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Location: SE Michigan | I thought I'd pass along the URL of a guitar forum that actually allows people to talk and express their thoughts, and not just thoughts pertaining to bathroom humor:
http://p067.ezboard.com/facousticguitartalktalktalkfrm2
I am sorry to say I am becoming bored and even a little disgusted with this forum. In the thread that Miles shut down, people were discussing the concepts of artists talking about politics, not so much politics itself. It seems that almost anything goes on this forum except for a couple of curious sacred cows (ebay auctions and politics).
I was enjoying reading the CSNY thread that got shut down and I thought that the topic was pretty on target for a guitar forum. I dunno, I guess I just cant figure out what this forum is all about. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Thanks for the link.
"It seems that almost anything goes on this forum except for a couple of curious sacred cows (ebay auctions and politics)."
- Just add religion and you got it.
There are plenty of other things to talk about. As far as the "bathroom humor," we're not a real fan of that either, but it tends to not take up whole threads.
Cheers. |
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Location: Oregon | No offence Brian, but when I come here, I like to talk about guitars. If I want politics I can go watch the news or listen to every other kid in my school spout off about Bush.
So personally I'am glad no politics or religious talk is here. This isn't a debate forum, it's a fan club for Ovation guitars. |
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Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | Brian, I have to agree with you on the CSNY thread. The issue was not the nature of politics. It was using a rock concert to promote political agendas, no matter what the political issue is. Somehow that got twisted. Oh well, perhaps we can discuss a recent Air Supply concert. |
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Location: SE Michigan | Don't get me wrong folks, I realize that this is a guitar/music forum, and we should try to stay on topic as much as is reasonable. But it's also a community where people should be allowed to express an opinion here or there, even if it is an unpopular one. No one is forcing anyone to read through a entire thread (thank god!).
But regarding boredom, sometimes it gets a little weary looking at the same old stuff week after week; setups, string types, which amp should I buy, string tubes, llamas, coconut bras, etc. etc., etc., ad-nauseum. Once in a blue moon an interesting topic comes up (the CSNY thread), and it offends the (sic) standards of decency of the board and gets shut down. Again I just don't get it. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | BrainT your input is appreciated, but you basically asked and answered your own question even though you say "you just don't get it" you obviously do. I was not sarcastic in thanking you for the link. Although most of the CSNY thread was interesting, there were some peppers of political views and insults scattered in there, and that was the reason for closing it. This board was founded and is maintained on one premise and that is Ovation guitars. The fact that small groups have formed around the country to meet'n greet and play music is fantastic and more than we could have hoped for in the beginning. Could this site be more than it is? Sure it can, but it won't be. It's more than meeting the goals and vision Al and I had at the start. We are still getting 100+ new members joining each month. There will be improvements here and there, and features along the way, but the main focus is, and will remain about Ovation guitars and the people who play them.
In most cases, even when off-topic we let the threads run their course. On the other hand, we've been at this long enough to know how to predict a storm on the horizon. |
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Location: PDX | Well Brian, i can understand your sentiment, even sympathize with it. You'd like the board to meet your needs, or at least reflect your ideas of what an Ovation guitar board should be.
May i suggest you start your own board? The owners and moderators of this board obviously don't share your sentiments of what this board should be. And guess what, it's THEIR board, they get to make the rules, and that's the end of it. I believe Miles and Al are reasonable folks and would be open to respectful requests. However your approach bordered on belligerence, at least that's how i read it. Try diplomacy next time.
_____
gh1 |
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Location: East Tennessee | I wasn't sure I would chime in on this thread,(not sure where it might go).
I find the members of this forum to be a rather diverse group of individuals with one common characteristic, the love and enjoyment of Ovation Guitars. They are an open minded group who don't mind bragging about other brands they own,( try that on some other boards).
True we tend to rehash some topics,(strings, set up etc), but in the almost 2 years I have been a member, I have learned a lot about Ovations and guitars in general.
True sometimes we wander way off topic and the humor gets a little rough but thats life.
If any member has a problem with their guitar or is going through a rough time.
Stand Back and watch this group rally to what ever the situation calls for.
I guess I've put in my two cents. I'll quit for now, I'm going to practice the song I've got to sing tomorrow morning. BTW I will be using my Martin 12 string. :D |
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Location: SoCal | Damn Miles... now I gotta go get a margarita and spend the whole evening looking thru the thread to see if I can find the insults and political views that I missed the first time. And I should be practicing my guitar, looking for that 4th chord.
gh1, Brian's outspoken, but not even close to belligerent. Now Temp, we'll there's concentrated belligerence......
I gott go get my margarita. |
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Location: Scotland | Hey, I don't need to concentrate, it comes natural. |
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Location: Waurika OK | I appreciate the boundries set by Al and Miles. As a preacher, I could get fired up by some of the things occasionally posted here. But, I don't think this is the proper place to get too far afield of Ovation guitars and things related to guitars in general.
My interest here also waxes and wanes, but I always find something to draw me back into posting and I visit here everyday, usually more than once.
It is what it was intended to be, a forum that increases my appreciation for guitars and for those who play better (most everyone) and who know more (again most everyone).
I know that if it turned into a political rant site, I would be gone. When ever a thread goes in that direction, I usually never look at it again.
It is not that I don't care about what happens in the political arena of our country, but I'm not interested in yaking about it here.
Brian, I am not being critical of you. Your interests and views are just as important as mine. It's just not why I come here.
With respect to all.
noel |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Man you guys are fast.. I was still editing the first post and there are even more replies... anyway... I edited my above post a little. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | By Paul T. . . .Hey, I don't need to concentrate, it comes natural. . .
On the day he was born,
The nurses all gathered round,
gazed in wide wonder
at the joy they had found
Head nurse spoke up,
Said, "Leave this one alone,"
She could tell right away,
He was bad to the Bone |
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Location: SE Michigan | I have been visiting this forum for a long time, and I really do enjoy a lot of the banter and I have also learned a great deal as well.
Being an artist is all about expressing thoughts ideas and opinions. Expecting an artist to not project their ideas into a project or concert would be like asking a preacher to not preach about religion. It’s an oxymoron. You posters who don’t like Graham Nash’s comments, do you ignore the words to his songs? Are you that shallow-minded? What do you do during his lyrics, hold your hands over your ears and chant “LA-LA-LA-LA-LA I CANT HEAR YOU!” No one says you have to agree. No one even says you have to listen, but to say he is wrong for expressing himself is downright draconian.
In my mind that’s the whole point of art, if you are not pissing off people or at least raising an eyebrow or two it’s probably not very good art. And I would think the musicians on this forum would understand this more than the average Joe.
So our moderators shut the CSNY thread down. Members are concerned about staying on topic, and I am belligerent. The whole thing seems rather fascist to me. Meanwhile one of the moderators has had two recent threads about wiring his house, we have discussed car accidents, Plane crashes, crocodile hunters, and tropical fashions, but somehow a thread about political expression by musicians at concerts is off limits.
Nobody forces anybody to read anything here. I am sure a lot of the female members find a lot of the bathroom humor offensive, but they just ignore it. That’s the way a public forum is supposed to work.
And as far as this being Al and Mile’s board, that they own it to the exclusion of other ideas, that’s bullshit. This is a public forum, if you don’t want that you shouldn’t be on the Internet. And if that’s how this board is going to be run I will sadly have to abstain and find better places to spend my time.
Taylor had a board that was jokingly called “The Taylor Mutual Aid and Admiration Society” because Taylor became so anal-retentive about message content. The board became a joke, I’d hate to see that happen here. |
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Location: Scotland | Brian, I'm with you in most if not all of what you said. However, at the risk of sounding like a pussy it was probably right to shut down that thread. Politics and religion are emotive issues, as is art. There are places to discuss all of these subjects all over the worldwideinterwebthing. Keeping a degree of focus, and to paraphrase Miles avoiding storms, is probably a good idea. |
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Location: Waurika OK | Man I wish I knew how to do the quote with bold type function...
Anyway, Brian said:
"Expecting an artist to not project their ideas into a project or concert would be like asking a preacher to not preach about religion."
I realize this is not a concert, but that is exactly what the administrators of the board ask me, as a preacher, not to do. So, I don't, but sometimes I would like to.
Just because something is a public forum, doesn't mean anything goes.
Goodnight all, I do get to preach in the morning, and I sometimes think the congregation does not like it much more than you do! Just kidding, no, that may be true!!
noel |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Not sure what your beef is Brian, but...
You are correct, that Al and I are not consistant about what gets stopped and what doesn't. We don't have the time to moderate, and frankly for the most part, things don't need moderating. However, some threads we see and comment and put a stop to. Al asked very nicely for folks to be careful in the referenced thread, and they ignored him... That's just disrespectful.
We basically have one rule around here. Be kind to each other. Off-topic is tolerated to keep things interesting with the exception of religion and politics. Was the CSNY thread cut off early... yes. I knew where it was going. I'm sorry you don't agree. That's ok too. |
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Location: SE Michigan | Thanks for hearing and responding to my concerns Miles. |
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Location: NJ | Brian
First I agree that I am not interested in the bathroom humor. I repeatedly ask that it stop. It often falls upon deaf ears.
I work really hard to keep this board running as smoothly as possible. I spent much time at it. All at the cost of spending time with family matters, my personal life, my business and my health. The past couple years have givem me some health scares and personal tradgedies in the past 3 months have all contributed to my overall stress level. Several times during that period I toyed with the idea of just pulling the plug on the forum. Instead, I spent yet more time, and energy on the message board. It is not an easy job and a thankless task.
If you only knew what was going on in my life when I was at the last OFC factory tour... I had to keep a good face and keep everything in motion. I did and it went off well but understand my heart and mind was not in CT that day.
Trying to keep a level of seriousness is one thing and difficult, but there are many places people can talk about religion and politics out on the net. This is not one of them.
somewhere in my family album is a picture of an about 2 year old me with my aunt. I am clutching a uke with a grin from ear to ear looking out the back door of my parent's first house. I am much older now but music, musicians and musicianship still makes me grin from ear to ear. To me it has always been about the music. When I sit down with guitar in hand, I don't ask religion, race, political party, etc etc etc. I ask "what key?" and then let someone count it off and start to play. It has always been and always will be about the music for me.
I often take heat on this site. Some love me, others despise me, some don't understand me and others get it. This place was started with one reason and one reason only, A place for the love of Ovation and Adamas guitars. Nothing more nothing less.
In the CSNY thread, I made a reference to moody. it is because, a couple of months ago he fired off an angry e mail to me about why I did not shut down a political thread and that I let certain view points get more distance than others. Well I was not reading the board that day. A good friend and collegue passed away and I was refecting ont he good times that we had and the GREAT music that we made. The last thing on my mind was worrying about who said what about which politician.
I digress.
So, the way I see it is that life is way too short to spend it arguing and making enemies. Miles and I often do not see eye to eye, yet compromise is reached and we move forward.
In the grand scheme of things this was one thread at one point in time that has relavance to you. I understand. To leave over this board over that seems reactionary and silly to me. I have met you, and think you are a good guy and a good musician. that is what it is about.
I worked with a drummer that used to work for Warner Electra Atlantic and he met Al jarreau (sp) He struck up a conversation with him and talked about being a musician and playing the drums. Al's parting words to him was "do the music".
so I will end this diatribe with Brian "do the music" |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I've met a number of friends (though not one of them will admit it publically) on this board by virture of knowing more about them than just, they play or have an interest in Ovation Guitars. If that was the ONLY thing being discussed, YAWN, it's likely those friendship would not have coalesced as they have. And it's these friendships ( I don't mean only mine) that make this place what it is and keep it vital.
Hell, except for new models and the emergence of the ocassional rare one, I think you could find almost any iota of information about O's just by searching...What need is there to really corrospond then, other to trade buy or sell...
We've all read something here that's pissed us off or put us off, we've also laughed or asses off and made some cool contacts and friendships (and some very cool things have been done by people and groups formed here as a result... some things very few members know about)
I say, Have at it!! Religion, Politics, Bathroom humor, all of it!! Ask forgiveness, not permission... you'll know when you've gone too far when nobody responds or the thread gets closed or you're banned out-right.
If by chance this turns out to be my last post, I've enjoyed it. Really. My thanks to you All.
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(Al, just remember I know where you live... Yuse know whad Im sayin'?) |
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Location: Scotland | For what it's worth, Wildwood made a post about a concert he attended at which he'd had a great time, making no comments whatsover about anything other than THE MUSIC. 2 or maybe 3 people who WERE NOT THERE bitched about alleged political content, based on hearsay. I'm sure CSNY were far from apolitical, but if you weren't there to experience it for yourself, how would you know, and why would you bother making an unqualified comment? That's my last on this one. I'm out. |
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Location: San Angelo, Texas | Hmmmm....
How about them Cubs?!?!?!?!?! |
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Location: SE Michigan | Several times during that period I toyed with the idea of just pulling the plug on the forum. Instead, I spent yet more time, and energy on the message board. It is not an easy job and a thankless task……
……I often take heat on this site. Some love me, others despise me, some don't understand me and others get it. This place was started with one reason and one reason only, A place for the love of Ovation and Adamas guitars. Nothing more nothing less.
Thank you for responding as well Al, and I really do appreciate your efforts. Might I suggest that maybe you are working too hard and worrying too much? Let things go a bit, loosen the reins, we are all (well at least most of us) grown ups here.
And I don’t want to make this a political or religious rant forum, like speaker's corner in Hyde park, but we were discussing musicians projecting political ideas, not so much politics itself. If Cliff wants to talk lamas or waffles, what’s so terrible about discussing a CSNY concert? If we have room for all of the crazy things that get talked about on the OFC, I don’t see why everybody has their knickers in a knot over a bit of politics. Again nobody is forcing anyone to read anything, I skim over the majority of posts that don’t interest me.
And of course people should use good manners and be kind to each others, I fully support you on these ideals. Thank you again for all of your efforts Al and Miles. |
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Location: NJ | Originally posted by Brian T:
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, we are all (well at least most of us) grown ups here.
. this is not correct. I have repeatedly reminded members that anyone who registers that is under 18 has to do so with the permission of their parents and we get and approve these members. That is why I constantly have to remind people about language and content. On the thread in question, I saw a member that I can NEVER remember using foul language using the "f" word. I was going to say something but I just threw my hands up in the air and backed away from the keyboard. which is what I suggest many people do when they are in doubt of what they are posting.
I agree that some of the inside jokes go too far but they are jokes. They don't invoke hatred.
btw you should make a little better distinction between the 2 quotes of mine that you edited together. |
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Location: SE Michigan | Sorry Al, I didnt mean to slant or misuse your quote, I was just trying to keep it concise which often isnt easy for me. I'll edit it. |
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Guitar forum that welcomes political comments
