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Do you find Rod & Custom Magazine Lacking ??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Rice n Beans Garage, Aug 22, 2011.

  1. Saxon
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,157

    Saxon
    Member
    from MN

    I never thought about the paper it's printed on, I don't like a glossily front with b/w newsprint pages in the middle.

    I think deluxe does some nice features on builders. I like that.

    To me, I like looking through the pages for the cars. I can come here for the build. I like the features, the cars, the builders. H&H, in the recent RC, is eye candy and never gets old. Well put together with lot's of eye candy. Why did the autotrader do so well... PICTURES!

    I'll skip through pages of ads to get to a good feature, especially if a betty is added :D or a nicely documented/pictured car layed'out well!
     
  2. ravedodger
    Joined: Aug 24, 2007
    Posts: 296

    ravedodger
    Member

    Ironically enough, I saw the latest issue of R&C at my Vons and picked it up to throw in my cart, but I noticed it was a little thin so I put it back. I couldn't justify the $6 in my budget this month with a speeding ticket I have to pay next week. I also skipped the "lowrider issue" two months ago because the cover cars looked like lowriders (I noticed that last month, Rob Fortier's editorial was kind-of-but-not defensive in his take and explantion--which satisfied me). These two issues are the only ones that come to my mind as disappointments.

    Knowing that the staff of R&C staff read our opinions and actually tailor the mag to it's base (HAMB members)is important. This is not something many older media publishers will do. Not to defend the guys, because my small opinion dosn't really matter, but Aaron and Rob have taken a huge step in just making a presence here on the HAMB.

    So...
    Is it a good magazine? Yes. Is the content there? Yes. Is it better than others? Most certainly. Is it a bargain at under $25 for a two year subscription? Hell, yes! Why haven't I subscribed? Waiting for a turn around in my current financial situation--which won't be too much longer. I was once a subscriber and constantly reread those past treasures.

    Anyway, I hope they continue to sell magazine and provide me with beautiful cars to oogle while I'm away from my computer...

    Rob and Aaron, you guys probably know this already, but we as readers read hot and cold from one post to the next. Next month, everyone will probably rave about some incredible story in the next issue. Oh, when do we get another Little Pages? That was a work of art.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2011
  3. BICKFORD
    Joined: Nov 18, 2003
    Posts: 906

    BICKFORD
    BANNED
    from CA

    for me this magazine is great! look how long its been around. we dont need it to disappear. right now the way its going reminds me of the early years. the car features back in the day were like 2 pages . now there could be from 2 to 6 pages. its still something good to read and learn something new. even if i dont like the car. i will still read it.

    just a quick history for everyone.

    http://www.legends.thewwbc.net/about3.html
     
  4. 296 V8
    Joined: Sep 17, 2003
    Posts: 4,666

    296 V8
    BANNED
    from Nor~Cal

    I get mine from the po box at lunch near my work and look as I eat (that day only) and then it collects dust tell I clean my desk and pitch it.
    Not much of interest in them anymore ….. mostly badly done hot rods (½ rats) and gawdy gay colored customs.
     
  5. ArtGeco
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 759

    ArtGeco
    Member
    from Miami

    I find magazines in general to be lacking.
    I have made the switch to forums like this for all my hobby needs.
    (Except National Geographic).
     
  6. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    Rod&custom is one of my favorites, I will still buy the mag as long as they put it out. I have never been a big subscriber kinda person I actually enjoy the fact that when Im out shopping with the wife I get to sneak away to magazine rack. What I have noticed about all mags that I buy is that some issue are better than others. (with the exeption TRJ LOL). Personally I really dig the content of R&C Always have. I only buy a couple mags anymore because the content of most really stinks. I for one hope it stays and the only way it will is if we keep buying it. Oh and building cars that will be featured in it. I especially love the issues that have HAMBERS rides!
     
  7. dt50chev
    Joined: Mar 15, 2005
    Posts: 596

    dt50chev
    Member

    Since you can subscribe for three years for about 10 or 12 bucks, there is not much I can complain about. Sure, I would like more content and would prefer more kustoms featured each month, but for what I am paying I do feel that I am getting my moneys worth.
     
  8. I've been subscribing for many years and I gotta say it's one of my favorite magazines. This month was really skinny but I suppose some of the guys go on summer vacation leaving the workload on a few guys? Hell, I dunno. Maybe next month will see a return to a fatter 'zine.
    I dig it and will continue to subscribe.
     
  9. I just received my renewal in the mail, ystrdy.. 2yrs for $29.97!
    The notice out of the magazine is only $18.97 for 2yrs.. wtf?!
     
  10. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I just realised. the future isn't 'Planet of the Apes', nor is it 'I am Legend', it is the H.A.M.B.!!
    Our lord and savior Ryan, there will be statues, places of worship.........
    First its destroy the magazines, next......... the WORLD!!


    Or am I just getting carried away?

    Doc.
     
  11. tex34ford
    Joined: Dec 2, 2006
    Posts: 111

    tex34ford
    Member

    Culture?, Kulture?, tattoos?, when was it about culture instead of cars?
     

  12. No, you read it right. I looked for it specifically last night. Something with HOP UP behind the scenes.
     
  13. ROBERT JAM
    Joined: Nov 13, 2002
    Posts: 1,261

    ROBERT JAM
    Member

    I like what they do in the magazine! Look for it in the po box every month.
     
  14. FritzTownFord
    Joined: Apr 7, 2007
    Posts: 1,020

    FritzTownFord
    Member

    Lord! It's the same old vicious cycle... "Too thin (but I don't like all those ads), No real content (but why all those adver-torials?), Not enough feature cars (but I ain't pay'in more than $1.00 per issue!), Too many customs (hey where's all the customs?), Too many hot rods (hey where's all the hot rods?) bla, bla...

    When are you gonna get it? They can't do it "for love". The internet is the only "business model" that receives most of its content for free from gung ho "fans" to be served up with very low over head. I'm not bashing that model either, but it's not the same thing.

    Isn't it interesting how every magazine thread grows so long in so short a time on here?
     
  15. spiderdeville
    Joined: Jun 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,134

    spiderdeville
    Member
    from BOGOTA,NJ

    have not bought an R&C since freiberger was there
     
  16. weldtoride
    Joined: Jun 14, 2008
    Posts: 260

    weldtoride
    Member

    I never could understand that either, and its not just the news stand copies with the cheap rate cards, its the copy that comes to my house! So much for customer loyalty.

    Even crazier, this spring I was getting calls every week (I still have a searchable land line-beginning to realize that's a mistake nowadays) to renew my SR subscription, and it expires 3 years from now! (I got a super deal at the Indy HHR trade show last March: 3 years of SR and R&C both for $45)

    The calls were from 3rd party subscription sellers, not SI, but you'd think they wouldn't turn over names of people to these sellers who's subscription wasn't ending yet. Calls wouldn't stop, and came so often that finally I threatened to call SI and tell them I was cancelling because of their telemarketing company.
     
  17. vintage tin
    Joined: Jan 26, 2008
    Posts: 269

    vintage tin
    Member


    I would hate to see the magazines disappear. I like getting a magazine in the mail, always have. The HAMB is great but I don't think it should be a replacement.
    For so many guys that seem to be into "Traditional" I am amazed by all the George Jetsons on here who are so against most print magazines. As mentioned by Norwell, Made in America. I would like to see the print industry survive. It supports a lot of different American jobs. For so many people to have interest in the glory days, or the old days, or the way it used to be, it surprises me that this group wouldn't have more interest in keeping this stuff around. Maybe all the old steel should just get crushed and the guys at Apple can create a hologram of a 32 ford five window to surround everybody's Prius.
     
  18. SuperFleye
    Joined: Jul 17, 2005
    Posts: 2,053

    SuperFleye
    Alliance Vendor

    Thanks to eBay I buy more old magazines then new ones, but rod & custom is one of the new magazines that regularly pops up in my mailbox. It's hard to please us all, but as long as they run their legend-portraits I'll definitively renew my subscription. Keep up the good work guys!!
     
  19. NomadJerry
    Joined: Sep 4, 2008
    Posts: 34

    NomadJerry
    Member
    from Near LAX

    I dropped all Hot Rod type magazine subscriptions years ago. I do buy issues that catch my eye on the magazine stand. I absolutely LOVE HOT ROD DELUXE and buy every issue. Now that Source Interlink Media owns all these titles, I think we need to give them some time to work things out. You may not know that Source Interlink Media owns about 90 magazine titles, including a Snowboarding Magazine and a Tattoo magazine. They call all their magazines "Life Style Publications". As a traditional '29 Ford Roadster Hot Rod owner I do appreciate the trend I'm seeing with HRM, SRM and R&C moving more in that direction. Just look at the covers. But as I say HR Deluxe is my favorite.

    As others have mentioned, I do prefer a paper Magazine that I can hold in my hand and save. The negative is of course that they do take up space. My iPhone is never far from my side, but reading a Magazine on it is not my ideal solution.

    But we have to realize that automotive writers are not making any money if they post their work online. You can't pay your bills providing FREE stuff to the world, unless you are on the Government dole. The HAMB fullfills a need for FREE information, freely given by folks who obviously have other means of support.

    I for one, like the American Capitalist idea of putting out a published magazine with auto related ads that help keep the cost down to you and me. Without the ads you'd be paying at least $14-$15 an issue. And I do support these advertisers as well by buying their products, when I can.

    Rods versus Customs? Ah, that is the eternal battle isn't it? Been going on since R&C was started. I like them both, so I'm easily pleased. I'm very impressed with the Custom Car build quality I'm seeing today. Looks like Custom Bodyworking is still alive and not a lost art.

    Oh yes, paper quality is important to me. I think HR Deluxe has it right.

    Anyone know where I can buy the little R&C Magazine here in the LAX area?
     
  20. JimA
    Joined: Apr 1, 2001
    Posts: 4,796

    JimA
    BANNED

    And so much cooler than anyone that worked there before- just ask them!
     
  21. Naw, not even! I miss the Ganahl days..
     
  22. Source Interlink have owned all these titles for a few years.
    They bought Primedia in 2007, which got them
    Streetrodder, Hot Rod, Car Craft, PHR, etc.
    They filed for Chapter 11 in 2009, canceling $1 Billion in debt.

    Things are as "worked out" as there are going to get









    It would be interesting to know:

    How much do magazines pay for articles ?

    And what % of published articles do they actually pay for,
    and how many are provided by outsiders free of charge ?

    The real numbers might be shocking to some.
     
  23. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,198

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

    NomadJerry said,
    "But we have to realize that automotive writers are not making any money if they post their work online. You can't pay your bills providing FREE stuff to the world, unless you are on the Government dole. The HAMB fullfills a need for FREE information, freely given by folks who obviously have other means of support."

    I made a decent living in the sixties as a freelancer writing for Petersen and some aftermarket trade books. I had a byline column in FOUR WHEELER in 2006 that paid me less for more words than I made in 1965! I was told that they could get a column for free and dumped me. Some of the writers (especially in the culture magazines) couldn't write a ransom note if their life depended on it.
     
  24. Not enuff ratrods!
     
  25. proartguy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 658

    proartguy
    Member
    from Sparks, NV

    It is sad to see the comments about R&C. But as the content and page count has dwindled I wonder how many chopped ’50 Mercs, trite ’60 paint jobs and radio antenna articles will run before people stop buying? It seems that R&C has become a '60s theme.

    There seem to be a lot of creative people building interesting rides as evidenced by the content on HAMB. But seldom do you see oddball makes or hand-built rides in magazines as they do not use much of the advertisers products.

    In the past R&C had Dreamcar articles from Joe Henning in the ’50s, Tom Daniel in the '60s, and Jimmy Smith and Jeff Norwell in recent times. I submitted another Dreamcar article last year. R&C replied that it was more suited for Custom Rodder. No doubt a custom ’53 Plymouth may not be mainstream. But where are the ideas for tomorrows hot rods and customs?

    Perhaps as the economy picks up R&C will get more advertising to renew the content. I'll continue to subscribe. We need to support our hobby.
     
  26. slammed
    Joined: Jun 10, 2004
    Posts: 8,150

    slammed
    Member

    BING-Fugg'en O! Dat man put it back on the shelf. He has been a ruler for quite some time. TOO TALL!
     
  27. Blind Elwood
    Joined: Jul 1, 2010
    Posts: 229

    Blind Elwood
    Member

  28. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    Just got home from the bookstore with the November issue.Thumbed it for a second before I took it to the checkout counter.
    I don't even care what's inside this issue,but can we please,please,never see the phrase "custom rod" EVER again?? Did they( and CR )not run enough fucking stupid editorials years ago,trying to create their new category??
    Yeah,we get it...Old style customs don't run huge billet bullshit all over,and the latest groovy suspension shit that the advertisers sell..And people who build customs with junkyard parts undermeath that nobody sees anyway won't make the Chinese parts merchants happy..
    Tough shit..YOU guys can build street rods with post 48 bodies on them,that doesn't mean you can cram that fundamentally stupid idea down anybody's throat.
    To anybody who doesn't understand this rant,you didn't read all those fucking editorials,over and over and over,years back,trying like hell to create something that didn't exist,with few exceptions..
    I thought it was safe,guess I was wrong.
    Hell,I haven't even read the mag yet,just that ridiculous blurb on the cover.
    Thius is my second post on this thread,sorry.
    If we've got to endure more "custom Rod" fucking stupidity,then I've changed my mind,let it die.
    As far as I'm concerned,that shit killed Custom Rodder anyway
     
  29. Never met him, but I would like to..
     
  30. Hot Rod Elvis
    Joined: Jan 24, 2011
    Posts: 606

    Hot Rod Elvis
    Member

    I would read that:)
     

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