Any been to the GIG

[Yoko Oh No]

Gallery | The GIG at Belmont

www.thegigatbelmont.com

I understand the Songbird Museum shut its doors, so this must be a similar institution?

 

[walrus]

Never been there, but welcome back, Yoko!

walrus

 

[sailingshoes72]

WOW! That is an amazing collection of guitars... electric and acoustic. I like the Lloyd Loar Quartet of archtop instruments... the F-5 Mandolin, H-5 Mandola, K-5 Mandocello and L-5 Guitar. I can't imagine that there are very many complete groupings of those instruments.

 

[dreadnut]

What a wonderful donation, and especially as the instruments are intended to be played, not just stored behind glass!

 

[fronobulax]

What a wonderful donation, and especially as the instruments are intended to be played, not just stored behind glass!

The Smithsonian sometimes deals with the issue. There are some instruments that they are willing to loan to a working musician for an extended period - maybe 12 months? They get to take them home and are expected to concertize and mention the Smithsonian. There are also some rare, extremely high value instruments that never leave the facility but they arrange for a concert that uses them. They find the musicians, the musicians rehearse with the instruments and give performances. The instruments never leave the Smithsonian but they get played by a lucky few and heard by others.

 

[dreadnut]

I've told this story here before but it bears re-telling. My fiddle plyer is a trained classical violinist, he was first chair in college. A visiting professor brought his Stradavarius with him and tradition had it that the first char violinist could play it. Marten took the Strad from him and proceeded to play Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax." LOL