Can we discuss the New AGF openly and honestly?

[Flatline]

I was also just thinking... another thing that makes the new site a little weird I guess is some people opted to change their name when they registered here. Not a big deal but sometimes I'll see a post and it doesn't exactly register with me who they are.

[Floridian FX]

I havent been posting as much, but I don't think the forum is to blame. What is to blame is the entire world has gone all Fucky and I am having a tough time drumming up any interest in guitars, or much else for that matter.

For those of us that have been here since the beginning, 12-14 years, is there anything about guitars that we don't know? Lol. Seriously though, my thirst for knowledge has kinda petered out, and it seems our conversations are starting to repeat themselves.

That just might be me though.

[mozz]

I mentioned this on the refugee fight forums. The old forum software is available.
https://xenforo.com/purchase/

Yes, I, like others do not like change, but you get used to it. (Maybe except the GIANT avatars and on the wrong side)
If anyone is actually getting younger, please share your secret. Get off my lawn too.

Other boards using it, pretty close to the old agf

[AnotherJim]

I really appreciate the feedback, I’m humbled by the welcome you all have given me personally, and I’ll get working as quickly as possible on a theme that suits better.

It was the strong sense of community that hooked me from a simple search for Washburn guitars - there was a thread on the old AGF, and that’s how I lucked out!

Speaking of which, jwguitars didn’t come over. I seem to remember him posting a lot of Washburn guitars. I was on the old site for about 2 years. I have noticed much less music being posted and much less responses to new posts and (please don’t be offended) they occur only if it is a conversation involving more of the more tenured folk. I still come and look every day, but there isn’t much to look at. I posted a new used amp day and I think one comment came through. Old days.....it would be on the page for a few days. The Spark Amp post was ongoing for months and that was nothing compared to ongoing jokes, tennis, boobs (always a favorite, apologies to any females here but we are what we are) which filled in around builds, gear, sales, etc....and I miss posting my photo. I cant seem to get it on here no matter what I do to the old pic to try to get it under the memory limit

[ID10t]

I am okay with it. I wish that stuff didn't get lost because when it was slow I could dive around threads and learn some stuff. Before there was a ton of stuff on the old site, there was nothing.

Love [mention]toomanycats[/mention] analogy. I was going to borrow from The Simpson's and say it is like a new couch that doesn't have your butt indent in it yet.
I was and still am a newer guy and I feel like a Freshman and am hesitant to say too much for fear of proving how foolish I am. My handle is a reminder to myself. I respond and then erase some because I think better than to share what my brain screams at me. Same as the old site.
I too blame The Vid and less gear out there and such.
Keep on keeping on. Heck I even did, what I think is a revolutionary NGD, because I have to do what I can. Just trying to make my indent.
Under normal circumstances I would erase all this..

[RockYoWorld]

I, too, want to start with saying how much I appreciate this new home and how impressed I am with it.

As for site design, I REALLY wish the profile pics were on the left side. I just can't get used to them being on the right. I agree that the color scheme isn't that appealing, but it doesn't keep me from doing anything on the site.

I chalk up my lesser-engagement on this site to COVID. My motivation, attention span, and habits have been completely destroyed. If I sit down with something guitar-related, I try to work on my original content, but those creative juices have been drained too...

[belleswell]

I'm very thankful to admin to have this site so quickly after the last fell apart. I'm also thankful to Mickey for the email link as the other ship was
sinking.

Now for the part that I'm not happy about.

The spam continues. Averaging 3 or 4 spam emails daily.. Arrrgh. Is this new site also going to get "sold" along with my email address again?
This thought has me holding back on what I might contribute as everything at the last site was apparently up for grabs, including all of the data
gleaned through the old site via data mining.

I started a thread in the pedals section about an old multi fx pedal from the late 60's now fetching up to 6K. Not one reply. I deleted it.
If there is one thing that will keep me away from a site, it's a thread I've started that gets no replies. There were 63 views and no replies when I
deleted it.

[PsychoCid]

To me it just feels like going back in time. The save was heroicly timely, and the forum itself is basically like AGF 2.0

But yeah, the faster we can make it look & feel like home (colors, formatting, everything), the faster we'll all shake off the discomfort.

I will say though that this site is painful to use by phone. Everything is so hard to click, it takes me to the wrong place almost every time. Feels just like AGF 2.0 on blackberry exactly a decade ago.

[mickey]

I'm very thankful to admin to have this site so quickly after the last fell apart. I'm also thankful to Mickey for the email link as the other ship was
sinking.

Now for the part that I'm not happy about.

The spam continues. Averaging 3 or 4 spam emails daily.. Arrrgh. Is this new site also going to get "sold" along with my email address again?
This thought has me holding back on what I might contribute as everything at the last site was apparently up for grabs, including all of the data
gleaned through the old site via data mining.

I started a thread in the pedals section about an old multi fx pedal from the late 60's now fetching up to 6K. Not one reply. I deleted it.
If there is one thing that will keep me away from a site, it's a thread I've started that gets no replies.

Same here for the spams. Been getting them ever since I went to moomoo board to check it out. Bummer.
Thankfully the spam filter my email server uses handles most of them for me.
This place is not responsible for them, it isn't even putting tracking cookies on ya!

[OMB]

NOT THE SAME

Well that is quite obvious. Several times I had considered a thread similar to this but I did not want to come across as negative and ungrateful and most important was concerned about the possibility of hurting the feelings of all the nice folks that put this new site together. Those herculean efforts to find a new placeholder are truly appreciated by all of us. But like Thomas Wolfe said..."You can never go home again". Our home is gone. This new house is different. Some of us have mentioned resistance or difficulty with change. Some of us have seen dramatic changes to our lives and how we go about our daily activities. The word Trauma comes to mind. I still show up. I occasionally will post but this Forum reminds me of the movie The Stepford Wives. I also prefer the dark mode but I fear this may turn out to be one more thing that goes to the Vapors. May my haunting suspicions be totally incorrect and this forum thrive and become more than it ever was but... We lost our "Stuff". All the stuff that bound us. Members come and go but the old forum was a piece of musical history. A reference site as already stated.

I posted on 4 or 5 Forums but for some reason I posted more on AGF than anywhere else. Lots of fantastic characters. Many flamed out and went to the Vapors. Many just slowly stopped coming. Perhaps the deconstruction was foretold. I have sold most (not all) of my gear and I rarely look for new stuff anymore. I have lost that enthusiasm. That spark. Boy am I depressing.

I will probably continue to visit for short periods with a few posts but it makes me a little sad every time I visit. PLus I HATE clowns so keep them away!

[LightWingStudios]

If nothing else this thread has been therapeutic and helpful in many of us getting some chest off our hair.

[LightWingStudios]

I'm very thankful to admin to have this site so quickly after the last fell apart. I'm also thankful to Mickey for the email link as the other ship was
sinking.

Now for the part that I'm not happy about.

The spam continues. Averaging 3 or 4 spam emails daily.. Arrrgh. Is this new site also going to get "sold" along with my email address again?
This thought has me holding back on what I might contribute as everything at the last site was apparently up for grabs, including all of the data
gleaned through the old site via data mining.

I started a thread in the pedals section about an old multi fx pedal from the late 60's now fetching up to 6K. Not one reply. I deleted it.
If there is one thing that will keep me away from a site, it's a thread I've started that gets no replies.

1) Are you saying you are getting spam mails from THIS site or a particular email address?

2) See my post on member data now and in the future.

3) No replies to posts...happens to me too but hey, you can lead an AGFer to Disco but they may just want to Rock. I don't take it personally.

[PsychoCid]

[golem]

My favorite people on this forum I can text and see in person at this point. But I understand we lost a lot of people with that move. I also think [mention]LightWingStudios[/mention] is doing the best he can.

[helsinkirocks]

But one feature I do miss is where one gets brought to their first unread post in the thread chosen. One doesnt need to scroll through already read posts to catch up, but is delivered to the first post they havent yet read. That could be a pita to obtain.

That's here, but you have to click it. When you go to a thread, near the top above the posts is a link that says "First Unread Post" or something like that.

[Tonray's Ghost]

It's been a month now, and I can't put my finger on why I'm am not drawn to spend as much tme on our AGF home here as before Momogeddon, and I'm trying to figure out why.

It's called Covid-19, Lockdowns, pandemic out of control and a country polarized almost as bad as during the Civil War....just other things preoccupying our minds these days

[TVvoodoo]

I agree to some extent but it seems to me TGP and TDPRI are even a little busier over the past few months

[Tonray's Ghost]

I agree to some extent but it seems to me TGP and TDPRI are even a little busier over the past few months

I think it's also less disposable cash for guitar related gear...even though many of us are in positions in life where we are somewhat insulated from economic disaster...I'd bet that many members here are worried about house payments a few months out and whether their job will come back or go away.

These are troubled times and stock market aside...even the warm, cozy house of AGF cannot be immune forever.

[peskypesky]

I just now saw this thread, and I'll have to read through it. I've only read the first three posts, but will read the rest and comment further.

My first comment is that the light colors don't bother me. The majority of my forum time these days is on the Steve Hoffman Music Forum, which looks like this:



Light colors do not bother me at all.

The avatars on the right side isn't optimum, I would prefer them on the left, as they are on most forums. But not a huge deal.
The size of the avatars is maybe a little more off-putting, but again, really a niggling "complaint".

I myself haven't been coming here as much as I had in the past for a few reasons. One, I'm no longer buying or modding guitars. I have over 20 now, and that's way more than I need. They now have become almost a burden to me. I need to sell or donate some.

I think another reason is that I'm not going to shows, not playing in a band, etc. I was just about to start doing open mics with a great singer when covid hit and shut that totally down.

And I do think the community took a hit when Minor Tom fucked us over. A psychological hit. Emotional hit. But probably also a demographic hit to some extent. I doubt everyone from the old forum is here now. The mainstays, yeah. But maybe not EVERYONE.

And finally, there can be a feedback loop happening. If I post something and don't get many responses, I'm going to lose my enthusiasm for posting. It does seem like there is less activity....so that will dampen enthusiasm in a negative feeback loop.

BUT, that being said, look at how many posts there are on this thread right now. The community is still alive and well. Just maybe a bit dazed...and trying to get used to a new home.

But boy am I glad it's here. And a huge thank you to all who busted their butts to get it set up so quickly.

[peskypesky]

Has anyone mentioned the absence of ads? Maybe all that blank space on sides makes it feel a bit empty? Do we need ads?

[peskypesky]

on that note, is there a way to get this forum to stretch to the left and right?
Like this?

[PsychoCid]

I'm joking, I'm joking @peskypesky. You know I love you man.

Listen mang, Ted's been with me since just about day 1 and he ain't going nowhere no time soon.

He has even amassed a posse......

[ID10t]

I understand the desire for "reactions." Is there too many choices? I mean seriously does the drop down and choose make fewer people react versus just clicking a "like" button? I don't know, maybe I am reacting less and failing to give acknowledgement and feedback as often as I should.
I know we have joked about a "dislike" button back on the dotcom, but maybe a one-click button would help.

[PsychoCid]

I understand the desire for "reactions." Is there too many choices? I mean seriously does the drop down and choose make fewer people react versus just clicking a "like" button? I don't know, maybe I am reacting less and failing to give acknowledgement and feedback as often as I should.
I know we have joked about a "dislike" button back on the dotcom, but maybe a one-click button would help.

Squeeze pages work.

Give someone one option, and they happily take it.

Give someone multiple options, and analysis paralysis can take over.

[fullonshred]

I really appreciate the feedback, I’m humbled by the welcome you all have given me personally, and I’ll get working as quickly as possible on a theme that suits better.

It was the strong sense of community that hooked me from a simple search for Washburn guitars - there was a thread on the old AGF, and that’s how I lucked out!

EDIT: I found an email address for jwguitar (Joe Weinberg) from old AGF and sent him an email with a link asking him to join up with us here.

Geez did Joe who was our resident Washburn man (and a fine Jazz guitarist) make it here? My mind is bothering me and I don't recall his full user name. I do know he had a youtube account with his jazz videos. I wish I had bookmarked it like I meant to do.

EDIT: ahhhh, found him. jwguitar was his agf hook too. Hope he made it here already.

[mention]AnotherJim[/mention] , maybe I subliminally was influenced by your post that I missed on first read thru of this thread. Here is jwguitar's youtube page below.