Loaners

[matonanjin]

I will say that carrying a McCarty in a Proper PRS case through DFW airport is like lugging around a ball and chain, those cases have to be the heaviest cases out there.

Gawd, isn't that the truth! My Paul's has a beautiful, sturdy tweed case. But going from the house to my car my wife or son has to carry it down the stairs and out to my car for me.

 

[CandidPicker]

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?

Revisiting an old post...

I agree with Hans in that folks you typically loan stuff to do not take care of the loaned item as well as you might originally. That is why loaner cars come with an insurance rider that requires that you pay for any damage you cause to the loader vehicle.

You can't do the same with a guitar unless you get it in writing first. Verbal agreements do not apply in a court of law. Some folks you might trust to take care of your prized pieces. The average guy? Perhaps not.

 

[matonanjin]

Revisiting an old post...

I agree with Hans in that folks you typically loan stuff to do not take care of the loaned item as well as you might originally. That is why loaner cars come with an insurance rider that requires that you pay for any damage you cause to the loader vehicle.

You can't do the same with a guitar unless you get it in writing first. Verbal agreements do not apply in a court of law. Some folks you might trust to take care of your prized pieces. The average guy? Perhaps not.

I remember a friend of mine always laughing, saying there is no car that can handle or corner quite like a rental car.

 

[gush]

I’m too heavy handed and your guitars are too nice.

I was hella nervous when I had all your guitars at my crib to take pictures of.

He has a beater CE you are welcome to violate anytime. It is a beater so as long as it doesn't end up in 2 pieces I would not care in the least bit.

 

[CVS]

Anyone can play any of my guitars and/or amps when they come to my place to play. I would only allow 1 of my guitars to leave the premises without me. I might consider loaning out a solid state amp, but my tube amps - never.
FYI - I recently donated an amp head and speaker cabinet to the local High School Jazz Band that I really don't use much any more. At some point, I may donate a guitar as well.

 

[RickP]

I’ve loaned equipment quite a few times. Rare have been the times the equipment came back in the same condition it left in, and even rarer have been the times it was returned on time. As I write this, I still have a pair of light stands floating around out there from nearly a year ago! And this was to a longtime friend who has promised multiple times to get them back.

It’s taken me to a point that I’m very reluctant to loan anything I can’t just let go of without anger if it never comes home, or if I couldn’t live with damage to it.

There are a couple of people I trust beyond the above standard, but they are very few. Single digit few. One hand counting few. I don’t consider that being possessive or hoardy. It’s responsible stewardship of valuable assets. Adulting, in the current vernacular.

 

[veinbuster]

There are plenty of people I would lend my guitars to. One guy in particular likes heavier strings than I generally use so he immediately changes strings, but before he brings it back he changes back and does a setup on it. I started leaving a spare set of strings in all my cases.

But there are also people that I have a look but don’t touch policy with for some of the guitars.

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

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”

Must have been a Gibson player trying to relic it for you

 

[László]

Must have been a Gibson player trying to relic it for you

It was indeed.

 

[Mike J.]

In all my years of playing I've only had one friend ask if he could borrow my guitars. I serve with him at church and he's a pretty good person. Loaned him my Tele once for a week and about a year later my Les Paul. On both occasions it was because he had to take his guitar in to have some work done. Both guitars already had mild scratches and mild dings so if he added to that it was something I didn't notice.

 

[Brad737]

Yeah, no. People are welcome to play them at my house, but I won’t loan out anything. Sorry.

 

[Max Headroom]

As a newbie member this thread caught my eye even if old as it strikes a nail in my heart even now.
When I was still a teenager (just) my childhood best friend in the world was down on his luck and as I had two cars at the time I loaned him one without hesitation.

Well about 6 weeks later he totalled it in icy road conditions.
Fortunately he was fine unlike the car.
Never ever saw a dime back or mention of it again.
Me being me would never ask for the cash but also couldn't forget it as it just was not something I would/ could ever do myself.
My mother brought me up better than that.

Rather a sad experience but one that changed my attitude on loaning anything even of minor value again.

 

[watelessness]

i don't have a problem loaning to good friends. i've even shipped a few for that purpose.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

i don't have a problem loaning to good friends. i've even shipped a few for that purpose.

Wow, that’s great, new best friend!

 

[Greywolf]

I regularly let select artists use instruments and amps of mine . Only one rule , any damage they pay and lose the chance to borrow again.
So far , all have been respectful

 

[11top]

As a newbie member this thread caught my eye even if old as it strikes a nail in my heart even now.
When I was still a teenager (just) my childhood best friend in the world was down on his luck and as I had two cars at the time I loaned him one without hesitation.

Well about 6 weeks later he totalled it in icy road conditions.
Fortunately he was fine unlike the car.
Never ever saw a dime back or mention of it again.
Me being me would never ask for the cash but also couldn't forget it as it just was not something I would/ could ever do myself.
My mother brought me up better than that.

Rather a sad experience but one that changed my attitude on loaning anything even of minor value again.

I know there are things in life more important than “stuff,” and one of them is integrity. “Best friends”, down on their luck or not, eventually make it right.

 

[Sybo]

Only Jake

 

[László]

I re-read this thread today.

One of my closest friends scratched up a Tom Anderson Hollow T I let him try - in my own studio - this was quite a while ago, because I've been all-PRS for a long time.

I was pissed at the time. I couldn't polish the scratches out, they were through the paint.

I was so pissed, I couldn't look at the guitar, and sold it. Which is a shame, But my friend is more important than the guitar was. I didn't tell him at the time.

Tom Anderson makes a really nice hollow Tele, the only Tele I ever owned that I actually liked. Because, of course, it was more Tom than Tele.

Recently, my friend wanted to play one of my Private Stocks - at my place. I said, sorry, you f#cked up one of my guitars, you lost your privileges.

He was insulted. I don't care. He'll get over it.

I'm STILL pissed about my Anderson!!

 

[Max Headroom]

I know there are things in life more important than “stuff,” and one of them is integrity. “Best friends”, down on their luck or not, eventually make it right.

I couldn't forget it and still have not...but I did not let it eat away at me or the friendship...lol.
In fact we still managed to create a working band, record an album or two and play many live shows around the UK.
But the car.....

 

[Rhythmisking]

Interesting question. I've never loaned out a guitar to someone. I'd like to think I would, but now, actually thinking about it...nope.

I've given guitars to people; a few to my son, one to a good friend, but that's different. If I did lend one to someone, I know I would automatically clean it, restring it, and set it up after it came back, because...well, I would just have to.

The odd thing is I LOVE it when a player comes over, to have them/let them play anything I own. I'm proud of them because they're all great instruments and I enjoy it when others enjoy them. But I don't feel the same way in reverse. I don't like playing other people's guitars. It makes me uncomfortable; probably because of my own OCD nature. I'll immediately see and feel things that are wrong with them: Intonation that's off, action that could be better, or just things about them that I don't care for but can't tell them because I don't want to seem as much of a d!ck as I actually am..."Oh this is great!" "really nice!".

A friend of mine just spent a fortune on a brand new signature LP model. A guitar I don't particularly care for in a disgustingly ugly finish.

He was so proud.

He insisted I play it, which I really didn't want to but did. So I played a few lines and a couple chords and handed it back to him "Oh this is great! Really nice!"