a guitar that had become an albatross and as a result of a few pleasant comments I felt a bit more comfortable getting involved.

This can feel a slightly intimidating place at first glance, lots of injokes, occasionally brutal banter and perceived cliques but once I stepped in, I realised that the fretboard is full of welcoming souls that like me are a little too into guitars. It’s great for advice on gear and spending money you dont have available to spend.

So, for those that are stood around watching: welcome, jump in and get involved.

Yes, it can be intimidating - which is why I thought I'd try this. @TTony is keeping a watching brief to keep it on topic and make it a bit more "safe space" for dipping a toe in.

Thing is - if I'd have seen a thread like this, I'd have probly jumped in and posted.

ourmaninthenorth

I cut my "forum" teeth on the Les Paul Forum...which requires little explanation. 

This forum is much lighter and diverse, has it's fair share of characters, an excellent classified section - where I've bought and sold many times with ease, never a single problem. I'm a bit old school, so the amps and guitar sections are the places I'm most comfortable in. I enjoy hearing about what others are listening to in the Music section. And just adore getting confused to buggery by the technical knowledge in the Theory and Techniques sections. 

Off Topic and Speakers Corner remind me how old and out of touch with modernity I am, I still like to dip in and out of there at my leisure, but mainly to keep up with the hip young 'uns really. 

I know a fair few of the members, and that can appear a little cliquey, especially when sharing a private joke, but I've never got the impression of much hostility on an on-going basis. It's much like your first few weeks on a new job, people are simply sussing each other out. 

All in all it's just become part and parcel of this life of being a guitar player. 

Nothing to lose, and plenty to gain. 

mikem8634

Great idea!

I'm not strictly a lurker as I have dipped my toe in a little. I am pretty new here though and, in the overwhelming majority, I have found this place to be friendly, helpful and teeming with invaluable knowledge.

Join in.

And as an aside, here is my all time favourite guitar (even though I've never owned one, did have a Jetglo 330) -

Bridgehouse

mikem8634 said:

Great idea!

I'm not strictly a lurker as I have dipped my toe in a little. I am pretty new here though and, in the overwhelming majority, I have found this place to be friendly, helpful and teeming with invaluable knowledge.

Join in.

And as an aside, here is my all time favourite guitar (even though I've never owned one, did have a Jetglo 330) -

Welcome!

Nice Ric... I have a mapleglo 360 which has been with me for a while now.

Badnotes

Hi all, first post!  I only have one guitar (Gibson ES137 classic) and joined looking for some info on Les Pauls as I fancy adding a solid body to my collection. 

relic245

I'm mostly a lurker these days.

I was very active on music radar and somewhat in the early days here. Took some time out for other projects. 

Been lurking again for best part of a year, some interesting stuff but I just don't have a lot to add to most of the posts. 

So I kind of feel that I know most of you but many of you won't know me. 

punchesjudy

Hey, im a lurker. Joined in Feb and have pretty much lurked since. 
I have commented on a few threads of course but mainly I can be found searching through the FS ads for guitars I want but can't actually afford. 

And my favourite guitar ever (owned) is a blue partscaster which is completely trashed from my youth playing in punk bands. 
It currently lives at a friend's house. I unfortunately don't have a picture to hand. I say unfortunately, it's probably for the best. 

Bridgehouse

Badnotes said:

Hi all, first post!  I only have one guitar (Gibson ES137 classic) and joined looking for some info on Les Pauls as I fancy adding a solid body to my collection. 

Welcome! Any chance of a pic of that 137?

relic245 said:

I'm mostly a lurker these days.

I was very active on music radar and somewhat in the early days here. Took some time out for other projects. 

Been lurking again for best part of a year, some interesting stuff but I just don't have a lot to add to most of the posts. 

So I kind of feel that I know most of you but many of you won't know me. 

You'd be surprised how much an extra opinion can make a difference! punchesjudy said:

Hey, im a lurker. Joined in Feb and have pretty much lurked since. 
I have commented on a few threads of course but mainly I can be found searching through the FS ads for guitars I want but can't actually afford. 

And my favourite guitar ever (owned) is a blue partscaster which is completely trashed from my youth playing in punk bands. 
It currently lives at a friend's house. I unfortunately don't have a picture to hand. I say unfortunately, it's probably for the best. 

Trashed playing in punk bands? Do tell

pmg

Welcome all new posters!

punchesjudy

@Bridgehouse Hah, the punk bands were nothing special. I'm only 32 so nothing noteworthy from the late 70s or anything. 

Just my own bands from around 2001 to around 2011 or so. Neck has been snapped off the body, fixed sorta, truss is totalled, neck is warped. Has the lowest buzz free action of any guitar I've owned. Bit reluctant to change the neck since it's sorta part of my own history in music. I retired it so to speak which is why it lives at a friend's currently. I do play it everytime I'm there though. Luckily they only live five minutes away. 

Bridgehouse

punchesjudy said:

@Bridgehouse Hah, the punk bands were nothing special. I'm only 32 so nothing noteworthy from the late 70s or anything. 

Just my own bands from around 2001 to around 2011 or so. Neck has been snapped off the body, fixed sorta, truss is totalled, neck is warped. Has the lowest buzz free action of any guitar I've owned. Bit reluctant to change the neck since it's sorta part of my own history in music. I retired it so to speak which is why it lives at a friend's currently. I do play it everytime I'm there though. Luckily they only live five minutes away. 

That sounds like a candidate for a proper making and modding thread if ever I heard one

Badnotes

@Bridgehouse I'll post some pics over the weekend 

Modulus_Amps

I am still a lurker, I have deleted more comments than I have posted, because.... one day I will be dead and my son may come to read what I have said.. (Hello Arron)

I do remember posting my first comments on a forum many years ago, nerve wrecking, it is the world wide web you know! will they like me will they not.... I soon leaned not to give too much of a ......... and that generally people like positive contributions

Bridgehouse

Badnotes said:

@Bridgehouse I'll post some pics over the weekend 

Nice! Look forward to that! I'm sure there's plenty on here who will enjoy ogling a ES137

Strangefan

I lurked for a but mainly when I searched for Phillips cleartone on Google and this place flashed up, ain't left since,... And really it's Bridgehouse who keeps me coming back  

Kebabkid

Welcome New Peeps or Occasionals or Shysters (you know what I mean)

To complement or follow on from this, we also have this thread

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/23/introduce-yourself/p1