Guitar pick story #79: family heirloom

[whvick]

I examined a very nice lady today who said yes she has a guitar , but does not know if she can really say she plays seriously.
I asked her about her guitar, and she said she is on her second one. The first was a little hard to play, but she found an Ibanez at a pawn shop that plays easily and she is making progress. She is taking lessons from her brother, and making progress.
She also said her father had been a good guitarist.
I happened to ask her who got Dad’s guitars, and with a little sigh, she said her brother has them.
This put me into thinking about the people who proudly tell me they have dad’s, or grandma’s guitar or whoever that Made that Guitar special.
And it made me think About my guitars. Who gets them when there are 5 kids and 21 grandkids, with only a few able to play? And yet everyone wants a memory of Grandpa.
I really think her brother will share with her, so this story will have a good ending. But
How do most Of these stories end?
I think there was a thread about this a while back. If you have suggestions let me know.
Hope it all ends up like John Denver’s grandma’s guitar.
I have even written a song About grandpas guitar.
And you guys tell me about grandpa’s guitar in your families.

https://youtu.be/zlKLtnbU0xE

[CoryB]

My grandpa/father story is simple. Neither played any instrument so none were passed to me. I’m the first guitar player in my family. My oldest son plays so he will get most of my guitars. My youngest wants a couple just for memories. My grandson has no interest yet - he’s 8.

[whvick]

Yeah,
I have already given my Martin D-15, to my oldest son who wanted it for family time, but it is mostly used by his 16 year old who is actually teaching lessons with it.

[Wellington]

My dad has only ever had his one guitar, a 70's Epiphone FT-145 he bought new, id say he plays daily, but there was probably a good 15 to 20 years in there while I was growing up that he barely played, so it was a real treat when he did. He used to play an jam a lot with his friends before us kids came along. Then in my teens he bought a wall hanger and kept it out in the living room and has pretty much played daily since, and I'm 30 years old now.
I'm the only guitar player of my siblings, I suppose I will get it if he passes before me.

As for my grandpas guitar (dads side), he only ever had one guitar as well, a very old archtop with no name, my dad and his dad both grew up extraordinarily poor, so it was probably the cheapest one available. He died when I was 12, but when he died my uncle Ray received, probably because he was the oldest boy, but he didn't play guitar whereas my dad and one other uncle do.
When I turned 16 my uncle Ray gave me grandpas guitar, it was very special, and I played it regularly, wrote some songs on it but I was so worried about wrecking it I went and bought myself a brand new archtop, a non electric Godin 5th Avenue to sort of honour my grandpa.
When I moved out after high school I left the guitar at my parents, my grandpas guitar I mean. Upon returning home now and then I saw a capo with the guitar in my old room, my dad bought a Kyser to keep with it, he must have been playing it.

Then a few years ago we were visiting there and dad said "ill buy grandpas guitar off you", I was a little taken aback because my dad is not sentimental, but immediately just said "dad, just keep it for free, it should be yours anyway".
Then about a year later he asked my mom to ask me if I wanted to sell it when I was talking on the phone or something with her about something, I emphasized again that I gave it to him and its his. Then about a year later I was texting my mom and asked her to make sure dad knows I gave the guitar to him and its his now, to make sure he knows that.
Growing up when and how he did he probably feels you have to exchange money to own something.

So, if he passes before me I'll likely get that one again.

[whvick]

Thanks Wellington. It is interesting to see the family dynamics at work with our musical keep sakes.

[Goat Mick]

I have my dad's '59 J-45 and it is extremely special to me. It feels a lot more like an old friend than it does an instrument because it has been in my life from day one. I have one daughter that doesn't play and is also left handed. She is very sentimental regarding my guitars and I know she'll want this one so it will go to her when I take my dirt nap. At some point I'm going to have to give her a little education on storing and making sure it doesn't crack and self destruct due to temperature, humidity, etc. She knows the history of the guitar and would be devastated if something happened to it under her care. She'll probably also want the Taylor 710 her mother got me while she was pregnant with her.

[whvick]

Great.
Now you should encourage her to learn a few right handed chords even though she is left handed.
We debated when I gave my grandson my old Tacoma righty. We decided that the advantage of playing righty was worth letting him start that way. He worked through it and now reaches lessons. But we all know it is harder, so you don’t Want To push too hard
Thanks for a good family story

[Earl49]

Dad played guitar and mandolin. Of the four kids we all had a personal (inexpensive) guitar at some point. I am the only one who stuck with it and so I ended up with Dad's instruments. He was never a man with much money, so these are a Hondo A-style mandolin and a Checkmate mail-order dreadnought import guitar. When we last visited Elderly Instruments together I had my credit card out to buy him his lifelong dream -- a Martin guitar, any one that he wanted. But he would not let me. By then his hands were probably too arthritic to play much, but I would have happily bought it for him anyway. I still have the Sears Silvertone from 1968 that he got for me as a Christmas present at age 9.

My wife and I have no children, and none of the nieces or nephews play, so I have no idea who will end up with mine once I depart. That will be up to her to decide. She will probably sell them and cash out, except for the two smaller guitars that are actually hers. (Maybe she'll keep one of mine in remembrance of me). I hope that they ultimately go to some deserving young player who cannot afford something as nice as my current stock.

Love the pick stories. Keep 'em coming!

[whvick]

Thanks Earl49
Good story
Like your Dad. I got guitars for all the kids, but none can do more than strum s few chords
In fact I have one son, who constantly plans how to take care of us in the future, so he really is a good guy. But he has a decent a
Takamine sitting in a closet. It traveled the country with him when when he was a Life Action Singer. However the other team members played it on stage and he hardly ever opened the case. I had it set up last summer. He is encouraging his wife to learn to play it. He laughed and said that she would learn so the Taylor could pass down to them. I may just trick him and trade the Taylor for a Yairi[emoji848]
And the fact that you offered to get the Martin meant just as much as the guitar!!!
Thanks for a good story