Memberships and Freeloaders.

[WineRider]

Wow I'm staggered by what you have had to reply to Marc, I wasn't expecting the response from the boyo's and for that I am extremely sorry. I know some of the work needed...I had my own website for many years and it is a thankless task at times. I can see how difficult it could be to enforce prices etc, as you have pointed out it is a trust thing.

You do a great job as do the rest of the team.

I promise to try and behave as best I can in the future and not cause you too many headaches. or troubles .

[Arcada]

Wow I'm staggered by what you have had to reply to Marc, I wasn't expecting the response from the boyo's and for that I am extremely sorry.

lol, no worries, no need to apologise

Topic moved (was in Lap Steel Players).

[Gretschnut]

As a paid up member and sometimes financial contributor to the Forum I have to also now apparently add the title "Freeloader" to my CV. My interest in and performance on the steel goes back to the late 70's and into the mid 80's when the trusty LDG was unfortunately weighed into the Divorce Fund, partly due to never being home, and the association with the steel guitar was put into storage. However, that love of the instrument never dies, and I was fortunate to eventually have the time and money to re-kindle that relationship and, through the Forum, stumble across an absolute Gentleman and Seasoned Member called John Davis.

Having visited JD (an 8 hour round trip) and relieved him of a splendid LDG (now in the possession of Matt Allwright) I now started my journey to learn to play all over again. Having now only the desire to play for my own pleasure, I used the Forum, together with JD's Basic Video's, together with trips and telephone calls to John, and also viewing contributions from so many other accomplished players, to work on Scales, Chord positions, blocking, volume control and the many other techniques to be mastered. And I have to admit that, together with time on my allotment and on the golf course, I get real enjoyment from playing and improving gradually.

Selfish as it may seem I have no desire to upload any of this onto the Forum or to seek aclaim or criticism. I don't need it. It's not why I play. Sorry if that puts me in the Freeloading category but I will continue with the odd comment and financial contribution together with sponsoring a Donkey in Dorset and My local up and coming Golf Professional. It's my choice. Regards to you all. H.

ps Marc, contribution in the post.

[bradsteel]

Steven, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement mate. There can be no doubt that you in particular are doing a lot for the instrument amongst the younger generation here in the UK!

[Arcada]

As a paid up member and sometimes financial contributor to the Forum I have to also now apparently add the title "Freeloader" to my CV.
...
Selfish as it may seem I have no desire to upload any of this onto the Forum or to seek aclaim or criticism. I don't need it. It's not why I play. Sorry if that puts me in the Freeloading category but I will continue with the odd comment and financial contribution together with sponsoring a Donkey in Dorset and My local up and coming Golf Professional. It's my choice.

Harry, I think you've misunderstood. The OP was referencing those who don't post anything, not just videos / recordings etc... i.e. members with less than 2 posts.

With 331 posts and counting, you're way outside that bracket!

ps Marc, contribution in the post.

Much appreciated, but send it to Bob!

[U_twelve]

Surely it matters not what or how many you post but only that at least you're here!..... .

[Dave Nutt]

Wasn’t sure if I should add to this post but here goes.
I have been a member since this generation of BSS started 10:years ago, I was also a long time member of the sites forerunner. The site was once vibrant, lots of players signing in with tips, stories, and loads of good humoured banter, it’s changed greatly, for me as a reasonable player I get little information from the site other than the odd comment and browsing the for sale section, looking for a reason is pointless, I think the older guys with much to give to the site are all at an age where their playing days are over and their stories have been told. Apathy has always abounded on the site, last year (as in every year for the last 25) Inwent over to the states to tour and visit old friends, I met with a friend who has engineered a resonator project, a resonator with string benders, a fabulous bit of kit that I thought would be of interest to both pedal and lap players. I posted a small article in the steel guitar cafe section, Result- 351 views not one single reply.
Is it any wonder I personally feel that I have little to contribute.
Dave.

[Ken Byng]

Dave
You have a lot to contribute. Don't hold back if you've got something interesting to say.

[hickenjr]

Wasn’t sure if I should add to this post but here goes.
I have been a member since this generation of BSS started 10:years ago, I was also a long time member of the sites forerunner. The site was once vibrant, lots of players signing in with tips, stories, and loads of good humoured banter, it’s changed greatly, for me as a reasonable player I get little information from the site other than the odd comment and browsing the for sale section, looking for a reason is pointless, I think the older guys with much to give to the site are all at an age where their playing days are over and their stories have been told. Apathy has always abounded on the site, last year (as in every year for the last 25) Inwent over to the states to tour and visit old friends, I met with a friend who has engineered a resonator project, a resonator with string benders, a fabulous bit of kit that I thought would be of interest to both pedal and lap players. I posted a small article in the steel guitar cafe section, Result- 351 views not one single reply.
Is it any wonder I personally feel that I have little to contribute.
Dave.

I must have missed that, I'm very interested in resonator pedal steel products.

[WineRider]

Dave, I fully understand where you are coming from and much of what you have said is true. However...footfall is always slow when a site looses some of it's, shall I say, more colourful characters. I know I'm not the best to talk on the subject at times, but when someone posts an article that bombs, it is demoralising, which then inhibits the person from posting in future. I have asked questions on this Forum, and have had good solid constuctive replies. Only once did I get frustrated with the response from the knowledgable ones, and voiced my opinion. I was blanked by many over it and decided to ease up on the posting. I did spend a lot of time, as a visitor, looking and reading the posts. Eventually coming back into the fold. My playing with all the advice hasn't improved...neither have my manners, but, the making of lap steels has improved, so something good has come out of the site. The French site went to the wall when one of the founding fathers, had to leave France in a hurry...stealing from fellow Steelies is just not acceptable. The BSS site is the only place in Europe as far as I can see, where one encourage or discourage interest in Steel Guitar and or Resonator. Many of the original stalwarts of this site can be found on FaceAche, sorry that should have read FaceBook, which gets just as much non-members or pickers , who are in many instances wind-up merchants and also possible fraudsters...not all for sure but a small number are. But if we all love the music scene especially Steel Guitars lap or pedal shouldn't we be all trying to improve the PR between the older generation and the younger one. I forget how many times I have seen written and over-heard conversations, where the 'I had to learn everything myself...not having someone write tabs out for me etc.' or refusing to respond to a question because maybe it's below them. I come from a musical family, but I went my own way and became a professional motorcycle road racer, and after finishing with it I came back to music. Green as grass and having forgotten most of what I had learned in my youth. I bought books and read and now I write my own tabs...rightly or wrongly, but it's mine. I think all ages should be encouraged to participate, but not the Freeloaders. Policing it is the hardest job going and I do not envy the moderators one little bit. What about a section on the site where the ones with ability can show off their prowess more than they do now.