Loaners

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Zombie Zero, DFZ
Joined
Aug 1, 1985
Messages
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There are some things that I just don't loan out. Chief, among them, is my wife. Tools and guitars round off the top 3.

I've learned the hard way that people just don't take care of my stuff the way do. I am the kind of guy that returns stuff better than I found it. If I borrow a car, for example, I return it with a full tank. If something I've borrowed gets damaged, I make it right without waiting for my friend(s) to ask me. And I'm sorry to report that I find this to be a rare quality in people (thus my hesitation).

But a colleague is in town for the week and hit me up for a loaner guitar. To my own surprise, I acquiesced. Still surprised I did it. Still a little worried about my guitar.

What is your loaner policy when it comes to guitars?
 
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It depends on the person and the guitar. The White Westie isn’t on the menu for anyone besides my son, but if any of you guys want a guitar of mine... have at it.

I’m really not into borrowing stuff from people, and guitars are a definite no-no especially if it’s more valuable than say, $1000 (that’s my number where it’d be a struggle to have to pay back).

But it doesn’t matter, I play so differently, and way more gentle to the point that I kinda suck (more) with someone else’s guitar that it’s not worth it or even an enjoyable experience for me to want to.
 
It would be rare for me to ask. I don't want the responsibility*, and I know how many baby their guitars. I usually keep a designated guitar or two around in case someone shows up at a rehearsal and wants to play. Also, a number of my fellow PRS brethren have played my guitars; there's only a couple axes off-limits (which I don't play anymore either- I know, I know :rolleyes:).





*I make an exception at Markie's.

 
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I play so differently, and way more gentle to the point that I kinda suck (more) with someone else’s guitar that it’s not worth it or even an enjoyable experience for me to want to.

You're right about that. I can't even get you to play most of mine for more than 5 minutes. Some have been handed back in less than that. Next time I'm over I'm bringing the beater Dirty 100 so you can hammer away at it :p

As for me, if it were at my pad, or some other Forum Bros place, or a gathering of Forum bros, I'd likely let them have at it. They are meant to be played, after all :rolleyes:. As for actually loaning one to someone for a set time period, I'm not sure I would be down with that. It would depend on the person, and the guitar. If they were going to use it to play out, likely not gonna happen.
 
If it's going to be out my presence for any time I look a it as if lending money to a friend or relative. I don't expect it back. Just expect the worst, dings, maybe not even getting it back but have to not feel bad since I lent it. Hate possible bad vibes always created out of the uncomfortable discussions that usually result. I therefore refrain from out of my presence use of my guitars by others. Now for instance last week, I asked our singer if she wanted to take over my PRS while I took a break and she was delighted. I do like others to feel and remember in their minds comparisons of the PRS experience. They all have Gibbies or Fenders. But they must be accomplished responsible players before I hand the PRS's around. And then it's all on me if one falls on the floor, just would have to chalk it up. Our bass player dropped his bass right off the strap one time. Never worked the same. With the crash thud 6 of us just stared at each other in disbelief. Things just can happen.

I don't ask to play anyone else's guitars either. I enjoy mine too much and take enough with to have fun. :)
 
It would be rare for me to ask. I don't want the responsibility*, and I know how many baby their guitars. I usually keep a designated guitar or two around in case someone shows up at a rehearsal and wants to play. Also, a number of my fellow PRS brethren have played my guitars; there's only a couple axes off-limits (which I don't play anymore either- I know, I know :rolleyes:).





*I make an exception at Markie's.


Steve, if I flew out all the way from San Diego you wouldn't let me try a Dragon or two or.......:rolleyes::D:D
 
Like the others, I'm happy to let them play mine in my home, but if they are borrowing it to play out they are going to get a MIM Strat or an SE if I really like them.
 
I just lent a car to a girl too young to rent, but needing to get her bike to the track daily for three weeks of training prior to National Championships.

Guitars are a bit different. I have a couple I’ll lend to just about anybody. Either to a guitar mate who is away from home or a friend who thinks they would like to learn guitar but would probably buy something too crappy to give it a fair chance. My longest loan was about six months.

The good guitars I am more selective about. Most of the people I would invite to my home can play my guitars there, or if I take it to their place. No random monkey in a club is playing anything. There are a few folks I have hung out with in real life that I would lend a guitar to for a period of time - Viola is queued up.
 
There is NO way I would loan any of my guitars to anyone. If I had guitar that was relatively cheap and a little beat up, certainly one that could be replaced for little money and I was very good friends, then I may consider it. I would be reluctant to let anyone even touch my guitars in my own house with me in attendance. If I know the person well, know their ability to play and how well they look after their own guitars, I may well let them play one of my guitars in my home but that would be a very, very small selection of people.
 
There are some things that I just don't loan out. Chief, among them, is my wife. Tools and guitars round off the top 3.

I've learned the hard way that people just don't take care of my stuff the way do. I am the kind of guy that returns stuff better than I found it. If I borrow a car, for example, I return it with a full tank. If something I've borrowed gets damaged, I make it right without waiting for my friend(s) to ask me. And I'm sorry to report that I find this to be a rare quality in people (thus my hesitation).

But a colleague is in town for the week and hit me up for a loaner guitar. To my own surprise, I acquiesced. Still surprised I did it. Still a little worked about my guitar.

What is your loaner policy when it comes to guitars?

I’m like you. If someone loans me an instrument, it goes back to them exactly as it came to me, only nicer. It gets cleaned, polished, whatever.

But I’ve loaned some gear to buddies, and it’s come back scratched, dented; the response I got for one guitar when I said, ‘What did you do, this is horribly scratched up’ was, “So what, it’s just a guitar, man” to a dented amp and the guy said, “It’s on the bottom, no one can see it, what’s the big deal?”

A beautiful Neumann mic and case came back a mess. So I just freakin’ stopped loaning my stuff out. I got tired of people who didn’t treat my gear with the respect I treat it with.

I think the thing is, some folks will treat your gear like it was their gear, and they don’t care so much because they don’t treat their own gear well. Others will care for it the way you do. I’m just tired of taking chances. So my policy the last decade or so has been, “I’m sorry, I’m just a little too careful with my gear to loan it out.”
 
Any of my guitars are available to be played in my presence.
It would be a VERY good friend of mine that got to drive away with one though...

This is pretty much my policy for guitars and other music gear. I'm actually more strict with tools and media (books, CDs, movies). For some reason, lots of otherwise perfectly honest people think it's no big deal not to return a tool or a book. I bought it because I wanted or needed it.
 
There is NO way I would loan any of my guitars to anyone. If I had guitar that was relatively cheap and a little beat up, certainly one that could be replaced for little money and I was very good friends, then I may consider it. I would be reluctant to let anyone even touch my guitars in my own house with me in attendance. If I know the person well, know their ability to play and how well they look after their own guitars, I may well let them play one of my guitars in my home but that would be a very, very small selection of people.

Thing is, for folks who are into the tiny details (as we both seem to be), we take better care of our gear than most players take care of their gear. So when they say, “I’ll treat it as my own,” they actually mean it.

The problem is, they DO treat it like their own - they mess it up!

Then if you have the “nerve” to point out, “Hey, you messed this up,” they look at you like you’re the one with the problem.

I got tired of being disappointed, So now, sadly, I just say, “I’m sorry, I’m too careful and can’t loan this out.”

“But Les, you freak out if someone gets fingerprints on your darn guitar.”

“Yes, that’s true, because if I can see the damn fingerprints, it means your hands were into some greasy, dirty schmutz that I do not want on my guitar!!!”

;)
 
If I borrow anything, I treat it better than my own. My buddy (who’d think almost nothing of loaning me tools) has told me horror stories of how people have treated his stuff, then they get mad if he won’t loan them something.

The worst situation I had was with my grandmother. 30+ Years ago, she wanted to borrow a Johnny Cash book I’d gotten signed in person by the man himself. I lied - LIED, I tells ya - to my grandmother for months. Broke my heart to do it, but I had to. It would have ruined the surprise when I gave her her signed copy for Christmas.
 
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