Microchip ID system

Bass Barrister · #1 11-07-2008, 01:46 PM

It's quite common today to insert a small microchip into cats and dogs to aid in identification in the event they get lost or are pet-napped.

Has any thought been given to doing this with basses? One of these could be embedded in the body of the bass and would contain information as to the maker, serial number, and even current owner and contact information. If a bass is stolen, a pawn shop, the police, or a luthier, could scan the bass for a chip and ID the real owner. It would require some sort of registry database and agreement on which system to use, but the general concept makes sense to me.

What are your thoughts?

will33 · #2 11-07-2008, 01:53 PM

Carvin's been doing this to their instruments for a few years now, don't know if it's in all their gear though. Doesn't seem to be a common practice among other companies yet. Their chip is called SNAGG if you want to look that up. Seems that to work on a wide scale you'd need some kind of standardized chip so pawn shops, cops etc. wouldn't need one scanner for Fenders, one for Musicmans, one for Washburns, etc.

drurb · #3 11-07-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Barrister

It's quite common today to insert a small microchip into cats and dogs to aid in identification in the event they get lost or are pet-napped.

Has any thought been given to doing this with basses? One of these could be embedded in the body of the bass and would contain information as to the maker, serial number, and even current owner and contact information. If a bass is stolen, a pawn shop, the police, or a luthier, could scan the bass for a chip and ID the real owner. It would require some sort of registry database and agreement on which system to use, but the general concept makes sense to me.

What are your thoughts?

A fine idea! How long would it take before we had a thread about how the chip alters the sound of the bass?

Vincent P · #4 11-07-2008, 01:56 PM

The money involved to start such a program would be enormous. With having your pet or child chipped (yes there doing it to kids), it is usually funded by charging the owners or parents but, I guess if your willing to pay for it; why not your bass? To some they mean as much as a child or pet.

Downlowd · #5 11-07-2008, 02:00 PM

Stewart Macdonald sells them http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Accessor...Microchip.html

relacey · #6 11-09-2008, 01:01 PM

More details at

http://www.snagg.com/

.matthew e wengerd. · #7 11-09-2008, 04:08 PM

some of you posters probably do not realize: this is the double bass forum. I think it's a fine idea.

robobass · #8 11-10-2008, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .matthew e wengerd.

some of you posters probably do not realize: this is the double bass forum. I think it's a fine idea.

I did some research on it myself as a potential side business. One problem was getting a scanner into the hands of every luthier. Not a huge problem, as the cheapest scanners cost less than 100 bucks, but it would take time and you would never get to everyone, or to all the pawn shops. Another was range. The smallest and cheapest chips would need to be placed somewhere where a cheap scanner could get to within a few cm of the chip, so there would need to be a placement protocol, which instrument thieves could learn about, and know how to remove the device. I don't see a problem with the database. I bet the TB guys would be happy to set up a simple registry, searchable by a chip ID#, but private otherwise.

Good idea, but I think I'll leave it to someone else.
BTW. The chips I was looking at cost 75 cents each. I've seen some music retailers asking $100+. Pretty good markup!