Justin and Team,
Thank you for everything that you do. Sounds like people are complaining because everything is not free. I imagine most people are immensely grateful for all your efforts, I sure am but some will still want something for nothing. When I read the email I immediately thought of Gillian Welch’s song ‘Everything is Free’ … IMO everyone should at least buy one of you books, tabs for a year, buy the app or make a donation. You and your team do so much and have taught so many for free. Maybe a cover of Welch’s song is in order. … Sincerely Mike … Everything Is Free - YouTube
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100% agree. No one should be expected to do and give as much as Justin has……for nothing. 2 lessons these days is almost the cost of the entire App, not to mention all he gives us for free on YouTube.
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I totally agree. Justin offers more than enough for free. It’s more than legitimate that additional courses are not for free. I never regrettet any purchase (coursebooks, song books, songapp, additional courses, etc.), Prices for additional courses are more than moderate and keep the system running.
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Thanks Mike and Cate and Andrea.
From the outset of his online teaching, Justin has had the drive and pay-it-forward ethos to teach the world to play and to do so on an honour-based system.
His lessons have always been free for everybody with an open invite for donations from those that can afford it.
He then expanded the idea when it took off and started making products available - Songbooks, DVDs [remember DVD? 
] etc. then merchandise also. He needed to run a business model alongside the free content of course.
The success has been incredible and with it the desire to provide better content, better quality, better resources and a better website. These behind the scenes facets, and the need to employ IT specialists and other staff, have meant high costs. JustinGuitar is no longer a one-man-show operating out of a spare room with a camera and a laptop.
Undoubtedly, the vast majority of people who spend any time with Justin’s lessons and website and here in the community will know that he gives generously. His business model is not to spam people and give little clickbait teaser videos trying to lure people to access what lies behind a paywall or subscription.
The announcement in February’s newsletter arose because the first part of 2023 sees Justin release a higher proportion (higher than usual) of new content that is subscription based. The new Strumming course being one example. The Solo Blues when it comes is another. And, through the customer service route, a quantity of people raised concerns and questions (complaints even). And the clarification was to make explicit that: the Strumming course is an update and replacement for the Really Useful Strumming Techniques (RUST) 1 & 2 which was always a paid-for course, the Solo Blues course underway will replace the old DVD course which again was always a paid-for product. They are like for like swaps in terms of teaching focus, but newer and better. As mentioned in the newsletter, Justin has been working with a new and costly IT partner on software development.
Normal, free and top quality content - song lessons, course lessons etc. are coming along in short order. Justin’s approach remains the same.
Cheers
Richard
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Thank you! Cheers. We really appreciate all ur support!
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Appreciate the support thank you for understanding!
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Just a reference point. The online year subscriptions I have seen, for far less comprehensive content, run from $250-$400 USD per year.
And then you get spammed to buy more🙄
Thank you Justin!
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Thank you Richard and Thank you Justin. The knowledge you so generously give and at such a small cost, it’s huge and gratefully appreciated
Cate
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There will unfortunately always be people that complain at having to pay for something.
I’m glad Justin is releasing more paid for courses. Keep ‘em coming. Would be good if there were more merch options too. More ways to buy stuff from Justin and send money.
The free lessons are so valuable it’s insane.
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And it would be helpful if paypal became a payment option. Previously it was possible to purchase the courses that have a lifetime subscription via PayPal but not anymore.
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Exactly!
The only lesson I have had from a teacher was from Justin himself when I met him in 2010. The rest is (about 98% of it) I learned here
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Do some people expect Justin and his team to feed their families on fresh air? It’s just not realistic to expect him to give away 100 % free content. The amount that he does give away for free is incredible.
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Oke…Or is this bad advertising 
… at least proof that there are also large people sizes 
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Haha, I’m almost tempted, but haven’t bought myself anything other than plain white Ts from Costco in over a decade.
Now if they had a ‘Community Grouch’, I’d spring a couple of quid
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Hi Brian,
Funny, for many many years I only bought white tshirts, but my wife started to grumble a bit and took matters into her own hands 8 years ago when I no longer “wanted” to go to the store…and I don`t buy clothes online,…and yet this tshirt… hocuspocus (pss …angie was first with this pic and not sure I whether I tell there about this gift or post it in my award win thank you post …well feel free to buy people 
, but courses or backing tracks are also great for contributing and to learning ànd for entertainment 
)
Edit: Buy JustinguitarTabs…that really makes guitar life easier 
…that I didn’t mention that as 2nd 
Greetings…
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For real … we hadn’t noticed.
Maybe the wigs and general (mis) demeanour distracted us!
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And she has good taste getting you a JG Community T-shirt you should have let her dress you a long time ago 
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I’m so daft. Was on the merch store yesterday and didn’t get past the 4 shirts on the homepage. “What, only 4 shirts?!?”.
Gotta click deeper…
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Justin and his team have(and still are) making my learning experience one i will not forget…well until I stop breathing anyways! Lol . I know i have graciously donated already. I have bought the tabs, song app, and ear training app to date. I know I am not done there. Several song books i would like to have along with some other merchandise!!
So big thanks to Justin and his team for all the free stuff that got me here!!! Rock solid foundation y’all!!!
Rock on my peeps! Cheers! SOCIABLE! And peace out! 
P.S.- No issues here with paying for some things as soooo much excellent quality material is for free. Only makes sense that somehow things must be paid.
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