Official Luthiers Forum!

Interesting differences. I have never felt very welcomed here. I try to post useful posts but they are never acknowledged. Whereas the MIMF is my home.

Luthier's forums to me are about the sharing of information regarding guitar building...

I noticed that there was still a "I will not discuss policy in public" attitude, though...

The "commercial" restrictions meted out with a heavy hand were why I left MIMF, and I see no reason to return given the generally excellent level of discourse here along with the better forum software. For a more specialized forum, the Mandolin Cafe is truly excellent, too, with some of the top mando luthiers quite accessible. In fact, I'd say that they have the best representation of the top of the field of any stringed instrument forum I know of.

I really see MIMF as appealing more to beginners and folks who will never earn a living at lutherie, and there's nothing at all wrong with that, but I'm looking to learn from pro peers here...and I do.

I'm sorry you feel that way, Barry. I have always thought you provide good information both here as well as MIMF. I for one welcome you here and hope that you continue to participate here as well.

Hey, this place has even been tolerant of Grumpy and me...now that's saying something!

I agree with Rick that we can get carried away over here with all the "hey look at my first build" stuff, and I'm guilty of it myself,.

Mitch, thats not a bad thing!

Although the virtual high fives may not be for everybody, I would rather have too much of it as apposed to none at all.
I really do look at the OLF as a place that I go to hang out with my buddies, a place to share in the excitement of a well done rosette, or a stunning binding job! OR a first guitar! OR learn a new trick! Look no further than my purfling predicament!

I enjoy giving and receiving virtual high fives from my friends.

Corny or not. That my story and im sticking to it!

Sure..... and this from a guy who meets me for lunch, asks if he can stick his arm down the sound hole on my latest guitar, does so - and then when I post pictures several days ago not a single high-five, no comment, clapping hands, nada, nothing...........

There are different reasons to be involved in Internet forums, and they're all valid. Some want to be a part of a social community, some want real information with a minimum of static. If what you want is a warm fuzzy family and a kind of in-crowd feeling, yes, it's over there at MIMF where I think threads degenerate pretty quickly into clique-speak. I'm not here on OLF for want of friends and community; I'm here to share information and learn something. To be honest, I'm not all that interested in endless self-congratulatory conversations about first builds. Too often such things become like college football pep rallies...a spinning of gushing emo bulls..t. I have not problem with folks learning to build, and I think they should be encouraged; I just prefer to do that in either a one-on-one or classroom situation where I can handle the instrument and critique it honestly.

As for forums, I like to get down to the real place where steel meets wood. That's happening here a lot with the sharing of techniques, suppliers, and the nitty gritty of guitar making.