- Oct 18, 2012
- 6,683
- 5,538
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- Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
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If I am playing somewhere there is going to be a concern, or I am sharing the stage throughout the day with others that are unknown, I use an inexpensive parts bass (mostly Squier components) ... and if somebody wants to risk going after a couple hundred dollar bass, so be it, let them take a shot ... I also do not use a guitar stand, I have an elastic band attached to top of my stack that tucks the bass right in tight along side of it, pretty much unseen ... bass would be a bit tougher to 'grabn'go' out of the band compared to just sitting loose in a stand as well .. anything that gets left in a locked van is also usually covered with a blanket/jacket/etc ...
the smart way to deal with thieves is to not provide a crime of opportunity for them.
Keep your gear in eyesight at all times and if you doubt the security of a certain venue
then take your low end bass and leave your high dollar rig at home. The audience won't hear the difference. Pick up a $200 Longhorn for those type places or something of similar value.
My band has a security clause in our rider mandating that the venue/promoter must provide backstage security for the entire time span of the event, from load in to load out, if we play festival stages.
Pubs and bars? It's up to you. Be smart and use common sense. Don't stash your bass in your car...ever.
Never let your stuff get out of sight. And never let strangers get on the bandstand.
Keep your gear in eyesight at all times and if you doubt the security of a certain venue
then take your low end bass and leave your high dollar rig at home. The audience won't hear the difference. Pick up a $200 Longhorn for those type places or something of similar value.
My band has a security clause in our rider mandating that the venue/promoter must provide backstage security for the entire time span of the event, from load in to load out, if we play festival stages.
Pubs and bars? It's up to you. Be smart and use common sense. Don't stash your bass in your car...ever.
Never let your stuff get out of sight. And never let strangers get on the bandstand.
Totally agree. Anybody who gigs more than occasionally or who couldn't afford to replace their stuff if it was stolen or damaged needs to have musical instrument insurance. Most homeowner's insurance does. it cover your gear if you have ever used it on a paying gig.
I recommend using one of the few companies that specialize in musical instrument insurance. I use Heritage Ins Co. Heritage Insurance Service - Insurance for fine musical instruments Insurance. They specialize in insuring instruments used by symphony musicians, so the cost of an Alembic, Fodera or pre-CBS Jazz bass is nothing to them. They offer replacement value insurance, and you set the value. Their policies also cover the cost to repair accidental damage and the depreciation in value caused by it. Hugely satisfied customer with no affiliation with them.
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
Keep track of seriel numbers for all your gear.
NEVER leave gear in the car if you don't have to, especially not overnight. Just don't.
Security is a bandwide issue, so we watch each other's stuff.
My rig fits in my trunk out of sight, so i'm less worried if i have to make stops or what-have-you on the way to or from a gig.
But my bass always comes with me if i'm going to be anywhere for a while.
I take it into restaurants, shops, whatever. That also has to do with the effects of temperature and humidity on an instrument.
And always have someone you trust to watch your gear for you.
I had this conversation a few days ago, and came to this conclusion:
I understand when band trailers get stolen or broken into, or band vans, or really anything that screams "band!", but i have next to no sympathy when someone's car is broken into because they left their axe on the seat overnight.
Don't leave gear in your car if you don't have to!! Don't do it!
Gigs, as far as i know, have very little actual risk of theft. It's the times when your gear is sitting idle in a "safe space" (car, open garage, etc.) that has much more risk attached.
NEVER leave gear in the car if you don't have to, especially not overnight. Just don't.
Security is a bandwide issue, so we watch each other's stuff.
My rig fits in my trunk out of sight, so i'm less worried if i have to make stops or what-have-you on the way to or from a gig.
But my bass always comes with me if i'm going to be anywhere for a while.
I take it into restaurants, shops, whatever. That also has to do with the effects of temperature and humidity on an instrument.
And always have someone you trust to watch your gear for you.
I had this conversation a few days ago, and came to this conclusion:
I understand when band trailers get stolen or broken into, or band vans, or really anything that screams "band!", but i have next to no sympathy when someone's car is broken into because they left their axe on the seat overnight.
Don't leave gear in your car if you don't have to!! Don't do it!
Gigs, as far as i know, have very little actual risk of theft. It's the times when your gear is sitting idle in a "safe space" (car, open garage, etc.) that has much more risk attached.
I gotta agree with this. Just be smart. Never leave expensive gear unattended. Not backstage, not in your car, not in the trailer. I've been gigging on my pre-Gibson Tobias for 30 years, and never had any theft.
I don't drink, so if I gig at bars, and it's break time between sets, I stay with the gear and inevitably someone brings me a water or soda. Or someone the band knows hangs out by the stage. Pre and post gig, you always always always have someone with the gear. I don't travel by band van or with a trailer, so my messy car usually had enough stuff in the back to conceal anything vaguely gear or bass shaped.
Words of wisdom.
During the gig, the only things that might be in our vehicles are empty cases if we had nowhere else to store them.
When I get home from a gig, no matter how tired I am, the instruments and irreplaceables get loaded into the home. The vehicle gets parked in a garage and locked. Leaving gear in your car parked at the curb overnight is inviting theft.
Most of the the gear in my area that's been stolen was out of storage units bands practiced in. Often times ones several bands shared or a former band member stole the gear. I've seen security video footage of a local bands former drummer going into a storage unit and stealing all the guitar and bass gear. If that's your only option for a practice space take your gear with you when you leave. It's a good habit to get into anyway if you plan on gigging as you'll develop better ways to pack your gear into your ride and help prevent a situation where your gear becomes such a pain to move that you end up turning down gigs because you don't want to move it.
There was a local band here in my area where the singer/guitarist got messed up on heroin. Stole the other band members gear and sold it to buy more drugs. So be mindful of the people you choose to play with. They me be an amazing musician, and that guy actually was pretty amazing, but if you have no gear you can't play so it's better to find people that to play with that are drug free and finaincially stable.
Band trailers. Never leave band equipment in a trailer thinking "I'm tired I'll just unpack it tomorrow." A lot of us get home from out of town gigs at 4 or 5 in the morning. It's tempting especially when the weather isn't extreme to the point where it's harmful to gear. A good friend of mines band had their entire trailer stolen after a gig and lost ALL their gear. Someone literally hooked up the trailer and drove away with the entire thing. Full drum kit, Nice Spector basses, ampeg 810 and svt4, a nice VHT guitar rig all gone in minutes. Unpack if you can and don't be cheap about locks including a hitch lock.
also be mindful of small less expensive items as well. Sometimes these are forgotten at venues as much as they are stolen. I lost a nice $100 strap with an even more expensive wireless pack on it one time. Went back the next day to see if I left it at the venue and it was gone. Also those $20 guitar stands. Those get left all the freaking time. my band uses a 7 guitar Fender stand that's made out of plywood and I recommend getting one for gigs because it's much less likely to disappear and they are actually pretty heavy when they are full of instruments and difficult for even two adults to carry slowly much less run out the door with.
Buy gear that's different from everyone else's. Or modify it to make it your own Post pictures of you and your gear. Keep a record of serial numbers. The most common basses stolen in my area are actually fenders. My guess is it's because they are a widely known brand also a dime a dozen around here. No one in my town that gigs has a bass like mine. It's a Warwick thumb NT6 that's been modified with Delano pickups and an Audere pre. Has two toggles on the top. You can identify the wood grain patterns easily. But yeah fenders get stolen often. It's kind of like cars, you'd think car thieves would steal exotic cars because the charges and jail time are the same wether you steal a Kia or a Lamborghini but the most stolen cars are typically the best selling cars like the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Not saying fenders are like economy fwd cars but because they sell a lot of them the stolen ones are less likely to be identified and also people take them sort and sell the parts.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
1st - don't play or gig in bad areas
2nd - don't leave equipment unattended
3rd - don't do bar gigs with expensive, rare, collectable stuff
4th - be careful leaving equipment in vehicles
My main bass is a very expensive one. When I take it on a gig it never leaves my sight. Not for one moment. I never leave it in a vehicle unattended. I have a very nice backup bass that I play in any situation where I don't feel comfortable taking the main one. Works well for me.
When I gigged, somehow I seemed to always be in charge of loading in or out. I owned the van, 1978 VW Westfalia poptop camper, and there was only one way to store everything in it and get it all safely inside. The other guys seemed to not be concerned about that, and only every carried their own gear in or out.
That left me in the position of either rounding them up from the bar to help with the band gear (PA, monitors, mics, cables/snakes and what little light show we brought with us) or doing it alone.
One gig, they grabbed all their gear and set it up then went to the bar. I followed suit, grabbed mine, set it up and bellied up. There was an awkward pause when someone said "Who'd bringing in the rest of it?"
I said "Gee, I don't know. I figured I could sit down and have a beer and someone else would get it. Kinda like what you've been doing." Then I sat there and sipped my beer. After a minute or two of dead silence, they all kind of decided maybe they'd better start bringing stuff in.
I sat on my butt and watched them.
And we always took our own sound guy with us, along with a couple girl friends and hangers on so we always had eyes on the gear from the bus to the stage and back.
Back to the OP.
I would suggest a couple things.
Insurance is the first thing I'd look into. You can get good insurance that will not cost a whole lot per month.
Secondly, I would buy a regular production bass, maybe not top of the line branded (upgrade the hardware and electronics of even the lowliest born can be made to rise well above their station). The amp I don't think you've got to worry about in a gig, since I think someone wheeling out a stack and head would draw more attention than someone casually picking up a case and heading out.
And sometimes not even there. When thieves break into a house, they look for cash, guns, drugs, or items that can readily be converted into the former. Musical instruments fit that bill, since they're portable and valuable. No longer do they grab TV's, DVD players or audio, unless its super high end stuff since the prices of those has come down so far and the used pawn value is just not worth it.
That left me in the position of either rounding them up from the bar to help with the band gear (PA, monitors, mics, cables/snakes and what little light show we brought with us) or doing it alone.
One gig, they grabbed all their gear and set it up then went to the bar. I followed suit, grabbed mine, set it up and bellied up. There was an awkward pause when someone said "Who'd bringing in the rest of it?"
I said "Gee, I don't know. I figured I could sit down and have a beer and someone else would get it. Kinda like what you've been doing." Then I sat there and sipped my beer. After a minute or two of dead silence, they all kind of decided maybe they'd better start bringing stuff in.
I sat on my butt and watched them.
And we always took our own sound guy with us, along with a couple girl friends and hangers on so we always had eyes on the gear from the bus to the stage and back.
Back to the OP.
I would suggest a couple things.
Insurance is the first thing I'd look into. You can get good insurance that will not cost a whole lot per month.
Secondly, I would buy a regular production bass, maybe not top of the line branded (upgrade the hardware and electronics of even the lowliest born can be made to rise well above their station). The amp I don't think you've got to worry about in a gig, since I think someone wheeling out a stack and head would draw more attention than someone casually picking up a case and heading out.
And sometimes not even there. When thieves break into a house, they look for cash, guns, drugs, or items that can readily be converted into the former. Musical instruments fit that bill, since they're portable and valuable. No longer do they grab TV's, DVD players or audio, unless its super high end stuff since the prices of those has come down so far and the used pawn value is just not worth it.
D
Deleted member 165050
Guest
Always have insurance, don't leave stuff unwatched onstage, and never leave anything in a vehicle. When you look at the audience, remember they're only there to steal things. Trust no-one, ever. If your guitarist looks at your bass, he's making plans to take it. They're all out to get you. Actually they're all out to get me, but I'm one step ahead...
Yeah, listen to your Uncle Sid... vigilance on some band member's part, and a big dollop of common sense...
I used to play drums with a bassist who had a beautiful tobacco burst/rosewood Musicman Sterling (the original model, not the budget line).
After our set, we looked over at the stage and saw the bassist from the next band was using my friend's bass. Seemed odd as he was protective over it. After establishing that he hadn't lent it to this other guy, we were all set to jump the cheeky ******* once he came offstage...
... Until my bassist went and checked his stuff and found his bass safe in its case where he'd left it. The other guy had the exact same make, model and colour.
Moral of the story - keep your bass with you at all times gigs. Even if it doesn't get stolen, you'll avoid all kinds of other misunderstandings.
Oh and the time another artist's crew accidentally loaded out my P-bass (genuine accident!). Ended up with her elderly mother delivering it back to me at work
After our set, we looked over at the stage and saw the bassist from the next band was using my friend's bass. Seemed odd as he was protective over it. After establishing that he hadn't lent it to this other guy, we were all set to jump the cheeky ******* once he came offstage...
... Until my bassist went and checked his stuff and found his bass safe in its case where he'd left it. The other guy had the exact same make, model and colour.
Moral of the story - keep your bass with you at all times gigs. Even if it doesn't get stolen, you'll avoid all kinds of other misunderstandings.
Oh and the time another artist's crew accidentally loaded out my P-bass (genuine accident!). Ended up with her elderly mother delivering it back to me at work
This is my gear guard. Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 (series T-800). My gear has never been stolen.
I have never in over 15 years had an issue with theft or has any bandmates of bands I have been in. Never leave gear in your vehicle. Even if you go on late load in and stay near your equipment. Always keep an eye on the stage and let nobody on it but the band. Don't drink to much so that you are unaware of what's going on.
Always unpack your vehicle when you arrive home or to a hotel whatever. Never leave it unattended and there will be no issues.
Always unpack your vehicle when you arrive home or to a hotel whatever. Never leave it unattended and there will be no issues.
