Villagersonline : blogs : Laelia : The Cello Scoop

From: Laelia
Date: Tue Mar 30 22:33:11 EDT 2010
Subject: The Cello Scoop

Responses
kelsea: No Subject (3/31/10)
eric: Cello Ideas Fix (3/31/10)

Laelia: haha! (3/31/10)

Karen: A loved one. . . (4/1/10)

Laelia: Thanks! (4/1/10)

Boojeee: Fred (4/1/10)

Responses (sorted by date)
Boojeee: Fred (4/1/10)
Laelia: Thanks! (4/1/10)
Karen: A loved one. . . (4/1/10)
Laelia: haha! (3/31/10)
eric: Cello Ideas Fix (3/31/10)
kelsea: No Subject (3/31/10)

I need some prayer about my cello situation. THe luthier who fixes my cello says "Frederick" is nearing the end of its days. It is already 160 years old so I guess everything has an end, but mostly my cello has had a lot of damage to it over the past hundred years or so and the problems are now compiling. THe Tucson weather hasn't helped it at all. I bought the cello in St. Louis eight years ago (or should I say, my parents bought it for me as a HS graduation present). At the time it was worth $3,200. Now I could probably not even sell it for $1000 because of all the issues it has.
The luthier suggested that I should try selling it or getting trade in value at a store such as THe Folk Shop before the cello gives out completely and I can't get anything for it. :( The Folk Shop hardly offered me $500 cash, but the owner said he would take it for $1,000 trade in. I was so overwhelmed, I said no and left, but now I am being advised that considering I can't really sell it to someone, I should take the Folk Shop's trade in value. At least I would be getting something for it and I could get a wooden recorder which I was going to save up for anyway.
So here is my dilemma, the options before me, and what I specifically need prayer for:
1. Should I keep waiting and using my cello and risk it falling apart however near or far down the road? It might not fall apart right away, but it has been getting worse and do I want to risk getting to that point and then not being able to trade/sell it for anything at all?
2. Trade it in now and then start saving for a new one (which will be $3,500) but not have a cello for a while until I finally save enough money, which would be a while?
3. Trade it in/sell it now and then Use my credit card to buy one outright (I hate debt, but if I have one thenI can practice more and maybe find more cello students/play for weddings to pay it off?)
THose are the options that I see so far. I am praying that God will give me wisdom in this situation, but I am having a hard time thinking straight because I am so DEPRESSED about this turn of events. I am contemplating asking the luthier if I can clean/redecorate his sad looking shop for some $ off one of his cellos. He already said he could give me some sort of discount for one of the $3,500 ones he has that are newer, in great shape, sound great and will last me a LONG time. But I am not sure how much of a discount it will be and I am not sure if he would be up for me redecorating his shop in return for more of a discount. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so discouraged...
P.S. I asked my parents to help me buy a new one as a college graduation present, but they said they are not able to bc of their current financial state... :(

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From: kelsea
Date: Wed Mar 31 00:01:12 EDT 2010
Subject:

I'm sorry Laelia! I've seen how much you love your cello and it sucks that things are going downhill. I have no clue what the wisest decision is, but I will pray.

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From: eric
Date: Wed Mar 31 02:48:12 EDT 2010
Subject: Cello Ideas Fix

1. Pray for a new Cello
2. Anybody gotta cello laying around that Laelia can have.
3. Anybody have friends who keep Cellos in their back rooms to loan to people like Laelia.
4. O.K., maybe we could raise 3,500 dollars to buy Laelia a new Cello. We have sixty or so Villagers. That's only 53.85$ a Villager. Wow.
5. Maybe Aaron Cromer, Ryan McCulley, and Overlord Jimmy could put their heads together and build Laelia a new Cello.
6. Buy this cool electric Cello for 400$.

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From: Laelia
Date: Wed Mar 31 03:25:19 EDT 2010
Subject: haha!

Thanks, that was very encouraging and funny. Actually #6 was also what my dad suggested when I first told him... :D

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From: Karen
Date: Wed Mar 31 20:27:46 EDT 2010
Subject: A loved one. . .

I understand how musical instruments can feel almost like a person; they can be so very close to your heart. It is like you are deciding whether to put your beloved pet to sleep!
I don't know how this problem will be solved. But I am convinced that you should NOT put your cello purchase on a credit card. I also believe (from learning the hard way with a couple of major purchases where I "settled") that you should NOT buy an electric cello unless that is what you truly wish for, because for years, you could be saying to yourself, I wasted that $600 because I didn't apply it toward what I actually wanted!
It won't hurt to talk to the luthier and ask what kind of trade deal he might be willing to give you. Is he willing to extend you some credit, a payment plan/work it off deal over time? But (in the interest of caution), I feel that I should say to you, please do not make a deal to work for him over time unless he seems like a good guy who won't take advantage of you. If you aren't sure, take a trusted friend (or parent!) along to give his/her opinion. Probably a written agreement, rather than just a verbal one, would be safest for both of you.
Maybe the luthier would be willing to inexpensively rent you a cello in good condition, until money to buy a cello comes through for you?
Luthier is such a cool new word, by the way. All we've keyboardists got is something like, "piano doctor."
Think outside the box! And pray outside of it, too ;-) Let's pray to find the way(s) God will help you deal with your cello problem.

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From: Laelia
Date: Wed Mar 31 20:56:28 EDT 2010
Subject: Thanks!

Thank you for that very nice advice! While I was reading your post, I agreed in my heart with everything you said, so it helped me realize a little more clearly what I should possibly do. For sure I only want a normal wooden cello and one that is good and will last me a long time, but the credit card idea wasn't sitting well with me. It seems like such an "easy", quick fix, but a very dumb one (aka unwise). I try to avoid getting into debt as much as possible and I already feel like I have so much. More would make me despondent I think. Thanks for reminding me of that and for the good advice about asking for different deals/agreements and getting things official if it comes to that kind of work trade off. THank you so much! That really helped a lot!

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From: Boojeee
Date: Thu Apr  1 17:53:14 EDT 2010
Subject: Fred

On a totally side note, I think it's funny that your cello is Frederick; Anna's violin is Freddy...
53.85$ is not very much money... hmmmm... If anyone wants to contribute anonymously to the Laelia cello fund, I'd be happy to collect donations.
--Julie Brunson

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