Why I joined, and what I'm looking for here

TTony

It would really help us in developing the forum if we could understand *why* people joined and/or *what* it is that they want to get out of their membership.

This would also be a good place to make any specific suggestions for new sort of content that you'd like to see here.

So, have introduced yourself in the "Introduce Yourself" thread, please take another minute or two to let us know

• Why you joined and what you want
• Any specific suggestions or requests

Thanks

Tony
(admin)

adampeter

Been a member just over a year
Joined whilst buying a guitar via Ebay, we decided to do a deal away from Ebay and the buyer suggested making contact through fretboard, since then i've been on here most days.
Don't really read the off topic stuff, but love looking through the ads.
For a guitar obsessed nerd like me its nirvana here 
I would struggle to suggest a way to improve it for me 

Franssen

First found this forum by accident when looking for some pedals. Now I love looking at the ads for Guitars, GAS right, gets us al. Useful threads as well on the Live discussions. I would like to see the for sale thread and WTB threads for guitars in particular separated into manufacturer specific sub forums, i'm only really looking at two manufacturers now, trawling through the rest is tedious

Bridgehouse

Franssen said:

First found this forum by accident when looking for some pedals. Now I love looking at the ads for Guitars, GAS right, gets us al. Useful threads as well on the Live discussions. I would like to see the for sale thread and WTB threads for guitars in particular separated into manufacturer specific sub forums, i'm only really looking at two manufacturers now, trawling through the rest is tedious

But trawling is part of the fun! It's like a massive scouts jumble sale

djspecialist

I can't remember why I originally joined, but why I keep coming here:

• To buy and sell.  And to drool over pics of stuff I can't afford to buy.
• To get advice on guitar stuff.  I've had really helpful responses on pretty much any topic I've asked about - from setup, repair, to gear choice, live technique, you name it.
• To get advice on non-guitar stuff.  Again, people have been very helpful with "life in general" questions - and I've tried to repay at least a bit of that by contributing to similar threads by other members, when I feel I have something to offer.
• For teh bantz.

Suggestions for improvements?  Not a lot to be honest - just a couple of minor points:

• Better mobile experience.  A while back I had an abortive attempt at creating a mobile app (with help from @monquixote), but realised that I had neither the right skills nor sufficient time to get it up to scratch.
• Finding feedback could be easier.  I know it would require modification of the forum software, but I'd like it if a feedback thread was created for every new user, linked from their profile page.  (Maybe you'd then need a way for people to opt out / hide that thread if for some reason they didn't want one).

Massive thanks to everyone who keeps this place running - it's brilliant.

TTony

Thanks for the thoughts @djspecialist ;

The mobile question is interesting, and perhaps a bit chicken/egg.  Our mobile users are a small % of the total, and I'm not sure that the structure and content of the forum lends itself easily to a mobile platform.  Tablets - OK, they're big enough, but mobiles - less so.  Unless someone could build us an app that retained ease of use on a smaller device

Re feedback.  Firstly, not everyone uses the Classifieds extensively, and so a feedback thread for everyone who signed up would result in a lot of empty threads.  It is suggested that frequent traders include a link to their feedback thread in their signature - that'd be the easiest way of finding it.  Else, you can use the pre-set search page to find a specific userID
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57311/how-the-feedback-system-works

But I can make that clearer - so will.

aord43

I have been a member for a few months and originally found the place when looking for buy/sell options for a couple of pedals.  I sold on ebay in the end, not wanting to dive straight in as a new member with "buy my stuff"!
But I've stuck around for all the same reasons as most others I guess.  I enjoy looking at the making/modding section, especially the pictorial stories of making a guitar, which are very educational to someone like me that had no idea before I came here.  I might even try making one in due course.
I do go in the off topic from time to time but it's not the main reason I'm here and I do think it can be a distraction at times and I avoid many threads just based on the subject line (although some are hard to resist).  Mainly I want to see (and join in with) guitar-related posts, it's been interesting to compare my experience as a middle-aged dad with others, and there's always a lot to learn from better players, those in bands, etc.
I agree on the mobile experience, I like to read on the train sometimes but there are a few issues (eg. can't get to "My Drafts", and writing posts doesn't work very well).  I am not convinced that an app is the answer because that just has to be maintained, and anyway well-designed HTML is just as good as an app these days and doesn't take up space on your phone or add security concerns that an app might (or ads, which most apps have).

paulnb57

Joined 2014 love the place!
There is some "clickiness" here and there...
Areas I generally visit are
Making and Modding
Parts for sale
Guitar
Guitars for sale
Occasionally go to 
Off topic
Amps
FX

I'm not really sure of the need for Off Topic and Speakers Corner, but folk use it.....

My main interest lies in Making and Modding, Ive learned loads and realise perhaps I should detail my own partscaster builds rather than share a before and after photo with spec.....
An occasional build challenge would be nice and I see there is discussion about this.....

I think the forum is pretty good as it is, it's my "go to" forum followed by TDPRI, I consider it to be well moderated, in short, a good place to be! 

I spend far too much of my time on here!

Kinioo

Well, I have been a member for few weeks now...

Why I joined:

- to buy/sell instruments/FX/AMPS;
- to find reviews and recommendations on instruments/FXs/Amps I'm interested in;
- to ask questions re: playing technique, instruments, pedals, amps
- to see how far behind other 'guitar wizards' I am with my cr*p playing 'skills'

C.

Teyeplayer

TTony said:

Our mobile users are a small % of the total, and I'm not sure that the structure and content of the forum lends itself easily to a mobile platform.  Tablets - OK, they're big enough, but mobiles - less so.

Really surprised by this @TTony and don’t dispute it. I just would have thought in a world where we all have and regularly use smart phones that this marginal percentage would be far higher.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I logged onto a computer when it wasn’t for work. For many, I imagine the iPads in the house depend on who else is using them at a given moment and if they are charged, whereas most of us have a mobile device charged and available all the time. Whether that be for a quick browse of the classifieds whilst making a cuppa or as a distraction on the daily commute.

Maybe this is a need that will become more pressing over coming years as demographics change? I agree finding someone in the community who can build a decent app may be the answer.

Teyeplayer

Sorry in line with the discussion I should add: 

I came to buy and sell, I stayed because most of the people on here are fantastic -a few of the charitable endeavours over the last year have proved that to me beyond a shadow of a doubt.

stratman3142

I originally joined simply because I like discussing and finding out about guitar and bass related stuff.

It's the various music challenges (Sotm, Rotm, RawRotm and Composition Challenge) that are my main area of interest now.

I feel I've learned quite a bit and found out about new music/players I wouldn't otherwise have discovered.

EricTheWeary

Teyeplayer said:

TTony said:

Our mobile users are a small % of the total, and I'm not sure that the structure and content of the forum lends itself easily to a mobile platform.  Tablets - OK, they're big enough, but mobiles - less so.

Really surprised by this @TTony and don’t dispute it. I just would have thought in a world where we all have and regularly use smart phones that this marginal percentage would be far higher.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I logged onto a computer when it wasn’t for work. For many, I imagine the iPads in the house depend on who else is using them at a given moment and if they are charged, whereas most of us have a mobile device charged and available all the time. Whether that be for a quick browse of the classifieds whilst making a cuppa or as a distraction on the daily commute.

Maybe this is a need that will become more pressing over coming years as demographics change? I agree finding someone in the community who can build a decent app may be the answer.

+1 on the surprised by this. The 'not completely great mobile experience' issue has been raised from time to time. Often pictures don't show, notifications are unweildy and so on. There is an option to switch to the full site but that's fiddly on an average smart phone. 
I will look at the mobile site on my phone if on a train journey or on the loo at work,etc, but if I wanted to do something significant ( say post pictures on an ad) I'm pretty much forced to wait until I am on the full site ( on my iPad, I also don't use a computer as such at home). 


 Franssen said:

First found this forum by accident when looking for some pedals. Now I love looking at the ads for Guitars, GAS right, gets us al. Useful threads as well on the Live discussions. I would like to see the for sale thread and WTB threads for guitars in particular separated into manufacturer specific sub forums, i'm only really looking at two manufacturers now, trawling through the rest is tedious

[ Why does the quite system sometimes go barmy on mobiles?]

The manufacturer specific sub forum thing sounded a bit horrific ( to me), I suspect the answer is a more user friendly/ obvious search function. Used As Is the results are terrible, you can go into the advanced settings but I think people often don't bother or realise. I've no idea if this is within the hands of the modmins or down to Vanilla but an improved Search would be a big advantage. 

Limehouse_Blues

I joined to sell a couple of axes with a view to 'thinning the herd'

couple of years on and I think the herd is the same size or possibly larger.

so, er... That worked out well. This place is just full of enablers!

there should be a prominent health warning on the home page. May damage your wallet. Enter at your own risk.

TTony

@EricTheWeary ; @Teyeplayer ;

The mobile thing may well be chicken / egg. 

If the mobile presentation was better, we'd maybe have a greater % of mobile users.  That's one reason why we looked at trying to develop a mobile app, but it didn't work out, and it's not worth us spending a lot of limited funds on getting an app developed when the % usage is so small.

LuttiS

I originally joined for the classifieds, but don't really spend much time there. The making and modding section was what peaked my interest and i just followed that section for quite a while before branching out. 

I'm in the "dad who has no time" category, (hopefully not quite middle-aged dad category), and since i couldn't play as much as i wanted it was great to be able to talk guitars and things. 

It really opened my eyes to see how many people were or had been in a similar situation with young children or partners meaning they couldn't play so much. 

After over a year of barely touching a guitar (re the young child bit), it has kept me inspired and not discouraged when i start playing and realise that my fingers aren't doing what they used to do


As for improvements,

I think most of the things i thought could improve have been done recently.. it was mainly things to encourage member participation. I think the jams are a fantastic idea, and i'm glad they are happening. Also the challenges & some of the fund raising competitions are great. So more of that. 

The shear amount of resources here is incredible, and as i think detailed in other threads accessing it can be touch. So maybe when posting a topic/reply etc, there could be a way of tagging it to integrate with a search function. I.e. if a particularly good guide to repairing something it could be tagged and so a search would pick it up as a good place to look for that.. or something.. 


 Also i also browse on mobile in the evenings and if out and about, just don't generally post as its all a bit weird

FatPete

I'm pretty sure Google has landed me here a few times in the past, but I couldn't have spent much time looking around because I didn't realise how big a community/resource it is.

Being a 'partscaster' guy (mainly Warmoth), I expect the making & modding and ads areas will be my most haunted.

TBH, the specific thing that made me sign up is that I'm looking for a neck for my current project - my first scratch-built body - and I found a thread where the work of a forum member (@GSPBASSES) was being recommended. He said he is now only doing stuff for forum members, so voila! Pure self interest.

Too early to be making comments about improvements!

Dave_Vader

I joined because I used to have too much time on my hands at work and needed somewhere friendly to mutter about gear and stuff. I was already doing a lot of basschatting, but found all the guitar forums a bit american and/or wanky.

I like this one, and am sad that work is busier than it used to be and I don't have as much time on my hands to mutter about gear and decide I need to buy more guitars these days.

I am looking for cheap pedal sales, and mildly amusing mutterings about gear.

So all good thanks

aord43

LuttiS said:

I'm in the "dad who has no time" category, (hopefully not quite middle-aged dad category) 

Yes, what we find is that Middle Age is when you get back to the Guitar after the kids have grown up a bit

LuttiS

aord43 said:

LuttiS said:

I'm in the "dad who has no time" category, (hopefully not quite middle-aged dad category) 

Yes, what we find is that Middle Age is when you get back to the Guitar after the kids have grown up a bit

So what you're saying is that if I keep having kids and never pick up a guitar again I'll be young (ish) and beautiful forever!?

mgaw

I was told about this place via an ebay sale i made, i was warned it would be great but expensive. correct on both counts!

i would never have had the quality of gear i have now without the FB, it is an extraordinary resource.

I would like to see a for Trade section. and also a lot more porn