I Guess Things Are Slow All Over

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 4 Jun 2003 3:07 pm

Last month was the worst of the year for the Steel Guitar Forum, business-wise. If it weren't for a few last-minute PayPal sales, I wouldn't have made the month-end bills.

So I need to remind everyone: this web site is supported entirely by your donations and by sales from the Forum catalog.

I know that some of you would support an annual membership fee, but there is none. Some people remember to send in a donation once a year to help out. I like it that way because the bookkeeping is easy and I don't have to drop people from the membership list.

There's a real good selection of CDs in the catalog, and of course everyone uses strings. I'm working on a deal to add more products, but right now I really need to get some cashflow going here. Another month like the last one and I'll be dipping into credit cards again to pay Qwest, PG&E and the landlord.

What do you say, folks? What's a resource like this worth to you?

------------------
<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/Officeb0b.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
-System Administrator

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 4 Jun 2003 3:36 pm

i would say it's worth more than i could ever send you unless i was Rockerfeller.
it's all about money ain't a damn thing funny
ya'gotta have a con in this land of milk and honey
i'm in

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 4 Jun 2003 3:41 pm

Bob, I have ordered a couple things through the forum. I guess I never really realized about your cost to keep the website up. You may not be interested in telling the members any dollar amounts but I enjoy this website and would not mind paying a yearly membership fee to keep it going. I wonder how the members feel about a yearly fee or maybe we can come up with some ideas to help with the costs. Let's kick it around a little bit and help Bob keep this website going.....Paul King

Ole Dantoft · Post by **Ole Dantoft** » 4 Jun 2003 4:29 pm

B0b,
I've been a member for a couple of years and I owe a lot to this Forum, so a donation is on the way !

I must admit to being a "freewheeler" so far, having never sold anything on- or bought anything from the Forum and buying stuff to help you out leaves me with an overhead because of local import-taxes and VAT that negates an initial price-advantage, so I'll sign up for PayPal in a few moments and send a donation !

------------------
Ole

My homepage !

Dag Wolf · Post by **Dag Wolf** » 4 Jun 2003 4:55 pm

b0b,
I had a succesfull add in buy and sell and got a D-10 Zum.
I think that the person who put in an add on the site should make a donation - where do I send mine?

Thanks,
Dag

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 4 Jun 2003 5:26 pm

Hi Dag,
Over at the top of the "Buy and Sell" page, under the Penguine, there's a link called Item Sold?

The info is there. b0b also takes PayPal.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 4 Jun 2003 5:48 pm

b0b
Have you thought of a posting charge? For example when a member posts something,charge
let's say .05 cents a line as an example.

Look at some of the posts made on the Forum and think of all the nickels you are losing.

I wonder what my charges would amount to.??

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 4 Jun 2003 6:02 pm

I'm in.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 4 Jun 2003 7:57 pm

Thanks for the support, folks. The Forum's mailing address is:

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425
USA

Jody, I don't really want to institute new ways to support the Forum. I'm just asking for people to use the ways that already exist. It can work - I know it. There's just been a slump in the cashflow lately, probably because people don't think about it much.

The quality of people's posts has never been better, though. I'm constantly amazed at the depth of information that people are posting.

------------------
<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/Officeb0b.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
-System Administrator

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 4 Jun 2003 11:45 pm

I am glad I just bought
Bobbe's Masters Colection, A Different Slant, Dave Ristrim and Murph at the end of last month.
I will continue to buy from the forum.

b0b in light of this post I would have no objection to your posting a

Heads up! OUR Forum Coffers are bare!

Your name may be on the bills, but it's OUR hang out and source of info on all things steel.
It is pretty much being run as a public resourse and not a real for profit business.
If that were the case there would be a regular fee.
Though, I would like that better than a fee per line. That would have the effect of limiting posts, and that's counter to what's best for the forum.

Just think of it like the periodic Public Television auctions over there.
Here we pay a $100 a year TV TAX...
But there is no PSGF tax.. and for that we should be grateful![This message was edited by David L. Donald on 05 June 2003 at 12:48 AM.]

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 5 Jun 2003 4:47 am

Bump to the top!

b0b, Just sent a paypal order for some strings - Included a little something extra for the cause.

Respectfully,
Dave Burr

Gino Iorfida · Post by **Gino Iorfida** » 5 Jun 2003 5:01 am

an idea, ptu a sample or 2 of some of the stuff on the CD's you are selling. Esp. on some of the more non-traditional stuff (i.e. Mike Perlowin's classical or Dave Ristrim's Rock cd etc) I know more may be willing to buy if they can hear a snippet or 2. (After all, it's hearing a song on the radio or whatever that inspires us to run to the local music store and buy any cd... not just the 'this looks good' thing)

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 5 Jun 2003 6:55 am

My $25 will be in the mail tonight.
Ray

------------------
Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 5 Jun 2003 6:58 am

Just bought Jim Cohen's CD. Any chance of restocking "Live at Panther Hall" or getting any Buddy Emmons?

------------------
Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E

Tony LaCroix · Post by **Tony LaCroix** » 5 Jun 2003 7:05 am

Hi, b0b. Whenever I get extra dough, steel CDs are close to the top of my "must buy now" list. But although I'm sure all of the member CDs for sale are excellent (as is Dan Tyack's), I'm yet to own a collection of the stuff that brought most of us here in the first place. Is there any way for you to add an "essentials" section to the catalog? (I realize that many of the greats are forum members, themselves)

Sorry, I know this was not the intention of your post.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 5 Jun 2003 7:42 am

The distributor tells me that the Live at Panther Hall and Buddy Emmons CDs are no longer available from the record companies.

I'm working on a deal to expand the catalog quite a bit. There will be an announcement when that happens, probably in late July or early August.

------------------
<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/Officeb0b.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
-System Administrator

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 5 Jun 2003 9:05 am

b0b- I still think that with 4000 members if we all paid yiou $5.00 per year as a token of our appreciation. That would give you $20,000 to help pay the bills for maintainence of the Forum. That along with sales should help a lot....al

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 5 Jun 2003 10:29 am

I can't imagine you'd find one member that wouldn't mind paying a measly $5 for this great forum. Helps save my sanity at my boring day job. And I need that, because in the agreement with my employer, there ain't no "sanity clause."

------------------
Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E[This message was edited by Michael Haselman on 05 June 2003 at 11:32 AM.][This message was edited by Michael Haselman on 05 June 2003 at 11:32 AM.]

Ole Dantoft · Post by **Ole Dantoft** » 5 Jun 2003 11:25 am

To Dag Wolf :
I've just signed up with PayPal and made a donation. It's relatively easy and in the end it's almost free to signup with them, so I'm glad I have this way of showing my appreciation for the Forum !

Mail me if I can help you in any way !

------------------
Ole

My homepage !

[This message was edited by Ole Dantoft on 05 June 2003 at 12:35 PM.]

mickd · Post by **mickd** » 5 Jun 2003 11:53 am

just checked my Paypal account, and it looks like its been more than a year since the last time I put my hand in my pocket, so another Forum donation is now on its way.

To anyone who hasn't ordered CD's from the forum yet - try it ! Its easy and the shipping is fast too.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 5 Jun 2003 2:28 pm

b0bby,

Check's in the mail.

Thanks,
Drew Howard

------------------
www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 5 Jun 2003 4:42 pm

b0b,
I like the Al Marcus suggestion.
You could institute it on a trial basis
and just use the "honor system". That way
no body gets booted off for not paying and
it saves the admin. ie follow ups etc.
May work?
Go for $10.00 bucks a head.

roy

------------------
<A HREF="http://www.clictab.com/royt/tabmenu.htm ... abmenu.htm
</A> [This message was edited by Roy Thomson on 05 June 2003 at 05:43 PM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 5 Jun 2003 5:21 pm

just use the "honor system

In a perfect world it would work. In reality, it's the quickest way to go broke.

b0b's appeal worked last time. Let's see if it will work again. Hmmm, let's check the catalog once more.....see what we don't have...

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 5 Jun 2003 8:29 pm

Offer "T" shirts Long and short sleeve with the SGF logo.

Baseball caps SGF logo.
Satin Roadie Jackets with the SGF Logo Baseball style.

They will sell. You can get a good quantity price from suppliers. Think about it, everyone sells these except the Forum.

By special order monogramm the satan roadie
jackets with personlized name of the buyer.

Most people prefer black,,,would be nice with gold or silver embroidery..I'll bet you will sell many of them,you'd be suprised.

Imagine how many Black satin jackets can be seen at various steel guitar functions.. give it some thought.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 05 June 2003 at 09:36 PM.]

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 5 Jun 2003 9:10 pm

PayPal is on the way. Thanks for everything you do.