devnulljp
Supporting Member
Neither, I live in a civilised place
I grew up in a shithole, so my behaviour is hardwired. Most people don't lock their dors around where I live.
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Anti theft measures for gigs
- Thread starter Fret Mumbly
- Start date
I grew up in a shithole, so my behaviour is hardwired. Most people don't lock their dors around where I live.
I lock the valet lock and put everything in the trunk. Even if someone smashes a window they can't get into the trunk readily.
I don't really do anything specific besides common sense things. It would suck if stuff got stolen, but that's what insurance is for. I don't bring anything to a gig if I have an emotional attachment to it.
Raised by a father who grew up working in the Tenderloin.
Schools are all black and Chinese to this day.
Grandfather owned a liquor store under a flop house hotel that averaged a murder a day before 1986.
Crack in 1986 turned the place into New Jack City.
Dad became a Fed, one uncle was a cop, other 2 uncles are criminals with union jobs when they were under court ordered rehab.
They all enjoyed the Army or Navy, good at sports, standard skillsets to get out of the hood.
My old man enlisted as the better option after being arrested for grand theft auto in 1966.
Kind of guys that played football in alleys, gambled anywhere that served beer, and took messing with their cars as the worst kind of disrespect.
Getting arrested as a kid is inevitable, just keep your mouth shut, call someone, you’ll get sprung with charges dropped.
My grandfather was the last store to give credit, so you F with us someone you know doesn’t eat.
My grandmother kept me in the back until I could walk and talk.
She’d walk me past junkies with needles sticking out of their arms at the park.
I hate parks and libraries.
The butcher was my nanny until my old man did a 3 year tour in DC when I was just out of kindergarten.
It gave me something to do besides walk around Market St with her.
Went to Robert E Lee elementary in 1980.
1st day of school white kids pointed out the barely whitewashed “colored” over the black kids bathroom.
I wasn’t used to white kids unless they were dirt poor.
These gave me no indication they were hungry or desperate, so I didn’t count them as dangerous.
Mouthy one got dropped in the garbage can in the bathroom then I took a piss.
Black kids told me the water fountain in the center quad was theirs, big one followed me to the lunch room dumpsters and ended up in it.
I was used to black kids that didn’t talk when they wanted something from you.
Talking is an invitation for me to knock out the one I identify as a thinker.
The rest are feeding off the thinker, and I have to chase them down later.
Ended up in the Principals office where he asked me why I beat those kids and put them in the trash.
I told him dumpsters is where people that lose fights end up, seen it all my life until then.
He asked me where I learned to fight.
Told him my grandfather was a captain in the Chinese Army, came here bc he didn’t like Communists.
Teaching us to fight was a prerequisite of his grandsons dealing with hordes of a Chinatown kids that didn’t like us much.
Sometimes I wonder what the “scumbags” in the suburbs I now live in think when I’m out and about.
I set the local cops radar off but they don’t give me any trouble.
My girlfriend notice both kind of citizens visibly flinch when we are out and about at the county fair and such.
Cousins are now cops, or in unions, my little brothers are feds.
If you steal from one of us you aren’t from San Francisco, which makes finding you easier.
Mostly they do the stealing, so I don’t worry about much.
I’m not the solution, but I’m probably on a first name basis with the problem.
Schools are all black and Chinese to this day.
Grandfather owned a liquor store under a flop house hotel that averaged a murder a day before 1986.
Crack in 1986 turned the place into New Jack City.
Dad became a Fed, one uncle was a cop, other 2 uncles are criminals with union jobs when they were under court ordered rehab.
They all enjoyed the Army or Navy, good at sports, standard skillsets to get out of the hood.
My old man enlisted as the better option after being arrested for grand theft auto in 1966.
Kind of guys that played football in alleys, gambled anywhere that served beer, and took messing with their cars as the worst kind of disrespect.
Getting arrested as a kid is inevitable, just keep your mouth shut, call someone, you’ll get sprung with charges dropped.
My grandfather was the last store to give credit, so you F with us someone you know doesn’t eat.
My grandmother kept me in the back until I could walk and talk.
She’d walk me past junkies with needles sticking out of their arms at the park.
I hate parks and libraries.
The butcher was my nanny until my old man did a 3 year tour in DC when I was just out of kindergarten.
It gave me something to do besides walk around Market St with her.
Went to Robert E Lee elementary in 1980.
1st day of school white kids pointed out the barely whitewashed “colored” over the black kids bathroom.
I wasn’t used to white kids unless they were dirt poor.
These gave me no indication they were hungry or desperate, so I didn’t count them as dangerous.
Mouthy one got dropped in the garbage can in the bathroom then I took a piss.
Black kids told me the water fountain in the center quad was theirs, big one followed me to the lunch room dumpsters and ended up in it.
I was used to black kids that didn’t talk when they wanted something from you.
Talking is an invitation for me to knock out the one I identify as a thinker.
The rest are feeding off the thinker, and I have to chase them down later.
Ended up in the Principals office where he asked me why I beat those kids and put them in the trash.
I told him dumpsters is where people that lose fights end up, seen it all my life until then.
He asked me where I learned to fight.
Told him my grandfather was a captain in the Chinese Army, came here bc he didn’t like Communists.
Teaching us to fight was a prerequisite of his grandsons dealing with hordes of a Chinatown kids that didn’t like us much.
Sometimes I wonder what the “scumbags” in the suburbs I now live in think when I’m out and about.
I set the local cops radar off but they don’t give me any trouble.
My girlfriend notice both kind of citizens visibly flinch when we are out and about at the county fair and such.
Cousins are now cops, or in unions, my little brothers are feds.
If you steal from one of us you aren’t from San Francisco, which makes finding you easier.
Mostly they do the stealing, so I don’t worry about much.
I’m not the solution, but I’m probably on a first name basis with the problem.
I guess I do most of the stuff everyone else does as mentioned in this thread: instruments first in and last out, keep the gear at the back of the stage and away from exits when not in use, try not to leave the venue for any reason where you can’t ovserve your gear, cases in any other color than black for easy identification, etc.
One thing that might not have been mentioned yet is to bring your gear that you car about in from the trailer when making a multi-show run/tour. Yep, it’s a pain in the rear to make multiple trips in and out of a hotel room at 3am only to reload the gear at 9am but I sleep soundly:
One thing that might not have been mentioned yet is to bring your gear that you car about in from the trailer when making a multi-show run/tour. Yep, it’s a pain in the rear to make multiple trips in and out of a hotel room at 3am only to reload the gear at 9am but I sleep soundly:
I made the best possible move to prevent theft. I dare anyone to beat my top move: I moved to Switzerland. 
There’s the story about the accordian player who left his instrument in the car overnight. When he went out in the morning the window was smashed and there were two accordians in the car.
okcrum
in your chest
Stealing band vehicles is big business. A ring of 130 or so people was busted in Houston in 2016. If you don't have GPS trackers and alarms on the vehicles and trailers these days, touring is risky business.
Park so your doors or hatch can't be opened, like next to a post, next to a barrier, next to a van, etc. Only use big, heavy cabinets that nobody wants anymore, and too much trouble to heist. Put your bass in a "Dean" or "Epiphone" gig bag (very low fencable value). But don't leave the doors unlocked - or you'll return to discover you now have TWO heavy 410 cabs, and THREE epiphone basses...
We used to have a sound guy with a huge pitbull that he'd leave in the van with the gear. Never lost anything that way
Agreed pits are awesome
/points at avatar
This was supposed to be my solution but like you can see, it might not work...
One of the big advantages of the L-Berger or similar is its on the go-size. I would never leave it back wheresoever, so it remains always in arm length distance !
I used to use handcuffs to lock my bass to a big bass cab. I was worried about the steel nicking the neck, so they were covered in fur like material. The assembly lead to multiple interesting discussions.
I never noticed that. Can't wait to get home and look now.
One other great tip for hanging onto your gear is don't overindulge after a gig. Our old stoner drummer, would leave his throne on the stage more often than not.
That's a real weak point on the headless, Ned failed here completely!
And now the Francis Rossi Tele start to make a whole new sense to me:
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Some of the gigs I played actually had a separate room or area that could either be locked or easily supervised. Usually at gig's that did not have that I would right after done playing lock at least my bass and amp in the back of my truck (cab was usually too big) but I would always make it a point to keep my cab in sight if could be helped.
I always take my gear into my house after returning from a gig. In my neighborhood we have too many automobile window shoppers. And yes, most of them are seemingly middle class opioid addicts.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
People take things when no one is watching. At least one person should be where they can see the gear (and anyone walking by can see them) at all times.
We employ a combination of tactics that many of the previous posters have embraced. We have two trusted close friends of the band who are at every gig. One is a biker with an extensive record. He does not look intimidating and that's what makes him perfect for the gig. He also does not care about anything outside of his circle of friends and that makes him crazy dangerous. The other is a little guy but like a wet rag on a stick when it comes to watching gear or tackling a would-be-thief in the process of taking something. The last time we experienced an incident friend number two was on a guy like two erotic dancers until friend number one cut in and made it uncomfortable for everyone.
Load-in and load-outs are a team effort and well organized. No one is ever alone and it moves like clockwork. We never leave gear in vehicles at a venue or at home or at rehearsal. Less opportunity = less theft. There are certain venues that do not allow load in until right before set time. We limit how often we agree to play those places and we show up right before set time and leave immediately after. Sucks because we truly do believe in showing our support for other bands.
No stickers or badges to draw attention to the presence of gear - this includes no band logos, websites, or advertising on vehicles.
I have a small Bugera bass amp about the size of a TV dinner with a handle. It would be very easy to carry off for anyone tempted to do so. It is bolted into a stand that my cabinets go on top off. I get the sense that many thefts (outside of stealing a trailer or breaking into a trailer or vehicle) are thefts of opportunity and spur of the moment. The stand is not heavy but it is somewhat awkward to maneuver which I hope acts as a deterrent.
I have never had anything stolen but I have always been vigilant and smart about moving gear. My gear does not sit unattended anywhere except in my basement. Lonely gear in a strange place away from home garners attention and that attention can result in disappearing gear.
I supposed many thieves out there view us as easy/lucrative targets. Many of us invest in good gear and are thought of as easy going and somehow "easy going" is interpreted as pushovers. Unfortunately it seems to be well known that musicians have stuff worth stealing and there is a problem with the theft of music gear in any city you go to. Stowing gear in a vehicle and going back inside to drink or party is never a good idea. When gear is loaded vehicles leave for home - no exceptions.
Traveling to gigs that require an overnight means we take ALL of our gear into the hotel and our individual rooms. Everyone transports their own gear in their personal vehicles so it all fits in individual rooms. We never have rooms on the ground floor. Never had a problem.
Load-in and load-outs are a team effort and well organized. No one is ever alone and it moves like clockwork. We never leave gear in vehicles at a venue or at home or at rehearsal. Less opportunity = less theft. There are certain venues that do not allow load in until right before set time. We limit how often we agree to play those places and we show up right before set time and leave immediately after. Sucks because we truly do believe in showing our support for other bands.
No stickers or badges to draw attention to the presence of gear - this includes no band logos, websites, or advertising on vehicles.
I have a small Bugera bass amp about the size of a TV dinner with a handle. It would be very easy to carry off for anyone tempted to do so. It is bolted into a stand that my cabinets go on top off. I get the sense that many thefts (outside of stealing a trailer or breaking into a trailer or vehicle) are thefts of opportunity and spur of the moment. The stand is not heavy but it is somewhat awkward to maneuver which I hope acts as a deterrent.
I have never had anything stolen but I have always been vigilant and smart about moving gear. My gear does not sit unattended anywhere except in my basement. Lonely gear in a strange place away from home garners attention and that attention can result in disappearing gear.
I supposed many thieves out there view us as easy/lucrative targets. Many of us invest in good gear and are thought of as easy going and somehow "easy going" is interpreted as pushovers. Unfortunately it seems to be well known that musicians have stuff worth stealing and there is a problem with the theft of music gear in any city you go to. Stowing gear in a vehicle and going back inside to drink or party is never a good idea. When gear is loaded vehicles leave for home - no exceptions.
Traveling to gigs that require an overnight means we take ALL of our gear into the hotel and our individual rooms. Everyone transports their own gear in their personal vehicles so it all fits in individual rooms. We never have rooms on the ground floor. Never had a problem.
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