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with touring dead for who knows how long, starting to see more pro musicians putting up their gear for sale or auction....this week billy zoom of x, brian setzer and jack white (red stripes) put up many pieces of gear...sure we'll be seeing a lot more in the coming days, sadly
cheers
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08-20-2020 02:26 PM
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Far too many working pros, at every level, are facing tough decisions due to the lack of paying gigs. I know of several self employed 'gig workers' with absolutely no financial back up plan. These are very tough times.
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The gig worker unemployment has made me whole this year. But I was planning on doing music for a living for the next three years as well before retiring. I am unsure as to whether I will get any more governmental help or if I will be able to work as a musician during the next three years so my choices are:
Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
1) Go back to practicing law
2) Selling off some gear
3)Taking early Social Security
I am still hoping that gigs come back, at least to some extent, so that I do not have to choose any of those bad options.
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I don't gig anymore but guitar repairing is way down. Almost no work at all which tells me that no one is breaking there guitars or things are going wrong, at least from gigs. Truthfully the people I serve are not usually working pros so my guess is the guitar playing is push back to the rear.
On the other side of this my deacon gig, a vocation for life is really busy and crazy. So many obstacles to overcome and get around. I think the music industry is probably one of the most hurt off all given that it can be pushed to the side.
My advice is to take social security early as I was a social worker and manager of social workers for my real gig. True you get more waiting but sometimes it is so late in the end you have no time to enjoy the extra cash. Take the early ssa and then do some other jobs to supplement income. If you have serious health issues then I certainly take it early. As I like to tell folks coming in for nursing home assistance and Medicaid help. You can outlive your money and possibly that is not a bad thing. Nursing home are at least $7.5-10K per month and I don't know any musicians earning that kind of money and those playing jazz guitar...............maybe for the year right?
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If the big-name big earners have to auction off their gear to maintain a lifestyle their less famous colleagues can only dream of, so be it. It's up to wealthy collectors to determine whether a Gretsch qualifies as the Setzer pension fund or not. The industry as a whole is in a far worse state: zero revenue for performing artists and venues, huge losses for manufacturers and vendors. It's ironic that the very artists who have pulled huge crowds to various charity events like Live Aid are now unable to do the same on behalf of their own industry. The degree of unionization of musicians probably varies from country to country, even city to city. Overall, the relief funds can't be substantial. Somehow, under a worldwide umbrella for recognition and goodwill, there should be country organizations raising and distributing funds for musicians in distress. I have no blueprint for how to get this done, but I'm willing to participate, and contribute to, any such initiative.
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Guitar repair work may be regionally dependent. My luthier says things haven’t slowed down for him at all. His backlog just keeps growing and growing. Granted, he’s far and away the best in upstate SC.
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could be people getting them ready to sell!! Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan
setzer had all his guitars looked over and set up by tv jones before selling...
cheers
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Really sad times for working pros. My buddy Tuck Andress is feeling the pain. He still has a substantial mortgage and his side of teaching has fallen off too. It affects the entire music business. Music stores, and manufacturers like Henriksen are feeling the pain too. Sadly "real musicians" do not make buckets of money. Even greats like Joe Pass just got by. The 3 chord wonders like Bruce Springsteen can weather this storm but real talent are never filthy rich.
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Looks like they're selling peripheral equipment, probably not so much out of need, but likely they're just sitting unplayed.
When Setzer starts moving the 'good' stuff I'll take more notice.
Guys like him are likely the exception as far as musicians go, pros that don't have his kind of nest egg have real decisions to make. I doubt Setzer's eating ozone sandwiches yet.
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I have a dear friend that left his law practice a couple years ago and got bored. He hung out his shingle last fall and started back up-his issue now is getting paid from clients that have had to put his bills on the back burner to feed their family. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
A perfect storm of events forced me to take early retirement from the corporate gig I had and take Social Security early. No regrets.
I've got two Ducatis and a Triumph-love them all-however they will go before any gear.
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don't take for granted that the bigger name guys don't need the cash...brian and billy both had health issues...and personal life changes...it's across the board...but to see the regularly touring guys begin to sell their collections..is not a great portent of things to come
cheers
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Well, Setzer apparently has a net worth between 8-10 million if you believe the innerwebs.
I don't know what his bank account or stock portfolio looks like but he'll probably be fine for now. I didnt see anything except the old Fender amp that he probably couldn't live w/out.
I'd be more concerned w the average Joe.
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the average joe working musician is already struggling...its the bigger name guys making the news that brings it home...to the attention of more
the point of my post was that if the bigger name guys are startin to sell off gear...where does that leave the lesser known guys..who might not even have an excess of gear to keep them afloat..as i writ ^- sadly
and as a lifelong guitarist, gettin rid of any gear can be sad...just because it's not my best stuff doesnt mean it isnt painful to lose!!..each one has a memory..(as setzer talks about in his vid)
cheers
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A short side trip. I don't measure talent by how many chords you know. There are different forms of talent. 20 hours of practice a day won't make you a Springsteen. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Not trying to be argumentative but we don't know why Setzer is selling stuff, maybe he's home all the time now looking at all that excess stuff lying around and figures he doesn't need it so it can go. Maybe now is as good a time as any as far as he's concerned. The net worth of what he's selling wouldn't make a dent in his financial situation if I had to guess. All speculative really.
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never an argument wm..too much respect...but rather than analyze the particular players in this weeks batch of sell offs (not at all my intention!)..the major thing is that sell offs have begun!!!...& i woefully expect to see more
cheers
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Looks like Rick Nielsen got his sell-off in early and avoided the rush.
Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen Auctioning Off His Guitars - Rolling Stone
Hey, that's not fair. I think there are 4 chords in the song The River. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
I do think guitar stores are doing OK, as are bike stores and hobby stores. Interestingly I talked to Dave's Guitar Shop yesterday, and they are appointment only. But I imagine he sells most of his stuff via the internet and phone anyway.
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Likewise NA, all good. That said, if for example I saw Neil Young selling his D-45 or his old Paul an eyebrow would be raised. I guess my point is that just because some guys are selling stuff doesn't necessarily equate to an actual need to sell.
On the other end of the spectrum we know Pat Martino and Kenny Burrell savings got wiped out, so yeah, there's real concern for most during this mess.
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Why should I care because I'll be dead...
But still I do. I think about when I die I don't want my wife to have to deal with selling all my music gear. Not that I'm planning on dying soon, I'm 62 and starting to think of these type of things. 62 not old... but 62 and 9 years out from a bone marrow transplant, that is kind of old.
Point is, maybe Seltzer's decision is not financial.
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That is a little unfair. Sure, he plays a guitar, but that's not the point. He is an extremely talented singer/songwriter with modest guitar skills. Springsteen never pretended to be a guitar virtuoso. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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What? I’m not the only one living by conservative means! Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Feel fortunate you’ve got guitars you can sell. There’s always an upside.
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It is all good 2B. But if I do end up having to sell a few guitars, saying goodbye will be hard. They can become family, don't you think? Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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selling gear can be difficult..don't underestimate...sure there's wheeler & dealers out there...but there are also guys that slowly collected their guitars throughout a lifetime...for their personal use...much harder to let go
it's not a biz, it's a life
cheers
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He has referred to himself as a “pretty good” guitar slinger. I think he does what he does pretty well. He ain’t Danny Gatton with his Tele, but Danny never sold so many albums and is no longer with us, so what does that say? Originally Posted by doc w
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? Thats an odd statement. No offense to "the Boss" more power to him. But to me Danny Gatton not selling as many records and being dead only says that he he wasn't as commercially a succesful artist and died tragically, like a lot of talented folks that came before or after him. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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Can someone help me identify this song?
Yesterday, 11:21 PM in The Songs