Originated by Darryl Purpose
Maintained by Kevin Deane
Do I eat? Do I get strings for my instrument?
The choice is usually pretty clear (I wouldn't have a problem with that decision!) and as a result, some very talented people
make their music on broken and re-knotted strings, strings so old that they have little or no sound, etc., etc., etc.
Darryl Purpose met Kevin Deane (a medical and human rights activist) and heard about this problem and came up with this
WONDERFUL idea which will only cost you postage on a set of strings you would otherwise have thrown out.
Most of us change our strings when they start to sound less-than-bright (or, if you're a professional musician, after (n) hours
of playing, regardless of their sound) and throw the old strings into the trash or into a junk-box, from whence they invariably
proceed to the trash.
These used strings are like GOLD in places such as described above, and Darryl and Kevin have conspired to send these used
string sets (Sets only, please) to the places in the world where they will be appreciated and used far longer than would be the
case here.
Not only will someone get a set of usable strings for their instrument, you are being a recycler and preventing them from
winding up (no pun intended) in a dump somewhere, so this is truly a "win-win" situation!
The website with address for sending things is www.darrylpurpose.com/2ndstrng/2ndstrng.htm on Darryl's website. I would
suggest you collect two or three sets and send them all at once, but one-at-a-time is perfectly acceptable as well.
Something else you can do, provided you have a few extra bucks: go onto EBAY, check out a case of inexpensive strings for
(whatever) instrument, buy them and have them sent directly to Kevin... if these folks are appreciative of USED strings,
imagine them gettting NEW strings! Christmas in (whenever) !
It's for real... I can't think of how anyone would be able to make money off a "used-string scam", no matter how hard my
nefarious little brain tries.
You'll be doing good while doing well by your instrument, too. You may just change strings more often.
If you have a website, are on a mailing list or are a member of an association of musicians, PUBLICIZE THIS IDEA amongst
your friends and let's get Kevin and Darryl more strings than they know what to do with!
If you'd like to contribute money to this cause, I'm sure that Kevin will be more than happy to put it toward the overhead of
running the programme.... contact him at this address: www.darrylpurpose.com/2ndstrng/2ndstrng.htm
We're very happy to have been able to help spread the word, even a little bit, and will be sending our used strings along to
Kevin on a regular basis.
Most needed are "Classical" guitar (nylon) string sets and violin string sets, but Mandolin and guitar "steel" sets are gratefully
accepted as well.
Vince Brennan
SPREAD THE WORD
HELP OUT A MUSICIAN SOMEWHERE!
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