I'm writing a letter to my Grandson. He wants an electric guitar. I was going to give him my Ibanez Prestige but I decided to loan it to him instead. A couple of years ago my 10 year old Niece came to me wanting guitar lessons and an instrument. She was so enthusiastic.  I bought her a nice acoustic tenor ukulele for $180. Every once in a while I would ask her if she needed me to help learn some fingerings etc. and she said no I'm getting things off the internet and her brother was helping too. She lives about 100 miles from me. This summer they visited the campground and I happened to look in the back of their truck and saw that ukulele with the neck broken and I could tell it had been sitting in the elements for some time. So I am writing a letter to my Grandson. He can have that guitar on loan as long as he works on his music and maintains the instrument. He needs to learn the value of it. If I give it to him I fear he won't appreciate it and I will find it in a closet one day collecting dust. 

My first guitar was a birthday gift. One year later it was taken away from me because it was all I cared about and my grades suffered.
 
The fact that I got a job to fully pay for my next guitar meant much more to me than the gift that was taken away (because I loved it so).
 

buy em the cheap **** until sufficient dedication becomes apparent ;-)

I know exactly how you feel. A loan is generous of you. I agree with pwalpwal! Go to Rondomusic.com their cheap guitars are actually a LOT better than cheap guitars should EVER be. Good luck and check up on it regularly.
 
J

My "step" uncle loaned me his Hoener Tele and and Vibrato Champ. Totally unsuited beast pigs for what I was trying to play but they got me going and I cherished them/played them obsessively.
 
He was the only cool artistic adult around when I was growing up (and he lived very far away). Always supported and acknowledged I was a creative counter culture sprout. Bought me Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes for X-Mas/B-Days and some tab books but lending me the tele and amp until I had some electric rig of my own was crucial to my musical development (when I was surrounding by complete dirtbag/anti culture 80's arsenozzle adults).
 
The "step" part of the family went away (nasty split) so I had no contact/news of him until a few years ago when I reconnected with one member. Poor crazy bugger wiped out on his motorbike and died. Extremely sad news.
 
He was the few "cool" adults of my childhood amongst so very VERY many cold, cruel wankos.
 
The moral of the story is... you sound like the "cool" adult... but maybe make sure you are lending to the "cool" kiddos and certainly not anything you ain't willing to have maybe not treated so great... becuase kids are kids.
 
A course in guit respect and maintenance as well as a good case and stand to accompany the axe would go a long way. That's kind of how ole uncle cool rolled. Nice hardshell case and a stand and a nudge to use them was all I needed.
 
Then again teles are pretty danged indestructible... and it WAS a Hoener (lol... pig arse POC).
 
 

When my kids wanted to learn to play drums, I taught them some basics including how to take care of them and treat them properly. When they wanted to learn guitar and/or bass, they had to save up money (from allowances, birthdays, Christmas, etc.) and buy the gear with my help. As a result, they treat their instruments well. They know that playing music is about the music, not admiring yourself in a ewetoob video.

UbiquitousBubba
They know that playing music is about the music, not admiring yourself in a ewetoob video.

Whaaaa??!  Man, I am SOOO disillusioned!!! 

I never got loaned a guitar, I did get a tenner's worth of Uke though.
 
That's probably why I took up football as I had a pair of them already...feet I meant.

Hi,
 
I was never given a single instrument ... I developed my music love from listening, and sadly ... the only thing I wish I had was some more instruction. Between Portugal at 9, Brazil at 16 and then America, the translations killed my ability to learn and study more music, as I would have liked and learned to play an instrument. I'm actually teaching myself both the bass and keyboards.
 
I piddle way too much on my bass and keyboards ... and hope to be able to do more once I get to sit and not have to work full time anymore ... Hopefully by the end of the year!