The Gear Page – Awareness, Support and Appreciation Thread!

[Stratman76]

Someone on this forum brought this thread to my attention…

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/350182 (highlights listed below)

It essentially began as a ‘State of The Gear Page’ disclosure from Brian Scherzer. However, it was posted on The Pub forum and therefore, I don’t believe many of us Pedal Hackin’ GAS Monkees have even read any part of the aforementioned thread.

The Cliff Notes Version…
The Gear Page has seen a surge in new membership which is dictating the need for more hardware/performance resources to support the additional overhead. Brian and Scott need our support and our ideas to keep The Gear Page what it is- The Best, Most Accessible Musician’s Community in all of cyberland! Does anyone disagree?

Well, I want to see what THIS FORUM (Pedals, Effects&#8230 can do! I hang here and most of what I've posted has been in this forum. There are so many incredible, talented, knowledgeable and humble samaritans right here! I’ve learned a great deal and have hopefully helped others as well.

Time to show your Appreciation and Support for TGP…
I did to the tune of $35 and it will be annually provided (a BARGAIN!). I don’t care if you contribute the cost of a freakin’ Happy Meal. Perhaps a simple thread like this could be considered a reliable, bi-annual “fundraiser” and would thereby minimize the need for advertising. Again, the amount does not matter- your support does. Just let us know you're with us.

What Will Likely Happen…
The Gear Page needs a reliable stream of income (to date, donations have not been reliable). There will likely be some Google Adsense advertising. Personally, I don’t think the currently projected plan will bring in much dinero especially if the ads are as minimalist and obscurely located as what is being discussed.

What Won’t Happen…
You will not see any noisy, distracting tasteless advertising. A mandatory membership fee is not an option. It won’t happen, it’s completely converse to the Mission and Purpose of TGP.

My Take For A Steady Stream of TGP Income…
An automated, annual contribution option. No one is required or expected to monetarily contribute anything to TGP. But for those of us who want to show our continued support, an automated annual contribution mechanism would provide a reliable, projectable stream of income for TGP. (detailed in Tonedaddy's post #140 listed below)

Also, many have suggested that there be an annual fee for to those who start threads in the Emporium. An annual Emporium Sellers subscription of $15 is the likely number. I’d like to see a Premium Emporium Sellers Subscription which would offer the seller the ability to bump their thread once a day (otherwise limited to once a week). I don’t know if vBulletin would easily support this so it may not be feasible.

Other ideas...TGP Swag. The current idea is to use www.cafepress.com to provide TGP Swag. The problem there is TGP won't make much on the merchandise purchased through them. What I'd like to see is a real e-commerce storefront ($799 for a good one) and for one of you to come forward with a better promotional merchandise source. Members could also list their bands' CD's with a stated amount of the proceeds going directly to TGP.

And…Let’s Show Brian and Scott what the EFFECTS, PEDALS Strings & Things Forum can do! That’s my call for action, folks. Call me a cheerleader, call me an evangelist- I don't care. I only hope you share my appreciation for TGP! I hope you see this as a call to give something back.

Respectfully,

Brian Keefe (Stratman76 ... '76 Strat was my first real guitar)



IMHO, here are some highlights to the State of The Gear Page thread…

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3633637&postcount=1

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3633748&postcount=12

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3633794&postcount=18

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3634149&postcount=38

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3634432&postcount=52

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3635110&postcount=70

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3635517&postcount=82

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3635583&postcount=87

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3636323&postcount=104

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3637262&postcount=130

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3637262&postcount=132

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3637888&postcount=140

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3639191&postcount=165

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3640517&postcount=175

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3642872&postcount=195

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3645268&postcount=203

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/3651240&postcount=215

 

[Andy J.]

My Take For A Steady Stream of TGP Income…
An automated, annual contribution option. No one is required or expected to monetarily contribute anything to TGP. But for those of us who want to show our support, an automated annual contribution mechanism would provide a reliable, projectable stream of income for TGP.

This is a great idea!!! :AOK

 

[Stratman76]

OK...I'm surprised. Maybe I thought there was more in this forum (the most active on TGP).

Brian Scherzer and Scott Patterson put in some serious effort to keep this thing afloat. From 25,000 members, TGP got $400 in donations in January- that's just pathetic! That won't cut it.

How about some ideas at least? Do you have any good slogans for TGP T-Shirts? Any quotables?

 

[nibus]

Okay, I just donated a little token of my appreciation... If everyone just donates a few dollars it will be plenty to pay all the management costs.

It really is worth it, this forum has been an indispensable resource over the past few months for me, not to mention the ability to sell and buy new gear.

What if we got a "Gear Page Album" together of all the great musicians here, and offered it as a digital download? I can't think of a better way to celebrate our endless quest for tone and also support TGP at the same time.

 

[Matt F]

Yea, I agree. I just made a lil donation as well.

I know I read TGP in the morning and can spend as much time reading here as I do reading the newspaper. I think the paper costs us $100 or so/year to have delivered.

I also belong to a forum called Reefcentral.com. It's about fish/coral keeping. I had subscribed to the forum last year and I think the cost is about $34 or so. One of the benifits of subscribing is being able to use the search function and getting an I support RC badge next to your name. That is a HUGE forum and the cost is worth it for the search function alone

Thanks guys..
MF

 

[Stratman76]

Thank you for giving a little something back! If you've already shown your appreciation in the last year, let us know that as well.

To the rest of you, I hope you at least read the first thread so you are aware of what's going on with TGP (I wasn't). I think you need to think in terms of "if The Gear Page was no more, what would that mean to me?"

 

[mlongano]

Maybe Brian can keep a sticky up there with the the amount of the highest single donation ever received...no names of course.

It might be motivation for some of the more affluent members to keep kicking in higher amounts...people here can be a little competitive at times!!


Someone I know told me that they contributed $250.00 once to The Gear Page. If that was posted in the sticky other people may contribute $300.00 or $500.00.


It would be ideal if all members contributed a few dollars per year, but we all know that based on the past statistics, that is not likely to happen.

 

[twangbanger]

Just made a donation too. The Gear Page has been a great source of info and is a great musical community! However I've definately spent alot more on gear since I started reading these posts, but I don't regret any of it!
Well maybe just alittle!

 

[turtleheadblues]

Score one for the effects forum. I just sent some in.

 

[BluePowder]

I'm all up for the Tshirt idea!!!

I'd buy a couple in a heartbeat and wear it with pride!

Heck I'd even make my girlfriend wear one!

 

[Jack Spillane]

Thanks for the timely reminder. I have learned much from this web site (and have suffered some severe GAS as well) and this thread reminded me that I was overdue to kick some coin into the bucket. Many thanks Brian!

Jack

 

[Stratman76]

I'm all up for the Tshirt idea!!!

I'd buy a couple in a heartbeat and wear it with pride!

Heck I'd even make my girlfriend wear one!

I'd get my fiancee a tight one!

And...

Cool that we have a pulse here. One member offered this perspective, "The Wall Street Journal is $230 a year..." Isn't this kinda Wall Street Journal of Guitar Gear? Different, sure, but the comparison has some merit. One thing I find really valuable here is how posters are very open with their gear opinions- especially when comparing products. When was the last time you saw a negative review in Guitar Player or Premier Guitar or any similar rag? There are all so desperate for ad revenue that they won't risk alienating a manufacturer. HERE a manufacturer could buy an ad and I really don't think that would influence what we wrote at all.

This may be REAL freakin' drippy but there are two things I often sense here in TGPLand... Passion. Some membaz are obviously passionate about the music they create/produce/find pouring out of their searing amp; and the other thing is compassion. There are many here who genuinely want to help their fellow brothers (and sistas) find the answer that so escapes them.

I recently started a thread about a scarce little pedal that probably 100 people own in the world (Skreddy Pink Flesh) and good God, you can't get that kind of information anywhere else!

(poster precariously steps off soapbox with one brow raised)

I want TGP to be around and we need all of you!

 

[Groovey Records]

I'm all up for the Tshirt idea!!!

I'd buy a couple in a heartbeat and wear it with pride!

Heck I'd even make my girlfriend wear one!

its ok blue your girl friend doesn't have to wear a T-Shirt

 

[blackba]

I have seen other forums have a fund raiser product, like a t-shirt, pedal, cable, pickup, etc that people can buy and some of the proceeds go to the forum.

I just donated some money. The influx of people is due to the changes on HC and its decline among other things.

 

[The Pup]

I'm in...let's do the annual automated donation request...we should see a bump in contributions.

...it could be on the registration anniversary date as apposed to some other singular arbitrary date.

 

[walterw]

Brian Scherzer and Scott Patterson put in some serious effort to keep this thing afloat. From 25,000 members, TGP got $400 in donations in January- that's just pathetic! That won't cut it.

How about some ideas at least? Do you have any good slogans for TGP T-Shirts? Any quotables?

25,000 people and only $400 in january? holy crap, we're cheap! (actually, thanks for the reminder, i just tossed a little more into the kitty.)

it occurs to me that the "contributing member" designation under our names, or the custom ones we can come up with once we donate, should expire after, say, 1 year. that would be an easy way to nudge the folks who care enough to worry about that sort of thing into giving at least a little each year, without the draconian step of a membership fee.

 

[BluePowder]

its ok blue your girl friend doesn't have to wear a T-Shirt

I wouldn't mind a TGP thong either!

But seriously folks, I've donated once before, a very humble sum by most standards. These threads remind me of how much I appreciate having this board around. I'm gonna make a donation once I reach home.

 

[Stratman76]

I have seen other forums have a fund raiser product, like a t-shirt, pedal, cable, pickup, etc that people can buy and some of the proceeds go to the forum.

I just donated some money. The influx of people is due to the changes on HC and its decline among other things.

What's going on at HC? I do know Musician's Friend has owned the site for awhile.

 

[Todd Lynch]

I'd like a T-shirt.

 

[blackba]

What's going on at HC? I do know Musician's Friend has owned the site for awhile.

HC was very loose with the rules, the mods have come in and choked some of the sub forums out. Many of the long time members left, so now you pretty much just have kids who are metalheads left there and many off topic threads (mainly referring to the amp forum section there)