Obviously, this is inspired by the news of the theft of Joe's fiddle. Anyone who carries around a piece of concentrated portable value like an instrument is likely to have to deal with theft at some stage. Here are some tips to make recovery easier:
Get good photographs of all of your instruments, both full view and close in on any distinctive features (scars, inlay work, label, onboard gear, etc). Keep those pictures in a safe place with good descriptions of each instrument, including: brand or maker, model number, serial number, brief description listing distinctive features.
This way, if your gear is lifted it's a lot easier to file a police report, and it'll be a much more useful one, making it much more likely that they can get the gear back.
Concealing a special distinctive feature about the instrument is very useful. There are lots of places on an instrument where you can squirrel away a piece of paper with your name out it. Do that - being able to pull out the proof that you're the owner is a nice Agatha Christie touch.
If you're planning on keeping the instrument permanently, it's also possible to mark it indelibly by engraving or some such means.
Always file a report on a stolen instrument - if it's not reported stolen, the cops can't help you get it back.
If you're looking for a stolen instrument, and you've done all of the above, it's worth taking a tour of all of the pawnshops in town. Keep your documentation and your copy of the police report with you, if you see the instrument in a shop, call the cops and ask them what to do. Remember that while instrument shop owners will often be helpful the pawnshop owner has no interest in helping you get back the fiddle that they've shelled out fifty bucks or so for - don't call around asking "Have you seen my fiddle, it was stolen last week", that'll just tip them off to put it behind the counter for a little while until you stop looking.
Not just pawnshops. Try the local flea markets and E-bay, according to a police detective I talked to recently. And don't discount the help of pawn shop owners. A local player got his stolen Stephen Owsley Smith (SOS) custom octave mando back because of a sharp eyed and ethically on the up pawn shop tech -- who had a poster with all the info that the player had dropped off at his shop.
Round here, there's now a waiting period during which pawned goods may not go out on the floor. The shop owners have to run checks on goods with the police before putting the items up for sale. If there's no police report -- no help for you there. So file a police report right away.
Also, get an insurance rider for the instrument. You'll need an appraisal and pics to give to your insurance company when you take out the rider.
Huh...I never thought of that! I dunno how small the gps thingies can be made, but what about the chips they make that can track a cat or dog? -- and then you'd have to find somewhere to glue them in where they 1) can't be seen, and 2) won't interfere with the sound of the instrument...
well, there is an rf ID tag that could be inserted, but its range is very limited, certainly not miles. You would need a reasonable amplifier and power ( main problem). The guys that make the car tracking stuff have a large 12v battery with many amps to drive the transmitter.
You'd have to make it small enough so that someone wouldn't know what it was or secure enough that you couldn't destroy it.
As someone who has thought about this for a long time (25+ years, based on friends who had expensive guitars ripped off), I can offer the following unsolicited advice:
1. As previously mentioned, document your instruments. Most people who have computers have access to digital cameras. Shoot 'em up in a big way, and back up the images on a CD.
2. Create a Word document of physical descriptions, serial numbers, etc., and back this file up on the CD.
3. The label ideal is a good one. A backup picture of the label will work too. RF tags is a sexy thought, but like most technology, it's easier to fantasize than implement.
4. The best way to avoid having an instrument stolen is to always know where it is, and who's around it/them. Murphy's Law of Theft says that the minute you turn your back on something you value is the time when someone will nick it, so never leave them alone in a bar, or in an unlocked car, or in plain sight of strangers (e.g., throw an old blanket over them if they're in the back seat of a car, or in the back of your stationwagon/saloon). I take the same attitude towards my instruments that I do towards my six-year old daughter--always know where she is and what she's doing. The minute you turn your back...
In over 25 years of playing professionally and semiprofessionally, I've only lost one instrument to theft, and that was because I left it in plain site in the back seat of a car parked behind a bar. It was a smash and grab, and once they're gone, you're damned lucky to get 'em back. Documentation helps, but it's easier to avoid it in the first place.
Wow - this "ISIS" looks exactly like an idea that I'd pushed to the local Musician's Union four or five years ago. No dice then, we were all too busy with other things to do it. Glad someone decided to run with it.
Has anyone used this service? I'd be curious to know if there's any reports from customers.
Ha Ha! "Protected by Smith&Wesson"--- if that were the case, it wouldn't have gotten stolen to begin with. The sticker won't stop it after the fact! Ya just can't leave anything of value laying around.
Good advice re. pawnshops. However, if someone is lowlife enough to steal an instrument, a music store is probably outside their lifestyle range. VISIT Pawnshops, many of which buy merchandise with no questions asked.
Before I went overseas two years ago I went to the local army sufplus disposal store and bought an old second hand duffle bag which I converted to a shoulder bag to put my concertina case in. Whilst this is no guarantee that it wouldn't get stolen, I figured that an old bag was less likely to catch someone's eye than something that screamed "instrument case".
A friend of mine puts his concert case in an old nappy bag when he travels overseas, as he figures who is going to steal nappies?
One never knows the intentions of thieves. One time while at a concert in Oakland, my car was broken into. I had everything I owned in there as I was moving home and this was a stop on the way. When I came out to my car and saw the broken window I nearly died. But all that was stolen was a bag of dirty laundry and some change. They even broke the smallest window so repair would be less costly. Must've been a desperate homeless person. They didn't take the guitar. So, nappie bags might be unsafe, too! Although a conscientious thief might turn in the instrument...
What to do before your instrument is stolen
What to do before your instrument is stolen
Obviously, this is inspired by the news of the theft of Joe's fiddle. Anyone who carries around a piece of concentrated portable value like an instrument is likely to have to deal with theft at some stage. Here are some tips to make recovery easier:
Get good photographs of all of your instruments, both full view and close in on any distinctive features (scars, inlay work, label, onboard gear, etc). Keep those pictures in a safe place with good descriptions of each instrument, including: brand or maker, model number, serial number, brief description listing distinctive features.
This way, if your gear is lifted it's a lot easier to file a police report, and it'll be a much more useful one, making it much more likely that they can get the gear back.
Concealing a special distinctive feature about the instrument is very useful. There are lots of places on an instrument where you can squirrel away a piece of paper with your name out it. Do that - being able to pull out the proof that you're the owner is a nice Agatha Christie touch.
If you're planning on keeping the instrument permanently, it's also possible to mark it indelibly by engraving or some such means.
Always file a report on a stolen instrument - if it's not reported stolen, the cops can't help you get it back.
If you're looking for a stolen instrument, and you've done all of the above, it's worth taking a tour of all of the pawnshops in town. Keep your documentation and your copy of the police report with you, if you see the instrument in a shop, call the cops and ask them what to do. Remember that while instrument shop owners will often be helpful the pawnshop owner has no interest in helping you get back the fiddle that they've shelled out fifty bucks or so for - don't call around asking "Have you seen my fiddle, it was stolen last week", that'll just tip them off to put it behind the counter for a little while until you stop looking.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Engrave it with "This Instrument is protected by my 2 good friends 'Smith' and 'Wesson'."
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by brianc
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Not just pawnshops. Try the local flea markets and E-bay, according to a police detective I talked to recently. And don't discount the help of pawn shop owners. A local player got his stolen Stephen Owsley Smith (SOS) custom octave mando back because of a sharp eyed and ethically on the up pawn shop tech -- who had a poster with all the info that the player had dropped off at his shop.
Round here, there's now a waiting period during which pawned goods may not go out on the floor. The shop owners have to run checks on goods with the police before putting the items up for sale. If there's no police report -- no help for you there. So file a police report right away.
Also, get an insurance rider for the instrument. You'll need an appraisal and pics to give to your insurance company when you take out the rider.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Huh...I never thought of that! I dunno how small the gps thingies can be made, but what about the chips they make that can track a cat or dog? -- and then you'd have to find somewhere to glue them in where they 1) can't be seen, and 2) won't interfere with the sound of the instrument...
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
well, there is an rf ID tag that could be inserted, but its range is very limited, certainly not miles. You would need a reasonable amplifier and power ( main problem). The guys that make the car tracking stuff have a large 12v battery with many amps to drive the transmitter.
You'd have to make it small enough so that someone wouldn't know what it was or secure enough that you couldn't destroy it.
Where's a systems guy for a requirements list??
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by I_Fel
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
http://www.isisid.com/WhatIsISIS.aspx
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by joesmith
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Now that is some cool beans, dude!
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenMaint/Label/label.html
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by Schy
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
As someone who has thought about this for a long time (25+ years, based on friends who had expensive guitars ripped off), I can offer the following unsolicited advice:
1. As previously mentioned, document your instruments. Most people who have computers have access to digital cameras. Shoot 'em up in a big way, and back up the images on a CD.
2. Create a Word document of physical descriptions, serial numbers, etc., and back this file up on the CD.
3. The label ideal is a good one. A backup picture of the label will work too. RF tags is a sexy thought, but like most technology, it's easier to fantasize than implement.
4. The best way to avoid having an instrument stolen is to always know where it is, and who's around it/them. Murphy's Law of Theft says that the minute you turn your back on something you value is the time when someone will nick it, so never leave them alone in a bar, or in an unlocked car, or in plain sight of strangers (e.g., throw an old blanket over them if they're in the back seat of a car, or in the back of your stationwagon/saloon). I take the same attitude towards my instruments that I do towards my six-year old daughter--always know where she is and what she's doing. The minute you turn your back...
In over 25 years of playing professionally and semiprofessionally, I've only lost one instrument to theft, and that was because I left it in plain site in the back seat of a car parked behind a bar. It was a smash and grab, and once they're gone, you're damned lucky to get 'em back. Documentation helps, but it's easier to avoid it in the first place.
# Posted on January 17th 2005 by High-strung
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Wow - this "ISIS" looks exactly like an idea that I'd pushed to the local Musician's Union four or five years ago. No dice then, we were all too busy with other things to do it. Glad someone decided to run with it.
Has anyone used this service? I'd be curious to know if there's any reports from customers.
# Posted on January 18th 2005 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Ha Ha! "Protected by Smith&Wesson"--- if that were the case, it wouldn't have gotten stolen to begin with. The sticker won't stop it after the fact! Ya just can't leave anything of value laying around.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by BMWSid
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Quite right, BMWSid.
It's better that the sticker read, "Theft recovery by Smith and Wesson."
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by joesmith
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Good advice re. pawnshops. However, if someone is lowlife enough to steal an instrument, a music store is probably outside their lifestyle range. VISIT Pawnshops, many of which buy merchandise with no questions asked.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by CeolCairdeas
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
Before I went overseas two years ago I went to the local army sufplus disposal store and bought an old second hand duffle bag which I converted to a shoulder bag to put my concertina case in. Whilst this is no guarantee that it wouldn't get stolen, I figured that an old bag was less likely to catch someone's eye than something that screamed "instrument case".
A friend of mine puts his concert case in an old nappy bag when he travels overseas, as he figures who is going to steal nappies?
Cheers
Ptollemy
# Posted on January 22nd 2005 by Ptollemy
Re: What to do before your instrument is stolen
One never knows the intentions of thieves. One time while at a concert in Oakland, my car was broken into. I had everything I owned in there as I was moving home and this was a stop on the way. When I came out to my car and saw the broken window I nearly died. But all that was stolen was a bag of dirty laundry and some change. They even broke the smallest window so repair would be less costly. Must've been a desperate homeless person. They didn't take the guitar. So, nappie bags might be unsafe, too! Although a conscientious thief might turn in the instrument...
# Posted on January 23rd 2005 by banjobabe