Greetings, all -

I've been hosting a mallet instrument database on my web site for several months now, and while there have been many visitors seeking to read reviews of instruments, there have been remarkably few reviews submitted. The number of reviews is so small (and my thanks to those of you who have taken the time to submit a review and share your thoughts), I've been considering shutting down the database altogether, which I'd rather not do - but it's kind of pointless for people to keep looking for reviews which aren't there.

Our host Nat has been very supportive of this effort (thanks, Nat!), even offering a link from marimba.org to the database (see the "Instrument DB" link in the lefthand frame here), and he and I both agree that this sort of database could be quite a valuable resource.

There is no fee for posting, no fee for reading reviews, and no popup or banner ads - this isn't a moneymaker for me in any way. I just keep seeing "...what can anyone tell me about my Deagan XYZ Vibraphone?" -type questions on this message board and elsewhere, and it would be great to have a really diverse database online. This is not sponsored by any manufacturers, so negative reviews are as welcome (and as valuable) as positive reviews - so long as you're willing to put your name to your words. (Sorry, that's my one stipulation; I'm not interested in anonymous posts.)

I can't do it all myself - I need help from the percussion community in amassing these reviews.

I invite anyone who has not yet visited the database, to do so - and, hopefully, to offer one or more reviews. It's online at http://www.malletjazz.com/database ; or e-mail me if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Jim Walker

I strongly urge the readers of this bbs to post their experience into James's DB. More posting we have, it is going to be more useful. You do not need to shy away. Just post them!

In the same string, I ask the same thing for the Events/concerts.

I wonder how many of you are technical, but I am also thinking of creating something like eventsML, so that the postings about events and concerts can be syndicated and displayed at many sites. Exisiting such syndication method is RSS and it is a good example, but lacks some features. What would you think about it?

Also, instrumentsML?

Nat