Would you support a steel guitar/player magazine?

Sam Minnitti · Post by **Sam Minnitti** » 14 Nov 2002 8:12 pm

Count me in.

Al Burk · Post by **Al Burk** » 14 Nov 2002 9:23 pm

Terry,
I like your idea to combine the internet with a printed copy. I presently subscribe to GuitarOne magazine and they have an excellent web site that has sound and video examples of the lessons in the magazine.

Count me in.

Al B

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 14 Nov 2002 11:16 pm

Al I think that is a very cool idea too

Martin Weenick · Post by **Martin Weenick** » 15 Nov 2002 12:54 am

You heard about our "DIMPLED CHADS" way up there in gNashville ??????

------------------

Martin W. Emmons LG III 3/5 Peavy 1000

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 15 Nov 2002 7:03 am

As others have said, I'll buy it if it is there. I wish I could say that I wholeheartedly think it is a good idea, Terry, but the cautionary voices are worth listening to. I think that in addition to the financial risks, there may be a real problem with getting the quality writing and editing. If you have to be chasing advertisers to pay their bills, and the subscription base won't pay the freight, seems to me that you have to wind up relying on volunteer writing, which will vary widely in quality. There are some really good writers among us, and some of that made it's way into SGW and is still found in the PSGA newesletter (eg, John B. Arnold, the Hunter S. Thompson of the Steel Guitar, minus the substance abuse!). But you can't expect consistently good and on-time writing from a bunch of volunteers, and you will have stuff getting submitted which, though well-intentioned, is not in a state fit for publication. Which means that editing (which is always a lot harder than it looks from the outside) is a really big chore. There was a lot of great stuff in SGW, but some stuff made it in that ought not to have been there, and in some cases caused Russ a whole lot of grief. And I can only imagine how tough it must have been at the end when he was trying to save the magazine and couldn't deliver a product. Sorry to sound so negative Terry - I know it would be a labour of love, and I'll support it. But you could get hurt financially and get your heart broke.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 15 Nov 2002 7:08 am

A major plus you have is being in Nashville. If you haven't already, you should talk with every heavyweight steel player in town and try to get commitments for articles, both news and instructional for your magazine.

I used to subscribe to Guitar Player just for the steel related articles, and would definitely subscribe to yours for more of Buddy's C6 columns.

Billy Woo · Post by **Billy Woo** » 15 Nov 2002 7:25 am

Terry

Looks like you've got the "Writing Bug" Fer Sure, Count me in too

Bronco Billy

Zumsteel U-12, Sierra U-12

Steel tryin · Post by **Steel tryin** » 15 Nov 2002 7:52 am

Terry, Please finish all the TAB you promised before you start the Magazine.
That's my vote

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 15 Nov 2002 8:42 am

Terry, I would go the ezine route. As Russ Rask's effort was dying, I suggested that route repeatedly as I think it has the most merit in terms of being up to date and interactive. As for the folks that don't have internet service, if I can afford it, anyone can afford it!

Of course, there are startup and maintenance costs in an ezine, but they are probably lower than in an antiquated print-form method.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 15 Nov 2002 9:07 am

I agree with John Lacey and others who've suggested an e-Zine instead. The e-Zine is definitely grabbing the "high ground", instead of just "taking another shot" at 'the same old' thing (another 'newsletter'/magazine/print media thing). You could really put out something that goes way beyond what anyone has ever done, and you could do it for much lower costs (I think). Yours could be the first to include video clips, audio or video interviews, tab WITH sound from the pros, reviews of new CDs WITH sound clips!, etc., etc., taking this far beyond what's ever been tried before. PLUS, by doing that, you'd be going further than the Forum has been able to go, in terms of sound files (which is what the Forum needs most of all, IMHO). There would be less likelihood that people would say, "I get all the info. I need from the Forum".

Sure not everybody's online but to reach all the guys who aren't with a print piece is much more expensive, and actually much less interesting (IMHO).

I figure you can either try to recreate the 1980s (Bradshaw) or the 1990s (Rask), or you can go for the 21st century instead.

Think about it! But, whatever you decide, count me in.

Jimbeaux

Del Rangel · Post by **Del Rangel** » 15 Nov 2002 9:46 am

yabeddabelievit!

Ed Mooney · Post by **Ed Mooney** » 15 Nov 2002 9:52 am

I'm in,......providing it has a new centerfold each issue.

Ed

Sierra U12 & other goodies

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 15 Nov 2002 10:11 am

I want to see Smiley in the centerfold...without the shorts. Then and only then, can he be justifiably judged! www.genejones.com

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 15 Nov 2002 12:46 pm

Russ operated in the red throughout the entire life of the magazine. He needed 3,000 subscribers to make the magazine profitable. The most he ever got was 2,700, and that was before the forum. Once the forum got started he lost about 400 subscribers.

This is the first I've heard of that. Actually, I doubt that the Forum was the reason for the lost subscribers. People stopped renewing when the magazine started missing delivery dates. More people probably dropped off when the magazine inadvertantly slandered an honest, well-known vendor.

The Forum always supported Steel Guitar World Magazine. New players were constantly advised to subscribe. Lori and I even researched the idea of buying the magazine from Russ, but we couldn't make the numbers work.

Terry, I think you need to consider the fact that you may never get more than 3,000 subscribers. It's really hard to break even with such small circulation.

------------------
<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/coolb0b2.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
-System Administrator

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 15 Nov 2002 6:09 pm

I don't see the Forum and a magazine (whether an e-zine or traditional) meeting the same needs. The kind of information sharing we have on the forum is something that we just didn't have years ago. But well thought-out articles, columns, and interviews of the sort you can get in a magazine have a different kind of value, and I long for that kind of stuff as well. Think of some of the best issues of "Guitar Player", or the old Bradshaw magazines, and the better SGW issues - great stuff. I just don't want to see someone like Terry go through the financial worries and heartbreak that an enterprise like that can lead to. The numbers just don't look right to me. But for my own selfish reasons, if we had another "Steel Guitarist" magazine available of that quality I would be thrilled and grateful.

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 15 Nov 2002 6:33 pm

What about a closely linked, friendly co-endeavor between the Forum and a Terry-produced e-zine? The audience would be given to Terry on a platter. Advertisements would be OK.

Patrick Ickes · Post by **Patrick Ickes** » 15 Nov 2002 10:20 pm

Hi Terry,
The answer is NO. There are too many resourses available through other media that are free. I would bet that most the folks who tell you YES will be letting their subscriptions go at the first renewal.
Good luck in your ventures,
Pat

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 16 Nov 2002 9:26 am

Man, all of this and then last night I was watching an interview on Shania and up pops this same guy with a comment on the Lady !!

Good seeing you on the tube Terry !! Even if it was very brief.

Regards, Paul

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 16 Nov 2002 9:36 am

My vote is for an e-zine. The needed resources are smaller. I'm not sure how subscription fees would be handled, since a lot of the e-zines I've seen are free. Here's one of my favorites (not steel related): www.journale.com

John P. Phillips · Post by **John P. Phillips** » 16 Nov 2002 11:59 am

Well Terry,I'd be in for sure but like Patrick said, how many guys are saying yes because of the excitement and would later renege on their word. It's a lot easier to decide when your big bucks are not on the line.I think there would be room for it if it would be supported !!! GOOD LUCK WITH WHATEVER !!!

------------------
JUST 'CAUSE I STEEL, DON'T MAKE ME A THIEF

[This message was edited by John P.Phillips on 16 November 2002 at 12:01 PM.]

Jim Marconi · Post by **Jim Marconi** » 16 Nov 2002 5:00 pm

Hi Terry...Thank You for your support and concern to better the Pedal Steel World...It takes a great love to to risk your funds in a challenge like this...and I am sure a lot of us would support you. because when it is said and done us pickers are one tight family. Just be carefull.

Jim Marconi

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 16 Nov 2002 5:55 pm

It's kinda like the old "how do you make a million dollars in the music business?--start with ten million" thing.

However, I would subscribe...Best of luck.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 16 Nov 2002 6:01 pm

It's kinda like the old "how do you make a million dollars in the music business?--start with ten million" thing.

However, I would subscribe...Best of luck.

Dana Wayne · Post by **Dana Wayne** » 17 Nov 2002 5:14 am

Bruce Meyer · Post by **Bruce Meyer** » 17 Nov 2002 10:25 am

Terry

While I would subscribe to the magazine as soon as it came out. However, given the lack of success of other steel mags, I'd share a lot of concerns expressed above.

I'm assuming this is not going to be striclty a "love" effort (without regard to profit and loss). Do you have some sort of business plan that estimates expenses and minimum revenue to survive? Can you realistically make these? If it's marginal, don't do it or use somebody elses money!