Terms of use

1. Who we are, and what this is

StringTheory (stringtheory.io) is a reference and community platform for the guitar ecosystem: a directory of people, organizations, brands, places and events; discussion among the people in it; and material for learning and development. Using the site means you accept these terms.

2. Accounts

You can browse the directory without an account. Creating one requires an email address and a display name, and onboarding creates a person record for you. You are responsible for activity under your account, for keeping your sign-in details secure, and for the accuracy of what you tell us about yourself. One account per person; do not impersonate anyone, and do not create an account for a business as if it were a person — claim the business record instead.

We may suspend or remove an account that breaks these terms, is used to harass others, or is used to publish deliberately false information.

3. Directory records

Most directory records are compiled by StringTheory from public sources. A record is not an endorsement, a certification, or a statement about the quality of anyone's work. Records marked needs verification have not been confirmed with their subject.

If a record is about you or an entity you are responsible for, you can claim it. Claims are reviewed by a moderator against the evidence you provide; they are not granted automatically, and we may decline or reverse a claim. Once a claim is approved, you become the steward of that record: you may maintain it, and you are responsible for keeping it accurate and free of promotional misrepresentation.

Anyone can suggest a correction or report a problem with a record. If you want a record about you removed, contact us and we will review it.

4. What you publish

Threads, replies, corrections, claim evidence and profile content are yours. By posting it you grant StringTheory a non-exclusive, worldwide licence to host, display, distribute and adapt it for the purpose of running and promoting the platform, including in search results and structured data. You keep the right to your own material and can ask us to remove it.

Do not post:

• content you do not have the right to publish, including copied text and images;
• false claims about a person, a business or an instrument's provenance;
• harassment, abuse, threats, or content that targets people on the basis of who they are;
• private information about others — addresses, phone numbers, documents;
• spam, undisclosed paid promotion, or bulk commercial posting.

Buying and selling discussion is allowed as discussion. StringTheory is not a marketplace, takes no part in transactions between members, and is not responsible for them.

5. Moderation

Reports go to a moderation queue reviewed by StringTheory staff. We may edit, hide or remove content, close threads, decline claims, or restrict accounts. We aim to explain our decisions and to correct them when we get them wrong, but we do not guarantee that any particular content stays available.

6. Accuracy and liability

StringTheory is provided as-is. Information here — including repair, setup, valuation and provenance discussion — is community and editorial material, not professional advice. Work on an instrument, and decisions to buy or sell one, are at your own risk. To the extent permitted by law, StringTheory is not liable for indirect or consequential loss arising from use of the site.

7. Intellectual property

The StringTheory name, logo, design system and compiled directory structure belong to StringTheory. Brand names, logos and trademarks appearing in records belong to their owners and are used for identification. If you believe material here infringes your rights, contact us with the specifics and we will review and act where appropriate.

8. Changes and contact

We may update these terms as the platform grows; material changes will be noted on this page with a new effective date. Continued use after a change means you accept it. Questions go through contact. See also our privacy policy.