Guard Your Instruments at Gigs!

[Cheryl Watson]

I just found out that a new friend of mine had his mandolin and fiddle (in their cases) stolen at a gig about a month ago. I really feel for him and I am just sick over this, especially since they were very special to him and he has no way of replacing them. In these hard economic times, this is most likely getting more common. I'm posting this just as a heads up for everyone. I'm certainly going to NEVER leave my instruments unattended even for a second in the future. I have learned from this incident. I really did not know where to post this on the forum but I am hoping it does some good for someone.

[Markus]

A good warning, but I'm not sure I'm taking my instruments into the john.

[JEStanek]

Post photos and information on your website/facebook page and ask people to spread the word. Get the social network working to help your friend.

Jamie

[sgarrity]

What got stolen? Let us know and we can all keep an eye out for it.

[Cheryl Watson]

I do not know the details of the fiddle but the mandolin has "Kentucky" on the headstock although it was not a Kentucky. It was made with special wood by one luthier. I may be able to find out more about the instruments and speak to my friend about reaching out for help from the mandolin community network.

[Kip Carter]

I just found out that a new friend of mine had his mandolin and fiddle (in their cases) stolen at a gig about a month ago. I really feel for him and I am just sick over this, especially since they were very special to him and he has no way of replacing them. In these hard economic times, this is most likely getting more common. I'm posting this just as a heads up for everyone. I'm certainly going to NEVER leave my instruments unattended even for a second in the future. I have learned from this incident. I really did not know where to post this on the forum but I am hoping it does some good for someone.

Dog gone it Cheryl... was fixin to swipe yours for its historic value in a few short years. Now ya got eyes on it 24/7. <sigh>

Seriously, I don't have an expensive mandolin. I bought what I could afford at the time, and yeah looking to upgrade always but regardless. It would seem like a violation of my soul to have my inexpensive mandolin taken from me. If I have that level of bond with an instrument I can imagine how someone that performs professionally would feel about the tools of their trade. It truly is sad that the world includes sub species on the level necessary to act in such a callous way to others.

I wonder if we could embed GPS tracking devices in them that was driven off the vibrations when played? Hmmmmmmmm
Kip...

[journeybear]

I feel his pain. I had my F-12, faithful companion for thirty years, stolen 4 1/2 years ago and it still hurts. Not at a gig, mind you, but out of my van while parked in the loading bay at my storage facility, in broad daylight, with video cameras all around. Even so, the police were no help. Nothing was. But a couple good things came from it. While keeping an eye on ebay for it I picked up some interesting items, including the MandoBird, which has been SO much fun, and my 1917 Gibson A, actually a much better instrument, though not as sexy. Plus I joined up here, which has been ... well, OK, so I said a couple good things. But anyway, I hope your friend gets his instruments back. These things, though inanimate objects, develop a lot of human or at least anthropomorphic qualities, even a relationship with their owner, so losing them this way leaves a sting that is hard to completely get over. Knowing that a thief will probably turn a stolen instrument which can provide a lifetime of pleasure for hundreds or thousands of people into enough money for a buzz that lasts a few minutes for one person is a bitter pill to swallow. Please post whatever info you can get as soon as you can.

[Ivan Kelsall]

In nearly 50 years of playing,my instrument has been in my hands for playing,or in my hand in it's case !. That's the ONLY way to do it,especially as i'd bet that the huge majority of instruments owned by us amateurs,are un-insured. Even if your instrument is insured,it's darned hard to get a tune out of a piece of paper.
When i read of people having an instrument stolen or broken,it makes me feel sick at heart. I know exactly how i'd feel if it happened to me - i'd be gutted !!!. I sincerely hope that your friend gets his instruments back ASAP,
Ivan

[journeybear]

BTW, this notice comes just after my band left a lot of our stuff overnight all set up at a club where we are playing again tomorrow. Of course I took my mandolin home. Trying not to lose sleep over it, even though it's past 4 AM ...

[Hillsdale Leroy]

A tall tree and a short piece of rope for those instrument thieves.

[tprior]

This is a bad deal but a stark reminder for us, as we sometimes get passive and lazy.

Tonight I am playing a gig where there will be 12 artists on the line-up, each has a 3 song set. I am bringing a Telecaster, small amp and a Dobro and they will need to sit stage side for at least 2 hours before we take the stage, so..they will not be out of my sight and the awareness that they could "walk" is high...


I hate that the instruments got stolen and worse, probably by another musician. Awareness is critical for small case Instruments like Mando's and Fiddles. When we do the 5 piece electric gigs I do not let anyone ( other than band members) assist in LOAD in or LOAD OUT..I kindly thank people for offering but advise them that it interferes with my PROCESS of knowing I am loading in or out correctly and have every item accounted for , I load in ORDER..not random. I am anal about the ORDER...I touch everything myself even wires...I have been doing this for 30 years....The truth is if we let others handle our gear it can..and probably will walk... Sad truth I guess...


"I've got your Telecaster, where do you want me to leave it, by the Van " ?

or worse

'Where's my Mandolin" ?

[Barry Wilson]

No musician would steal someone's instrument. maybe someone that has some musical ability, but not a musician in my books. I bought all my instruments new. That way I know there's no chance it's stolen. I couldn't play a stolen instrument. The karma would kill me.

[Donnie Lang]

I can feel this persons pain I never lost an instrument at a gig or festival but from a break in at home before I was a member of the Cafe my Chris Warner Gibson copy was was taken along with a VCR somethings easy to carry. Police no help at all hope the Cafe members can help with this. wish you the best

[CES]

Agree with Jamie's rec to get the info out there...never know who'll help out, especially if the thief tries to ebay them...though the "Kentucky" on the headstock may make it more difficult to pick out, unless the thief is close enough to know some provenance...

tprior, agree with you also...being "anal" about your gear not only keeps it your gear, but hopefully in better working order than when moved by people who aren't as invested in it...

Cheryl, I finally checked out your page...really like your voice and picking! Some nice BG infused country you've got going there!

[greg_tsam]

I hate thieves and being stolen from so I'm proactive in my defense but I have left my Mando unattended on stage. Mostly just in a particular club where I know everyone. Other places I tend to stay within eyesight. Not everyone does.

A local musician just posted his bass amp was stolen and someone else arranged a benefit gig to get a new amp for him. How was it stolen? He left it in the club for a week. Idiot. Guess he was too lazy to carry it and thought the Universe would protect him and, now that's it's stolen, provide for him.

[Jim Ferguson]

So sorry to hear that news BUT your warning is well taken & always timely.
While I have not had a mando stolen, I did leave my then Gibson F-9 on the concourse at Ted Stevens Int. Airport in Anchorage one time.......I just got up & walked off to go grab a bite & left the mando sitting by my seat........I was SICK when I sprinted back to the seat 15 minutes later to find the mando GONE!!!!! Thank goodness the security dudes had taken it to lost & found & did not choose option B: to destroy it (which they are well within their pervuew to do with unattended luggage).......whew......close call.
Peace,

[Kheath]

I havent lost an instrument to theft, but one night several years ago my rigging bag was stolen out of my truck at a rodeo. I had finished for the evening and had thrown it in the truck and had gone back to help some friends get up for the bull riding. When I got back to the truck the rear window (the sliding kind) had been jimmied and my gear taken. Like your prfoessional musician friend, that bag was full of the "tools" of my trade that took a couple of grand to replace. So I know how he feels, and wish him the best of luck in recovering his stuff!...........Kevin

[Ivan Kelsall]

I've posted on here several times that back in '66,my band opened for Bill Monroe when he was over here. On that afternoon,we went to the Folk Club where we were to play that evening & played through all the songs / tunes that we were going to play.We had Banjo (mine), Mandolin, Guitar & a Bass Fiddle. The club was a secure building & the guy who ran it lived on the premises. Nevertheless,only the Bass was left there while we all went out to get something to eat. We took our instruments into the resaurant with us.We simply didn't want any possibility of anything happening to them. The ONLY person i trust with my instruments is me, & i'm sometimes doubtful about that !,
Ivan

[Dfyngravity]

The last gig I played I brought my back pack style Access gig bag. The only time my mandolin left my back was when I was playing. Not only do people steal, but a lot of people are really nosy and have no problem opening up people's cases to see what is in there and even will take the instrument out of the case and play it. So when I am out, I don't chance it getting stolen or having someone play it, drop it, or whatever.....unless I give them the ok.

[Tom Sanderson]

This is why insurance is a good idea, it migt not replace your instrument, but it can help take the sting out of it. I don't play for money, so I schedule mine on my homeowner's policy.

[RBMB]

Would it be politically correct to insert a banjo joke here?

[journeybear]

What, like the one where a guy leaves his banjo in his car, returns to find a window broken, and another banjo put inside? Nah, probably not a good idea.

Thing is, what is lost in such a theft is more than an instrument - an inanimate object, replaceable enough albeit at an expense - but several associated aspects. Memories of music played on it, people commenting on it, perhaps other people playing it, places traveled with it - all these and more are indelibly connected to that specific instrument. Granted, these are emotional responses and have no clear monetary value, yet they are real, at least to us puny humans afflicted with the notion that emotions are real. After all, it is just this sort of attached value that drives auctions of celebrities' possessions, where an instrument once owned by a famous person will fetch far more than another one in like condition would, only because of that association. And of course, there is the violation of trust, of the notion of safety, and optimism regarding human nature. That is very hard to regain following this sort of tragedy.

[strings777]

"What, like the one where a guy leaves his banjo in his car, returns to find a window broken, and another banjo put inside? Nah, probably not a good idea. "

That's a real knee slapper journeybear, LOL!

[Rick Crenshaw]

This is why insurance is a good idea, it migt not replace your instrument, but it can help take the sting out of it. I don't play for money, so I schedule mine on my homeowner's policy.

Perhaps you should inquire more thoroughly about what would happen if your instrument was stolen at a jam or workshop. I did and was surprised to find out my homeowners would not cover it. I now carry Heritage. I know that course is not feasible for people who don't own many instruments or whose instruments are not expensive. I pay the $200 minimum and they cover every musical related item from my four mandolins, my 6 guitars, my PA, tuners, mics, etc. That stuff adds up. They cover these items when shipping, while being lent to a friend, during a gig, workshop, jam, traveling, and so forth. If you have several good instruments, this specific insurance is well worth the cost.

I'd be heartbroken to know that they wouldn't cover my Nugget stolen from a workshop because it broke some obscure homeowners coverage rule.

[Bill Van Liere]

I know that my homeowners policy would not cover instruments that are used on stage.

Tom, remember when we played that benefit for Dan Gorno? I do not think your instrument is covered under a homeowners policy for a situation like that.