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19 Aug 08 - 10:50 AM (#2417741) Subject: TAKE IT AWAY (THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PUR From: eddie1 Got info on this from my local council and thought it might interest other Mudcatters. Sadly it only seems to operate in England at present and it only operates through specific retailers although the three largest music shops in my area are participating. "ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND - TAKE IT AWAY (THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PURCHASE PLAN) Arts Council England, has made it easier for people to buy their own musical instruments, by offering a new interest free loan scheme called Take it Away. Organised & funded by the Arts Council Take it Away offers people the opportunity to buy their own instrument with an interest free loan & spread repayments over 10 months. The aim of Take it Away is to inspire more people of all ages to make music, whether their passion is for classical, jazz, folk, rock, global or contemporary digital music. Interest free loan of between £100 - £2,000 Individuals aged 18 & over & UK-resident are eligible to participate in the scheme. Take It Away is currently only available through retailers based in England." www.artscouncil.org.uk /takeitaway/ Eddie |
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19 Aug 08 - 11:35 AM (#2417781) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase From: Mooh Sounds viable, and if it puts instruments in the hands of folks who otherwise wouldn't/couldn't afford them, it's a good thing. Not quite the same thing, but here in Canada, Long & McQuade Music which has stores from coast to coast, has a simple payment scheme and often offers 0% financing with the payments removed monthly via credit card. I use it all the time so that I can get what I need when I need it, when it's available, and when I happen to be in an L&M shop. (Paying it off before the credit card interest accumulates is my usual habit.) Peace, Mooh. |
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19 Aug 08 - 12:27 PM (#2417815) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase From: M.Ted As Mooh points out, many instrument retailers already have similarly advantageous financing arrangements. Also, most people can manage to buy the low priced instruments without a loan--as for the higher priced instruments, £2,000 means ten monthly payments of £200--which is still a pretty hefty bite out of the wallet. Also, because it would likely be a new instrument, you'd get less instrument for your money. |
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19 Aug 08 - 12:44 PM (#2417828) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase Plan From: The Borchester Echo ACE launched this scheme a couple of years ago. I seem to remember claims of £5m sales of instruments so far. It applies only to sales from retail outlets though. |
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19 Aug 08 - 02:26 PM (#2417910) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase From: M.Ted As both a musician a teacher, I've become very wary of the credit purchase of instruments. I have seen parents buy instruments that went unused because kids didn't stick with lessons (mostly pianos). I've also seen bands and soloists charge a lot of instruments and equipment for gigs that they then lost, (or never got), and continue to make payments. Generally, people are best off to beg, borrow, or steal an instrument, and use that until they have enough cash in hand to buy what they'd like. Of course, if people didn't charge instruments they didn't use, there wouldn't be any to borrow-- |
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19 Aug 08 - 04:30 PM (#2418006) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase Plan From: Leadfingers Before A C E started the current scheme I was aware of a number of Outlets that did a 'Lease/Purchase' scheme ! Lease the instrument for a given period , and if you wanted to purchase , the Lease payments were taken off the purchase price . An ideal way to get a youngster a decent instrument which was not going to be a total cash loss if interest waned . |
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19 Aug 08 - 07:03 PM (#2418127) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase From: The Fooles Troupe I've heard they have 10,000 bagpipes to give away... |
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19 Aug 08 - 11:29 PM (#2418340) Subject: RE: Take It Away -The Musical Instrument Purchase From: Escapee I started on a "Rent-To- Own" Gibson LG-1. My parents never would have bought it on the chance that I might stick with it, but when I did stick with it, their rental payments applied to the purchase. That was in '64 and I still play that guitar. Making good instruments easily available is good for everybody except the sellers of $97.00 student instruments. |