....funny thing about Mudcat--the 'duffers' and the experts and the in-between who hang out here seem to mostly get along fine.

...and think about this: it does not always require an expert for a good answer or a good insight. I don't know it all by any means, but there are a few things I know quite well. And when you get a few hundred or thousand of 'me', you can get good information pretty fast. This sort of a Delphic place-- when you reach enough people, you get something like 'truth'....if you are willing to sort & filter a bit......same thing, I'd wager, goes for rec.music.folk *grin*. (and at least here, you don't have to wade thru quite so many publicity blurbs for wannabe singer/songwriters.... ;>)

In either place you have to listen awhile to know which experts to listen to...and you have to take even their answers with a grain of salt.