Huge Moral Problem
Boom The Cat
Posts: 482
Ok, so at school I only take my guitar in for lessons, for music (the actual lesson) there are a few school guitars, which have ben mauled by other kids, yesterday, I found a strat that was pretty beaten, but played amazingly, I have a strong temptation to take it (on the last day of school) but the problem is that I'll feel pretty guilty at the end of it all.
But then again, if I leave it there, It will probably just continue to be abused by kids who know jack shit.
What do I do? I want to ask if I can have it, but if I do that and then steal it, it'll be obvious who took it, part of me wants to buy it, but I dont know if its worth buying a guitar that (visually) fucked up.
But then again, if I leave it there, It will probably just continue to be abused by kids who know jack shit.
What do I do? I want to ask if I can have it, but if I do that and then steal it, it'll be obvious who took it, part of me wants to buy it, but I dont know if its worth buying a guitar that (visually) fucked up.
no matter where you go,
there you are.
- brain of c
there you are.
- brain of c
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
I hear ya, although I don't think personally I could steal it.
What kind of Strat is it?
"Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"
.NJD.
i think you should ask the school if you can buy it, but low-ball them, because - after all - it is (as you said) in bad shape, and i understand it's a really bad shape it's in.
eventually, the fact that it plays well is not everything, since you do have to keep the guitar maintained while it's in your posession. poorly maintained guitars require a great deal of care and attention, and many a times - a great deal of money in order to keep them in working condition.
offer the school an amount that would be fair enough, regarding the guitar's physical condition, and a price that you could easily afford, based on the fact that you are bound to have future expenses. point that out to the school. you could also point out that they could use that money to buy a new guitar - a cheaper make, one that could take a beating, without really hurting its value.
all this of course, is up to you, and as someone else asked: what strat is it? american? mex? what year? just look at the serial number. the first letter and the first digit reveal that info. if it's M*# (*-z,n,e,s, #-0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9), then it's a mexican. if there's no M and it starts with Z,N,E or S, then it's an american. those letters tell you which decade it's from. Z-zero (new millenium), N-nineties, E-eighties, S-seventies. 60's and 50' just don't have the letters. the digit after that tell you the year in the decade.
if you already knew all that, then i'll be right here hitting my head with a large, heavy hammer.
hope that was helpful (advise and info).
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pearljam_to_israel/index.html
10/03/05 philadelphia
05/09/06 toronto
05/10/06 toronto
06/01/06 e. rutherford
06/03/06 e. rutherford
09/30/06 athens
06/12/07 munich
if you steal it you could get cought and that would not be good
live like your dying today
The problem with buying it is that the sunburst finish has big chunks taken out of it, I dunno how I could restore that, what would you say is a good price for it, I mean the guitar I have now got reduced by about $15 for the fact it apparently had a scratch in, that to this day I still havent found.
The paintwork I could probably get around, but one of the pickups has a screw missing on one side so its actually flapping around, I have no idea how I would fix that.
I just hate waste, and the guitar still sounds fine. I wont mention this though.
there you are.
- brain of c
Don't steal it!! It's simply wrong to steal.
Not because you may get caught, not because you will feel bad about it later. Stealing is taking something from somebody else, no matter if you feel that they didn't want it.
It may be beat up, but somebody will be learning on it after you're gone, and school systems are generally hurting for money. They may not replace it after it's gone. Just because it may get abused further doesn't justify stealing it.
Like said above, look up the serial number and check around on E bay for similar ones, and maybe make them an offer. If they want to sell it, they will, if they don't, then you'll find another.
There are plenty of cheap strats out there, and unless they are in broken up condition, you can usually get them into playing condition by tweaking them.
Strats are great to learn to tweak and fix guitars. It's a great design,,, simple, but elegant! Actually, if you find a body and a neck, its a great project to get parts and put one together and you'll know a lot about guitars!
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
Shouldn't the fact that it is wrong to steal supercede the fact that he might get caught?
Do you base your actions on the possible penalty, as opposed to right vs. wrong?
there you are.
- brain of c
Going to jail for something stupid will suck. Think about it.
i can't believe this is even a question.
I agree!
It would be bad to go to jail, but if you are a minor they won't send you to jail.
It would be bad to get caught and maybe you'll feel bad or guilty.
I think it's a bad idea because it's WRONG TO STEAL SOMETHING FROM SOMEONE? It's theft. It's a slimy thing to do. Not because it's a crime, but because you are taking something that someone else owns, be it a person, or a school, or a store.
It's a moral value that helps keep society together.
If you like it, buy it! Maybe you can offer to do some jobs around the classroom in trade for it, too! Be a student aid. You learn faster that way, too. :cool:
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
So, if some 17 yr old stole something of your's, you would understand, since his record would be cleared in a year?
What is the world coming to?
Depending on where you're at, jacking that strat could be a felony. In many states, taking something of over $300 in value is a felony.
Not to mention the bad guitar karma you will invite on yourself...and also not to mention that nobody likes or trusts a thief.
old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
Record might not be cleared in a year. The fact that homeboy has thought about waiting until the end of the year to attempt the heist constitutes conspiracy to commit a felony (if the strat is a real one, it would be too $$ to qualify for misdemeanor theft).
old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
well i didnt say that maybe you should reread my post. but if i had something i didnt take care of i dont think id mind. now if it was one of my guitars id mind cause i take care of them. but if you want to steal my godsmack cd big deal. im not saying stealing is right but also its not always wrong. so look at the risks and weigh them. i pay for my things, but thats me.
http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
Stealing is always wrong. The only exception would be a Robin Hood-like type of stealing. But if you're stealing for your own selfish purposes, as this guitar theft would be, it's always wrong.
I can't believe you're trying to make a case for that.
just kidding....my point is that even if the students treat it bad, it may belong to a teacher who has had it since childhood and has a fondness for it and enjoys watching students learn to play on the same guitar he learned to play on - cuz that is the case with me and my old crappy guitars
when is it ok to steal?.........the owner of something can treat that something anyway they want (obviously, this only applies to a non-living item). I can go skeet shooting with a Beneroya vinyl if I so desire.
Are you saying someone should base their choice of stealing on the risk, rather then right or wrong?
take the thing. seriously, either you have it or some punk kids are using it.
it would be morally wrong not to take it as far as im concerned
just dont get caught
There are so many things wrong with your logic, but I'm not even going to start.
Boom The Cat, please don't listen to this guy. This sickens me.
Why do we admire PJ so much ? Is it because Eddie is a man of integrity who we can look up to and admire, someone who inspires us to do the right thing ? I think the answer is pretty obvious hey !
robin-hood like stealing is just as bad. think about it. "well they have so much they dont deserve it" i was talking about stealing in general isnt always wrong anyways. and yes i think things should be based on risks not "right or wrong"
look the guy or girl asked for advice. not for how many people think its wrong. so isnt it fair to give them both sides and let them decide? the other week i found $2 laying the mall no wallet or anything. i just took it. someone didnt care about their money why should i? i would have thought the same if it was $100 or $1000(just because people seem to read what they want, yes a wallet would make a difference in returning the money). so if this guitar is gonna end up in a wood pile in 2 years why not steal so you can have it? this kid isnt asking if its ok to steal jimi hendrix's guitar from the hall of fame here.
of course, ed once stole a telecaster from a rehearsal studio in LA according to legend.
good god you have to be kidding right? basing your actions on whether eddie vedder would approve or not is dumb.
i always thought that question was, 'what would jesus do?' not what would eddie think.
i can't understand the dilemma here. if it's not yours you have no right to take it.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
The next student (let's call him/her a student rather than punk) to try using the strat could become a great musician.....within 2 years this guitar could inspire many different youngsters. Save some fucking money and go buy yourself a guitar you tight ass.
Exactly. Just because he likes the guitar doesn't mean the guitar is entitled to him any more than any other student.
I can't believe there's even a debate here. This is such BS.