Has anyone ever just give you an instrument

[pjbassist]

<-<-<- Funny story about the bass in my Avatar.

Its 1988, I had been playing bass for about 4 years, and was in desperate need of an upgrade to my Lotus PJ that I bought new. It was so cheap, that it came with a Gorilla amp, case, cord & strap. A friend new of a Bass Player in a local Christian Rock band who was selling a bass. We met and he showed me this Warmoth P Bass with active EMGs and a Drop-D tuner. I had never heard of Warmoth, EMGs or a Drop-D tuner...but I loved this bass. The look, the sound, the feel...it was unlike anything I'd ever heard or played. We agreed on a price, not sure of the number, but I did not have that kind of $$$, so he let me make payments to him. To this day I don't know why, but am grateful. This is where it gets interesting...

As I mentioned above, he was in a Christian Rock band with a female singer who was married to the guitar player. Apparently, he and the singer were having an affair and decided to leave town together. That is not the kind of scenario where you provide a forwarding address. After only having made a few payments, the bass was mine. So, you can't say that he GAVE it to me, but I got it for next to nothing.

I still have that bass. I never plan to get rid of it. It was my #1 for 30+ years. In fact, it had such an influence on me, that to this day I have (3) basses. All (3) are 100% Warmoth, with active EMGs and a Drop-D tuner.

 

[Marko 1]

I don't remember getting anything, but I've given a few times. When I see a young person working hard, needing something I happen to have, I get all soft.

As far as music instruments, I've hooked up a niece and nephew very generously, but being family I'm not sure that counts.

 

[kevrex]

people have given me instruments to donate to music programs, but i don't recall anyone giving me an instrument for myself. i have had some irritating experiences trying to get free instruments for people, though. i've run into people, usually kids, who want/need an instrument but can't afford one. there's a local fb group that is generally really supportive of the community. someone will put up a post saying, "my guitar was stolen, i lost my job, my transmission broke, does anyone have a beater i can borrow/have until i'm on my feet?" three or four people will always respond with some kind of offer of a free guitar.

HOWEVER, i've put up posts saying, "i know a kid who needs a bass and has no money. does anyone have one they can donate? if it's not working, i can fix it and pass it along." here are the caring responses i've gotten:

• tell the kid to get a job
• give the kid one of your basses
• no one ever gave me a bass
• the kid won't value a free bass

it's so weird. like they'll replace a bass for someone who knows how to play, but a first bass? forget it. part of it might be that i'm an adult asking for a kid. i've seen kids ask for stuff on the group and get responses. maybe they think i'm scamming them to get my hands on their sweet mahar p copy.

 

[Danny C]

And if we are counting wives, she has given me a NYC Sadowsky, G&L Fullerton LB100, Musicman Old Smoothie Stingray and recently a Serek Lucite Lincoln. Good wife!

 

[DaveParker39]

Yes, my brother.
Heck, when he upgraded his Axe FX I got the his Axe FX II.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

...
As I mentioned above, he was in a Christian Rock band with a female singer who was married to the guitar player. Apparently, he and the singer were having an affair and decided to leave town together. That is not the kind of scenario where you provide a forwarding address. After only having made a few payments, the bass was mine. So, you can't say that he GAVE it to me, but I got it for next to nothing. ...

Of course, another way to look at it is: you partially financed their eloping?

 

[cymbop]

A buddy from college days decided to take up the bass and bought a Takamine acoustic bass guitar. He didn't stick with it for very long, and then gifted it to me. I honestly don't play it much, but I'll never sell it because it reminds me of what a good fellow he is.

 

[Jefenator]

Some friends once offered me a nice well-aged solid wood fiddle for free.
Even though I am familiar with both double bass and mandolin, something about the whole reverse / chin thing seemed like a bridge too far. (Also harder to be an imposter with all the speed demons out there...)

 

[Manticore]

Yes. I'd been asked to play in a booth at the winter NAMM show with a friend about ten years ago. The appropriate arrangements were made and obligations on both sides met. To my surprise they gave me this bass at the end. It was new at the time. I don't really play four-string basses, and MM has never really been on my radar, so this new bass has been quietly sitting in it's case for a decade. I've spent less than five or ten minutes plinking on it.

 

[SulzerType2]

Yes!
My band mate has given me a Moog Rogue that he doesn't want back any time soon. He also gave me an Ibanez Artcore 12 string that he didn't get on with.

In the spirit of passing it forward I've given an Orange practice amp away to a friend with no return date in the diary. I have a Yamaha beginner bass (TRB?) to donate to an instrument library some day soon. I also donated a Vanson ES-335 copy to charity, alongside a practice amp. I can't be bothered with Facebook Marketplace people if the instrument is below a certain threshold of value.

 

[arbiterusa]

Been given a couple, turned down one (my girlfriend at the time wanted to give me her grandfather's Gibson lap steel, and I just say "no, you'll regret that someday" and she would have, because I already knew that one wasn't going to last) and given away at least seven.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I had an old Mustang I sold to a friend. He and I drifted apart. One night my band did a show and mentioned in the flyer that it was my Birthday. He came to the show and gave me the bass as a gift, saying he never used it. I fought him for a bit on accepting it, but he was determined. I sold it again a few months later .

I think I have to put this story in the whats one thing you've done that nobody else has. I sold the same exact bass - twice.

My wife has given me a bunch of basses, but I don't think that counts.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Yes, absolutely. I'm not at liberty to discuss the details but let's just say it's not a cheap one, and I'll be holding onto it forever. A few nice amps too. That's all I can say.

 

[WoodyJ]

I started playing guitar when I was in high school. I bought a $50 Japanese electric guitar to get started on. It sounded OK but the strings were so high, it caused the fingertips on my left hand to start bleeding, just like in the Bryan Adams song "Summer of '69". Well my dad evidently felt sorry for the bleeding, and a year before I was graduating from high school, he asked me what I wanted for my graduation gift. My response was, "Well, a Fender Mustang would be great!"

A few days later, he walked into my bedroom where I was practicing, with a new Fender case. I opened it, looking forward to seeing my new Mustang, but almost fell over when it was actually a FENDER JAGUAR, which was their top of the line guitar back then. Yes, I was probably the happiest I have ever been. And it stopped the fingers from bleeding after they healed up.

Here it is now, with two Fender amps that I bought with gig and lawn mowing money the following year. I still have them.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

My mom bought me Sears or monkey wards catalog jazz bass when I was 11.
someone stold it less than a year later.

A month before my 14th Birthday my father bought me another Fender Jazz copy and a EMC combo amp with a 15" cab.

Sr. year in high school my father bought me a 1979 Peavey T-40 which I stall have to this day.

A friend loaned me a Fodera Monarch Standard for easily 7 years.

I have a SR500 I'm going to donate as soon as find the right person or charity.

 

[jimmydean]

A guy in the neighborhood gave a a empty Ampeg B-15 cab back in 1974 and in the 90's I was given a pre-CBS jazz neck that I ended up building a bass and selling it for a decent profit .

 

[perfektspace6]

Yes. I won a bass in a Bass Player mag giveaway. Still have it.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

1st time -1977 I just started working at a carwash , On my 3rd day I was towel drying cars , While drying a car the driver asked me if I play guitar , I do , why I asked he said come over to the vacuums , I went over , he opens his trunk and pulls out a guitar case opens it , Ibanez in the early 70s weren't well known , I don't remember if I ever heard of IBANEZ ,
He brought out a sweet Blonde Ibanez les Paul copy , I probably said Kool guitar or something like that , he put back in the case and asked me again if I can play guitar , yes sir.
He handed me the case then said It's yours. I never Saw him before and
He never came through the carwash again that I knew about anyway . He shook my hand , said enjoy it . Got in his car and left .
Why did he give me a guitar ?
No Idea
2nd time - 2012 - a badass SPECTOR NS - 95 , I didn't know that at the time I knew nothing about the bass I heard of Spector basses, that's all
A friend just gives it to me for free
He never told me why and honestly I never asked. I played it every show for 2 yrs .
A monster bass
3rd time - 2020 given an All original pre 1920 Silvertone 5 string banjo & a pre 1940 Kay lapsteel guitar .
They were really kool , I don't do banjo or lapsteel
Sold both a year later for pretty good money.
4th time - last year given a dean acoustic bass
a Crate bass amp , I use it to this day.
I think I have Luck of the Irish
Why ?
I'm 1/2 Irish ; ? )

Wading through a narcissistic, testasterone addled sea fools, your benefactor came across a hardworking, serious young man. Perhaps this generous dude had never gotten help from anyone and knew what even a tiny nudge in the right direction can mean a lot in a fledgeling's life.

 

[rodak]

A friend gave me a Fender Rhodes 73 stage piano. It was in rough shape, but pretty much all worked. He said a someone else had given it to him. I kept it a few years and eventually gave it to someone else (it was big and heavy and I'm not really a "piano" guy). Don't know what that guy did with it - gave it to someone else, hopefully.

 

[jamro217]

Sort of. My nephew recently passed away and the bass I made for him will be given back to me. I never wanted to own it and would gladly give all of my basses (and much more) to have him back instead (or at least know that his eternal future is secure).