jcj":1ozao82m said:
Ok....honest suggestion....lose 90% of the sub forums...they detract from traffic on the main forum.
Keep the active ones (Diezel) but lose the others.
I suggested this on the other thread. Subforum sections like some are suggesting for the classifieds - Guitars/Amps/fx-Pedals/Digital/etc. For the main sections? At that point you are basically getting rid of the Main forum section. Or you could just let everything flow through the main, the threads that people like will keep getting bumped and the ones that people don't will fall. It might keep the whole thing seem not as slow as some think it is.
TheMagicEight":1ozao82m said:
the main forum isn't the place for that unless it's not a person associated with the companies who's posting it.
The issue with that would be that any manufacturer could simply have others post for them. I've done it on TGP, and I know several other major companies who have as well. And a Retailer's Section (TGP) is as dead as a sub forum. I have learned of many, many new products based on threads posted that if left to a retail section or sub forum I never would have known about. Off the top of my head I can name 5-6 amp builders, and a few in the works, that I never would have known about if they didn't post up here. One or two I'm not really into, but others I'm glad to see threads from. If I don't like a company I simply skip over the thread. Not sure how that's really advertising?
It may seem that this is my opinion because I am now a manufacturer, but that has only been for a few months - and I held the same position before. I use Himmelstrutz pedals that most here have not heard of. I learned of them on TGP. The company itself isn't allowed to post about products unless replying, but some people that do their videos for them can. I think the distinction is really non-exsistant. But I am thankful that those post weren't regulated to a Retailer's Section, as I never go there and never would have learned of them. They are awesome by the way.
Another simple issue is you are penalizing the manufacturers that have sub forums. I know Two Notes puts out amazing products, and if they didn't have a sub forum the people that post there would instead post in the Main forum - and many more people here would be checking them out. A load box with IRs! How friggin' cool is that?! A pedal that has IRs for a pedal board! Amazing! And top of the line quality. The best direct live sound I have ever gotten was with a Two-Notes product - and I have played most everything out there. It's a shame that more people aren't discussing and trying these. Why profile your amp to run direct? Use YOUR own amp direct with a Two Notes! I bet if all the sub forum threads were moved to the main forum they'd be a big hit here. Same with several of the sub forum companies.
If Kempler had a sub forum here you'd never hear about them anymore. Even the biggies that have sub forums go weeks without any post. Diezel gets a lot of play, probably because they are pumping out some great stuff all the time, but mainly because Papa Bear post and is pretty active there. Which is really cool, but might be hard for most manufacturers. (And a big part of Diezel's growth was the old Tone Merchants (Ed Yoon) forum. Not much different then what happens here.) Rick has never made one post in the Wizard sub forum as far as I can find. I think that was a big draw for the sub forum idea -that you could converse directly with the builders. If it isn't going to happen then it is lacking.
Be glad you live in a world where all these manufacturers are out there and able to "advertise" on the net. Wasn't too long ago that the only way to check out new gear was from a magazine ad, and you couldn't find out from people all over the world what they thought. (which can be as unhelpful as helpful) You'd be stuck with some crappy review by some guy that probably got the gear free if they gave a good review. (I know this for a fact - I wrote some of those free gear reviews.
) Now there are forums, blogs, social media sites and You Tube videos, etc.
I don't think of seeing a Duesentrieb video of a Krampe amp, or a build pic of sah5150's as advertising. I see it as information for me that gives me more options on great gear. I for one don't want to lose that.
