You make a good point. I have been a mod on several sites and over moderation can be more harmful than letting the nuts run loose at times. But letting the "F" word stay is counter productive to a sites growth.

I have a 4 year old Grandson that I will eventually teach to play guitar and will recommend web sites to go to. UG is NOT one of them!

I hate to see this forum go the same route. Keep it small and keep it family orientated.

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Gary

I totally agree about the language content. I actually think this particular board has an overactive language monitor requires one to misspell some words because somebody thinks they can be used for nasty purposes.

I really think that if we work together and I mean 100% in unison we can force the trolls to lose interest by completely ignoring them. The problem is there's usually somebody who wants to out-troll the troll. I understand how alluring the temptation can be to take one of these guys to task. I've been guilty of it myself on occaision. It never works though and it only gives them exactly what they wanted in the first place. Even posting a pic that says, "Don't feed the trolls" is actually feeding the troll and is counterproductive. They have to be completely ignored. As if they didn't even exist. It will take a very serious effort on the part of every member to truly ignore the trolls but I believe it can be done if we all pitch in and give it 100%.

The nit-picking cruisers are harder to stop though and they can do just as much damage as the trolls. The problem here is that we all at one point or another have seen a flaw in somebody's logic or a misquoted fact and have corrected the person on it. I don't think that's a problem. I think it's healthy and productive for the board as a whole. Where it goes south is when personalities get involved and people are not respected or respectful. That's what we have to watch out for and keep on top of.

My 2 cents.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Respected Forum members, Brothers and Sisters of this guitarists sanctuary. Your posts, as always, are thoughtful. By far my favorite parts on these threads that develop into exercises of not related to the Forum subjects. Kudos to the elder members for helping the art of communication, my condolences to those posters that place the rest of us in the uncomfortable position of communicating with all of your alter egos

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I have to say even though I no longer own a Fender guitar, I made sure to keep a Fender amp which many have helped me get set up the way I wanted it.

I like it here.

There are many good people here and I will stay, trolls, or no trolls.

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Gary

ROCK ON!

Nothing can be all things to all people. That's why, as previously pointed out, just ignoring stuff is a useful skill. I have been absent from here for much of the past year because the stuff that kept me coming back got killed. There was no FUN to be found -- it was all serious stuff.

I'm still a relatively new bass player (and even newer guitar player), so many of the technical discussions are still helpful to me. I can imagine, however, that after you've been playing for a long time, and perhaps gigging, reading ANOTHER thread about these strings or those strings would be boring. That's when the humor and other discussions perhaps become more important reasons to come back here and see what's up.

Sometimes, after a L - O - N - G day at work or otherwise spent in the company of people you don't care for, it's wonderful to have a place you can go to have fun and be goofy.

It's also very true that civility, courtesy, respect, and thoughtful discussions and ripostes should be the habit. PLAY NICE, PEOPLE!!!


"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former." ~ Albert Einstein
"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." ~ Elbert Hubbard

"The system analyst's goal is to design foolproof systems. The universe's goal is to come up with bigger fools. So far the universe is winning."

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Shirley Has The Blues

Blacktop P Bass
mim Deluxe P Bass Special
mim P Bass
Ibanez BTB405

I have started a couple of informative Rumble bass amp threads, and made some very up-lifting posts. Just like this one. Flush if you must.

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2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD

With the possible younger players coming on the site, the adult content should be the prime concern. Common sense folks.

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Am. Std. Jazz / Maple / Olympic White
D'Addario ETB92 Nylon Tapewound Strings
Hartke LH500 head / Acoustic B410 cab

The "Nastiness Factor" has risen significantly in recent months. There's always been a small contingency that has/had a chip on their shoulder--quick to take offense, sensitive to their own feelings but insensitive to others' feelings--but that contingency has grown considerably in recent times.

At one time, there could be a disagreement--whether it was personal taste, moral/ethical differences or whatever--and it would blow over rather quickly, without degrading into a profanity-laden flame war.

I remember I severely disagreed with another Forumite (a well-respected, thoughtful and longtime member) regarding a particular subject; we never agreed, even at the end of the thread, but neither of us resorted to personal attacks, neither of us "Foe'd" one another and the thread didn't have to be locked by Señor Traweek. We each (passionately but politely) stated our opinions and our facts, and that was that. I still respected him at the end of the disagreement, and I assume he still respected me (at least, he said he did)...and this was a fundamental philosophical lifestyle disagreement--neither of us were willing or able to budge. We had several more (pleasant) interactions during and after that thread was tied up.

It seems that we have recently attracted a snottier breed of post-er, many of whom are more willing--and ready--to FIGHT than to DISAGREE. If you can't discern the difference between those two concepts, then you may be part of the problem.

By no means do I believe my recent (and current) lowered level of participation made this worse, but I do think the general skewing of the demographic to the troll/hater/general Jackasserist (a person who practices Jackassery) coupled with the disgust and/or absence of more reasonable, level-headed individuals has caused the unfortunate underlying tone of this Forum.

The repeated invasions/intrusions by the Doofus Down Under a year or so ago caused a nasty disposition that never quite went away. Unfortunately, I was one of the people who added to that disposition in my treatment of him and others of his ilk, and I apologize in that regard.

I'm glad that 63Supro, Ceri, TGS, SuperKid, Guitslinger, Frankie the Kid and many others are still here, keeping the Coals of Coolness banked up; unfortunately, there's a pretty big Contingency of Jackassery that has a hairspray can and a lighter. The COJ doesn't burn as long, but it's far (unfortunately) more spectacular at first glance.

Hopefully, that will change soon, because if it doesn't, I think many of the "Righteous Dudes and Dudettes" will bail...then it will truly go down (said) crapper.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Well I'm back now so this place has nowhere to go but up!
Time to dig out the plunger!

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Agreed and often it's perpetrated by people who have been on this forum a long time and they have an attitude that there's a "pecking order on this forum." Their words BTW not mine, on a recent thread.

Many harbour a pompous attitude towards newcomers and their comments towards those people are often ignorant and uncalled for. it's not just the recent people who are the problem. You have a hardcore on here who treat it as some kind of "old boys club" and don't like newcomers much. They then feel the newcomer has to "earn his spurs" in some strange way.

One of the people concerned who mouthed of in an ignorant fashion likes to look down his pompous nose at poor and impoverished people. Making statements like "they're born poor and remain poor because they're lazy!"

Not once have i heard such an ignorant, selfish and downright disgraceful opinion stated on here. We then had another who joined in and said there was nothing wrong with that and the person concerned had nothing to apologise for


Some of the established members need a reality check and to remember they are in no way any better than the newbie. Maybe if they remember this one point and stop to think before posting hateful ignorant comments, like our friend who shall remain nameless, then this place can start thriving again.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

Ugh ! Well spoken , Armadillo! Seasoning this with a tiny touch of Gorgon's statement , and we're about there .

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A-man

Not to argue, but I disagree with the person's opinion about the established members...

True, some old timers/long time members are a bit defensive or harsh toward a newcomer's errors in form, attitude or content. However, that "is what it is"--an old-timer has the right to correct something improper. That is the way this forum has generally been--self-policed and self-regulated, with a very light touch from the Moderator (he generally lets people work out their problems, instead of jumping in with all guns blazing at each opportunity).

I don't know the circumstances or the particular thread of which you speak, but I've seen many a time where the person being accused of being a bully or hateful to a newbie was actually just making that newbie aware of the ground rules here.

Yes, this is a semi-public "club," but if you act a fool, you'll be slapped like one as well...just like the blues clubs I've played and frequented all my adult life.

I was firmly corrected on a few matters of form when I first joined (didn't know that multiple posting in different sections of the forum was discouraged, i.e., the same post in the Amplifier section and in the Lounge). Since I am a full-grown man (with both emotional maturity and chest hair) it didn't offend me or make me respond, "You mean old man! I can do what I want!!" Rather, I apologized, confirmed what the problem was and corrected it with the humility I see severely lacking in the Contingency of Jackassery that has infected the Forum.

...and everybody has to "earn their spurs", whether it be on stage, at work or in a social circle. This has been one of the more welcoming groups/websites I have ever been involved with...as long as the new person abides by the set standards. If they don't like it, maybe they need to start a new forum, perhaps called weareguiltyofjackasseryandwererejectedbyfenderforumiteswhoactuallyhavesomesenseandrespectforotherpeople.com

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I missed you.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

No they don't and this is the whole point. Not on an internet forum they don't. It's not that serious that people should be thinking of themselves so pompously. This is not real life, it's a silly little cyber world floating around where few of the people could even tell you anything about the other people on the forum their likes dislikes etc. etc. etc.

It is not a place where people get to tell others that they are in some way lesser members of the club because they've just joined. That alludes to the fact that just by being on a forum for a certain amount of time means you are qualified to feel superior to someone just joining. It is this kind of elitist crap that is driving people away from this forum.

What about the incident i quoted where we have someone making offensive remarks about the most vulnerable section in society then backed up by one of the "good old boys" of the forum?

As i said before thinking you're better than someone or more qualified in some obscure way, simply because of the amount of posts you have on a forum, is retarded. But this is what happens on here time and again.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

Again, I don't know the circumstances of the situation you mentioned, so I'm not qualified to judge.

Yes, you're right, this isn't "real life"...

And I never insinuated that someone is "better than" or "more privileged than" another person--new, old, established or otherwise.

However, I must disagree about the source of the problem. There is more arrogance, impudence and downright stupidity amongst the newer members than the "old guard". These new members have every right to post their jokes, recordings, opinions and lyrics. And the old members have every right to criticize.

Never mind...I remember why I dropped away...I guess I'll just do that again.

Have a good day.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals