A few years ago I received an email from a former student. He began by asking if I remembered him. I did, of course. He said that he had recently retired and they were downsizing at home. He continued, "Due to some health issues and a distinct lack of talent, I haven't played guitar for some time." He asked me if I could help him find new homes for his two guitars that had languished in his closet for a couple of years.
There was a catch. He didn't want to sell them. He wanted to give them to students that would appreciate but otherwise couldn't afford them. His first guitar was worth, perhaps $1200 and would make a nice step up for some one. I had a couple of candidates in mind and, with his input, selected one who took it to college with him.
The other guitar had been his "step up" when he was still taking lessons. It was a hand crafted concert instrument built by a very respected luthier in Britain. It was worth thousands. He refused to even consider selling it. "It deserves to be played by a serious guitarist. It should be heard. If I sell it, it will probably be bought by a collector who will simply put it on display. Or worse, put in a different closet," he explained. So I made a phone call to Dr. Nicholas Goluses who heads the guitar program at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY who was only too happy to give this wonderful guitar a new home.
It's common to find people who love and respect the art of classical guitar. The music is beautiful and the discipline required to played it is admirable. Less common are the folks that have such a deep respect for the luthiers art.
A fine instrument in the hands of a poor musician will still manage to elevate the sound of the musician. Likewise, a poor instrument in the hands of a true artist will be elevated by the hands of the master. But a fine instrument in the hands of an equally fine musician is capable of wondrous sounds that take us to magical places. A struggling young student rarely has the means to afford such a fine instrument and I commend this gentleman for attempting to change that for at least one or two people.