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

Bronco Billy

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.

Ed

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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.

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

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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.]

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.

What Larry said. An e-zine would be great.

The Steel Guitar Forum has proved to be much more versatile and responsive than a print publication. Without meaning to be, the forum would be hard to beat. Print is quite expensive, and the monthly nut for printing each issue would be high. The primary cost of an e-zine would be in the start-up phase.

Focus on a fresh angle, like player profiles, equipment test-drives by name players, reviews, yet another forum, tab corner.

Your income would be from ad banner sales. You have the server space already.

good luck,
Drew

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www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com

Even when Russ was on publishing schedule, some guys would cancel subscriptions because of articles about steel guitar that "weren't country" or some other equally personal reason. Another factor is I feel a large percentage of the steel guitar market simply doesn't do a whole lot of recreational reading, which I believe is a growing phenomenon of society as a whole.

Just as a sidebar, where Russ really got in over his head was his move to full-color and glossy paper. Subscriptions only pay a small part of the monthly nut; he had to attract more advertising bucks and felt that a fanzine couldn't get companies like Boss, Roland, etc., so he upgraded. I cautioned against it since four-color and glossy really jacks up the monthly nut. At the same time, his published schedule faltered and subscribers started leaving due to the inconsistencies of delivery. End of story... also end of home ownership, sadly.

I would suggest the e-zine route. It's not old technology, not inventory intensive, the portal of entry is relatively wide, start-up costs would be smaller than print, and there are more competing service providers that offer competitive rates than the companies that provide newsprint, which is constantly getting more expensive.

I'll support the project no matter what your choice. But if it were my bucks...

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

I am still processing much of the input gained through this post (with special thanks to b0b and The Forum) and continue to analyze the posts.

Many are not aware of this but my wife Sharon and I operate a small private book/print publishing company here in Nashville (Apple Books, Inc.) and have a high-end quality commercial laser printer in house. Due to the experience gained from our first publication of my own autobiography (The Early Days) and a couple of other books we published, I am somewhat aware of the costs associated with printing.

This magazine could be printed in house (not ink) and would be a tremendous amount of work! However, the costs commonly associated with the printing-end of the industry would not be my primary concern.

As far as an ezine - I believe some opinions might be invalid due to my lack of access to a high-speed internet connection at present. Additionally, if it were cost/time prohibitive, I believe b0b would be more suited to undertake that venture with his vast knowledge and experience of internet based business/technology and so forth. It might be much more expensive than some realize. The time and costs associated with operating our simple web hosting/design company (aLotOfSpace.com) would surprise you.

I am still thinking about it... so I still appreciate everyone for posting their thoughts and opinions

[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 17 November 2002 at 02:12 PM.]

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my wife Sharon and I operate a small private book/print publishing company here in Nashville (Apple Books, Inc.) and have a high-end quality commercial laser printer in house.

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"We needed all this support when Steel Guitar World magazine was going down."

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A new steel mag would be really great!!! Sounds like you are in a position to pull off what the other guys were unable to do. Don't let the failures of others stop you if you know that you have a way to pull it off without risking the farm. I don't see how this Forum or any message board could compete with a good magazine that you can hold in your hand and read while sitting on the couch or lying down. And the control of, and therefore possible lack of pollution would really be refreshing.