Do I lend my brand new tele to my son for school project song?

[Darkbeer]

I'd let my son use anything I have. Not because I know it will be alright, maybe something will happen but a guitar is replaceable. Son's not.
When I was maybe 15 I asked my dad if I could try out his Sax, he told me NO in no uncertain terms, said he didn't want my mouth on his mouth piece.
I still think about that to this day and I am 56 now.
Tim

[Andy Summers]

Originally Posted by Darkbeer

I'd let my son use anything I have. Not because I know it will be alright, maybe something will happen but a guitar is replaceable. Son's not.
When I was maybe 15 I asked my dad if I could try out his Sax, he told me NO in no uncertain terms, said he didn't want my mouth on his mouth piece.
I still think about that to this day and I am 56 now.
Tim

haha!! I have many moments like that in my head, and do my best that my kids have none of those..or since no one is perfect..as little as possible.

So YES, OP..there is no question you should let him. Let him know how much you value it, and that it will mean even more to you if he does perform with it.

OH..and post some pics on here when he plays it...he11...have him become a TDPRI member, and post them himself

[Larry Mal]

I'm glad you are letting him use the guitar. Let us know how it all turns out!

I'd let any son of mine borrow any guitar, even knowing the risks (which aren't few). I'd feel that it was more important to build his confidence, and letting him know that his father was willing to trust him with a precious thing so that he could excel with it is an investment far worthwhile. Implying that your son can't be trusted with, you know, an $800 instrument is hardly going to improve his sense of self-worth.

Besides, I often offer my friends use of my guitars. At the end of the day, even if it gets stolen or damaged, frankly that's something that can happen in my possession as well. Anyway, it's a guitar, and only a material thing, ultimately replaceable. The love and bonds I have with the people in my life is something of much more value than any thing, you know?

[brewwagon]

good example G.E. Smith
"he was given an acoustic guitar while still a young child and took to it immediately. For his 11th birthday, Smith’s mom gave him a 1952 Fender Telecaster® guitar, and that was that—it was as if his entire future crystallized with the arrival of that guitar. Even at that tender age, Smith was already playing high school dances and Poconos resorts with musicians twice his age."

[taxer]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Is there a reason why a 13 year old should be playing a top guitar for a middle school event? He isn't playing the Grammy Awards or Madison Square Garden, you know.

What are you going to lend him when he wants to go for his first drive to pick up a gallon of milk? A Ferrari?

[mrboson]

I'm glad my mom let me have at her Martin D-18 when I was just a little kid. I don't know if my musical journey would have been different. Yeah, there were other (poorer quality) guitars available. But having permission to play that one just seemed to open things up for me, I guess in just taking it more serious, because I felt like I was being taken seriously.

OP knows his son best, and knowing that his son is not going to go out of his way to be irresponsible, it is a great message to send to a teenager that he is being valued.

[Toto'sDad]

My old man would've just used the opportunity to kick my behind. My memories of my Dad are not the ones I would hope my kids have of me. My oldest son has a nice D-28M that was mine, he'll remember me everytime he plays it long after I'm gone.

[mrboson]

Originally Posted by taxer

What are you going to lend him when he wants to go for his first drive to pick up a gallon of milk? A Ferrari?

If I was fool enough to have only a garage full of Ferrari's to drive, then yes, I would also be fool enough to let my 16 year old kid drive one to the store for milk.

OTOH, it makes me feel good that my made in America telecaster is considered to be the Ferrari of guitars

[christhee68]

Originally Posted by TeleKato

When I was 13 I was playing accordion .... Was national champ that year too. And had a custom job my Pops got for me that in those days cost as much as a flippin' Buick. Literally. And I took it to school for talent show rehearsals. Now I hated it and wished it would've been stolen or broken .... and even still, nothing happened.

That reminds of a story about an accordion player in NYC. He left his accordion in the back seat while he ran in somewhere real quick. When he came back to his car, the back window of his car was broken out and there were TWO accordions in the back seat.

[Darkbeer]

Originally Posted by taxer

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Is there a reason why a 13 year old should be playing a top guitar for a middle school event? He isn't playing the Grammy Awards or Madison Square Garden, you know.

What are you going to lend him when he wants to go for his first drive to pick up a gallon of milk? A Ferrari?

Not a Ferrari but I told my son if he learned to ride he could use my bike when he wanted.

[taxer]

Originally Posted by mrboson

it makes me feel good that my made in America telecaster is considered to be the Ferrari of guitars

Oh, it is.
And for that reason it should be kept out of the hands of a 13 year old's middle school project.

If you were part of the project, then, yeah, of course let him play it. I've had my nine year olds play my White Falcon...because I was present. Would I let them take my White Falcon to school for a school project? Of course not. That would be madness. If you let a 13 year old take a top guitar to school for a middle school project, then, yeah, that is madness.

[raito]

I'd do it, absolutely. And, furthermore, I'd be in heaven if mine asked me, because it's not a question I'd have asked of my father.

Besides, we have the rules in the house about the musical instruments. And that is that the children get to play any and all of them. Period.

There's lots of guitars out there. There's only one of your boy.

Last weekend, my daughter had plectra (because the other rule is that we use English correctly ) in each hand wailing away on my tele's strings while I fretted some chords. A better time couldn't be had.

[Darkbeer]

Originally Posted by raito

I'd do it, absolutely. And, furthermore, I'd be in heaven if mine asked me, because it's not a question I'd have asked of my father.

Besides, we have the rules in the house about the musical instruments. And that is that the children get to play any and all of them. Period.

There's lots of guitars out there. There's only one of your boy.

Last weekend, my daughter had plectra (because the other rule is that we use English correctly ) in each hand wailing away on my tele's strings while I fretted some chords. A better time couldn't be had.

[Jack S]

If my son (or in my case actually, my daughter) played and had shown respect for instruments in general, then I would give him (her) the trust to take care of the guitar. I have seen pretty young kids with instruments that cost way more than your Telecaster and take very good care of them. However, you know your son, so you have to decide.

[Sooper8]

It's not your son, or the Tele you need to worry about...it's other kids (and I say that as a school teacher)
But, on a positive note, I let my 15 year old son take a Fender Japanese Strat to school...no harm came to it
Alternatively pick him up a used Squier Tele for next to nothing...win/win situation?
Regards
Jem

[Roku]

Well when my brother was about his age my dad let my brother take his prized tele to school in a very similar situation. Do it. My brother was on cloud 9. Thought he was the coolest guy ever.

[mulic3]

I'd give it to him. See how responsible he can be.

[Camplain]

I'm finding myself leaning towards taking it to the school office or music room yourself... I was a kid not so long ago (well, it doesn't feel like that long anyway lol), and I loved to tote my guitars to school anytime I had the chance, The guitar would come out on the bus, in between classes, during lunch, and get lugged along with my book bag through the crowded halls... I'd let other kids play it and show it off any time I could.... there's a good chance your boy is more responsible than I was back then, that's almost a certainty ... these days kids probably don't have the freedom we had in the small school I went to, I doubt they would let him just lug it around... he would probably take really good care of it, being that it's the old mans and all..... I'm just sayin'... kids will be kids....

oh and strap locks.... yes... you've got to have strap locks on there.... my first electric lost a massive chunk of poly when I let a girl I liked play it and the strap just came off..... eek.... I still cringe when I think of it....

[dconeill]

Let him use it, tell him "this is kinda new, be careful with it". That's about it.

Expect that it will come back with a ding or two.

He'll have learned that you trust him with something important.
He'll either treat it real well and return it with no damage or he'll return it with a couple of dings. Perhaps he will have the character to tell you if he does put a couple of dings in it. Don't make a big deal out of it, and don't inspect it the moment he brings it back. Look at it later. He'll know whether he did a good job or not.

[Sollophonic]

On no account should he be using a Tele like yours to play Folsom Prison Blues.

The very thought, good grief, letting a young kid like that take to the stage to play that song on a modern American Standard Tele.

What are you thinking?????

You need to provide him the proper tools for the job................
















You need to get him an Esquire