a Universe Miracle....

[Freedom777]

(Lengthy post I must warn)

Back in '91 I bought a guitar in Kissimmee, Fl. it was my first black & green Ibanez Universe (made in '90).

Some time after I bought it, it became my favorite and I named it "Chris".
I love that name, Christopher actually. I even named my soon to be born son after the guitar. But my son died the day of his birth...and it wasn't too long before I sold "Chris".

Fast Forward 15-16 years to yesterday morning, and as has been my routine of late, I was browsing through used guitar ads and checking out the Guitar Center's used inventory...window shopping.

I saw something on their site that caught my eye...and I thought to myself, "could this be??"

...my "Chris" had a chunk missing off of an edge from when another guitar was accidentally dropped on it and their guitar shows the same damage.

So I emailed them to ask if it had a chunk missing or if it was an ambient lighting illusion. They called me and yeah, it also has a chunk missing. They even sent me a pic. It's exactly the same in size and shape.

After long debate whether to ask my wife if I could yet again buy another guitar (but with her approval) I raced to the GC with flashbacks going through my mind of it and what has happened.

How can I know it was my old "Chris" you may or may not wonder ?

Well, the missing chunk from its edge...but I also installed a Fender TBX Tone Control....it was there...a locking DiMarzio neon green strap I had installed....it was still attached and had its original case !

But here's where it gets interesting...

The Guitar Center put it out to sell yesterday because their customer cancelled the layaway he had on it the day before.

Was it "coincidence" that the dude cancelled his layaway of "Chris" 18 years to the day that my son passed and that 15-16 years later I'd find the guitar after which he was named ???

I don't call any of this "coincidence"...I call it a miracle. I miss my son Christopher and I think this was his way of being with me. This was his doing.

I now have my Universe and its made my Universe as complete as it could be.
...peace !

[Stealthtastic]

Wow thats a very moving story, I don't think it was coincidence either!

Another weird thing..I just picked up a green dot today as well.

[andrewsfury]

Nah the univers is not complete until you post pics.
pica pics pics pics.

[Brosa]

Moving story mate. Itīs fantastic that you got your old guitar back and itīs even better and special that it happened on the day your son passed away. That guitar is a keeper for sure.

[ibzbr]

I'm gonna be a dad in a few weeks, so I can tell you that the story brought tears to my eyes

Amazing story.

[apadua]

Great Strory...

Cherish that guitar it is priceless!!!!

[Freedom777]

I'll post pics soon...I'm still absorbing this and at this point all I do is stare at the guitar. In disbelief, happiness, sorrow...

the day I play it at a gig will be an emotional one.

[LonePhantom]

That is an amazing story, a real coming full circle type one. It can't replace the loss of your son, nothing can, but it can help you in other ways I'm sure.

[Swirltop]

Very happy you got your guitar back...enjoy it

[jwade]

Chills, man. Incredibly moving. Congratulations!

[Freedom777]

thanks LonePhantom...I'm sure that's what my son had intended....if I can't be with him, I'll be with Chris until I am with him.

...and thanks everyone for reading and sharing your thoughts.

When I told the guy at the Guitar Center what had happened, he was almost speechless just saying nothing like this had ever happened in his life before. I think the entire store was happy to see me walk out their doors with my old guitar and how it came to be...

(oh and they were closed when I finally got there to buy it but were cool enough to stay until I was able to walk out with it...)

Awesome experience from A to Z....

[Rich]

You sold it in Florida and bought it back in Jersey??

Destiny.

[Freedom777]

no...i guess there's some discontinuity there...I bought it in Kissimmee in '91, moved up to NJ, then Chicago. Came back to NJ for my sons birth (our families are this way) and sold it about a year afterwards...it's hard to remember all of the details and time line, especially as I'm still out of sorts but it's definitely been 18 years (as of this past Sunday) and it was about a year later I sold it....and I've been in NJ since.

[mystixboi]

holy cow... wow.

i just read your original post to my wife and I couldn't even finish it without tearing up. my wife even started crying as she finished reading it. It hit us so much because our son is 2 weeks and a day old today. I couldn't imagine what you and your wife went through.

mojo to you and your wife... and I hope you enjoy your guitar!!!

btw, i'm in cherry hill if you were want to jam... just shoot me a message

[Bryancap77]

Fantastic story man, very very cool. I'm happy for you. I'm very sentimental myself so I deeply understand...