HOW did YOU finance YOUR BIG Guitar PURCHASE?

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

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Don Drummer
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big purchase

Post by Don Drummer »

As young man in my teens I bought a Martin D-35 while working nights as a parking lot attendant. It was the first quality instrument I ever owned. My first psg was a Sho-Bud Maverick, then later a single neck Sho-Bud Pro. Moved to Wva sold it and played mandolin ,an A-50 that I got to settle a debt from a friend. Later on Ibought a single neck Emmons with 4 pedals no knees. My self induced life of poverty in the mountain state grew old and the decision to better myself musicaly led to my purchase of a Emmons PP from a dealer in Elkton MD. The music store was called Marrs Music. The latter purchase was financed by a gardening project that I was lucky enough to pull off. I used thar guitar a lot on the road with Mountain Magic, then later with B.B. Secrist, a Jery Lee Lewis pumping piano man. I also had the great fortune to purchase a Gibson ES 175 for 500.00 later on and played jazz as a solo and in small groups here in Lewisburg. I eventually settled down with a day job and some private teaching gigs and bought a new Emmons LG III. Still maintaining the schedule income wise with the great fortune of playing with Taylor Made for good money enough that I must spend some to keep the IRS from taking it. Which leaves me trading my PP for a new Mullen G2. The trade was just the down payment of course. I thank my father for keeping me grounded in terms of how I approach the use of money and have never bought any instrument equipment or otherwise without having the money in hand at the time of sale.Don D.
Tamara James
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Post by Tamara James »

The first guitar was given to me. My pro steel was a gift from my mom. The rest I bought one piece at at time, the best I could with my day job.
Some of my stuff:

Image

There is an NV112, and a very nice pac-a-seat with back and sidecar hiding just out of the pic. :D


sidebar: oh, boy!! 4, 3, 2, 1....lock
Last edited by Tamara James on 1 Feb 2009 10:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Alan Brookes
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Post by Alan Brookes »

Tamara James wrote:I figured out I could have a boyfriend or guitars....
Tamara, do you realize how many musicians fantasize about having a musical girlfriend ? You should have no trouble having a boyfriend AND as many guitars as you like. In fact, by fluttering your eyelashes you could probably get him to buy them for you. :D
Tommy Shown
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Post by Tommy Shown »

When I bought my steel back in 98' I sold my Sho-Bud for the down payment. I was thankful the man held on to my Emmons so I could get the rest of the funds together to buy it. As it turned out I was about $750.00 short. My mother gave me 200, I had 200, and I ended borrowing $350.00 from the bass player in the band I was in at the time. Every one was paid back. I did not have to finance to get it.
Tommy Shown :D
Terry Kinnear
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Post by Terry Kinnear »

I bought myself a new mullen G2. my wife said , how are we suppose to pay for it? I told her ,i had that all figured out. I got her a second job , and a paper route.The bruises,are healing nicely. so i went to the credit union,got a loan , my payments are 100.00 a month. not bad for a great steel guitar,well worth it.tk
Terry Kinnear [ steel wondering]
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Roger Rettig
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Post by Roger Rettig »

You know, that's the wonderful thing about all the guitars, steels and amps that I've had over the years - I can remember them all, great or not-so-great, yet I only have a foggiest notion of how I raised the money.

I just jump in there, saying 'Something will turn up!', and it always does. I'm just meant to have them all.

(Come and read what I've just posted on the Forum, darling... :eek: :eek: :D )
Roger Rettig - Emmons D10
(8+9: 'Day' pedals) Williams SD-12 (D13th: 8+6), Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and several old Martins.
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Tamara James
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Joined: 14 Aug 2007 1:06 pm

Post by Tamara James »

Nevermind, that sort of thing shouldn't be posted. (Email me if ya have something to share.)










counting down to lockup :roll:
Last edited by Tamara James on 1 Feb 2009 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Larry Scott
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Post by Larry Scott »

I used to be a "PIMP"
Image
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Rich Peterson
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Post by Rich Peterson »

Larry Scott wrote:I used to be a "PIMP"
Image
That is rude, disrespectful, inappropriate and unrelated to the topic.
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chris ivey
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Post by chris ivey »

so...?...you decided to post it a second time?
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Larry Scott
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Post by Larry Scott »

:lol: I though it was quite funny and fitting
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Mickey Adams
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Artistic

Post by Mickey Adams »

I think it signifies an artistic flair......I gotta get me one of those mac-daddy clock chains...man thats Phat!
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders!
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Darvin Willhoite
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Post by Darvin Willhoite »

I never tried to make a living playing music, so I can afford a pretty good collection of instruments and amps. Mechanical Engineering has been really good to me, I just play music for the fun of it.

But, when I was 18, (boy, that was a long time ago) I borrowed money from my bank to buy a Clark D10 that was 2 or 3 years old. I think the price was $400 and I had to borrow $300 of that. I was making $1.20 and hour mopping floors in a hospital, and it took me a year to pay it off. I've paid cash for all of the others.
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, as well as some older MSAs, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Recently added a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored blue Rose, named the "Blue Bird" to the herd. Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic again that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also added a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks.
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Roger Rettig
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Post by Roger Rettig »

Darvin

I DO make my living from playing, so my outlay on instruments is out of all proportion to my income!!! One of these days, the IRS is going to question 20-25% of my earnings going back into treating myself!

I still don't think I have as many as you, even if I do have too many.... :oops:
Roger Rettig - Emmons D10
(8+9: 'Day' pedals) Williams SD-12 (D13th: 8+6), Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and several old Martins.
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Roger Edgington
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Post by Roger Edgington »

About 11 years ago I took my wife and her mom to the Dallas show. Judy and her mom took a break and caught a bus to a casino. She did pretty good and was nice enough to share. So, with what I had and what she made at the casino, I came home with a new Zum. God I love that woman.
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Jerry Dragon
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Post by Jerry Dragon »

I only have one and I saved every penny and dime I could for months while I searched.
Dave Diehl
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Post by Dave Diehl »

Working, saving, and doing without some things to pay for them without borrowing. I remember sitting watching those guys play those beautiful D10 guitars, just wishing I could afford one. Now I have a few of them and saved and scratched for every one without borrowing a penny.
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Joe Drivdahl
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Post by Joe Drivdahl »

Ray,
My biggest purchase so far is the Mullen I am waiting on right now. How did I earn the the funds for this guitar? I'll take the fifth (or a fifth). Either way, I refuse to answer on the grounds I might incriminate myself. :whoa:

Joe
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Bob Blair
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Post by Bob Blair »

The number of guitars a person has is usually inversely proportionate to the degree to which they depend on their guitars for a living.....
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Geoff Barnes
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Post by Geoff Barnes »

Took me many years to pull my credit cards into the black.
I write tunes for a living so they are a legitimate expense....but.
I plan an instrument purchase for quite a while, and put a little extra cash aside until I have most of it.
When I know I can comfortably pay of my cc bill within the interest free period, I place my order.

There's a nice bit of kit sitting in a container ship somewhere, heading downunder as I write, and I KNOW I have it covered. 8)
Too much equipment....I think I need help.
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Jim Walker
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Post by Jim Walker »

Bob Blair wrote:The number of guitars a person has is usually inversely proportionate to the degree to which they depend on their guitars for a living.....
I've only got one steel and one Telecaster. I heavily depend on them for my living. That's why I would own nothing but Fender and RAINS!

As far as how I obtained them. It wasn't easy!

JW
Show Pro D10, Session 400
Johnny Thomasson
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Post by Johnny Thomasson »

Visa.

:P
Johnny Thomasson
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Leslie Ehrlich
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Post by Leslie Ehrlich »

I like to have enough money in the bank before I buy a guitar. I don't like buying guitars and other toys on credit.
Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind!
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Mike Perlowin
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Post by Mike Perlowin »

I fractured my spine in a bicycle accident in 2002, and sued the people responsible, then used some of the money I got to buy my Millennium.

I do NOT recommend this method.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
Alan Rudd
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Post by Alan Rudd »

Income tax refund. I'd wanted one for over 20 years and I started playing my lap steel and doing some recording, which led to wanting a pedal steel even more.
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