DiMarzio Forum

DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: buddroyce on April 06, 2018, 04:22:26 AM

Title: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on April 06, 2018, 04:22:26 AM
Hey Folks,

I've been running this forum since 2008 and for the most part, the expenses of keeping this place running was paid for out of my own pocket. For a short while I've been able to offset some of the costs with the ad revenue generated by the Google Ads but with the advent of ad blockers and what not, that revenue source is practically non-existent.

Recently health issues have put me into disabled status permanently resulting in fewer hours that I could clock in at work (which translates to less income) and I've been trying to cut down all my costs possible. This forum does not get any financial support from DiMarzio Inc. or any other company and I plan to continue keeping this place running as long as I can.

Instead of trying to force people to turn off their ad blockers or something like that, I'm just going to go old school and put this place back on running off donations.

So I'm just going to request that if you enjoy your time here, please consider making a donation.


MAKE A DONATION
http://www.dimarzioforum.com/donate.php (http://www.dimarzioforum.com/donate.php)
Title: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: gtrjunior on April 06, 2018, 08:18:01 AM
Hey man!  I’ve been a member here for a little while now but tbh I don’t visit all that often....
What I’d like to know is, what can we do to get this to be a more active forum? I love Dimarzio pickups but yet I find myself on the Duncan forum FAR more often than I’m here. The Duncan forum is very active with lots of various discussions.
I’d love for this place to resemble that forum. What are they doing right and this forum doing wrong?
We need to find a way to liven this place up...
I’d likely be more apt to donate to this forum IF it were a place that I came to regularly. I’m sure others feel the same.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: DarthPhineas on April 06, 2018, 06:55:55 PM
Hey Budd, thanks for that link.

#1. Thanks for making payment a PayPal option.


#2.  I'd not share any suggestion or enthusiasm for trying to compare DiMarzioForum to someplace else or be something that DiMarzioForum is not... but...  I can say that I have seen forums essentially leave the dedicated "website" format and become a "page" on Facebook.  While not only being free, it could lend itself to getting more attention/involvement from the DiMarzio company - as DiMarzio does have a social media person tending to those things.

The only constructive commentary I'd have would be for DiMarzio and that would be for them to be a little more supportive of people like Budd that provide a free service that promotes and supports the brand.  I'd say THAT is something that would go a long way.
Title: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: gtrjunior on April 08, 2018, 08:44:40 PM
I guess that's unfortunate for me then. I don't do Facebook so looks like this place would be down a member if that's the format that gets used.

Plus, the Duncan company provides support for their forum. There's even a link to it on their website. Every now and then actual employees join the discussion too.
I'm not sure why Dimarzio wouldn't want to support a forum dedicated to their products but I guess that's why I don't run a business.


But I digress....I'm clearly fighting a losing battle.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: DarthPhineas on April 09, 2018, 05:40:48 PM

I'm not sure why Dimarzio wouldn't want to support a forum dedicated to their products but I guess that's why I don't run a business.



+1
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on April 13, 2018, 01:36:26 AM
I actually spoke to the folks at DiMarzio years ago at NAMM about just giving them the forum. This was around the same time I sold CaparisonForum.com to the new owners of Caparison Guitars. While I didn't get a chance to speak to Larry DiMarzio, I do recall the general consensus was that they wanted to keep this place fully fan driven and not moderated/filtered by the company, allowing us to freely express our opinions on any of their products. If there's a problem with their products or their marketing, you can post about it here and you know your opinions won't be moderated by me or any of the other mods(which I think at the current time of writing may just be me LOL). It might be different now, I haven't asked them about it in a long time.

Activity wise, we're in a rather unique space. While we don't get the same exposure the Duncan forum does, we're doing ok. Our demographic is quite strange as we tend to get more seasoned players than we do brand new guys. I mean it's way more common for me to see posts here by guys asking about wiring questions or pickup recommendations for a guitar that already has aftermarket pickups looking for a different tone over guys asking for pickup recommendations for a completely stock guitar.

What I'd like to know is, what can we do to get this to be a more active forum? I love Dimarzio pickups but yet I find myself on the Duncan forum FAR more often than I'm here. The Duncan forum is very active with lots of various discussions.
I'd love for this place to resemble that forum. What are they doing right and this forum doing wrong?
We need to find a way to liven this place up...
I'd likely be more apt to donate to this forum IF it were a place that I came to regularly. I'm sure others feel the same.

That's a good question that I wish I had an answer for. The weird thing is that since this is an open community, how lively it is is entirely up to you folks who make up the community. Aside from coming back more frequently, sending people here to have their questions answered maybe you folks can write in to DiMarzio and get them to link us again or maybe you can contact their community managers about taking over this place.

Realistically speaking, I don't expect anyone to actually make any donations and I'm ok with that. I keep this place going so I can hang out with a great bunch of people who share the same passion for pickups.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: Orkhan Julfa on April 19, 2018, 05:58:31 PM
Hey man!  I've been a member here for a little while now but tbh I don't visit all that often....
What I'd like to know is, what can we do to get this to be a more active forum? I love Dimarzio pickups but yet I find myself on the Duncan forum FAR more often than I'm here. The Duncan forum is very active with lots of various discussions.
I'd love for this place to resemble that forum. What are they doing right and this forum doing wrong?
We need to find a way to liven this place up...
I'd likely be more apt to donate to this forum IF it were a place that I came to regularly. I'm sure others feel the same.
Duncan pickups just more popular. It seems like they care more about promotion than DiMarzio. So there are more Duncan users and that is why their forum is more active.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: DarthPhineas on April 20, 2018, 11:30:48 AM
Duncan pickups just more popular. It seems like they care more about promotion than DiMarzio. So there are more Duncan users and that is why their forum is more active.

yes, they do seem to be more active in their promotion and in targeting recruits for their forum.  however, they have been known to look at social media and their forum as a #s game to be able to say "we have more than so-and-so company has".  there was also a bit of a scandal a few years back when their social media person (who has since been released from the company) was caught up in something to do with 'click farming'.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: Orkhan Julfa on April 23, 2018, 07:39:56 AM
Never heard about this. But it is funny for me.
Anyway I wonder why DiMarzio not so active with promotion.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: andrus108 on April 25, 2018, 04:20:52 AM
I know the answer to why it's so quiet here. Dimarzio pickups make people play their guitar more and spend less time on the internet, while Duncan players are more often dissatisfied with what they have and spend more time discussing which other pickup they need to try, only to fail the quest for tone again and be back writing more...

:-D
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: darkbluemurder on April 26, 2018, 03:55:34 AM
Hmmm - I use both brands depending what I like in a particular guitar. Wish I had more time playing though.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: bluesman on June 17, 2018, 03:21:15 PM
I don't come here often but I'd hate to see this place go. It's not much but you got a little something coming from me.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: Anthony on August 29, 2018, 03:35:23 PM
New guy here. I just sent a 5 spot, I would love to see you guys keep this going. Its not much, but cash is tight because I buy so much stuff I dont need. Be nice to have Mr. DiMarzio help out...
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on August 29, 2018, 04:51:23 PM
New guy here. I just sent a 5 spot, I would love to see you guys keep this going. Its not much, but cash is tight because I buy so much stuff I dont need. Be nice to have Mr. DiMarzio help out...

Hi Anthony,

Welcome to the forum and thank you very much for your donation, it's much appreciated!

Regards,

Budd
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: narphous on August 30, 2018, 10:27:53 AM
Hey Folks,

Instead of trying to force people to turn off their ad blockers or something like that, I'm just going to go old school and put this place back on running off donations.

Patreon. Also, what are your expenses, roughly?

Also, hi from the new guy...
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on August 30, 2018, 02:53:31 PM
Hello new guy!

Actually never thought of using Patreon for this place. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've managed to reduce the expenses so things are a lot easier to handle.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on February 12, 2019, 01:18:39 AM
Just bought you a drink!  Thank you for this site.

Thank you for your donation. It helps keep this place running. Ads aren't bringing in much since almost everyone has ad blockers now.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: Guitar74 on May 28, 2019, 09:18:56 PM
I just joined. I sure hope this place doesn’t go all social media as Facebook is definitely NOT for me.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: ijustwntit on July 06, 2020, 02:22:24 PM
Just tossed $20 your way.  I appreciate you keeping it going!

It doesn't see as much use as it should, but it's an incredible resource that I think too many people take for granted!

 8)
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: DavidSchwab on October 04, 2020, 01:37:31 AM
Duncan pickups just more popular. It seems like they care more about promotion than DiMarzio. So there are more Duncan users and that is why their forum is more active.

People like to say that Duncan is more popular, but DiMarzio makes all the OEM guitar pickups for Ibanez and Ernie Ball. Unless it’s a model with Duncan or DiMarzio branded pickups, they are made by DiMarzio. I know this because I worked there for a while. It’s not a very big company. They probably get all the orders they can handle.

To the person running this forum. Please update your Tapatalk plugins. It’s broken. Lots of traffic would come via Tapatalk.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: Aceman on October 31, 2020, 06:51:24 PM
So, just read this thread.  Interesting situation.

I'll think about this for a moment.
- Facebook is a BAD solution.  yeah, it's fast, easy and free....but it has a really dark side to it.
- Patreon is interesting.

I have to ask - what is the deal w/ DiMarzio??? 

Buddy - we should talk...
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on November 20, 2020, 10:22:13 PM
To the person running this forum. Please update your Tapatalk plugins. It’s broken. Lots of traffic would come via Tapatalk.

I'm working on that. Currently in the process of overhauling the server with a fresh build of everything. This place has been using more or less the same code base with mostly security updates since it started over a decade ago. Just gotta make time for everything. Sadly outside of the occasional $$ that gets tossed my way, everything comes out of my own pocket but rest assured about Tapatalk.

Actually.. let me see if I can get it the new plug-in working properly with how things are right now.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on November 20, 2020, 10:29:24 PM
So, just read this thread.  Interesting situation.

I'll think about this for a moment.
- Facebook is a BAD solution.  yeah, it's fast, easy and free....but it has a really dark side to it.
- Patreon is interesting.

I have to ask - what is the deal w/ DiMarzio??? 

Buddy - we should talk...

You know, I keep forgetting about Patreon. I'll have to look into that.

As for DiMarzio, they know this place exists and if they're interested in taking this place over, they can flat out have it. I just keep this place running out of pocket because I love the products and love having a place to virtually hang out with like minded folks.
Title: Re: HELP KEEP THIS PLACE RUNNING!
Post by: buddroyce on November 20, 2020, 10:32:13 PM
Just tossed $20 your way.  I appreciate you keeping it going!

It doesn't see as much use as it should, but it's an incredible resource that I think too many people take for granted!

 8)

Thanks! I really appreciate it!