Hey everyone,

I'm pretty sad right now so I thought I'd share some thoughts with you, hope this is not too lame.

So my first guitar was a highway one strat, which I really loved and thought I would never need another guitar. Until maybe the day I sent it for setup and they refinished it with the plastic shiny ugly finish that some new strats have, because they were tried to mask a small scratch, they refinished the whole guitar.

Then one day I remebered an old uncle of mine had played back in the 60s in some bands, and had an american strat. I did the math and realized that his guitar must be really old, and he didn't even play it anymore.

So I called him and we got together for some jams. The first time I laid eyes in his guitar I didn't think much of it, but it was beautiful. it was an american stratocaster from 66 or 68, serial number is 203871. The thin e string was a little weird, I fixed it by adjusting the saddles, then I started to play it thru my blues deluxe ri, and to sum it up, I didn't sleep for like 3 days thinking, i must play that guitar again.

So one day, we're jamming again, and my uncle (he's like 70) tells me my playing reminds him of his "guitar teacher/master". he said I had come to see him to learn something, but it really was he who was learning, though he only played acoustics (he blames the electric guitar for ruining his earing). then i ask him if i could borrow the guitar, he eyes me for a bit, then says yes. i couldn't believe.

so to sum things up a bit, this guitar has been my companion for the last 5 months, lots of $@!& happened to me but i could always find joy in playing that guitar. the tone, the action, the radius, it was just perfect. i played some shows with that guitar that got my band going to big national gigs. i got over a breakup with that guitar. well, it really means a lot to me.

but my parents didn't like that he lent me the guitar, they say they dont feel comfortable with me having it, though he insisted i play with it they want me to return the guitar. i talked to my uncle some time ago about buying the guitar from him (he has no ideia of the guitar's value, nor what is a vintage guitar, etc, he's totally oblivious of the guitar's value), but he said to me, if he didnt have nephews, he'd give it to me, but he has, and his nephews (not even in their 10's yet) want to learn guitar.

my mother phoned him today, he told her that one day he'll give the guitar to one of his nephews, and my mother basically scrwed up my whole life (i'm 19 about to turn 20) and she and my father spent the whole dinner tonight shouting at me, and that i must return the guitar to him "now", and that they'll do it if i don't.

i dont know what to do really, i've never been this sad in my life, i know its kinda stupid, but this guitar really is everything to me. no one might fully understand this, but i thought maybe you fellow guitarists may understand a tiny bit of what i'm going through.

i guess i'll talk to my uncle tomorrow, i'll tell him how important to me his guitar is, i'll probably start sobbing again while telling him this but oh well. don't know if he'll understand me, he's half deaf by now, i dont know. i dont know what to make of my life now.

i know this sounds stupid, but im pretty desperate and i really needed to let it out a bit. sorry if im taking up forum space with my stupid story, i dont' really care, i needed to say something. i dont need any replies, just needed to tell my story.

i hope this never happens to any of you

If your uncle doesn't know the value of the guitar, you need to tell him. Unless, you're scum. Then it's okay.

C'mon man, this is family. What are you thinking? Jeeeeesh.

If you push a bad position today, twenty or twenty-five years from now that decision will eat you alive. Trust me.

You'll have the nephews pissed at you, your parents pissed at you, and yourself pissed at you.

Walk away and just enjoy the memories.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Man up and do the right thing, and then when you're old enough to shave you can face yourself in the mirror .

pics or it didn't happen...

no seriously...I have to agree with the above posts.

Family is more important than anything. At the end of the day, it's just a guitar, and isnt worth souring a family relation. Retroverbial is right when he says that these decisions can come back to eat you alive.

I feel for ya bro....
I would go to my uncle and tell him how stoked and grateful I was for him letting me borrow the beast and let him know what he has in his posession.All my uncles play in bands and I respect them and they have RAD Vintage fender gear that I am able to play at any family party that they play.I know how you feel dude.Just be grateful that you got to play it and save a up and buy yourself a nice axe that you can enjoy like the one he let you borrow.Best of luck

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1986 Fender Sidekick Reverb 35
1990 Fender Red Knob - "The Twin"
1992 Fender Newporter - Acoustic
2000 Fender American Series Strat - Natural ash
2010 Fender Mustang 1
2011 Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster -Sunburst
2012 Fender Champion

Yeah give it back. Tell your uncle what he has. Wouldn't you want someone to tell you if it was yours. If he let you keep it this long, surely he will let you play it again sometime. Who knows, you may even wind up with it someday. It's possible he could know more about the guitar than you think. Truth is man, it's not your guitar.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Dude, It's like the old saying goes ( and how true it is ) It's Better to have Loved and Lost than to Never Have Loved at All......And , Memories..., Light the corners of my mind..... Oh yeah, Karma's a Bi**h, and it will make you Marry One! And fix the Title of your post, You left out the word UNCLE'S Right after MY.

Hey there ne-ne-nephew, give me my strat back cause I'm going on Antique's Road Show. CHA- CHING!

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10-4 good buddy, over and out!

Go ahead and bring the guitar back to your uncle and be totally honest with him and let him know that the guitar is worth at least $12,000 and as much as $30,000 if it's a custom colour and he'll respect you more and will certainly appreciate your honesty.Let him know also how good having the guitar for these weeks made you feel and that you felt a real connection with it.You never know he may reconsider giving it to his very young nephews and if not give it to you now he may will it to you. No guitar is worth damaging your family over.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Actually, it sounds like your parents are the only ones who have a problem with you continuing to play the guitar on loan. If I'm reading your post correctly.

If this is your uncle's guitar, you're one of his nephews too. So, why would the younger nephew's have dibs on the guitar?

A bit confused. And it sounds like you are too.

Anyway. I guess a short cut to resolving this is giving the guitar back to your uncle. It's not like he gave it to you permanently, and you're going to have to return it to him sooner or later.

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Give it back, it's the right thing to do. No offence to you, you may be very mature, but I don't know many 19-20 year olds that I would trust hauling a vintage guitar like that around to shows. They have a habit of disappearing when you're not looking. Be a man and do the right thing. Save your money and buy Strat reissue you can fall in love with. If you're doing shows on the national stage you should be able to afford one.

Time for a chat with Uncle, about the monetary value of the guitar and it's special value to you as an instrument you have come to love.

If he has another nephew who wants to learn to play, offer to give him a new modern intrument in return. That should keep everyone happy at some level.

But you must offer to return the old strat girl and mean it. Be prepared to say goodbye. There is a profound truth: it you truly love something, you must be prepared to lose it..

You're in the lap of the Gods and a hostage to your Uncle's generousity. But doing the right thing will bring you the greatest rewards all round..

Good luck, hope it works out.

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

To hell with your uncle and everyone else...steal the axe and go out into the world and live life like a real musician,I mean you're 19 years old.....and then they will want you back so bad they will do anything,even give you the guitar.....and when you breeze back through town with a good lookin' groupie hanging on your arms you can tell them to....oh wait,that's not very nice of me is it.

just kiddin'....I tend to make a joke out of things,it helps to get through some bad stuff,and you can add it to your life's experience.