I frequent many forums for various activities, some immensely well patronised, others abysmal fails. I don't think the issue is the Guitar Tricks forum per se.

It's good that you're thinking about ideas which might encourage active participation as well as wanting to experience a greater sense of community here. Give it time. As you say, you're relatively new here, and there are a few long serving GT regulars who do contribute with regularity.

What you're seeking is actually already here, structured, in one place. The problem as you point out, has been low member participation. Only members can do something about that if they want to. I'm doing my part to try and encourage by example regardless of others' reticence. Guitar Tricks can provide the watering hole, and lead a horse to water, but they can't force it to drink.

Isolating comments within the lessons sections wouldn't encourage wider participation IMV&E. Rather the opposite, increasing member isolation if they don't have to come here for interaction. In any case, most "feedback" be it a brickbat or bouquet is really actually just feelgood self-validation. Very seldom does discussion per se ensue. If you want an example look at it on JustinGuitar's new website which as a recent 'initiative' has done exactly that. FAIL. Participation rate is abysmal, and it's definitely a self-validation vehicle targeting a particular group demographic, as is his increasingly commercialised new website.

That's why I'm here with an annual sub on auto rollover for perpetuity, and not over at JustinGuitar.