Flame Warriors.

[greeves246]

van morrison

Did you all know that van morrison metioned "john lean" who was a session artist who van morrison respected so he mentioned him in a song ! and johns a gra member or was ! (from mr A King).

gary

[Colin Sparrow]

Look guys.....I know that you're going to need a bass player.......but I'm just soooo busy right now.....

Now let's see....couple' more hours here on the private beach.....back to the studio and finish the overdubs.....then coctails with Mr Branson later up at the house and listen to the new album.....

....you know how it is.....

Brian.

Beach looks nice, but I don't fancy the bird...

[Brian Thompson]

The Bride Of Plucky (aka The Frankencaster.)

I'm still trying to get over the shock of seeing JW's organ.....

At least I used a fig leaf....I even had my hair done specially for that pic...

How about this......I originally put it together back in the late 70's and it's evolved ever since over many years. It's got a '71 neck, pre CBS body which I stripped and french polished, home made bridge-looks like a standard one untill you look closely (many mods to make it stay in tune under serious abuse, set up 'floating' for a perfect fourth up-pull;that's five frets worth...!) phosphor bronze sustain block, stainless trem arm for more mass/sustain and drag adjustable via grub screw (I snapped five standard arms over the years...), anodised alloy Shecter scratchplate and hardware, Seymour Duncan 'Quarter Pounder' pickups (SD pickups weren't 'officially' imported to the UK back then....seems crazy now!) and much more. In fact, the only really 'standard' /un-tweaked parts left on it now are the neck plate and machine heads (original split-shaft capstans....just the occasional de-burr, file and polish/lube.) It was built to work hard and be reliable five nights a week, and it's done a lot of gigs..... 30 plus years of sterling service, with a bit of service work and a few tweaks (ok, a lot of tweaks!) along the way....oh, and you can play any style on a strat, it's still the best all-round work horse ever made.

Note aged nitrocellulose finish on headstock....that's mileage that is..... See final pic, taken ('80-'82?) which shows it in it's first 'incarnation'. See what I mean about the headstock laquer.... Yes, I know, we were both a lot 'newer' back then.... You can also see the Shecter bridge I originally fitted and eventually replaced with my own design (see first pic), as well as the original Fender 'stamped' string-guides in the headstock.

Twanger.

[Guest]

Hmmm ... takes me back to the old days in Brighton in the 60's. I was hacking around with a tasty Guyatone and a AC30. Happy daze!!

Nice guitar, yours. I used to make model aeroplanes but real wood was a bit out of my league. Gave up playing in 65 and became a nearly famous DJ.
I just like music ... most of it. What's your bag?

Funkmaster - K

[Brian Thompson]

Why do people just 'view' on forums.....

Anyway.....to return to my original thread.....

I was doing some research online the other day and found this. I thought it made for interesting reading; http://www.cis.uoguelph.ca/~nonnecke...ersTellWhy.pdf

Thing is, if nobody posts anything, or if it's all just 'one way traffic', what would there be for everyone to read/view?

Any comments....anyone.....?

Brian.

[Guest]

Grurkers!!

Anyway.....to return to my original thread.....

I was doing some research online the other day and found this. I thought it made for interesting reading; http://www.cis.uoguelph.ca/~nonnecke...ersTellWhy.pdf

Thing is, if nobody posts anything, or if it's all just 'one way traffic', what would there be for everyone to read/view?

Any comments....anyone.....?

Brian.

Well, I must admit that I didn't read every word and I was reluctant to reply because I didn't have much to say but ...

My opinion of our forum is much like lots of other English forums that use the same format. It just isn't easy enough to use and it's too nerdy. Us grumpy old men need something more like a continuously running on-line Leading Link.

Simply, forums are not the style of us older peeps. We prefer old fashioned and more personal means of correspondence. We would love to be able to simply look up answers to questions and ask questions that would receive expert answers not just opinions. We need information all the time and it's a huge faff to grind through lots of posts etc. Even if we knew how to search, the method of searching is outside of our comfort zone and we are suspicious of what we are doing. It is defo an age thing and should be recognised as such, it is not our way. And most club members are probably older guys.
Now then, once you have struggled through all the nerdy terms and strange methods and finally found out how to post pictures etc it gets a bit easier but it is still too complicated and non user friendly. Ok it's about as good as it can get but that's not good enough.
Speaking for myself, I need ....
To be able to look up what's offered for sale or wanted, I always need bits and I have bits that can be sold/offered. With a live daily or weekly list.
I need to be able to write letters and articles that can be of use to and easily found by members.
I need to be able to ask if there is anyone near me and get proper replies.
I need to be able to look up articles and technical information.
I would like to see much more road bike input and pictures.
I would love to see articles that are a good read. Not just YouTube links.
I need to find parts, sell parts, meet new friends and help others to enjoy their bikes.

You may say that most of this is already available but it is too difficult to find and the terminology used is alien to most of us. Even tho I have worked in the internet based world since 1983 I still find forum systems like ours difficult and frustrating to use and far too nerdy (designed for Microsoft freaks!).

I suggest that if we could create a live online sort of Leading Link then it would be SO much better. I could have a read, a moan, look up parts on today's issue and get much more out of the forum than having to wade through masses of stuff that is of no interest to me.

It must be possible. Something more like a magazine and daily news sheet would be perfect IMHO (in my hopeful opinion).

The forum is imperfect and difficult to navigate. A live Newsletter would be difficult to run because it would need a full time editor. But ... we are mostly retired so it ought to be possible for a group of guys to run various sections.

Colin ... I would be very interested to hear you opinion of this suggestion.

Hope this helps to reveal the Grurkers!!! Lol

Keith

[Buzzer]

I am a wrinkly luddite, but using the Forum gives me no problems at all. Furthermore, I appreciate the effort that has gone into creating and maintaining it. One of the best assets of the GRA in my opinion.

[Guest]

Muzak

Looks like we have the basis of a Band here.

"The Moorland Blues Band"

Any more ideas lads?

[Guest]

I am a wrinkly luddite, but using the Forum gives me no problems at all. Furthermore, I appreciate the effort that has gone into creating and maintaining it. One of the best assets of the GRA in my opinion.

Wrinkly Luddite ... Lol
Agreed, the forum is useful but not used enough. How do we help others to use this facility?

Keith

[Dogsbody]

Looks like we have the basis of a Band here.

"The Moorland Blues Band"

Any more ideas lads?

I suspect all rehearsals will be spent arguing about the shade of blue your jackets will be! Dogsbody

[Brian Thompson]

The Moorland Blues Brothers.....!

Nice one DB!

I've managed to find a source of Moorland Blue sequins for the jackets....if we can find someone to sew 'em on.....

....I'd wear one.....

Brian.

[Guest]

Nice one DB!

I've managed to find a source of Moorland Blue sequins for the jackets....if we can find someone to sew 'em on.....

....I'd wear one.....

Brian.

Wot, like a trials Liberace ... Hoho!!

[Colin Sparrow]

Colin ... I would be very interested to hear your opinion of this suggestion.

Keith

Just bookmarking this thread so I can get back to you...

[dave higgins]

For those members newer to the forum, i must advise against the use of emu oil, its dangerous, & handeling should not be attempted, unless specialist training is undertaken.
Since the demise of two of the forums favourite characters ( the dickerson twins ) due to over usage last xmas, even small doses of 1000/1 are thought to be to volatile to be used safely..... Marcelle is a trained operative....
Its not big & its not clever.... just say no!.....

[Dick F]

Flamw Warriors

Well put Brian, you will only get out of anything what you put in and it is a pity that there are not more active people contributing to the Forum, you keep putting funniers on as well as the world is to glum a place as it is