Magazines & Advertising

[Flint Buchanan]

I happen to believe that even though the "tech bubble" burst a few years ago, there was still a paradigm shift in western culture that cannot be reversed-short of catastrophic meltdown of the grid and communications. I think of it as nothing short of the importance of the creation of the movable-type printing press.

I, like most of my generation, get almost all my information from the web. In fact I won't go near a deal unless I can dig up some kind of 'digital footprint'.

The real question, that hasn't been completely answered, is how do you break through and make that first contact that will help someone to find you online. Google, and other search engines have incredible search architecture, and things will only get better. This is where there needs to be a change in printing/publishing.

[Jeff Tranauskas]

Ken,
Recently I cleaned out a closet and came across an old "BASS PLAYER" magazine dated 1993.
There is an article in the mag detailing new inovations in pickup design.
You are a contributer to the article.
There is a picture of you in your office in much younger form.
I currently receive "Double Bassist" magazine and I like the free sheet music the best.
I do read the all of the mag and sometimes use the information to make purchase decisions.
I also visit your website whenver I want drool on my computer.

[Ken Smith]

Magazines are fun especially when they have nice Bass pictures and good articles to read. In a 100-150 page magazine a single advertiser is competing for attention 'when' it gets read.

At this very moment there are 99 people on this Forum. Only 8 are signed in members. How much does this Forum or even my Website cost me in comparison? A tiny tiny fraction as compared to print ads and the material here on-line is refreshed and updated several times daily. How much does one pay to read a Forum like this or a Bass Website like mine? ZERO!

How much Product competition do I have on the Forum or my Website? Zero as well!

How many unique visits do I receive daily between the two? Over 2,000 a day, 24/7, 365 days a year and growing quickly.

My Website averaged about 400 visits a day 4-5 years ago. Last year it averaged over 1,100 a day and currently it has almost doubled this year and since we started this Forum. The Forum is hitting over 700 a day and growing as well.

A few months ago Bass Player called me to sell ME banner ads at a per click rate. Mind you, THEY canceled my Subscription to the Magazine and now they asked me to advertise with them? What were they thinking?

Anyway, I told them they would benefit more form a Banner ad on my Forum/Website than I might on theirs. Just my opinion!

[Dennis Michaels]

I get most of my info from the "net". If I really need the right info I call Don or Ken. When I take on a new student, I tell the to cancel any subscriptions they have to bass rags. There are more adds than info... these are all "Pizza Box" adds as well. "You've tried the rest now try the best"... "The best built basses inthe world",You owe it to yourself to play ours"...and on and on. How can 125 bass companies build the "best"? Isn't the best the undisputed #1? I find EB players as a whole tend to be more gear driven than practice driven when it comes to excuses as to why they can't do something. I teach at Middletown Music in Middletown De. and taught lessons on a "Hello Kitty Daisy" bass. I taught with the price tag hanging $289... finally a student bought it because even tho it was pink and looked like a daisy, there must have been some magic in it because I could play it. I thought I was proving gear didn't matter when you are learning. Boy was I wrong.

[Mark Mazurek]

The Web IS the best way to show your stuff.

That being said, places like TB and such are easily the main source for purchase researching.

I ended up there when bass shopping, and have an Upton Bass being delivered today (12 wks later). I admit to being a little impatient, but I would imagine I'm more like a standard web customer.

Doing more research (or simply 'listening' to everyone more) over the last 12 weeks has changed my perspective a bit. I would not have ordered this bass knowing what I now know. I would have definitely hopped into a plane and flew to the Upton shop. I'd also have checked out all the basses within 50 miles of me (which would include the whole Chicago area and parts of Indiana and Wisconsin). I 'might' have ended up with a different bass. Who knows.

I'm certainly happy with my KSB bow (thanks again Ken), which was just purchased a week ago. Again, due to web research mostly (which led to my call to you).

Real Bass shops are 'around', but have to be sought out. Some luthiers don't even have a website, just an email address.

Didn't even browse through a bass mag at Borders.


Hope this is useful info from a 'very' current consumer.

Mark

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Originally Posted by Dennis Michaels

....... and taught lessons on a "Hello Kitty Daisy" bass. I taught with the price tag hanging $289...

A local dealer plays a nice '71 P bass that is original down to the ash tray and pup cover. He told me that he played it for a youth group at his church recently. A young boy came up and asked him,"don't you own a music store"? He said that he did. "Then why don't you buy a better bass"?

The irony is that he bought it from a school for $1000 because the young music teacher thought it looked ugly and wanted to buy her students something new and shiny.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Greg Clinkingbeard

A local dealer plays a nice '71 P bass that is original down to the ash tray and pup cover. He told me that he played it for a youth group at his church recently. A young boy came up and asked him,"don't you own a music store"? He said that he did. "Then why don't you buy a better bass"?

The irony is that he bought it from a school for $1000 because the young music teacher thought it looked ugly and wanted to buy her students something new and shiny.

In 1967 I bought my first Fender P from Manny's in NY. It was $167. period. A plywood Juzek/Lang Bass was $200. from Juzek at Met. Music in NY.

Plain-Jane generic Basses from that era have gone up about 10 fold if not more. Who knew?

Ok, on the can't you get a better one... I was playing an outdoor Jazz/swing (I'm flexible that way..lol) concert locally with a 6-pc group (pno, bs, dr, gtr, trt, tnsx). I was using my Gilkes Bass but before its recent restoration. I told the leader/singer/guitarist about my famous Bass and its connection to King George etc.. On a break she tells her husband about this old Bass (1814) I was using on stage. Her husband said 'well, if he's so good then why can't he afford a new one'!

I think he was kidding!...lol

[Dennis Michaels]

now that is funny