Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

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Re: Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

Dr. Vegetable said:
One question for you: How many pickups have you ever owned that you didn't feel the compulsion to swap the magnets out of?
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I've kept the stock magnets in more than half of my PU's. I'm not a big believer in a one-size-fits-all approach to music and don't think any PU maker can anticipate all the guitars, woods, string gauges, amps, speakers, and pedals his PU's will be used in conjunction with, along with all the different genres and playing styles. As has been done hundreds of times before I ever joined this forum, replacement magnets can often give you the tone you want when the stock PU doesn't. Seymour himself obviously thinks so too, as he took the member's recommendations and put an A2 (CC) and A5 (C5) in the orginal Custom and made them part of his product line. There's been threads started by others here requesting that he do it again with an A8 magnet (Custom8). It's a compliment to a PU maker than his wind is versatile enough to give great results with a variety of magnets.

There's been many posts here from guys that have bought one PU after another, looking for a certain sound. Some of those guys finally found it when they changed the magnet on one of their existing PU's. Certainly more cost effective to buy a $3 magnet than a $75-100+ PU.

Besides learning about mag swapping here, I've also learned how to swap coils and make hybrid PU's, another thing endorsed by Seymour as he made Bach-to-Rock's '59/Custom hybrid a production model.

So for all the guys that believe stock PU's are sacred and shouldn't be altered: Duncan's watching this forum, getting ideas from the experimentors, and putting them into production. That's some of what makes this forum a great place, it's interactive and cutting edge. While few people here wind their own coils, many of us take Duncan's PU's, modify them (change out coils, magnets, pole pieces) and get more sounds out of them, making them more versatile for more applications. Seems like Seymour thinks that's pretty cool.
 
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Re: Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

Rodney Gene said:
You've simply been asked politely to chill out on the constant negative incomplete 'go buy another brand'
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You need to drop by more often, as this has been routine long before I joined the forum. I was told when I started here that there in no ban whatsoever on members discussing other brands of PU's; it's been an open conversation and a free exchange of ideas. My understanding is that Seymour has not decreed that the best PU for every situation discussed here is going to be a Duncan. As part of that, there are inevitably going to be recommendations for someone to buy another brand of PU that would be better-suited for their needs. I've seen it done hundreds of times here by other members involving PU's by Dimarzio, Gibson, Lollar, Fralin, Rio Grande, Bare Knuckles, etc. I only started suggesting GFS Mean 90's as an option after I've seen so many other members do it. Everytime someone recommends a different brand of PU, the flipside is they're also saying: 'Buy this instead of a Duncan.' Same can be said when they talk highly about other brands of PU's; are they encouraging their sales in lieu of Duncans? That's going to severly limit what can be said here about other PU's, which I don't think is what Seymour wants. I don't think he wants to have the forum mired in all those rules and restrict the idea exchange, and tie up the moderators like that. Who decides who's gone too far in talking about other brands? Who spoke about them too favorably and cost Duncan a potential sale? It's a fine line of censorship that would squelch a lot of discussions here. I've been here 8 years and did not think this was that kind of forum. But that's based what I've seen from how other members conduct themselves, not from Duncan. Maybe they feel differently about it and it's time to lay down the law.

If you want to be a non-employee 'neighborhood watch volunteer' and stop a tradition that's been going on for many years, you've got a lot of members to talk to. But I'm not so sure it's your place to do that with anyone. No offense to you, but I'd like to hear it as an official statement from a top Duncan employee, to the whole forum, as many are guilty of it, and not from an 'equal member of this community' who's appointed himself to speak on Duncan's behalf with his own interpretations. If Frank or Evan want to clarify any of the rules on discussions here, I will gladly follow their requests.
 
Re: Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

blueman335 said:
You need to drop by more often, as this has been routine long before I joined the forum. I was told when I started here that there in no ban whatsoever on members discussing other brands of PU's; it's been an open conversation and a free exchange of ideas. My understanding is that Seymour has not decreed that the best PU for every situation discussed here is going to be a Duncan. As part of that, there are inevitably going to be recommendations for someone to buy another brand of PU that would be better-suited for their needs. I've seen it done hundreds of times here by other members involving PU's by Dimarzio, Gibson, Lollar, Fralin, Rio Grande, Bare Knuckles, etc. I only started suggesting GFS Mean 90's as an option after I've seen so many other members do it. Everytime someone recommends a different brand of PU, the flipside is they're also saying: 'Buy this instead of a Duncan.' Same can be said when they talk highly about other brands of PU's; are they encouraging their sales in lieu of Duncans? That's going to severly limit what can be said here about other PU's, which I don't think is what Seymour wants. I don't think he wants to have the forum mired in all those rules and restrict the idea exchange, and tie up the moderators like that. Who decides who's gone too far in talking about other brands? Who spoke about them too favorably and cost Duncan a potential sale? It's a fine line of censorship that would squelch a lot of discussions here. I've been here 8 years and did not think this was that kind of forum. But that's based what I've seen from how other members conduct themselves, not from Duncan. Maybe they feel differently about it and it's time to lay down the law.

If you want to be a non-employee 'neighborhood watch volunteer' and stop a tradition that's been going on for many years, you've got a lot of members to talk to. But I'm not so sure it's your place to do that with anyone. No offense to you, but I'd like to hear it as an official statement from a top Duncan employee, to the whole forum, as many are guilty of it, and not from an 'equal member of this community' who's appointed himself to speak on Duncan's behalf with his own interpretations. If Frank or Evan want to clarify any of the rules on discussions here, I will gladly follow their requests.
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Goodness gracious, I am sorry that this is still on-going. Sorry to anyone having to put up with it. Your diversion away from the real issue here always takes so much effort and energy to clean up in your posts. That is my only regret here. Cherry picking never address the whole tree BM.

You are a word-bender. But the real challenge is you have no physical credibility. None, other than your post manipulation to support you. But I would hope that could change. I do my best to be polite to you because I do my best to see the best in everyone. Its OK if you keep at me here, I don't mind. But a real difference between us is that I am willing, warts and all, to put my money where my mouth is, every post. It would be helpful if you at least out of the way of those of us who are willing to do that since you will not.

As for the 'other brand discussion'... I wonder if you can guess which two moderators implemented that or introduced it and supported it as a forum culture? Maybe you should hang around a bit more. There is a difference between discussing the merits and experiences of other brands and directly telling a customer who has come to the SD forum based on Duncan's reputation, asking about a great Duncan pickup and you sending them away telling them the pickup 'needs' work' and to look at this Chinese alternative. You have not yet learned where support ends and diminishing remarks begin. But I hope you start today. And please do not comment on my relationships with my friends Blueman. You do not know about me or about my relationships and you will never speak on my behalf. Publicly, feel free to challenge my knowledge about this product, the forum, my history, my contributions. Its OK with me. Its all second nature to me. You will change nothing and it doesn't hurt my feelings. But don't act so surprised if I ever decide to push back. Fair?

BTW, I am not an 'ex employee. I am a current colleague and friend. It would be useful to understand the difference. I am also a long time user, much longer than you can imagine. Neighborhood watch? Damn straight, as long as I am here and honestly it doesn't end here at this forum. Perhaps you can join in instead of 'following others'? It would make this place far more mature and enjoyable.

Cheers,

RG
 
Re: Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

Rodney Gene said:
As for the 'other brand discussion'... I wonder if you can guess which two moderators implemented that or introduced it and supported it as a forum culture?
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Are you saying that you have better judgement than those moderators? That you know what's best for the company more than they do? And I guess you're overruling how they do things? How am I supposed to know who's right? All I know is the forum culture I've seen for the last 8 years, and it has gotten rough and tumble at times, even in discussions of Duncan products (debates were raging about the JB when I joined and there were some pretty harsh things said about it. That was my 'baptism of fire.' No moderator ever stepped in). From what I saw, I thought that was more-or-less the original intent, to let members speak their minds here on any brand of PU, let the chips fall where they may. I've witnessed almost a decade of that. You're saying these two moderators have let it run off the tracks years ago; if so why has no one stepped in from upper management in the company to get the forum 'under control'? I'm not understanding this. Or maybe someone has and I missed it. If this forum isn't run like it's supposed be, then why has it been going on for so long? If we're not supposed to talk about other brands here, I'd like to know. We all need to know. Did it start that way and get corrupted at some point? Or was it officially authorized? We don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Please clarify.
 
Re: Phat Cats on a Epiphone SG

blueman335 said:
Are you saying that you have better judgement than those moderators? That you know what's best for the company more than they do? And I guess you're overruling how they do things? How am I supposed to know who's right? All I know is the forum culture I've seen for the last 8 years, and it has gotten rough and tumble at times, even in discussions of Duncan products (debates were raging about the JB when I joined and there were some pretty harsh things said about it. That was my 'baptism of fire.' No moderator ever stepped in). From what I saw, I thought that was more-or-less the original intent, to let members speak their minds here on any brand of PU, let the chips fall where they may. I've witnessed almost a decade of that. You're saying these two moderators have let it run off the tracks years ago; if so why has no one stepped in from upper management in the company to get the forum 'under control'? I'm not understanding this. Or maybe someone has and I missed it. If this forum isn't run like it's supposed be, then why has it been going on for so long? If we're not supposed to talk about other brands here, I'd like to know. We all need to know. Did it start that way and get corrupted at some point? Or was it officially authorized? We don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Please clarify.
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I would love to address this point by point but I won't. The officially 'authorized' forum rules are outlined in the agreement you checked when you joined. I signed them also. I am bound to them as well.
The rules are based on basic manners and respect for the community as a whole. And this is Seymours house. The 'discussion' of other brands has been made very clear. Nobody cares or has ever cared. Seymour Duncan supports a healthy industry and the only rule has ever been do not disrespect or slam any competitor as a way of forum culture. If the differences are not clear beyond that, I cannot help. If someone does not understand what respecting another's house means while in that house, I cannot help that either. Asking not to disrespect another, does mean we are free to disrespect ourselves.

As for 'upper' management and behind the scenes'... I don't speak for SD. But let me speak from experience when I say that every person at SD has a full-time plate. There is little 'downtime' available for an energy pull like a forum, this is why in forums we end up putting non-employees, forum regulars as volunteer moderators. It is a blessing when some forums have employees as regulars but it is not always possible. User self-moderation on the forum is largely depended on. And yes sometimes forum culture shifts like a ship that gets just one degree off course, barely noticeable and then after several years it is in a different place than its intended or original vision. This is a always a possibility. It takes energy and constant user moderation to re-establish a revised modern version of it based on the current users. But respect never goes out of fashion. And me, better judgment? LOL. No. Please no more word bending BM. I am saying 'I' was one of those moderator. I still have my original notes between myself and 'upper management' as it were about the intent and culture of the forum when it was revamped. I had already done the same thing for other companies and I still understand what helps a community grow. BTW, one of those is credibility and politeness.

Lastly, the modern forum culture and internet has shifted since a decade ago. We are transparent now. We are immediate. It is the norm and expected. If anybody wishes to remain anonymous or exploit that anonymity behind a user name, they should expect limited accepted credibility. Its too easy. Nameless, faceless, clip-less, video-less, picture-less even after a full decade is self defining and sends a clear message. Its OK, its not required, but please try to be understanding when long time members ask you to step up when you feel the need to dominate a conversation without evidence and yet they are willing. If you can't consider being humble about it. At least you keep your dignity. Doesn't hold up in real-life so why would it hold up in forum life either? Strong communities count on those values. I do not know what is in store for this forum. I am only one member.

Cheers,

RG
 
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