Musical philanthropy

[Digital Larry]

Yesterday I gave my Squier Strat and Katana amp to a friend who lives down the street. Well to be 100% accurate I gave him the guitar and sold him the amp for $175. I already don't miss either one of them. He seemed pretty stoked. Even his kids said "wow" when he got some sizzle and flange going and started playing some Van Halen riffs.

 

[Peegoo]

[high five]

Giving the gift of music is one of the best things we as humans can do for one another.

 

[Telenator]

I couldn't agree more with this. Larry. That's a really nice thing to do.

Several years back, a friend I had met on this forum and jammed with on a few occasions was down on his luck, losing his house and had sold all of his guitars to just scrape by. He was really missing being able to play. I bought a new Squier Strat, sunburst, and shipped it to him. The only condition was, I asked him never to sell it. This way, he'd always have a decent guitar. About 1 1/2 years later, he contacted me to say he'd gotten back on his feet and wanted to return the guitar. I thought about it for a moment and said, "Hang on to it and the next time you see someone in need, give it to them under the same condition. Let's throw this guitar out into the universe and as a gesture of good will toward all who encounter it.

In 2013 a friend of mine had lost the use of his legs in a motorcycle accident and was finding it way too uncomfortable to play bass guitar any more. I designed and built what I call the "Ergo-Vibe Bass Guitar," and he plays it to this day! One of the best projects I have ever done. I gave on to the Gary Sinese Foundation as well.

And just a few weeks ago, an elderly couple gave me an old import acoustic guitar they weren't using any more. I didn't need it so I brought it down to the local music store and gave it to them, saying that if they came across someone showing a genuine interest in music, but unable to afford a guitar, please give it to them. They'll probably at least come back for strings and maybe even lessons.

One of my students was a small girl, about 12 or 13 years old who owned a full size dreadnought acoustic. It was just too big for her. I was loaning her my little Yamaha travel acoustic and she started progressing very quickly. When her parents decided to stop giving her lessons, I let her keep the guitar because I knew she would stop playing if she only had the BIG dreadnought to play.

The gift of music is one of the best things in life! People who play music are generally peaceful, considerate and more likely to work to the benefit of society. We all have ways of giving back. That old guitar you've had sitting in the closet just might change someone's life!

 

[Digital Larry]

The gift of music is one of the best things in life! People who play music are generally peaceful, considerate and more likely to work to the benefit of society. We all have ways of giving back. That old guitar you've had sitting in the closet just might change someone's life!

I'm impressed by your acts of generosity and that's a pretty cool bass also!

 

[Telenator]

I'm impressed by your acts of generosity and that's a pretty cool bass also!

Thanks. I am thrilled to see you feel the same about music and un-used guitars.

 

[Anacharsis]

Kudos to the OP.

I've given two amps to this group: https://www.intonationmusic.org/ - They're really great.

Years ago, I donated one guitar to the Old Town School of Folk Music (to be sold in their shop to raise money). And this month I gave away a bunch of stock guitar parts (speakers, pickups, tuners) that I'd replaced to members on Squier-Talk. Below a certain dollar threshold, at this point, I would much rather give a guitar or most amps to a good home than sell them. Baby amps that are easily mail-able I might still sell on eBay.

 

[nojazzhere]

Yesterday I gave my Squier Strat and Katana amp to a friend who lives down the street. Well to be 100% accurate I gave him the guitar and sold him the amp for $175. I already don't miss either one of them. He seemed pretty stoked. Even his kids said "wow" when he got some sizzle and flange going and started playing some Van Halen riffs.

The extent of my musical philanthropy has been to perform for charitable causes. In fact, many years ago a fellow guitarist and I formed a band for that very purpose. We were available to hire for parties and dances, but even that money went to suitable good causes. Mostly we played "fundraisers", where the audience either made voluntary donations or paid an entrance fee.....but we took NOTHING. Many of those "free" gigs were way more enjoyable than even well paying ones.
However, a couple of the gigs were just excuses for rich people to have entertainment at their party in a country club. They no more appreciated our "value" than that of the waitstaff serving their food and drinks. I quit doing those after two.

 

[ZenGuitarist]

I had a yard sale once where I really wanted to unload a Garnet half-stack that weighed almost as much as I did so I put a really low price on it. A young kid walked up with his dad and was interested in the amp but he was just starting to learn how to play guitar so I volunteered to demo it for him.

At first I plinked around playing something lame and he wasn't impressed. Then I cranked the amp wide open and started playing power chords. The way that kid's eyes lit up was priceless. Needless to say, he went home with the amp. I hope he's still enjoying it.

At the moment I'm putting the word out to my friends that if they know of any youngster starting out playing guitar and needing some gear, to let me know and I'll give some away. It probably won't make much of a difference in how many guitars I own because I keep buying stuff, but my taste in guitars has moved away from the usual suspects to more unique ones, and I'd like to at least stop the size of my collection from growing any further.

 

[kingofdogs1950]

I've given away several guitars, none expensive.
All were garage sale purchases that I used for experimenting.
I did give my very good friend a nice Vibro Champ. I wasn't using it and, well, he was (RIP) a very good friend.

Markrkrk

 

[Henley]

Being selfless is quite rare these days. There are many people that truly are, but are afraid to commit,..maybe because of getting used/burned or otherwise compromised in the process.

I like the idea of giving without the thought of a thank you, reward or recognition for doing so. This thread reflects that.

'regards

 

[Digital Larry]

I like the idea of giving without the thought of a thank you, reward or recognition for doing so. This thread reflects that.

I wasn't entirely selfless. Like $175 worth. And I felt better giving the guitar to someone I know rather than to any old yahoo who might use it for firewood. I was getting close to that though as I really did not want to keep it and the effort to sell it would have diminished returns even further.

 

[nojazzhere]

Being selfless is quite rare these days. There are many people that truly are, but are afraid to commit,..maybe because of getting used/burned or otherwise compromised in the process.

I like the idea of giving without the thought of a thank you, reward or recognition for doing so. This thread reflects that.

'regards

I would most respectfully say that most of my charitable efforts were NOT without reward. Whether you believe in Karma or not, it is a REAL thing. The feeling I get of inner satisfaction when I do something I know is "the right thing" far outweighs any material reward you could offer me.
I wholeheartedly endorse the sentiment you express......but the efforts we're talking about don't ever go unrewarded.....IMHO.

 

[24 track]

in a past life , I used to repair microphones , a some what easy task, if you have the parts ,
a close friend of mine moved out of town and could not take alot of his gear with him so He gave it to me , this bonanza consisted of everything under the sun.
there is a kid at work who one day rattled of a 5 min free form rhyme off the top of his head with out losing meter once whilst music played in the back ground that had a different beat to his prose. this is by far my least favorite type of music but the kid had chops, so out of the blue I stopped at his house and dropped off a 58 clone mic I built for him a 20 foot XLR to XLR cable, a 20 foot XLR to 1/4 inch cable a stand and boom, a 6 channel tapco mixer , and a rhyming dictionary and accused him of leaving this crap at my house LOL . It cost me nothing to do this and it made zero impact to my inventory so why not.....

 

[nojazzhere]

in a past life , I used to repair microphones , a some what easy task, if you have the parts ,
a close friend of mine moved out of town and could not take alot of his gear with him so He gave it to me , this bonanza consisted of everything under the sun.
there is a kid at work who one day rattled of a 5 min free form rhyme off the top os his head with out losing meter once whilst music played in the back ground that had a different beat to his prose. this is by far my least favorite type of music but the kid had chops, so out of the blue I stopped at his house and dropped off a 58 clone mic I built for him a 20 foot XLR to XLR cable, a 20 foot XLR to 1/4 inch cable a stand and boom, a 6 channel tapco mixer , and a rhyming dictionary and accused him of leaving this crap at my house LOL . It cost me nothing to do this and it made zero impact to my inventory so why not.....

You're hereby charged with contributing to the delinquency of a rapper........how do you plead?

 

[24 track]

You're hereby charged with contributing to the delinquency of a rapper........how do you plead?

guilty .....
but the kid had chops
and it was a wednesday and,and and........

 

[nojazzhere]

guilty .....
but the kid had chops
and it was a wednesday and,and and........

Had you been drinking?......maybe throw yourself on the mercy of the court?

 

[ZenGuitarist]

Being selfless is quite rare these days. There are many people that truly are, but are afraid to commit,..maybe because of getting used/burned or otherwise compromised in the process.

I like the idea of giving without the thought of a thank you, reward or recognition for doing so. This thread reflects that.

'regards

I've learned that when you truly commit and go all in, good things happen.

I support a few charities but shun the limelight. At most I'll let them stick my name on the donor wall but that's it, nothing else. Nobody reads the names on the donor wall anyway.

 

[Telenator]

I'm really pleased to see so many committing such random acts of greatness! After seeing so many friends at each others throats over stupid politics on social media, this contrast of kind actions helps to revive my faith in the goodness of others. I'm glad the OP started this thread. It's the right thing at the right time.

 

[Henley]

These are frequent events that happen daily in every part of the world...it just does not make the 6 o'clock news.

 

[trev333]

I've lost track of all the musical equipment I've given away over the last 10 yrs...

guitars, guitar builds, PA 's, amps, speakers, basses, other stage gear...

to friends, school kids and indigenous communities...

pay it forward...