I've always wondered this.

d8m

What was the inspiration/source behind the forums header image?

Is it a throwback to the MR days?

thumpingrug

No.    Its just a Fretboard.

d8m

Cool.

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

randomhandclaps

d8m said:

Cool.

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

GET OUT YOU BLEEDIN' TROUBLE RISER!

thumpingrug

d8m said:

Cool.

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

Heresy 

meltedbuzzbox

d8m said:

Cool.

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

are you Lixarto's third account? :-P

TTony

d8m said:

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

Not controversial at all.

It was originally something that ddlooping (who was involved back in the day and helped with some of the design work) created - I think based on a photo he had of his Diaz (very, very long story) guitars.

We've been talking about overhauling the design - the large banner logo isn't very space efficient, and it's not something that we can really use on other media (like the t-shirts!).  We'd like to use the screen space for other content (no, not ads!).

Problem is, none of us are graphic designers/artists, and we've struggled to find someone who has those skills, and some sort of understanding of what we'd like to achieve, without paying a few hundred £s to a professional agency.

meltedbuzzbox

TTony said:

d8m said:

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

Not controversial at all.

It was originally something that ddlooping (who was involved back in the day and helped with some of the design work) created - I think based on a photo he had of his Diaz (very, very long story) guitars.

We've been talking about overhauling the design - the large banner logo isn't very space efficient, and it's not something that we can really use on other media (like the t-shirts!).  We'd like to use the screen space for other content (no, not ads!).

Problem is, none of us are graphic designers/artists, and we've struggled to find someone who has those skills, and some sort of understanding of what we'd like to achieve, without paying a few hundred £s to a professional agency.

@randomhandclaps for the win!

Mick

TTony said:

Problem is, none of us are graphic designers/artists, and we've struggled to find someone who has those skills, and some sort of understanding of what we'd like to achieve, without paying a few hundred £s to a professional agency..

Why not make it a challenge.  Even if it's just for fun.

hobbio

+1, hold a competition and see what's submitted. There's plenty of talented people around these parts.

Antique_Guitars

I agree actually I think it does need changing, the banner needs to look a bit more professional I think.

Emp_Fab

I used it on my 'TempFab' forum before this place was created.  If Tony says it was Mr Looping's then it must be - my memory is shit.

I seem to remember the original had 'The Fretboard' written along the er... fretboard.

I never understood why it had blackcurrant jam dripping from the neck binding though.

Come on then....  let's see whatcha got !

imalone

d8m said:

Cool.

Wonder how controversial it would be considered to suggest updating it

If you'd be so good as to give your address and collar size we could schedule the lynch mob for Wednesday?
:P

Must be a graphic designer hiding here somewhere.

Branshen

Let him stick a little signature at the bottom, would be good exposure. Win-Win!

chillidoggy

How am I going to know where I am if you go changing the logo? Some people give no thought to the older generation.

d8m

hobbio said:

+1, hold a competition and see what's submitted. There's plenty of talented people around these parts.

I can work Photoshop + Illustrator, do you know where I can get some talent?

I think a comp would be pretty cool though, especially if we could submit them anonomously somehow!

stickyfiddle

I'd happily have a go at a new banner if open for submissions. I'll have to learn some PS first, but I want to anyway, so it'd be a good excuse.

Would suggest specifying banner size, keeping the current colour theme and set a deadline, then let people go for it.

Jalapeno

Emp_Fab said:

I never understood why it had blackcurrant jam dripping from the neck binding though.

Isn't it a Gretsch fingerboard, like the White Falcon (and others) ?

TTony

More than happy to have an internal compo for it, and we certainly do have some talented "artists" on here

We'd be looking for something that fits into a square area (so, including designs based on circles, plectrums, etc), that we can use as a consistent identity here, on our SoundCloud and YT channels, FaceBook (pah), Twitter, etc.

Also something that can be adapted (ie resized without loss of quality) so it can be used on t-shirts (and other promo stuff) with the inclusion of additional detail - eg the 2015 t-shirt).

Examples of stuff that we've previously used;

These from @Basher

This from some guy in the Philippines (via a crowd sourcing site) that I paid about $50 to for;

(to put $50 into context, we had to sell about 10 t-shirts to cover that cost, so it ate into the fund raising quite considerably, which is why we've not gone out to a "proper" design agency)

d8m

I didn't do graphic design but did do product design so know my way around graphics a bit, there will be others better than me without a doubt.

I vote we make this an internal comp and the mods provide a set of templates the logo/graphic needs to fit into( ie banner on top of page, square one for Farcebook)

Winner could be chosen by a members vote.

axisus

Mick said:

TTony said:

Problem is, none of us are graphic designers/artists, and we've struggled to find someone who has those skills, and some sort of understanding of what we'd like to achieve, without paying a few hundred £s to a professional agency..

Why not make it a challenge.  Even if it's just for fun.

I'm totally up for the challenge! What key is it in?