Guitars for kids who can’t afford them?

[wkendhacker]

It seems to me that this forum used to donate guitars to people who cannot afford them. Has that been done lately? I’ve either donated money or possibly a guitar in the past. 
there is a young man that I would help in a minute if shipping wasn’t so expensive. Does anybody have a cheap way of getting a guitar to New Delhi, India?

The kid is in his 20’s, poor as a church mouse despite working insane hours. He is a Christian and served as a guitar player at his church. Unfortunately, the only guitar he could afford was a “Givson,” made by a company that makes absolute trash guitars and hopes that purchasers think they are getting “Gibson’s.” 
his guitar developed a badly warped neck. It’s well beyond adjustment, but even if it could be adjustment, it would be a no go, because the truss rod in his guitar does nothing when it’s tightened or loosened. 
Does anybody have a good way of shipping a guitar? I’ll buy a lower end Yammie, and to him it would be like an Olson. I looked into it for quite a while. Shipping through any reputable shipper makes the whole thing cost prohibitive. 

[Idunno]

Best to contact and buy from a source closer to him. Have the store hold it for him to pick up or otherwise let him make his own (trustworthy) arrangements. I trust the freight forwarder from here as far as I can throw a bull by the tail. That's a long way, many hands are involved and the guitar can Houdini somewhere along the route or get damaged by mishap or lack of environmental controls.

My own involvement with gifted stuff was anonymously through a trusted means, usually an instructor, who lent the guitars to students until such time they could demonstrate themselves to be serious students. Then, they were formally gifted their guitars. The instructor provided me with information regarding possible recipients under his instruction, or another instructor's tutelage, and we would monitor them from there. The guitars themselves were student-grade guitars that I compensated the seller for when it was decided students qualified themselves for receiving them as gifts. Not much activity of late, though.

[wkendhacker]

Yeah. I tried to buy one in country for him to pickup, but found that it isn’t easy. Also, merchants in India aren’t much more reliable than the shippers. And, to his credit, when I offered to send money, he would not have it. Wouldn’t take it. 
on another note, I may be able to stand down on this one anyway. I went to the kids Facebook page and saw a picture of a nice enough guitar on his profile picture. I’ve left a note to ask him if he finally got a new guitar. Hope so. 
In terms of background, I don’t know this kid directly, but my SIL is from India and there was some sort of connection. He saw that I’m a player and contacted me with lots of questions. 

[Idunno]

Might be a friend's guitar or he's waxing better just for show. In any case, offshore philanthropy calls to the heart are often from the stomach.

[Voltan]

dig it!   enjoy your style...   my friend and i pick up classical guitars anytime we see one for cheap or free... hes a luthier and fixes them up for a local instructor whose students cant afford an instrument...   it sounds as if your endeavor is much more involved.  good luck!

[wkendhacker]

7 hours ago, Voltan said:

dig it!   enjoy your style...   my friend and i pick up classical guitars anytime we see one for cheap or free... hes a luthier and fixes them up for a local instructor whose students cant afford an instrument...   it sounds as if your endeavor is much more involved.  good luck!

We’ll see. After I made the original post here I checked his FB page and there was a different guitar as his profile photo. I’ve asked him if he finally got a guitar, but haven’t yet heard back.