I'm looking for the rules and policies for this forum

[Mark Wybierala]

As a long time member of the F*P and the *IMF, I find myself at a loss without written guidelines and what you can do and what you can't. Naturally I'm a decent sort of guy who doesn't flame anyone except those who put manufacturer decals on things that they shouldn't and can communicate without being vulgar or profane. I don't know what goes where on my page or anything about the position of implied advertising or where the line is drawn. I just want to be a good citizen and contributor. Any help? The button for the rules is probably huge and I'm just not seeing something obvious.

[Russell Vance]

No swearing, spitting, drinking, smoking or hanging out with loose women within 50 feet of the forum. I think them's the rules - stick to them. Rusty.

[Bob Webster]

Come on, Rusty, there was one more thing that was common practice in the legendary waterfront pubs in Sydney. Of course, most home offices don't have tiled floors and walls to accomodate the practice anyway.

Cheers,
Bob

[Russell Vance]

You'd be talking about 'Heroes' - a legendary corner pub in the Rocks (just under the Harbour Bridge) where you had to walk down sandstone hewn stairs to a carved out 'relief'. The bar was so narrow and packed on a weekend night you had to call out your order from where you were and the beer would be passed out to you one way and you would pass your money the other way via people you just met doing the same thing.
Unfortunately most of the traditional pubs are gentrified these days but there are still a few of the original tiled joints around - wonderful feel. Rusty.

[Tom Krebs]

Ha! ... and no stinking badges.

[Tim Mace]

No candles & horses as these may make current technology look fuzzy. Oh and above all ,no rules.

[Mark Wybierala]

I have two young semi-adult sons who take every opportunity to rub my nose in my lack of tech savy. Is it actually possible to spit on a forum page? I understand that there is all sorts of mischief that occurs on the internet but my mother taught me to never spit on the pavement -- if you gotta, its okay to spit on the grass as long as you don't make a habit of it or compose an opera from the preparation prior to execution. Vulgarity is okay but only in a bathroom with the door closed -- there's a time and place for everything. The same rules apply in my home and we've got plenty of grass for practice so if and when my sons mix it up with spitting hoolagans they are totally prepared to spit as well as anyone -- nothing worse than a misfire that dribbles down your chin.

[Antonio Cotichini]

What a freedom! Seems to go back at the hippie sixties! Very funny.
Peace, brothers.
Mark, we're all here to talk about sound, wood, finishing and other gears pertinent with the lutherie world. We're supposed to be all (more or less) decent people who love guitars. What are you scared about? Take it easy and enjoy.
P.S. I confess, I'd like to pay less taxes, but please don't say this around!
Antonio

[Frank Ford]

Well, so far there hasn't been a need for rules. Currently there are nearly 800 members, all of whom have been playing in the sandbox very well together. We'll have the occasional slip of Internet etiquette - at least one doesn't understand that typing all in caps is considered shouting.

I set this place up to be a bit of relief from the flood of e-mail I was getting from readers of FRETS.COM, and I think things are working out pretty well. It costs a bit extra to keep Google ads out of here, but I've been able to stand the expense. In their place I have that "Jack the Gripper" thing over on the right, and sometime I get it together to rotate with other ads of my own. Other than that, this is, as FRETS.COM, a noncommercial place, so advertising won't be welcome.

As you might imagine, forum participants (and even webmasters) run the gamut from petty, angry types, to, well, the rest of us. I hope we don't get much of their kind of action. Should things get out of hand, I may post "rules," but I think everybody here knows what's appropriate behavior.

If anybody would like to read a truly impressive list of forum rules, the most comprehensive I've seen is on MIMF:

http://www.mimf.com/useragr.htm

This forum is nowhere near the size of MIMF, and some troubles come from big numbers I suppose. For now, I'll post a somewhat shorter list of rules:

1. Be good.

Well that's about it for now. . .

[Ron Frazier]

Frank

What a nice group of people you have here.I read each and every post and answer what I know for sure and have asked and never got a answer from any one about the wedge files as to which edge is the one that the sizes are on. I called Stu-Mac and was told that was a tectenal question and they called me back and could not tell me what I wanted to know.

I really like your site because the spell check knows insterment language and helpes with it.

Keep up the good work!

Ron

[Tim Mace]

Did the sujick chanje?

[Mark Wybierala]

Without doubt, there is a great convergence of talent in your membership. What I have found lacking in other forums is the discussion of the dirty underbelly of professional luthery that addresses the necessary evil of making money. When ever possible, it gives me great pleasure to work in trade for coffee and donuts -- a simple output jack replacement is worth one large coffee and a half-dozen chocolate frosted donuts from the Duncan Donut shop across my parking lot. I will share the donuts most of the time with my fellow staff. On the other hand, I gotta make a living. Is it okay to identify myself as a professional luthier? I honestly do not want to attract clients from this website. What I would like is to make connections with others in similar circumstances and along with sharing knowledge, also share successful business practices that benefit both myself and my clients. To do so inevitably necessitates the mention of costs or other things that could be interpreted as opportunistic advertising. Dang this is a tough business. Among the "professional" luthiers I've met, about half have ego issues that make them unbearable and within the first five minutes of discussion are putting you down or elevating themselves at your expense. Can business be discussed here or is it unwelcome? Either way, this is a cool forum. I just want to be appropriate.

Frank, with a promise to not be a pest, or take up too much of your time, could you contact me directly at my email address: wrnchbndr -at- verizon dot net?

[Ron Frazier]

I have a lot of beginners in guitar building ask me what do I think of their try and I tell them that any one can find fault with anyone's effort so if I quiteck your job it isn't to run down your work it is so you can find your own flaws and learn to make a better instrument but it usually backfires so I have learned to say it was nice to see it and thank you for showing it to me.
I have seen some realy nice jobs on some first try and some very bad on there 50th try.

I will stop building when I age my first perfect one.

Ron