This is The Secret to Getting the Most from a Guitar Making Forum. There are a lot of great forums on the internet, and they can teach you a lot. This is a treasure trove of learning for you, and it’s all free. You just need to know the secret, so keep reading.
If You Like My Posts, You'll Love My Books
Online Forums and Groups
Online forums are still around, and they still have active members that share a lot. It’s forum is a great place that you can meet people that do the same things you do, and make great connections.
The forum is a place where everyone can gone together, learn from each other, and ask questions. Also, since the conversations are preserved, the information is never lost.
This is one of the big secrets to learning about guitar making in a forum. If you spend a lot of time reading in the beginning, you can get a lot of answers from real people that all had the same struggles in the beginning. After all, they were in the same place you are now, and they overcame it. You can benefit a lot from that knowledge, and I’ll show you exactly where to get it.
Read the Archives
The secret to getting the most from a guitar making forum is to read the archives. This is a section where all the past conversations are kept for future reference. If you spend time in there, you will gain the most knowledge for the least amount of time.
If you are new to forums, one thing you will find is when new people ask a question that has been covered before, someone will tell them to read the archives. Sometimes, if the conversation has happened a lot of times, they will be a little pushy about it.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
The reason they are directing you back to the archives is because there is real value in the conversations that have already happened. The answers are in there, and all you need to do is read them. Once you find what you are looking for, continue reading for even more answers.
If you spend an hour a day in a well established forum, you will come away knowing a lot more than you ever thought possible. This includes nearly every aspect of guitar making, and even things that are on the cutting edge.
The conversations are among real people, that all build guitars, and they are worth more than money for a new guitar maker.
See Also: Acoustic Guitar Making For Beginners
Participate in Conversations
Another thing that forums are great for is participating in real conversations. Yes, you are still online, but you are working with real people. Sometimes, being able to ask someone a question is the most helpful thing for you.
Any time that you have a chance to help someone out, you should take it. Since you are going to be learning a lot from the forum yourself, pay it back too. Any time you can help others, you are doing the right thing.
Be careful though. Make sure that you really do know what you are telling someone, and make sure that you are being helpful. In the beginning, we all have ideas that are less than intelligent, but we just don’t understand why.
As someone that is new yourself, helping those behind you needs to be a positive and enlightening experience. The last thing you want to do is discourage someone who is new, because they might stop asking questions. You don’t want that to be your fault.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
See Also: 50 Things I Wish I Knew When I started Making Guitars
Ask Questions Occasionally
After you have spent a long time on the forum, you may need to ask some questions yourself, and that’s part of the experience. What you should do first is a simple search. Look through the archives and see if you can find the answer first.
Search, and read some of the threads. If you can find your answer, then you are all set. If you cannot, then post it as a question and see what you get. At least you know that you put in the effort of looking first, rather than just wasting time on things that have already been covered.
This is one way you can make friends with the people on the forum that enjoy pushing away new members looking for knowledge. They do exist, and the best way to keep away from them is to make sure your questions have not been answered already.
See Also: 10 Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making an Acoustic Guitar
Form Relationships
One of the most fun things about a forum is getting to know the people. The folks that post on forums and in groups are all real people. They all make guitars, and they all have gone through the same things you are going through.
If You Like My Posts, You'll Love My Books
Making friends, and learning about people is a great way to form relationships. Over time, the strength of those relationships can open up doors that you may never have know about. It might be questions, an apprenticeship, or even more opportunities.
Even the bond of friendship makes it easier to get answers to questions, because people like helping their friends. When it counts, and you need the help, aging some good relationships means a better chance of you getting the information you need.
See Also: 1,001 Acoustic Guitar Making Tips for Beginners
Your Homework
Your homework is to go online and find a forum to join. Sign up, and when you are given access, start reading the archives. Start with topics that interest you, and then move into topics that round out your education.
Everything you read on a forum is one more thing that you add to your belt. Pay attention, and look for agreement. Since anyone can post on a forum, sometimes you get things that are not accurate. In general the moderators and long time users will remove those things, but still it makes sense to look.
After you read the archives, you will be a much more knowledgeable guitar maker. Then, you should start helping new guitar makers, and paying back what you learned. Even if you are new, you are qualified to help those behind you on the journey.
See Also: 13 Helpful Tips on Making an Acoustic Guitar Bridge
The Secret to Getting the Most from a Guitar Making Forum Wrap-Up
The big secret to a guitar making forum lies in the archives. Inside those threads is real knowledge, and real insights from actual guitar makers. When you find a forum, joint it, and start your learning process.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
Another great thing about a forum is that you now have access to real people. Those real people have been there before, and they understand your struggles first hand.
In most cases, they are also more than happy to help you get through whatever is holding you back.
In the end, the more people that you can surround yourself with that are doing the same thing you are, the better. When you come to something that you wish you knew better, all you have to do is ask, or read about it on the forum.
If you have any questions about The Secret to Getting the Most from a Guitar Making Forum, please Post a Question in the Q&A Forum and I’ll be glad to help. Happy building.
Post Author-
- More than 20 Years Woodworking Experience
- 7 Woodworking Books Available on Amazon
- Over 1 Million Words Published About Woodworking
- Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arizona State University
I receive Commissions for Purchases Made Through the Links in This Post.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
You Can Find My Books on Amazon!
