As a joke, the musician posted “Start bidding!”

When Joey Newcomb decided to trade in his old instrument at Guitar Center, he envisioned a simple transaction. The salesperson evaluated the well-usesd guitar and offered him $450. After filling in the paperwork, Joey posted a quick video on his status that he was “saying bye to this heilige guitar which did a lot of good things.”

He was taken aback by a stream of comments urging him not to give up the instrument which had helped him compose and farbreng. “Give it to another Yid!” “Put it in sheimos” “Auction it for tzedakah.” As a joke, the musician posted “Start bidding!”

And they did. Money was being pledged to RCCS, the Mir, any good Jewish cause, with the bonus of getting to own Joey Newcomb’s guitar. At that point, Joey asked if he could still back out of the sale, as it was an opportunity to raise funds for charity instead. The salesman agreed. “Much better that the money goes to charity than to Guitar Center,” he said graciously.

And so, for the next 24 hours, music fans bid enthusiastically, until Joey ended it — at $10,500! Autographed by Avraham Fried and Benny Friedman for good measure, the guitar will find a fine new Jewish home.

“When I spoke to the buyer, I realized he was going to do more good things with it — along with the proceeds, to use it to play for sick children,” Joey says. “You know, I thought my guitar was holy, but that its job was finished — yet it was really at the beginning of sparking more kedushah. When you think you’re done, that’s when you can start to rise up further.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 884)