Are some Guitar Geek forums becoming less engaging?

[Saeptus]

It seems like alot of people, particularly new-comers, have very little to say lately; or if they have anything to say at all, the words have very little substance. Over the past few months, more than half of the posts have been far from engaging, in my opinion. Not that they always have to be, but it seems like the idiot quotient has risen here as of late.

Debriefing and De-Programming and Now Playing seem to be suffering the most. I remember alot of healthy musical, political, literary, etc., debate over the last year and a half, and to a certain extent I think that this has been lost.

I'm not going to point fingers or list particular threads. I'm just wondering if some people feel the same way.

[screamingdaisy]

The board is evolving from a primarily ambient/experimental crowd to a strait up rock/metal crowd....

....the old crew is slowly fading away and is being replaced by a less interesting group of personalities.


As for "Now Playing", the rock/metal crowd seems less interested in strange underground stuff and more interested talking about whatever's in the guitar magazines.

[cubby]

Originally posted by screamingdaisy
As for "Now Playing", the rock/metal crowd seems less interested in strange underground stuff and more interested talking about whatever's in the guitar magazines.

I think that's because the majority are coming from a certain magazine's readership.

My biggest pet peeve has been the people that come on, make some sort of broad, declarative post - then leave without checking what others have to say. Other users just come across as naive and immature. The naive is okay IMO - it's the immature ones that make it a pain. Some others have come in like they have a guitar gospel to preach but it's readily obvious they still have a lot of learning to do.

Then again another pet peeve is the user that there have been a couple of people who are posting just to advertise. I won't name names but one seems to be affiliated with one of the advertisers on this site.

There has also been a slow rise in the level of netspeak which is something that was thankfully rare on the site until recently.

[bucky]

I've noticed that for the first time since I joined the forum, I have been spending a lot less time here, and finding the discussions a lot less engaging.

[Saeptus]

Originally posted by screamingdaisy
The board is evolving from a primarily ambient/experimental crowd to a strait up rock/metal crowd....

....the old crew is slowly fading away and is being replaced by a less interesting group of personalities.


As for "Now Playing", the rock/metal crowd seems less interested in strange underground stuff and more interested talking about whatever's in the guitar magazines.

Touche.

This is quite disturbing. The Electric Guitar 'Stompboxes' forum is pretty healthy with regard to the ambient/experimental crowd, but I've even noticed that in that forum there have been alot of questions about simple, straightforward rock guitar tones. Those questions always existed, but the frequency with which they are asked is undoubtedly increasing.

I've noticed that for the first time since I joined the forum, I have been spending a lot less time here, and finding the discussions a lot less engaging.

I've been spending less and less time here lately as well.

Every few days I try to spark some debate in 'Now Playing' and 'Debriefing and Deprogramming' but very few people seem to care.

I'd also like to add this (and I hope it doesn't come off as elitist): the decrease in interesting conversations and debate is directly proportional to the increase in members who limit themselves strictly to hard rock and heavy metal. Now, there are exceptions. But this is the general trend I have noticed.

[screamingdaisy]

Originally posted by Saeptus

I'd also like to add this (and I hope it doesn't come off as elitist): the decrease in interesting conversations and debate is directly proportional to the increase in members who limit themselves strictly to hard rock and heavy metal. Now, there are exceptions. But this is the general trend I have noticed.

I've pointed this out before, except at the time it was after a recent influx of newb shredders thanks to every mag on the market dedicating half their pages to "the return of the guitar solo"....

....anyway, I think it's safe to say that people who're generally closeminded about music might also be generally closeminded about many subjects......not the greatest mentality in the world to have when it comes to a discussion forum.

[Saeptus]

Originally posted by screamingdaisy
....anyway, I think it's safe to say that people who're generally closeminded about music might also be generally closeminded about many subjects......not the greatest mentality in the world to have when it comes to a discussion forum.

I agree with you to a certain extent. It certainly doesn't apply in all cases; although it does seem to be characteristic of many people on this site.

To be honest, though, I know musically inept people who are very socially and political acute, and vice versa.

But yes... on this site there seems to be a correlation between closeminded music fans and unintelligent conversation.

[MetalliKatz]

This is a really annoying issue. I'm sick of seeing a thread like "Need help with pickups", going in to have a look, and the first chump who replies make's some stupid comment like "EMG's are second rate pickups, played by second rate players." when it would be 10x better to just say "EMG's are not really my thing, but I will recomend you this <insert pickup here>." People have got to start respecting people's opinion's, and stop being fool's.

It's just getting out of control, and I can see it is annoying some people. Motorhead, for example, can give some really helpful advice when asked, but lately however I have noticed his posts have become fewer, and have noticed this trend in many GG memebers, who have alot of good advice to give, but cannot be bothered anymore because people are constantely being jerks.

Then there are the people, not all newbies btw, that come on and make stupid threads about nothing, and cause stupid arguements, just for the sake of an arguement, which makes threads (instead of helpful sources of information) into complete and utter crap. I dunno, but i've watched this forum for ages, and it seems like this is increasing heaps.

I'm just frustrated.

[GDan]

I've commented on this too many times and I never want to say the same thing again.

No.

[jamie.pope]

As many of you have probably noticed, i spend less and less time on the forums. This is due to two things, the first being - this thread topic. I concur, the best part of all threads have become rather unengaging and unappealing to me. I rarely ever have anything to say, as alot of threads are regarding things which i've commented on in the past.

Secondly, i've developed more of a life for myself this past year. I used to be online on a daily basis, sometimes all day. My band have taken a few steps towards good things and we're regularly gigging, rehearsing or working in the studio. I'm much happier because of this.

I haven't gone anywhere, i am still here. There seems to be some misconception that i've disappeared entirely. This is not the case, i still pop online from time to time. This thread seems ideal for such a declaration. Drop me a PM if you'd like to say hey!

[Jelly]

Yes, it is less engaging than when i started, but not too bad...as long as it doesn't get too much worse, i'll stick around :)

[fiveways]

i'mjust about to give up. Beyond a couple older members there isnt a goddamn hting left here. Same coversations, less interesting crew.

[skip tracer]

I don't ever visit individual forums; I just click "view new posts". It used to be that I'd look at almost every new post, but now I can go through 6-7 pages of new posts and only open two or three, and possibly only respond to one. I guess that's bound to happen after almost three years.

[clifford]

Ive been around here a while.. and yeah I seem to get excited less about things to talk about. My rig is shaping up too, so that slows down excitement too.

Alas, I have hardly anywhere else to go during downtime at work, so Ill definatley still be around to hear what some of my favorite posters have to say, granted they stick around.

[Motorhead]

Some Guitar Geek forums have never been engaging ... NO.

[Dan the Man]

Originally posted by cubby
I think that's because the majority are coming from a certain magazine's readership.

Funny you should mention that. I found out about this site back when I got my first issue of Guitar World and it had a big list of Geeked rigs in it. I think that was about four years ago.

Of course, I came here before they started doing Vulgar Display of Power, so I must be exponentially cooler than those brain-dead noobs.

[Welladjusted]

i've been here for a good long while, and i've found it to be perhaps more engaging as time goes by. partly because i know a lot more about gear and i've been able to expand my musical tastes by a fair bit since i came here. i never would have gotten into muse if it wasn't for this site, and they're one of my favorite bands now. besides, if i left, who would tell people to get traynors?

[thefobia]

Sometimes it's embarrasing being a metalhead/shredder. I've been here quite some time, and I would like to think that I haven't caused too much trouble/or been unhelpful with regard to gear questions (I do my best).

I am the first to point out that I am not your typical shredder either. I PLAY technical shred stuff with my band, but love to experiment at home with LOADS of different styles.

I'm actually very proud of the fact that my record collection would embarrass any other 'typical' metalhead. Sure I have my metallica/slayer/pantera/megadeth records, but I also have a lot of 70's prog (King Crimson, ELP, Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd etc), 60's acid rock, and 60s pop. I own loads of old remastered recordings of 1930s-1950s blues guys, (BBking, Muddy waters, howlin' wolf, Blind Lemon Jefferson). I also have a soft spot for Bach, Samuel Barber, and Charlamaine Palastine (sp?), but thats only scratching the surface. :)


Basically, If it does something to me, I listen to it.

Some guys *REALLY* need to open their eyes. I'm sorry to say that I have noticed the quality of conversation dropping down a few notches too.

[tocata]

I think they are, I usd to come here more often, this place used to be more interesting and fun, now its just gotten boring, people are leaving, and beingreplaced by newbs with none of the expertise that the older guys had

also, they used to regually put new Rigs up, its halfway through the year, and nothing's been done, I blame that more than the lack of interesting or meaninfull conversation

[airfall]

hmm... i generally only look at this site during the summer months because i'm really busy at school during the fall, winter and spring. two years ago i was new and found this site to be exciting and interesting. now it seems like it's a lot less exciting. people just come here for one bit of advice (recommend me a delay pedal. i need a fuzz. i need a new OD) and are never heard from again. there is an amazing depth of information and character here, but i feel like the negativity ("this thread is pointless"... as if that added anything) and apathy have increased. it almost feels like people think that every topic of interest has been covered and there isn't enough information or interest to hit topics that haven't been covered. i got really excited about the mods and bends thread i posted until someone asked what a diode was. i think that killed it... people seem to come here looking for a quick fix to whatever problem they're having at the time, and don't look to return anything to this amazing community.

[METaLLiKka7447]

I used to come to the site more when I had major GAS but wasn't sure what to buy. Now, I've learned a good deal of information and can decide mostly by myself. I'll ask a few questions here or there, but mostly now I just participate in the off-topic threads and by giving advice. Sure it's still fun, but I always got a huge kick out of reading posts from people giving me advice on pedals, amps, guitars, etc.

[METaLLiKka7447]

Originally posted by tocata
also, they used to regually put new Rigs up, its halfway through the year, and nothing's been done, I blame that more than the lack of interesting or meaninfull conversation

The rigs never really interested me that much. They were cool at first, but now they're kind of a novelty. I don't even open the GG homepage- it's straight to the forums for me!

[airfall]

Originally posted by METaLLiKka7447
The rigs never really interested me that much. They were cool at first, but now they're kind of a novelty. I don't even open the GG homepage- it's straight to the forums for me! +1... although i consult the rigs when i'm considering a new piece of gear. my thought is that if a bunch of pros use/have used it, it's probably good enough for me.

[drummondrs]

This place is going to the dogs. We keep getting these new guys. To be fair, some are helpful and nice but some are just ignorant asswipes morally obliged to piss everyone off. I find this place less interesting but I still hang around because there are a few people who hold interesting conversations and there are people I have respect for. Well, as much respect as you can have for people you have never met. As someone previously posted, my rig is now finished so I don't need any help on that. Also, pickup and placement threads are really starting to get on my nerves.

[Saeptus]

Originally posted by drummondrs
This place is going to the dogs. We keep getting these new guys. To be fair, some are helpful and nice but some are just ignorant asswipes morally obliged to piss everyone off.

Agreed.


I find this place less interesting but I still hang around because there are a few people who hold interesting conversations and there are people I have respect for. Well, as much respect as you can have for people you have never met.

I also agree with you on this, but even the interesesting people on this site are starting to disappear.

This site really started off as one thing and as we've said, its kind of transformed into a different beast. I'd like to see Guitar Geek's first and second wave of guitarists stick around and push the musical envelope some more. It would be a shame to have this site taken over by a bunch of Godsmack and Audioslave disciples.

[Dillholio]

So what prompted this post, the "when you gotta take a crap..." thread or the "Suicide Girls: Art or ****" thread?

[Petary791]

The bass forum is dead x2. I think me and that Weezer guy are the only people who post.

[manhole]

I think the forums began to take a downturn, well, about the time I joined. :( Sorry about that guys. I'll leave now.

Seriously though. When I joined the forums, I knew sweet FA about, well, pretty much anything. I joined to learn, and am still learning. I can offer only a few informed opinions about technical things, so I just learn and try to be pleasant to have around. I've notice that some new users have, in recent times, come in like they owned the place, declaring that such-and-such is the best guitar ever, and so-and-so is the best distortion box, and that we are all a bunch of "faggorts."

Which reminds me: until recently there was little-to-no use of l33tsp33k or txt msg style talk on these forums. There still isn't much, but sometimes it appears.

It saddens me that a lot of the people who made geekchat awesome have left, or are considering leaving. If all you old hands, and polite newbs like me, left, what would we have? Harmony Central, probably.

[Doctor J]

I wouldn't say this place has gotten any less interesting, but some of the more interesting people (i.e., a lot of the people that were already here when I joined or joined around the same time) are gone now. But a lot of them are still around.

I'm sure I wasn't very interesting and didn't contribute much to the community when I first joined. It's like wine, to use a bad, cliched metaphor. The newer people have to have time to be assimilated.


And, to be perfectly honest, I haven't gone into any of the forums outside of the Safe House, Stompboxes, and Debriefing in a number of months.

[Motorhead]

Has it gotten better ?

... I think so!

[SGROCKER0791]

Originally posted by Motorhead
Has it gotten better ?

... I think so!

Big +1

Mike has been taking not-so used forums and making them into something better. I see there has been some reviews on humbuckers, amps, etc. Also, mods are starting to come back. :)

[playstheblues]

I'm relatively new to the site so I didn't vote, but if I've contributed to the alleged decline of GG, I apologize for myself and the other new guys.
That said, I love the site and advice, and find myself coming more rather than less often recently.
Just my 2 cents.

[Scorpius]

I voted yes. I´ve been coming to the forums much less then before. Fewer threads interest me, and i´ve kinda learnt all about fx and amps I need/want to learn.

[spongemonkey]

18 out of 24 people voted yes. What do you all think can be done to halt the decline?

[duluxdog]

Originally posted by spongemonkey
18 out of 24 people voted yes. What do you all think can be done to halt the decline?

Pull the plug, save us all from a painful and slow death. Nobody likes watching a quadraspazz with Alzheimer's withering away, which is clearly what GG has become.