I love how busy our forum has been lately. I don’t spend any time at the Banjo or Mando Hangout, but it seems that the Reso and Flatpicker Hangout forums are kind of slow by comparison.
Now admittedly, a lot of what we post here is just foolishness, but it’s still fun interacting with other pickers. It seems like it gets lonely over at the Hangouts even though they must be getting more traffic. Wonder why that is?
got to agree larry, i’m a member of the banjohangout, but i’m happier here, i think (using an american phrase) it’s more “down home”. and what an interesting bunch!!!
ron
I feel like we have more of a “family” here than at the big box stores.
I think the overall attitude is very friendly and helpful. You guys are a big part of that as is Ben.
I think it would be great if sometime a bunch of us could get together to have a little jam session/barbeque.
Who knows, maybe we could pull it off.
jim
Most of us are here to learn and improve. At those other places, lots of the regulars are there trying to prove to everyone how much of an expert they are.
— Begin quote from "jiminkansas"
I think it would be great if sometime a bunch of us could get together to have a little jam session/barbeque.Who knows, maybe we could pull it off.
jim
— End quote
I too was thinking a “BenFest” or “Benapalooza” would be fun. I’d be happy to host it, but looking at Larry’s map, I am not very centrally located. I am thinking TN looks promising.
yer gonna have to organise some kinda satelite link up, i aint missin out on that!! 
Ron
I have the banjohangout bookmarked but haven’t posted over there in a while. I’m enjoying this one at banjobenclark.com a lot!
I post on the Washburn guitar forum on occasion and put this link up a while back of Brad Paisley’s acoustic performance of “Anything Like Me”. Check it out…looks like drop D tuning, gives it a robust sound…well that and it’s Brad Paisley. 
youtube.com/watch?v=ZazrQYirYLs
Mike
— Begin quote from "Julian"
Most of us are here to learn and improve. At those other places, lots of the regulars are there trying to prove to everyone how much of an expert they are.
— End quote
You might be on to something there, Julian. I know I don’t worry too much about asking a dumb question or showing my inexperience on this forum because we’re all here primarily to learn. The Hangouts probably have lots of folks with other interests (like promoting themselves).
— Begin quote from "Julian"
Most of us are here to learn and improve. At those other places, lots of the regulars are there trying to prove to everyone how much of an expert they are.
— End quote
You hit the nail right on the head with this one partner! I am a member of the hangout too and I find those forums to be full of more “keyboard commandos” than actual pickers. There are a core group over there that really want to help people but there are far more that are just talk and want to stir up trouble.
Hopefully we can keep that from happening here!
jim
Yeah, I think for the most part all of us are within a year or so of each other in where we are with our playing. With this I think for the most part all of us realize that our ability to progress takes advice from other people of like minded interest that may be further along in the progress.
Also I think most of us settled into bluegrass along with some form of being “humble souls” and really probably could care less about “one upping” someone else.
Takes a special kind of person to focus on Bluegrass, is a mindset and to me says a lot about the group.
Oldhat
What really got me hooked on bluegrass was the accessibility of the “stars”. At my first festival, years ago, I was exposed to some big names, and between performances they were just walking around the fairgrounds, talking to people and having a good time. Nothing like a rock festival where the musicians stayed behind the scenes and were followed around by crowds of people and security every where they went. It’s still that way, the performers love to talk to you and a lot of them come around to the campsites to jam in the evening.
— Begin quote from "jiminkansas"
At my first festival, years ago, I was exposed to some big names, and between performances they were just walking around the fairgrounds, talking to people and having a good time.
— End quote
And some of them leave their high profile jobs of playing on the big stage with a big name star. And they do this in part to start a band with their family members and teach music to a bunch of people they don’t even know.
How cool is that?