In Case of Theft.

[M.Marmot]

Not nice to think of, i know... but, what percautions have you folks taken to document or safeguard your instruments against theft?

What is the minimum would you would advise?

Photographs, serial numbers etc?

In the instance of mass produced models have you marked them in some way?

What about insurance - are your instruments insured?

[TheBlindBard]

My washbern is ensured... I don't know if eastman- the mandolin store offers insurance for the mandolins they sell.
A healthy dose of paranoia also can help protect against this. If my instrument isn't in my case and I am carrying it, I have it under my chair with both of my feet resting on the case.
Then again, I don't travel all that frequently.

[Ivan Kelsall]

A couple of years back,i photographed each of my instruments inc.any inside labels / marks etc.that were easy to do. I edited the pics. & put all the serial #'s & relevant purchase info.on them. & put them all on a picture CD. Other than marking each instrument in some way that could be detected after a theft,there's not a lot that you can do,except put them in a place in your home not easily found ie. in your atticor similar. Unfortunately most homes don't come with a 'built-in' safe room. There are very up-to date ways of marking instruments ie. 'SmartWater' which is a liquid containing a code which can be read by Ultraviolet light. SW can also be used in a sprinkler system which spreays the liquid onto the thief, & that stuff won't wash off for months.Of course unless you're mega rich,that's only for company use. SW is also more unique than fingerprints,
Ivan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartWater

[M.Marmot]

A couple of years back,i photographed each of my instruments inc.any inside labels / marks etc.that were easy to do. I edited the pics. & put all the serial #'s & relevant purchase info.on them. & put them all on a picture CD.

It is just this kind of thing i was thinking about.

Prevention against theft or loss is a lot down to common sense, luck, and sobriety - but the recent spate of thefts announced here on the cafe made me realise that documentation, like you have mentioned here, is a good idea.

[M.Marmot]

My washbern is ensured... I don't know if eastman- the mandolin store offers insurance for the mandolins they sell.
A healthy dose of paranoia also can help protect against this. If my instrument isn't in my case and I am carrying it, I have it under my chair with both of my feet resting on the case.
Then again, I don't travel all that frequently.

The ever present conundrum of the bar session

music + drink = call of nature = where to put the mandolin?

[Ivan Kelsall]

Keeping an instrument safe when 'out & about' is a separate problem. I've owned instruments for over 50 years now,& as per TheBlindBard,they are either in the case or in my hands.The only time i'd ever not have it (them) with me, is if i'm with a group of trusted friends & fellow musicians. I've been amazed many,many times at festivals,when i've seen people just put their instrument down in a 'seemingly safe' place & just wander off to do 'whatever'..
When Bill Monroe played over here in '66,after his band had played their first spot,BM put his mandolin in it's case & too it & went to stand over near the bar in the concert room. I got BM's signature on the back of one of his records (LP) & also that of his banjo player, Lamar Grier. I spoke to Lamar & he said as a sort of aside,don't ask to see BM's mandolin,he won't let you within a mile of it - a wise man.
As an amusing aside to this thread - i found out quite recently after reading one of the Monroe biographies,that BM was a non-drinker. It was only then that i realised why he went to stand near the bar,it was to prevent any of the band having a drink (Maybe ?).Lamar Grier sat at the side of the stage,but Peter Rowan,Richard Greene & James Monroe had left the room. I've always wondered if they went to the downstairs bar & had a 'quickie' ,
Ivan

[Bertram Henze]

The ever present conundrum of the bar session

music + drink = call of nature = where to put the mandolin?

In our local sessions, I am always surrounded by friendly folks I know for a long time; no intruder would stand a chance to walk out with my instrument in hand.
Among total strangers, I'd not hesitate to take my OM with me to the facilities - that's what the strap is for. I don't know what an upright bass player would do in that situation, but I guess a bedpan would fit in there.

[UsuallyPickin]

A spreadsheet with all relevant data, name, make, serial number, materials, condition, purchase price, current value and photos. Keep a copy, mail a copy to a friend or put one in a safety deposit box. Insurance companies appreciate an organized document also. This is one of those cases where too much imformation is enough.
Addendum: I don't mind taking my mandolin to the bathroom. As long as he keeps his comments to himself. Leaving an instrument alone with strangers. No ... I don't think so.

[M.Marmot]

I'll admit that there are times when i have brought my mandolin with me to the, um, facilities - i know one friend who came back from a toilet break to find that a rather salty stranger wheezing on his harmonica - and who had in fact gummed nearly the whole range of his harmonicas while trying to find the one right key.

Not too nice.

[M.Marmot]

In our local sessions, I am always surrounded by friendly folks I know for a long time; no intruder would stand a chance to walk out with my instrument in hand.
Among total strangers, I'd not hesitate to take my OM with me to the facilities - that's what the strap is for. I don't know what an upright bass player would do in that situation, but I guess a bedpan would fit in there.

Heck an upright bass player could do what he wanted - whose going to see them behind one of those things?
Its a wonder, and a blessing, they even wear pants.

[DataNick]

Pics (digitally stored), original paperwork that has serial# (purchase receipts) stored in a safe in the house that is bolted into the concrete floor. I also always keep 2 of my 4 mandos with me at all times (my faves)...Why?...In SoCal fires with the associated evacuations can happen at the drop of a hat....learned my lesson the last time in 2007, scrambling to pack the car. Nowadays all my important documents are digitalized copies on my flash drive, I keep my 2 fave mandos with me..what else does a feller need?...LOL!

[Randi Gormley]

I created a Pinterest account specifically to photograph and collate my mandolins, so i have them in all angles, close-ups of scratches, updated photos when i added new tuners to the strad and put the bridge pickup on the rogue (and people think i'm just being artistic and obsessed!) and I keep the original receipts and paperwork/books that came with them in a fireproof lockbox (along with the passports, mortgage, birth certificates and car titles). I've been thinking a lot of getting insurance for all the house instruments because it would be a bear to move the piano outside if the place was on fire ... luckily, I keep all my mandolins stacked (in their cases) by a first-floor window! When I'm playing out, the instruments are either in my hand or left with people who are babysitting the stage/venue.

[Amanda Gregg]

I strongly advise anyone who has a valuable instrument to buy insurance. It is not expensive. I insured my Stiver for its full replacement value for $50 a year with State Farm. I also have photographs, the purchase receipt, and serial number written out separately. I live in New Haven, CT, where theft is very common, and having insurance gives me great peace of mind (I also have a separate policy, renter's insurance, for the rest of the stuff in my apartment).

My sure that you have a picture of you with your mandolin, in case there is any question of ownership.

In case this may comfort anyone, I have been hearing stories more and more often in which a home was burglarized but the instruments were left untouched, either because the thieves did not appreciate their value or because they are too easy to trace.

-Amanda

[Django Fret]

Does anyone know of GPS tracking devices that are made specifically for musical instruments, or something that might be hidden in a case?

[Pete Martin]

Definitely insurance. Also check to see what is and what is not covered. Homeowners policys often don't cover theft from a car and won't pay out if you make money playing.

I use Clairion for my carrier.

[Leon Peoples]

Not nice to think of, i know... but, what percautions have you folks taken to document or safeguard your instruments against theft?

What is the minimum would you would advise?

Photographs, serial numbers etc?

In the instance of mass produced models have you marked them in some way?

What about insurance - are your instruments insured?

Heritage.
Best/joe

[Jordan Mong]

Well, all three of my instruments would be fairly easy to track down if pawned. I have the serial number of my Gibson acoustic, and inside the tone hole, there is no label or anything, so it would be easy to spot. And my other guitar is a discontinued hollowbody that got from a pawn shop in the downtown area, so if they find it, they know who would belong to. The bass, on the other, may be harder.

[Tobin]

Does anyone know of GPS tracking devices that are made specifically for musical instruments, or something that might be hidden in a case?

I'd be interested in something like that as well. I can't think of any situation in my normal routine where I'd need to worry about my mandolin getting stolen, but there's always the unexpected to plan for. They do make GPS tracking devices that are smaller than a credit card in size, and about 3/4" thick. I could see building a false bottom into a mandolin case storage compartment to hide it, although it would need to come out periodically to recharge the battery.

[Patrick Sylvest]

I've often wondered why folks feel comfortable listing their instruments as part of their signature on this Forum and others. That's just inviting trouble, IMHO. If you're happy and comfortable with the practice, more power to ya.

[Eric Michael Pfeiffer]

After having my house broken into, two of my prized banjos robbed....and found later. I can tell you all of the above. I would make a special kind of noticeable "mark" preferably inside the sound hole well towards the center of the back of the mando, and then photograph it with high def digital photography. Insurance is good also.
I got my banjos back after 3 months but hey, I live in Argentina where banjos and mandolin are virtually non-existant.....but in the states they would be harder to track...so don't be afraid to mark em in secret places and then photograph where you marked them.
Instrument theft...actually theft and break-ins in general here in Argentina are sooo prevelant...you learn about these things. We've since put iron bars over the windows and doors and a better alarm system. Heck....here in Argentina, the crooks will even cut a hole in the side of the wall of your house or through the roof just to get at your stuff. Sometimes they do that and then stay inside and hide until you get home, surprise you, beat you up, tie you up and then rob you blind, usually taking your house and car keys with them, sometimes throwing everything in they stole in your own car and then stealing your car.
My boss when he was robbed...they made him lie down, face down with one guy holding a gun to the back of his head while they terrorized his family and pilfered his entire house.....
I think most instrument robberies back home in the US are "crimes of opportunity" not planned out crime by people who are full-time crooks or even professional trained crooks. It was even in the paper here in Argentina last week that the police arrested a husband and wife who were running a "school of thievery" that were recruiting street kids and troublemakers and training them in the art of break ins. Not only did they find an array of tools and all kinds of "thievery training materials" they were even charging the school kids monthly tuitions to enroll in their program....unbeleivable

[shortymack]

Pics (digitally stored), original paperwork that has serial# (purchase receipts) stored in a safe in the house that is bolted into the concrete floor. I also always keep 2 of my 4 mandos with me at all times (my faves)...Why?...In SoCal fires with the associated evacuations can happen at the drop of a hat....learned my lesson the last time in 2007, scrambling to pack the car. Nowadays all my important documents are digitalized copies on my flash drive, I keep my 2 fave mandos with me..what else does a feller need?...LOL!

Ok fess up, which two are your faves?

[Bill Snyder]

There are various GPS trackers available. They include a monitoring fee. Several for pets. Some of these automatically notify you when the tracker has left a specified geographic area. This would be handy to have so you know something is amiss shortly after the instrument is taken. Problem is I don't know if any are small enough to put in the instrument itself. Might have to just leave them in the case.

[DataNick]

Ok fess up, which two are your faves?

JBovier 2012 F5 Studio
Ratliff 2013 Country Boy F (more due to price/care the luthier exhibited in building it for me)

I look at those 2 as ireplaceable.

The Flatiron is going in for a pro-set up/fret re-dress this Sat with Chris Camp; and once done it will
be my #2 go to mando professionally. But I feel that I could (in the event of fire, etc.) buy another. I've played 2 other Nashville Flatirons (99' Performer A like mine, and a 2001 Festival) and they were both real close in tone, etc. So I think I could replace the Flatiron.

Although my Eastman MD515 is "Lil Hoss" I feel that it's replaceable as well.

Thanks for the interest Bro! We got to get together and pick dude!

[Rob Meldrum]

Definitely get insurance for your valuable instruments. State Farm (I am an agent for them, so I guess I *do* have a financial interest!) has a Personal Articles policy that will cover instruments for non-professionals, strictly meaning that when you play in public you are not getting paid. It's really designed for those of us who play at home or occasionally visit other friends for playing.

If you play for money, you should get a policy from some of the specialty companies that others have listed here.

Finally, if you leave your instrument in a car and it is stolen, the coverage (if any) comes from your homeowners/renters/condo insurance and your deductible applies. Another good reason to have your instruments on thier own low-deductible policies and to NEVER leave your instruments in a car or van!

Rob

[JeffD]

Insurance has been a recent topic.

Read the fine print.