GoFundMe to Pay for Gear?

[48thStreetCustom]

I've seen a couple YouTube videos lately of musician starting GoFundMe campaigns to pay for custom instruments to be built. I'm not going to post them here because my intention isn't to bash them personally. But I want to see what TB thinks about it.

Both videos I saw (and I'm sure there's plenty more that I haven't seen) are for national touring bands, so it's not like they're just some jabroni in his basement. They both offer incentives for donations ($20-ticket to a gig, $50-private lesson, $500-a private concert in your home, $1000-a song written on the new bass).

What do you guys think? Is this just as legit as Ben Folds and Mike Doughty starting GoFundMe campaigns to pay for their albums? Is helping a musician get his dream instrument contributing to their art?

Let's hear it TB.

 

[Fat Freddy]

My immediate reaction to that kind of GoFundMe appeal is to think GoFYourself!.....

 

[elgecko]

Virtual panhandling.

 

[twinjet]

Given that it's not without incentives, I don't see a problem with it. These folks are trying to achieve something and your donation gets them closer to that. It bears fruit for them and for you.

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Virtual panhandling.

I'd say it's much more like virtual busking.

 

[elgecko]

I'd say it's much more like virtual busking.

Maybe...I haven't seen any of these videos.

Having said that, everyone and their grandma is on Youtube giving it away and all they want are views. None of them are passing the hat.

 

[sqlb3rn]

I think if people want to throw their money away buying some dude a bass, instead of something like helping a family with no insurance rebuild a burned down home... go ahead. But that kind of makes me see the gofundme bassist as a begger and douche that can't support himself. Not that my opinion should matter to said douche.

 

[48thStreetCustom]

What kind of bugs me is "$20-ticket to a gig" and "$500-a private concert in your home." That's money out of the rest of his band members' pockets. If my drummer said "Hey, you're not getting paid for the next three gigs so I can but a new kit," I'd tell him to go F himself.

 

[tfer]

Remember, back in the day, when you'd get a job, save the money, and be proud of your accomplishment when you bought your bass without any outside help...?

Good times.

 

[brianrost]

I had to join the Army to get enough money to buy my first bass

 

[Wolfenstein666]

Eh, to each his own. I'd personally never do it but if that's the way someone wants to go about getting what they want, whatever. I won't be donating.

 

[Bodeanly]

My immediate reaction to that kind of GoFundMe appeal is to think GoFYourself!.....

Perfect.

Unless you are fighting disease or a disaster/ accident has left you with nothing, you can fund yourself.

Edit: I am, however, more than willing to pitch in if your dog needs surgery.

 

[monsterthompson]

Lame.
The music industry has changed. It's not the same with getting label advances to pay production costs. Still, when I see a band taking pre-orders for their album well in advance of the release, I'm thinking they are financing the production, interest free, on your dime. I guess this is like days of old, when royalty would commission artwork. Still.

I'm a little less sensitive to it for album production than I am for the artist to get an instrument.

The other way to look at it is that this is a new form of marketing. They don't "need" the money, but they want you to feel invested and involved in the art they produce (hence the incentive examples in the OP), which will encourage your loyalty to their brand. Then, you'll buy more albums, merch, and tickets down the road. It doesn't motivate me, but I do know there are people out there who feel otherwise.

 

[DavC]

or maybe get straight A's ... and spent the last 10 yrs practicing your piano every freakin day ..!

started piano at 6 ... bass at 16

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Remember, back in the day, when you'd get a job, save the money, and be proud of your accomplishment when you bought your bass without any outside help...?

Good times.

You mean, back in the day, when you'd get a big advance from the record company to pay for your gear, touring, and albums? Then you'd have to pay that all back and get paid pennies on the dollar for your work?

I'd rather the money I spend on an album go straight to the pockets of a band than to the record company, personally. Is it a perfect system? Of course not ... but I find it more palatable than the traditional record company scenario that rarely favors the artist.

 

[MDBass]

I've seen a couple YouTube videos lately of musician starting GoFundMe campaigns to pay for custom instruments to be built. I'm not going to post them here because my intention isn't to bash them personally. But I want to see what TB thinks about it.

Both videos I saw (and I'm sure there's plenty more that I haven't seen) are for national touring bands, so it's not like they're just some jabroni in his basement. They both offer incentives for donations ($20-ticket to a gig, $50-private lesson, $500-a private concert in your home, $1000-a song written on the new bass).

What do you guys think? Is this just as legit as Ben Folds and Mike Doughty starting GoFundMe campaigns to pay for their albums? Is helping a musician get his dream instrument contributing to their art?

Let's hear it TB.

I'm mostly amused by the amount of people who are clearly missing the basic concept of crowdsourcing: it's still an exchange of goods or services for money, not even remotely related to "panhandling" or "begging".

The advent of the internet opened up a huge number of new consumer markets, and this is one of them; being mad at someone for utilizing that market makes about as much sense getting angry at someone on Etsy for selling homemade soap or jewlery.

Even less actually, since with this type of market you actually know how the artist is spending your money.

 

[petrus61]

A band I was subbing for last year just did this to afford a tour van/bus, with contributors getting free admission to a big show after the van was bought where everyone could come check out the van, get a t shirt, etc. That's about the only situation that makes a tiny bit of sense to me but even then, the little blurb they put on the flyers "free to all kickstarter doners" seemed a little weird to me...I can't explain why, it just did. Other situations I can somewhat justify would be stolen gear, damaged PA, etc, but it's a slippery slope. There's a local guy whose pipes burst and water damaged his home. I personally know for damn sure he didn't have a recording studio there when this occurred, but he's now got a kickstarter going in order to rebuild something that wasn't there to begin with ...

The whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I'd personally have no part of such a campaign...there's just something utterly pathetic about 20-35 year old men begging strangers for money to buy guitars. If you can't scrounge up $100 for a used Squier, there are probably other priorities that need addressing first.

 

[Nev375]

I don't give one second of thought to how other fully adult and mentally coherent people spend their money.

As long as these folks aren't taking advantage of others, I have no issue with it. It takes two to make a deal.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

I never understood why someone would give their hard-earned money to a stranger on any of these crowdfunding sites for anything other than life-altering and necessary medical procedures. Still, if enough sheeple want to donate their cash to get some dude an instrument that he doesn't want to either save up for or buy on credit and make payments that's not my business.

 

[tfer]

You mean, back in the day, when you'd get a big advance from the record company to pay for your gear, touring, and albums? Then you'd have to pay that all back and get paid pennies on the dollar for your work?

I'd rather the money I spend on an album go straight to the pockets of a band than to the record company, personally. Is it a perfect system? Of course not ... but I find it more palatable than the traditional record company scenario that rarely favors the artist.

Please.

If you are marketable, record companies still fund your album. I haven't seen Taylor Swift begging for money. And don't kid yourself; this is begging.

And the example given, isn't for production costs - it's so somebody can buy a custom made instrument. Pride is a disappearing trait.