The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

George,

you asked for open and honest feedback, so please no offense to anyone. I am relatively new to this hobby, so I guess I fall into your target group. Aside from a slight general aversion against clubs and associations, here are my reasons why I have not joined so far:

1. I looked at the web sites for all the different phonograph associations and all of them seemed pretty far away from me (US East Coast/Delaware). So the social or direct contact aspect isn't there for any of them.
2. Again, looking at the CAPS web site it seems that the only benefit for joining would be the Soundbox. I looked at the sample that is posted and just was not sure if four editions of it per year would be worth joining.
3. To be blunt, the web site isn't very attractive in that it does not offer much. I don't think I spent more than a few minutes there, because there is simply nothing.

What could possibly convince me to join?

1. A more attractive web site with some usefull information free and even more for members. Considering what's out on the web for free, that would be challenging to put together, but with resources like yourself very possible.
2. If the Soundbox is the main attraction, then offer more teasers on the web site. Look at the Canadian CAPS web site, they show an archive of the index of their newsletter with some articles available for free, the rest for members only.
3. In general, the Canadian CAPS site is more what would attract me to join. Quite some information and also lists of music files for download, again with some teasers for non-members. Great idea.
4. Not sure if this is just a pipe dream, but many times I see a picture of a machine in one of your books from a specific angle and that's it. I don't know if that's even possible from a copyright perspective, but it would be awesome to be able to lookup additional pictures and closeups of these machines from different angles, maybe even the motor etc. That would be a great reason to join. Or something to offer to readers of your books in general.

Hope that helps
Andreas

Andreas,

That helps very much indeed, and thank you for your candid observations. A few of your criticisms were discussed during our board meeting this past weekend, and I think you'll see some improvement in the future. Every one of your points is worthy of serious consideration.

By the way, I'll be reporting back to the board on all the feedback I receive (well, maybe not the centerfold idea...!). For those of you who have kept quiet, don't be afraid to pile on!

Thanks again - - much appreciated.

George P.

George,
I started going to the CAPS show since 2002. At first, I wasn't too impressed with it. I figured MAPS was enough for me. However, when that fantastic Soundbox was published, that's when I became a member. I have been a member ever since. The articles are fantastic and very scholarly. However, they are not dry. If possible, I would like to see a trading section, in the Soundbox. Keep up the great work. Harvey Kravitz

Hi George,

For me it is all a matter of the cost of clutter and overload. I already belong to MAPS and am very happy with what I receive for the money. I just don't want to multiply the money I spend to fill a need/desire. While there are many excellent sources for many things, I only subscribe to one bicycling mag, one astronomy mag, one woodworking mag, one phonograph mag, one streaming moving service..... For many online services, I always opt for the free version and I generally do not feel the added benefits are worth the additional cost.

For me cost of multiple subscriptions to a single topic makes the value of information received less and cost more.

I enjoy the CAPS Newsletter very much. I especially like articles on the rare or oddball items such as Tinfoil machines, coin-ops and early phonographs. A want/for sale ad section would be nice similar to what was in the APM yers ago. A calendar of upcoming phonograph events would be nice too.

Also I tend to use the web to look at the following:
- Highligts of recent Stantons Auction and Ebay auctions(uncommon items and what they sold for)
- Pictures from recent phonograph shows and how the shows attendance and sales were
- Interesting phonograph collections

Perhaps these can be incorporated into the newsletter from time to time.

Keep up the great work!

John P.

I was a long time member of a comparable Dutch society. But Ive quit, because I just don't learn anything new anymore. The meetings are boring, the subjects are always the same, things haven't moved forward wince 1985. The circle is getting narrower and narrower. It's a huge problem, for which I honestly see no solution.

I have been a long time member of CAPS and have always valued and enjoyed membership. The Sound Box is exceptional and the class of the hobby. The website is OK but OK could be better. As a member, I would like to sign in and access a membership roster. The newsletter is the tool to grab a broad audience. I would show a complete issue from cover to cover. I think an engaging website that featured the Sound Box and the show/banquet would attract members and promote the sale. Jerry Blais

if the organization is seeking a broader membership base, why would it call, or continue calling, itself the "california" antique phonograph society? I get that it's based in CA and holds meetings there, but now the group is seeking to appeal to a more national and international base, when many people already have other closer similar local organizations to consider (the michigan one, maps, immediately comes to mind, although I've heard of a few others in new york, florida, etc.).

also, I've always been curious as to why or how one of the other on-line phonograph forums, the one on proboards, became somehow connected to caps as its more or less official discussion forum, despite being a far less active site than others - such as this one or matt brown's edison site.

Hi All,
I joined CAPS around 2005 I believe when I first started in the hobby and went to my first show in 06. I think that if you are looking for new members and wish to engage them than you need to take the approach that will bring them to the table.

As noted the name imply's something that may not fit where you want to go. For truly new members you want to head towards those that are new to the hobby therefore a tech, or question and answer section would really be a plus. Why not add a letters to the editor section to get some address to what is taking place within the hobby.

Another area of concern and one that is not easily addressed is the meetings and a directory of members. Penman and I live fairly close by to each other and we hooked up via this website not through CAPS and now there are 2 of here that can get together on this stuff and plan some phono trips. But members need to access each other somehow to connect.

What about setting up the meetings on a SKYPE format, In Rotary we have just started doing that and wow! George and I could get together and interact with each other as well as the meeting.

Its all more work...but as we say in Rotary that if you are not doing something pro active than you are doing nothing.

Most people already have enough on their plates but if you want more...
Just my 2 cents

Abe

I see our MAPS club is calling itself the "International Antique Phonograph Society" as well as the "MIchigan Antique Phonograph Society". Has there been any discussion about combining MAPS and CAPS without hurting any egos?