Results 1 to 23 of 23

Thread: It’s beginning...

  1. #1
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    It’s beginning...

    The era of guitar forums is unfortunately coming to an end.

    https://www.fender.com/pages/forums

    Fender has closed their own company forum, and many others will close soon too.

    Hopefully, some of the older, more traditional ones will remain.

  2. #2
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Fender has wobbled back and forth on their forum. Stopped it for a revamp a few times. After I'd entered all my Fender gear in registration where Fender stored my serial numbers and such. I spent a couple of hours setting that up. Just a month or two later, they wiped their forums and that feature, without warning, without a way to get at that information. That's why I haven't gone back to them. Fuck their forum.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  3. #3
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Indeed, it was a tragic loss -- twelve years of priceless information flushed down the crapper in the interest of corporate expediency and unbridled greed. For many it was the only venue that helped FMIC's customers figure out how their gear worked, and when it didn't, how to fix it. Apparently, Servco's hedge-fund hottentots (Fender's new owner) are not interested in that, only ever-increasing quarterly profits. I'll never buy a new Fender product again.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  4. #4
    Forum Member FrankJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Bad JuJu Blues - Its Good for your Soul!
    Posts
    3,935

    Re: It’s beginning...

    I learned a lot from so many. Time....its the master.
    Kenny Belmont
    >:^{I)>

  5. #5
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Southern NH
    Posts
    4,717

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    Indeed, it was a tragic loss -- twelve years of priceless information flushed down the crapper in the interest of corporate expediency and unbridled greed. For many it was the only venue that helped FMIC's customers figure out how their gear worked, and when it didn't, how to fix it. Apparently, Servco's hedge-fund hottentots (Fender's new owner) are not interested in that, only ever-increasing quarterly profits. I'll never buy a new Fender product again.
    yeah, I figured they must have looked at their forum guy and said "why are we paying him so much money when we can get a new Porsche or rent another yacht to go to Cancun?"

    *not saying they paid their forum guy that much*
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  6. #6
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: It’s beginning...

    The "forum guy" is a personal acquaintance and he and I worked for over a week, trying to find a way to save the forum or at least devise an acceptable replacement format that did not rely on corporate sponsorship. To his credit, he is "one of us" in that he is a working guitarist who came up through the company ranks from the early days of the post-CBS era. Tacitly he shared my opinions on the impending myopic foolishness and really wanted to devise some way of preserving the forum and the priceless knowledge it contained. I proffer no defense for the idiots at Servco -- they think Fender is building the equivalent of disposable kitchen utensils or shoddy patio furniture such as one would find at a typical big-box store. That musicians are a special breed who often bond with their equipment for life was apparently of no import to them whatsoever.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  7. #7
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Southern NH
    Posts
    4,717

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    The "forum guy" is a personal acquaintance and he and I worked for over a week, trying to find a way to save the forum or at least devise an acceptable replacement format that did not rely on corporate sponsorship. To his credit, he is "one of us" in that he is a working guitarist who came up through the company ranks from the early days of the post-CBS era. Tacitly he shared my opinions on the impending myopic foolishness and really wanted to devise some way of preserving the forum and the priceless knowledge it contained. I proffer no defense for the idiots at Servco -- they think Fender is building the equivalent of disposable kitchen utensils or shoddy patio furniture such as one would find at a typical big-box store. That musicians are a special breed who often bond with their equipment for life was apparently of no import to them whatsoever.
    was it at least on a back up server? can it be copied? Not espousing corporate espionage or theft of intellectual property, although it doesn't sound like they have any interest in it as an object of intrinsic value.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  8. #8
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Posts
    60

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    I think if Fender keeps going in their current direction, They will hurt there reputation Like Gibson and the result will be lower sales.

  9. #9
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    Quote Originally Posted by jaxjaxon View Post
    I think if Fender keeps going in their current direction, They will hurt there reputation Like Gibson and the result will be lower sales.
    +1
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  10. #10
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    Quote Originally Posted by jaxjaxon View Post
    I think if Fender keeps going in their current direction, They will hurt there reputation Like Gibson and the result will be lower sales.

    Sad but true

  11. #11
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: It’s beginning...


  12. #12
    Forum Member vinyl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    212

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    Proof positive that TPG Capital is clueless. I followed Roger here, not Fender.

    Cheers,
    vinyl

  13. #13
    Forum Member vinyl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    212

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    +1
    Fender damaged their reputation a long time ago. Mediocre customer service, crappy warranties. Fender Fuse?

  14. #14
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    Quote Originally Posted by vinyl View Post
    Fender damaged their reputation a long time ago. Mediocre customer service, crappy warranties. Fender Fuse?
    Welcome aboard!

  15. #15
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Vinyl is one of the more knowledgeable amp and guitar techs who freely gave of his time and expertise at the FMIC Community forum. We're fortunate to have him here along with a handful of others I was able to "recruit" before Fender's site went tits up. There were several others who I'm hopeful will eventually find their way here.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  16. #16
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Very well done, Roger

  17. #17
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: Are They trying to get a diffrent reputation

    Quote Originally Posted by vinyl View Post
    Fender damaged their reputation a long time ago. Mediocre customer service, crappy warranties. Fender Fuse?
    It's a pity. Fender is such a powerful brand, even after they'd done everything to shoot themselves and their cusomers in the foot. They could make the products better and improve their customer relations. They could take that brand to the top again with one or two smart decisions.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  18. #18
    Forum Member WoundUp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    NW Louisiana
    Posts
    77

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    The era of guitar forums is unfortunately coming to an end.

    https://www.fender.com/pages/forums

    Fender has closed their own company forum, and many others will close soon too.

    Hopefully, some of the older, more traditional ones will remain.
    It only opened like 12 years ago so they weren't even around that long compared to a lot of others that opened when the internet was just coming of agecin the late 90s to early 00's. I've watched many, many car forums disappear over the years that had been around since basically the beginning. Plus you cannot base what other companies do on a single company.

    In general, it's not just guitar forums. It's forums, period. Social media has a lot to do with it, IMO.

  19. #19
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by WoundUp View Post
    It only opened like 12 years ago so they weren't even around that long compared to a lot of others that opened when the internet was just coming of agecin the late 90s to early 00's. I've watched many, many car forums disappear over the years that had been around since basically the beginning. Plus you cannot base what other companies do on a single company.

    In general, it's not just guitar forums. It's forums, period. Social media has a lot to do with it, IMO.

    I meant other forums, not other companies

  20. #20
    Forum Member vinyl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    212

    Re: It’s beginning...

    That's the most promising reply. I've never had a Facebook, Instagram,(again Facebook) or Twitter account.

    The most annoying thing I've found here is the character limit. If I wanted that, I'd sign up for Twitter.

    Another promising thing, no Google Bot or any other search bot logins.

    No adds, no search bots, who pays? Contributions? Is that possible?

    Forums may be dying, but there seem to be a lot of people who won't rely on the modern "social media" for information. That includes me.

    If I want to know what's happening with my family, I pick up the phone and call them. Same with "extended family", old co-workers, we try to get together at lunch, although that's not possible right now.

    PHP script?, we seem to be stuck with it. The only software that seems to work with forums.

    I'm just interested in a little bit of comraderie. Happy to share whatever knowledge I have. As long as someone isn't trying to make money off of it.

    Cheers,
    vinyl

  21. #21
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by KennyF View Post
    Honestly, I think that Forums, in general, are on the brink of extinction... The big boards, in any given topic, seem to be hanging on, due to the "years of priceless information", but let's be honest, these platforms are falling victim to technological progression. The social media giants like FaceBook and Twitter are where everyone is at, for now...

    Personally, I don't have a minute in my day for FaceBook. I deleted my account a few years ago, and never looked back...

    The upside? Technological progression is a double edged sword, and sooner or later, the "next big thing" comes along, and just like that, GONE are yesterday's media giants, and the mass of mindless minions will simply move on, in lockstep, to whatever's next... It's inevitable... It's all the same, and a repeating theme; 8 Track tapes, to Cassettes, to CDs, to Digital downloads in the palm of your hand, via cell phones, that have more computing power than the super computers of just a few years ago. So what's the upside? Places like this are NOT owned and controlled by people who have no interest or obligation to preserve your data. It's privately owned and operated by people who care about their members and the "years of priceless information" they contribute...

    Thank you ALL for being here and keeping this wonderful place alive!!! Without YOU, there is no US!!!

    Thank you SO much!

    Forums like this one are like vinyl LPs. They endure and remain!

  22. #22
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Ever heard of José Carioca?
    Posts
    4,651

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by vinyl View Post
    That's the most promising reply. I've never had a Facebook, Instagram,(again Facebook) or Twitter account.

    The most annoying thing I've found here is the character limit. If I wanted that, I'd sign up for Twitter.

    Another promising thing, no Google Bot or any other search bot logins.

    No adds, no search bots, who pays? Contributions? Is that possible?

    Forums may be dying, but there seem to be a lot of people who won't rely on the modern "social media" for information. That includes me.

    If I want to know what's happening with my family, I pick up the phone and call them. Same with "extended family", old co-workers, we try to get together at lunch, although that's not possible right now.

    PHP script?, we seem to be stuck with it. The only software that seems to work with forums.

    I'm just interested in a little bit of comraderie. Happy to share whatever knowledge I have. As long as someone isn't trying to make money off of it.

    Cheers,
    vinyl

    Though I do have FB, Twitter and Instagram accounts, to me nothing beats a good forum, and the things you listed are the main reasons! I've made some good friends here and that makes my life better

  23. #23
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: It’s beginning...

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    I've made some good friends here and that makes my life better
    +1000!
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •