Where to donate an unusual ukulele? School, museum, etc?

MatthewVanitas

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I have an unusual uke-like instrument, a kabosy such as is played in Madagascar. It's very much like a uke, but in open tuning and with "diatonic" fretting:

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I had it custom made on a lark, just haven't ended up using it much, and it hasn't garnered any serious buyers on the forum's classifieds. Everyone thinks it's cool, but not something most folks would play regularly.

That being the case, is there somewhere cool (ideally non-profit for the tax writeoff) that I could donate this to? Any kind of musical institution that keeps weird instruments around for the students to be able to try unusual things? Just thought this might get more use in life if it belonged to some musical community that appreciates trying unusual stuff, rather than being a C-list weird instrument in one player's collection.

I'm up for any ideas, just to get it somewhere useful, maybe get a tax writeoff, and get it out of my apartment so I don't feel bad for it taking up space and sitting in the corner unused while I play my other instruments.

If anyone just wants to see photos/video, here's the link to the classified. But note, I'm leaving a big "planning to donate" at top, as this isn't just some sneaky way to get more page-views. :p Getting it donated is now the primary plan: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...-(diatonic-partial-fretted-uke-like)-US-or-CA
 
My daughter goes to a performing arts high school. It is possible that the school could use it. There is an Ensemble class, the kids have to write and perform their own compositions, an assignment revolving around an instrument like this could be fun. If you are interested in pursuing that idea, send me a PM, then I will get in touch with the ensemble instructor and see where that goes.

Doug
 
I'm very impressed. I've wanted a kabosy for years, but not enough to have one made. Though like you say, I probably wouldn't find much use for it if I had one. (Much like the tiple seemed a good idea at the time.) But back in the '90s when the Shanachie label was releasing a lot of Madagascar music in the U.S., I got hooked on the stuff. If I had a kabosy, I'd be driving my wife crazy trying to play Tarika Sammy's "Fanafody".
 
possibly the MIM...Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ.
http://mim.org/
 
You're asking $99 for it now... that won't get you diddly as far as a tax write-off.

But I have a question. You said "the partial frets are specifically made so that only notes in the C-scale can be fretted". Can't all the notes be played regardless of frets? And with partial frets to guide you, wouldn't it be easier to figure out finger placement than with a fretless fingerboard (like a violin)?
 
You're asking $99 for it now... that won't get you diddly as far as a tax write-off.

But I have a question. You said "the partial frets are specifically made so that only notes in the C-scale can be fretted". Can't all the notes be played regardless of frets? And with partial frets to guide you, wouldn't it be easier to figure out finger placement than with a fretless fingerboard (like a violin)?

No. On a fretless neckboard, the note would depend on where your finger was. With frets, your finger will pull the string down so only the part of the string between the fret and the bridge vibrates. So the fret determines what note plays.
 
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