Forum Etiquette Question

[Shadowbox]

Hello all.

I'm relatively new here (a month or two) and I have a question about forum etiquette.

I have stuck my foot in my mouth on a couple of occasions weighing in on posts that should have been directed immediately to EBMM Customer Service. I really like the technical threads from people who are chatting about issues regarding the daily maintenance and upkeep of these guitars.

BP asks that we always contact Customer Service before posting instrument issues (understandably). It is never a good idea to offer ammunition to competitors on the web, even when the issues are user errors.

My question is: what are the boundaries? There are some that are obvious, but what about the technical and upkeep questions? What should and should not be commented on?

Please forgive my ignorance; I occasionally feel compelled to comment on questions or issues that I've experienced and like it when others do likewise.

I feel like I've found a home with these guitars and have no desire to be a troll or alienate other knuckleheads.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Jimmyb]

BP will probably be the best one to weigh in here, but my feeling is this:

We live in the age of Google and the like and the forum is always being crawled by the search engines (as are all forums and sites etc). If someone posts a thread title such as "Bass pickup problems", this gets read by the search engines. Then if someone searches for the same problem, it displays as a result. The person searching will then view the thread, or web site and see that someone mentions what may be the same problem, or may in fact turn out to be something completely different. They may then post that they have experienced something on the same lines and before you know it, you have a thread full of people all mentioning something that may have been a problem. The thing is though, that the problems may be completely un-related, when further investigations are made, or it may be that the problem has been caused by a user making strange adjustments. Rumours get built up in this way that have no bearing on the actual product, but mud can stick.

By giving CS the opportunity to rectify the fault, it helps to head off some things at the pass and stops a lot of mis-information getting spread around. Also, we're a wide base on here and the chances are that people like to pitch in and be helpful. Speaking personally, I couldn't diagnose a fault in a guitar I've never seen and I have enough problems trying to figure out something directly in front of me!! It's like getting a medical check up ove the phone. It's not really the best way of doing it....

Anyway, hope this helps?

 

[beej]

Ah, that's why pencils have erasers ... wouldn't be fun if we didn't stick a foot in our mouth every once in a while.

Definitely what Jimmyb said- thread titles can be an issue. But in general, BP and the EBMM crew have put a first-rate dealer network in place to sell/rep MM products, and they're the first line of defense. When you have a problem with a new instrument, you should go to your dealer first. From there, EBMM customer support can be brought in the loop to escalate things.

It's tough when somebody comes in with a problem and ten guys offer advice that may or may not be right, based on not seeing the guitar. The dealer (or a tech) could probably sort it out more quickly, and with the correct diagnosis. That's usually where the "foot in mouth" thing comes from.

 

[Slingy]

Plus CS can actually fix stuff, and they get paid to do it, whereas if you sent your guitar to me I would probably just keep it.

 

[candid_x]

I try to follow the Golden Rule: He who has the gold rules. I don't have to agree with everything about it, but I should respect it.

There are some gray areas, such as talking about neck care, or aftermarket pickups, or saddles, or amps etc, all which are off point of the site, but for the most part, BP has been really cool with that. There's only a couple of areas that have been made off limits, and perhaps a sensitivity or two that are best avoided.

my 2 pence
Bruce

 

[Big Poppa]

really the biggest problem is asking strangers for diagnosis for an un seen problem and then we have to clean it up....Also one guys says he hears a buzz on the 13th fret and then ten guys go looking for their guiar to buzz at the 13th fret...then there is thegoogle or even better the thread title for a newbie that saiy "my guitar sucks" or problems with Stingrays"

I use the doctor analogy...would you post general medical issues on a forum with amateur doctors?

 

[TNT]

Hey wait a second!!!

Hmmmmmm . . . . . . amateur doctor - let's see, what's better; knucklehead or amateur doctor?? I know, I'm gonna use both, plus my wife has a couple more for me.


BP we still love you - LOL

 

[Shadowbox]

Thanks BP and all who weighed in. It all makes total sense. I'll do my best to direct traffic to the appropriate place!!

 

[Dizzy]

I use the doctor analogy...would you post general medical issues on a forum with amateur doctors?

Nope, I wouldn't put my Balls in the hands of amateur Doctors.



However, Amateur Nurses are a different story...............

 

[Sasquatch]

I live by the following rules:

Two requests, please
Please contact customer service prior to posting instrument issues
Please don't PM me
Thanks

Also, it's EB's dime running the forum, so don't slam their product, and don't slam their endorsers.