Music/Instrumental Grants

billthebassist · #1 02-25-2008, 02:08 PM

Let me make it clear. I'm not looking for sympathy, and I'm not trying to piss and moan. Just looking for some help/information to get me started.

Heres the deal:

I'm a student at the university of central missouri. I play in the top jazz band, the top wind ensemble, the symphony and the jazz rock combo. I love this ****. No lie. Heres the problem. My equipment is trashed. I've been playing on the jazz bass I built in high school for 5 years now. My upright situation consists of an old (who knows how old) laminate that I'm borrowing from my old high school. I love the character of this bass but it rattles to no end (especially bad when amplified).
Enough of the sob story. Heres what I need.

Does anyone know of any scholarships/grants that are offered for music students? I'm hurting because I'm at the point where my gear is holding me back. I'm looking into student loans but it seems as if they just want to rape me. ***

Thanks guys I appreciate everything. I've done some research and I think I can get an upright and a fretless for around $6000.
Once again I thank you all and any information will be helpful.

Billthebassist

Insanity^2 · #2 02-25-2008, 02:10 PM

I really can't help you on the 'can I get a grant' but if you could, I very much doubt you'd get $6000... Aim too high and you shoot yourself, ask for $6000 and they'll laugh, and probably not even consider other requests..

ProfGumby · #3 02-25-2008, 02:34 PM

Have you tried asking your Music teacher or guidance counselor or some such person? That'd be my first step.....or get a (another) job and save?

Not trying to be a smart***, just wonderin...........

billthebassist · #4 02-25-2008, 10:10 PM

Maybe $6000 is too much. Honestly I can barely find anything grant wise. As far as the job is concerned I'm carrying 18 credit hours and a 20 hour a week job at a local bar. No more hours left in the day to work, unless I stopped sleeping ha. For me to save up that kind of cash it would take at least 4 summers working at the bar and another job.
Figured it was a long shot. Just didn't want to sell my soul to the ****ing banks just to get some new gear.

Thanks guys

bigthemat · #5 02-25-2008, 11:23 PM

Student loans. They suck, but, they help. Look around and you can find some decent ones, esp. if you get a good cosigner. I am planning to refi all my crap and just have one payment when I graduate.

zachbass02 · #6 02-26-2008, 08:10 AM

Parents?

billthebassist · #7 02-26-2008, 01:08 PM

Got kicked out 6 months ago. We're cool now but things are still different. They said they won't cosign for me. I'd be willing to get a student loan but I have no credit and no cosigner. I think I'm ****ed.

Blues Cat · #8 02-26-2008, 01:18 PM

The day of the artist grants are gone thanks to the Clinton administration. You can still get a grant here in Houston but you would have to be working w/underpriveledged kids or under represented communities ($5000).

If you're in the top band at school you should seek endorsements instead.

billthebassist · #9 02-27-2008, 09:02 AM

Endorsements? Do you mean like sponsorships? How would I go about doing that? Do you have experience in this? Thanks for your input any more information would be helpful

TrooperFarva · #10 02-27-2008, 09:12 AM

Could you rent such instruments, as a temporary solution?

i_got_a_mohawk · #11 02-27-2008, 10:09 AM

Surely you could get an upright and a fretless for less than $6K ?

I can see the upright being expensive, but surely you can get something to under $1K ?

And as for the fretless, buy a cheap one, modify it to make it your own.

billthebassist · #12 02-27-2008, 11:47 PM

First let me say I've prioritized and I'm going with the fretless 5 before the upright. The school has a nice kc strings upright that I really enjoy playing. so for now I'm good on that. I'm also going to send mine in to try and get the rattles fixed.

You are right I don't have to spend 6k on the two basses. I've played the 1000 and under category for years now and I've played a few "custom" (built to a players specs) basses. There is a difference there. So I'm shooting for the stars and trying to purchase a bass from cliff bordwell. I'm determined to scrape together the money. I'll figure something out.

I asked my bass teacher about this. He mentioned the idea of going to a bank and using the basses that I'm going to purchase as collateral. Like borrowing against a car. Has anyone tried this? What do you think?

As far as altering a less expensive bass, I've pieced together two jazzes. I'll take some pictures and post them up. Got to love a good jazz.

Snarf · #13 02-28-2008, 12:11 AM

Yo man, if you've got to spend money on two instruments, make the upright the bigger purchase. You'll get so much more. For electric, you'd be totally fine with a MIM jazz, and get a Warmoth neck for it (since Fender necks, ime, are unreliable and twist a lot). Like, if you were going to spend $6000, spend $4500 on a Shen Willow or something.