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Location: SW Washington | As many of you may have read, I just landed a gig teaching guitar to the youth at the local Tribal Center for the Chehalis Tribe. These are 'at risk' kids...pretty much all of them are from broken and abusive homes. Their lives are largely surrounded by drugs and alcohol and the tribe is trying to use music as an alternative to those for them. Kudos to the tribe for that! Anyhow, the tribe is going to get guitars for the classroom...probably 7 or 8 of them but understandably they are reluctant to spend the $$$ to get individual guitars for the kids. So that brings me to this... I need to find a source of reasonably priced guitars for the tribe to get for the classroom and also I really do want the kids to have their own to practice with at home. Sadly, because of the homelife many of these kids have, some of these instruments will likely be 'sacrificial' but perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised. Anyhow, I am thinking Applause guitars. It seems like they would be far more durable than a standard wood box guitar. But I really know little about them. Are they at least playable out of the box? I do want the kids to have cutaways as I teach my students to use the entire neck right from the start. A cheap pickup of some sort would be good but not really essential. The tribe can probably afford a few $200 guitars but the kids cannot go that high. For them $100 would be a stretch. Do any of you have any suggestions or know of any sources you can point me to? I think I have a few weeks yet. I don't think we are going to start until the new Tribal Center is completed. Any suggestions are welcome, Thank You!
David |
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Location: NJ | applause guitars are cheap but there are also other cheaper ones out there.
depends on how low you want to go
I have a souce for import guitars from china that are very cheap but shipping will cost you a bunch. |
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Location: Yucaipa, California | ...you might want to try to contact local businesses (music and non-music) to see if they could sponsor some or all of the guitars. It would be great publicity and great for the Tribe.
...worth a try.... Corporations sponsor local sports teams all the time.... |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | While I don't know of a "connection" to get the guitars unless Alpep can help, I would suggest getting any instruments you can and get enough of the students up to speed to do a benefit concert.
Maybe even get a local band to be the "headline" and crowd draw, and have the kidz do a couple of songs in the middle. Doesn't have to be huge.
I just ran sound for a scholarship fund benefit this weekend. They got a restaurant that had room for a band. Got a band. Got local businesses to donate items for silent auction and door prizes. They didn't raise a ton of money, but they raised "enough" money to make it very worthwhile for the cause.
My minimal experience with any tribal activities leads me to believe that if you plant the seed of an idea that will benefit the tribe... they will run with it and make it happen. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Yes, by all means, contact your local music store(s). Explain what is going on, tell them you are taking bids. If they don't have the type of guitar you have in mind, ask if they could order one so you can check it out. Then see who can come up with the best guitars at the lowest price. The folks on the Rosebud did just that a couple of years ago, and I was able to get them some nice, but inexpensive guitars.
If that doesn't work, you could hit all of the pawn shops and if you know a little about set-up, you might be able to find something decent. Of course, it depends on how many you need, but it's a good place to start. |
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Location: SW Washington | Hey Miles, you just gave me a great idea....the casino there has well known performers there on a regular basis, maybe one of them could stop into the classroom to give a 'pep talk' to the kids or maybe even do an impromptu benefit show to raise a few bucks for the class...? Hmmmmmmm It is worth taking a look at... The new tribal center is going to be HUGE!!!! There are two gyms, lots of classrooms and offices, and some giant foyers with GREAT acoustics...drool drool... So we will have a location for performances. The only drawback is that it is miles and miles from the freeway just to the turn off and then it is way back in the sticks from there. But the facility itself is beautiful!
Anyhow, you guys are a wealth of information and these are some great ideas! I really appreciate all your input! Thank You! And keep the ideas coming! |
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Location: Tennessee | A bunch of people here got free guitars when they bought some strings (not me unfotunately). Maybe those guitars can find a good home with your class. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | DV, check your PM... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | One of the string deals Bobbo was talking about involved Jasmine guitars by Takamine. There was another one more recently with different guitars, but I can't remember which brand was being given away.
I played one of the Jasmines and it was adequate. I was trying to find someone to give the guitar to just so I could have the strings.
Anyway, I just checked and there are Jasmines on Amazon for $76. I don't know if it's the same model as the one I tried. Maybe you could find someone who would work you a deal on those Jasmines.
You might want to read the no soliciting reminder and talk to Al before you go much further with this. Even good intentions might run afoul of the rules. |
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Location: GA USA | One of the kids in my class got a Jasmine. I thought it was pretty decent for the money. |
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Location: SW Washington | As far as the rules go, all I am soliciting here are ideas and suggestions and I must say I am getting some great ones! Thank you all!!! |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | There are lots of suggestions being made on how to involve the community and raise some funds for this worthwhile program. That's all well and good, but don't let the cart overrun the horse. Since the Tribe is willing to provide some seed money to get it up and running, I would echo an earlier suggestion. Contact Al and see what he can do to accommodate your needs within your specified budget. As the Program picks up sponsors and gains momentum, you can always upgrade the gear. However, as a start-up, you'll have enough other priorities to consider and plan for on the curriculum side that you shouldn't also take on fund-raising, recruitment of sponsors, and program development at such an early stage. Identify your needs and your budget, find a source for the gear (call Al), obtain the gear, finalize the curriculum and space (including secured storage of the gear), obtain whatever approvals are required from the Tribal leadership, then put it in action. Good luck and keep us posted. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Applause/Celebrity with a good set up will last forever and meet the need.
I'd love to get involved and help with finding Donators and doing set up. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | If the tribe wants to provide free lessons, why not start with something more accessible, like recorders or tin whistles. That's how I started, with recorder lessons at the local church. All I had to do was buy a recorder. You can expand the concept to guitars ...
I think you're best bet is to come up with some sort of low cost lease arrangement. And I mean low. It depends on the average income of the tribe. Do you know what it is? I think before you start giving away guitars you should know. |
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Location: GA USA | I like 4340's thinking because only a small percentage will actually put in all the effort and stick with it, very likely. If your more committed students get to "graduate" to guitar you can weed out those who are excited about it for one week, and save their parents some money/trouble. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I looked it up with this high tech device called google. The median income in 1999 was $30,000. At the same time in Brooklyn it was $32,000. Cost of living on the reservation is probably less. I'm sure there a bunch of poor kids there, but interestingly, there are surely more poor kids, on a per capita basis, in Brooklyn.
I don't remember the exact details, but when local churches gave lessons, the kids always rented the instruments. I can't remember the amounts. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Stats are great but what is really being taught is to have an enthusiasm to live and to learn. Recorders are great tools to learn music but a guitar is a way to learn life.
Guitars are cool and can set you apart.
Guitars can help you to express yourself or mimick cool people.
Guitars can help you become someone you want to be.
Teens tear themselves apart and build themselves back up every day. Having an outlet and having some hope...
priceless! |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | As to the guitars... You could probably get a bulk rate on 'starter' guitars.
Student Acoustic Guitars at Active Musician
I just used that as an example. But I am sure that a more thorough search might find some bulk discounts on Dean, Jasmine, and others. I had a really nice Johnson 620 (I think). I passed it on, but it was only about $120 retail (I paid $65). Yes, we are the Ovation Fan Club. But the Tribal Council may not be. For the purpose of a Student Guitar there are alot of brands. Then once the Students learn, they will want an Ovation just like their Mentor's.
The first guitar that I Owned was a Guild with about a 1/2" action at the 12th fret.
But it worked for cowboy chords and House of the Rising Sun. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Besides, David was hired to teach guitar, not recorders.
I didn't mean to suggest David was violating the soliciting rule. I was just reminded that I sometimes get carried away. I think it would be great if he could come up with guitars for these kids, especially if he creates a new generation of Ovation fans. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by David Van:
the casino there Check with casino and see if the tribe can put out 'Contribution' jars in the lobbies. Since it's for the res kids, it just might 'fly'.
Just a thought... |
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Location: SW Washington | Actually, I just got word today the tribe is willing to pick up the tab for all the guitars and pianos we need...it is just a matter of finding the right deal. The tribe is NOT poor, just some of it's members are and those are largely due to drug and alcohol problems. This particular tribe seems to be pretty wise about using its wealth for the long term benefits of its members. They are really big on education and incentives for education. But even though the tribe is willing to pay for the guitars, as I said, many of them may be abused and neglected horribly and I don't want that to happen to ANY nice guitars...I couldn't sleep at night!!! But I do want something that is fun to play and not a source of major frustration.
I cannot thank all of you enough for your input...this is very helpful to me! |
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Location: SW Washington | I am also seriously taking the good 'professor's' words to heart...to start with I need to worry more about setting a good foundation with a solid curriculum and go off on tangents down the road if and as needed. That is where my focus needs to be for now. It looks like the tribe wants to foot the bill for the instruments so really all I need to do is find them the best deal for their money and instruments that will suit the needs of the kids. That really is a relief to me as I need to be able to focus my energy on coming up with a viable curriculum and syllabus in the near term. |
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Location: SoCal | I don't know if previously posted in this thread but Kaman has/had a school division. Might want to contact your Kaman Rep in the area.
An interesting catalog:
Kaman
If this requires going through a dealer, think of Al 1st. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Nice, David. I hope you teach a whole new generation of musicians, I hope as Ovation fans. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | Originally posted by Tony Calman:
I don't know if previously posted in this thread but Kaman has/had a school division. This was the reason for the Academy guitars wasn't it? Maybe they'll go back into production!
:cool: |
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Location: NW Washington State | Takamine Academy |
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Hey gang, I need your help...