I always chuckle at these threads. I know most of the TGP admins, mods, etc. I have a very uneasy relationship with Scott Peterson, and one other mod. Big Mike does question people's loyalties, affiliations and posts. Why? Cuz he's asked to by the admins.
I've been banned there (or given a timeout for two weeks) on three occassions now. Seems I can't let BS fly without calling people on it. I've learned not to think I can have "free speech" there, just as you can't on any forum that has "rules". Some of you forgot you agreed to those when you signed up.
Personal attacks about people's looks? Oh well, you get there when you run out of valid reasons to debate someone, you've lost the argument and it's all you have to fall back on now that you've been proven to have no facts/logic to your argument. Oh well, learn to stop arguing a point you can't win before you start arguing it.
Hype machine...ok...here you get the "fan boi" phenomena. You also have "shills", company employees masquerading as end users posting reviews, etc, etc. That happens on every forum. TGP just has the biggest user base (over 140k now?) if I'm not mistaken.
The recent pedal builders threads, exposee's and inquisitions as to whether they're "cloners" or not has been with some merit. You gotta thank Mike Landau for making an "open letter" statement. Not many have the integrity to do that.
Paid advertising subsidizing moderator shills that are unpaid? LOL It's $50 per year for a Gold Membership to support the server fees and be a manufacturer who can post ads/sales. I don't think shills work that cheap. You do get a bigger PM box (which I don't use) and an avatar pic. Big whoopee!
I pay more to have a banner at HRI, MetroAmp forum, and in Vintage Guitar than TGP.
Granted, I have seen some past issues with "Strat makers" (D'Pergo? and Suhr getting into it.The Suhr employee was fired). D'Pergo sued the TGP over the illegal use of shilling clients via PM from other manufacturers. Even though they didn't do it, they paid the price of having a PM system that allowed it to happen. That's why they now have a legal team, and stricter posting guidelines, too. You also don't get to post whatever slander, defamation and libel you want without PROOF. Heresay don't fly anymore, that's why some more outspoken members are banned, not only there, but here and at HRI as well. These leopards don't change their spots, they just change forums till they're caught doing it again.
I've certainly had my share of defending my products there (and here as well as other forums) from others who have their personal agendas, and either don't have proof, provide contrived pics as evidence, or use vague references to "what I bought from you sucked!". Yet when I called them out on it, they have no receipt for payment or paypal account in my records on file to prove they actually owned it to back up their statements. There's one sick guy here who falls under that category.
This kind of stuff is not TGP only, it's all over the net. Take it with a grain of salt. Realize some of these posters have an agenda...whether it's because they are just effed up in the head, or talked themselves into a piece of gear based on their friends recommendations. None of you should do that. All of you should try gear before you buy it. Learn to do your due diligence. Step up and do the right thing when buying gear, or shut up about your mistakes. It wasn't the manufacturer's fault you deluded or fantasized yourself being Hendrix just cuz you got some gear that was close to what he used.
Easy rule of thumb for most of the posters who have negative posts/experiences...ask them to prove it with something that would hold up in a court of law, documentation, etc. 99.9% of them will get shot down right then & there. It's no different than gossip you hear at a party. Either you're a gossip without proof believer, or you're not.
As for those who give others shit about what they can buy they can't afford due to having a bigger credit line or salary...so fucking what? I've seen Steve K and rockinchippy get haranged by members for being able to buy whatever they want. What is that? Jealousy, disbelief, anger, or gear envy? Whatever it is, get over it already. Stop opening up their threads when they post if you don't want to be made jealous of their latest purchase. I don't open their threads because the gear they're buying doesn't interest me (for the most part) since I have all the gear I need, and then some. Yes, I have pics to prove it, they've been posted here before.
If it does interest you and you can't stop your finger from clicking the mouse on their thread....well, then you have no self control and maybe you should stop clicking on their new gear threads and typing on threads like this where you bitch about it. Jeez, be a man about it, use some common sense, and keep your mouth shut. You whine like Steve and Alex owe you their gear cuz you're jealous.
Go get another job, buy what you want or STFU already. You can't blame people for working and buying the gear they want. I don't, neither should you.
And now it's time for more of my ulcer medicine. Jeezus, these types of threads really aggravate it.
It's amazing how many ideas I've thrown out that become reality in very similar formats not long after.