Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Folks,

We have an awesome opportunity to help the OLF!! What I'm going to ask of you will require skipping one crummy cup of Starbucks coffee per month. Let's just say I'm looking out for your health.

Lance has set up a Patreon site to collect recurring monthly donations. This helps to keep the lights on, server bills paid and continues the flow of inspiration we all get from seeing each others work.

Recently, Lance posted a roll call (link below) which got 132 responses! I'm asking for half of you to donate $5.00 a month to the OLF, or for 120 of you to donate $2.50 a month, or .....well, you get the idea. Signing up is easy, but in case you are one of the internet challenged, I put the steps below.

Roll call link: viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=48878
Patreon site link: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=3700433& ... eatorshare

Step 1: Go to the Patreon site link and click "Become a Patron"


Step 2: Click the radio button to donate and enter an amount ($1.00, $5.00, $50.00 )


Step 3: Sign up for Patreon or log in if you use the site already. You'll need to supply payment details. Don't worry, it's safe. I checked it out and I work for Microsoft, so you can trust me! And no I didn't call you last week asking about fixing your computer.


I'll donate a couple prizes that we can give out at random if we hit the goal.

I'm already signed up. Hop to it!! Respond here if you sign up.

Brad

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Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
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I'm in. That was really easy!

Its like an NPR pledge drive - this is your OLF and we count on you to make it happen.

Some are able to contribute incredibly valuable content that is the heart of why we are all here - others join the classifieds membership to help with a monthly donation. Others visit the site - be it monthly, daily or some hourly and have yet to find the right way to contribute to the OLF community.

This is your chance. Help support this valuable community and tool for learning, sharing and inspiring.

Piece o' cake. Thanks for setting this up, Brad!

Bumping this back up.

We aren't off to a great start... 200 views and up to 4 donors now (at least reporting in the thread). Do what you can! Even if it is just a dollar or two a month. Anything will help.

I doubt we will have any two for one matching grants coming, so it's up to us!!!

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Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

Make that 5 donors. No.. make that 6!

Bumping again. Please sign up if you can. If you do sign up let us know here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

I'm now a Patron.

Remember, do what u can, however you can. One time donations, or recurring. No site does more to teach the art. I love OLF.

Bump to the top! Let's get to donating!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

_________________
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

Stewardship moment (not unlike my church's pledge week):

I encourage everyone who reads content on the OLF to help financially support the OLF. If you are reading OLF content, that means you are benefiting from the site's existence. And that means you would experience a loss if the site could not continue. So, it just makes sense to do something modest to help the OLF continue to exist.

A virtue to this forum that is definitely not true everywhere on the internet is that people here are almost always civil to each other. I read, and occasionally post, on a few other online fora that are focused on other interests of mine. But I have to be careful about landing on the radar of online bullies on those other sites. It happens. I just don't see it here on the OLF, and that is a real blessing. Access to great online content and discussion, in an environment that is respectful and polite, is something worth paying for, and that is why I am a Patron of the OLF.

What's the reward thing? I was signing up for $5 (which I'll still do) but still had the $1 reward which I couldn't get rid of. What is that?

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Brad,
First, thank you for setting this up. I enjoy this site daily and have donated in the past. I think one reason for the low response number may be the monthly payment tied to a credit card. This is not an attractive method to me. I'm happy to contribute a one time amount. Perhaps a PayPal account specifically for donations would be a good alternative.

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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

I'd be happier to donate if you removed the "Solely owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink" line because, if you are funded by a lot of donors, are you really the sole owner?

Now, where did that come from?
Lots of places you can donate, doesn't mean you are buying anything.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I'm not sure I get ur point. It's indeed owned by Lance. Every business needs cash flow. No different here. Do u only patronize businesses that are not owned by the owner? Personally, I believe I receive more than I pay for. It's quite a good deal. I hope u will try and look at this a bit differently.

I don't know if I've ever thought of the OLF as a business. If it is, then it seems bizarre to ask for donations. I don't pay for use of any of the web sites I frequent, most of which are businesses. The OLF has been THE biggest and most important part of my learning process as a guitar builder. So if I were going to pay to use any web site, it would be this one. I think maybe I just desire a bit of transparency? Are we donating to help keep the lights on, as was said in the original post, or are we increasing a profit margin? I don't have a problem with a business making a profit, if that's the stated objective. What does it cost to run this place? How much money comes in from other places, such as sponsors, banners, etc.? I don't know the answer and maybe it's none of my business. I don't expect everyone to share my opinion, but I have noticed a pretty small response to this post. Maybe others are thinking something along the same lines?

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sweat the small stuff.

If the roadblock for some folks to donate is their fear that someone (namely Lance) is getting rich off this site, I think you only need to read Lance's posts about his personal life to see that's not what is happening. Please note that Lance and I are not close; I participate in this forum, and do not know him from any other means. I have just noticed over the years that he leads a normal life, and that, from time to time, the finances associated with running the OLF can get difficult for him, and that sometimes threatens his uninterrupted hosting of the OLF. I think that's why this newer funding push got started. So, again, if anyone's hesitance to contribute is driven by the fear that Lance is living it up on your money, I'm pretty sure that is not what is going on.

On the whole idea of ownership, and it somehow being wrong for Lance to say he owns the site when he accepts our payments: I honestly don't understand that line of thought. When I pay my cable bill, I am not buying stock in Suddenlink. When I pay my electric bill, I am not buying stock in AEP. Lance owns this site, and I pay him money to keep it alive, because I benefit from its existence.

I think that last part is the real question. If you derive benefit from this site, then I think it makes sense to put some money toward keeping it alive, so that it will be here for you to enjoy in the future.

This is a very relevant disclaimer and I'm sure there are still a few long time members that understand. I would suggest not worrying about it Will. It's cool.

Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Good on you for reminding us. And, there is little reason to go into the history.

Here is what I think. If you would rather not donate, then fine. Nobody is going to think worse of you. I think talking about it is kind of negative. Any suggestion that Lance is anything but above board and honest won't fly around here with many of who have been here a long time. Have ya'll noticed that this site is self moderated? (for the most part until someone goes haywire!)

Mike

I'm contributing. I only post this to bump this message back to the top.

In light of Lance’s recent post... bump!

Or give at the link in Lance’s post. Or use the Amazon link!! Anything helps!


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Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars

Bump

Maybe Lance can stick this tread on the top? Seems like it should remain there

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Bump

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I read this forum daily, sometimes several times a day. I am now a Patron. I wish I could do more, but I cant at this time. I will say that this forum is fantastic and hosts a wealth of information for people interested in this craft. I think as stated as above, any amount would be helpful.

Even if this forum was a business trying to make profit (which I highly doubt it is), then it has saved me personally more time, money and frustration than my small monthly donation is worth. Therefore, I am more than happy to donate a small amount to keep it going. Most people, myself included, spend more money on sodas at the convenience store in a week then what the asking amounts are for the monthly donations.

Thanks for this forum and God Bless!