The Acoustic Soundboard UK gatherings started in 2010 at the White Lion in Hebden Bridge. The Soundboard itself came about on the back of the old Acoustic Life forum that was run by the UK magazine Acoustic. When the magazine folded, the forum was put to sleep without any warning. Some of the regulars got together under the leadership of Martin Robertson and rebranded their backup forum as the independent Acoustic Soundboard.
I recorded an interview with Martin at HB9 in 2018 and he goes into the history a bit in that recording.
The gatherings have always been in Yorkshire, as it's a fairly central location for the whole country. After its beginnings at the White Lion in Hebden Bridge, it moved to the Wool Merchant in Halifax, then to the Imperial Crown Hotel. It's still lovingly referred to as HB#, with the # representing the number from the first gathering.
I joined the forum in 2015, having found it through Bernd, a player with a shared love of the instruments on the late Heiner Dreizehnter. I'm pretty sure I found Bernd through Heiner's website. As far as I know he's been to every gathering!
Bernd, @Akquarius
Hi folks, just found my way here thanks to Aquarius, a fellow Heiner Dreizehnter player, who I discovered on YouTube through Heiner's site I think. Some of you might know me from the old forum days. I used to be on AG magazine forum, APM, Harmony Central and AGF, as well as my own Celtic Guitar Talk. I've been out of the loop for a while since moving back to my native Scotland from Luxembourg in 2008 and having the old job and family thing. This looks like a fun place to hang out and I'm betting I'll know some of you!
Looking forward to some guitar related banter once again!
My first post on the Soundboard, 6 March 2015
Acoustic Soundboard UK Posts with Video and Photos
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://acousticguitar.io/acoustic-soundboard-uk-gatherings/