News
Guitar Aid celebrates 2000th instrument
Rob Hughes Aug 14 2008, 5:13pm
Milestone acoustic awarded to charity founder, Dave Sumner
Since he set up Guitar Aid in 1991, Dave Sumner's mission to provide much-welcomed musical and spiritual relief to some of the most poverty-stricken regions in the world has been hailed as a major success, not least by the recipients of the instruments.
Sumner – pictured left receiving the 2000th Guitar Aid acoustic from JHS MD, Dennis Drumm – a toolmaker by profession and church band leader in his local Riverside Christian Centre, originally set up Guitar Aid, which was reported on in Gear magazine back in 2002, by buying second grade (marked/damaged) acoustic guitars which he would then repair and make good. When he had enough to make up a shipment, he would transport them himself in a Land Rover and trailer to specific destinations, such as the post war-ravaged Balkans of the early 90's.
“Rather than someone thinking: “I've got this old coat that I don't need any more, I'll send it to Romania”, my original idea was to give something of real quality that could be used and appreciated,” Sumner explained. "Something to provide a diversion amidst the despair of these awful situations where ordinary people through no fault of their own find themselves with nothing."
As the success of Guitar Aid grew and sponsorship became more established, Sumner approached music distributor John Hornby Skewes about manufacturing small production runs of Guitar Aid-branded Vintage acoustic guitars, when funds could be made available.
In 2002, the first run of 100 Guitar Aid guitars was duly delivered for his project.
Since then, Guitar Aid has expanded into general band instruments, including bass guitars, electric guitars and electro-acoustics as well as acoustics, all provided to help get people playing together and to unite communities through music. Sumner has now taken GA instruments as far a field as Africa, Cuba and recently, India.
Recently he took possession of the 2000th Guitar Aid guitar, presented by JHS MD, Dennis Drumm. The Guitar Aid acoustic is an all-solid wood guitar with a solid spruce top and mahogany body with a 2000th laser cut inlay, alongside Dave's signature and attractive Tree Of Life rosette work.
"I'm delighted with the guitar," enthused Dave. "We've had two made, one I'll keep as a memento, and one we'll give away. Apart from the number, this guitar represents 18 years of hard work, and symbolises the recent transition of Guitar Aid to full individual charity status, with Inland Revenue-sanctioned Gift Aid tax relief allowing us to include more accessories and so on. Obviously a project like this relies on a lot of help from a lot of people, and so it's a big thanks to everyone from us."
For more information or to make a donation, please go to www.guitar-aid.com
