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Do You Lock Your Basses Hard Case?
- Thread starter AGH
- Start date
The only reason I can see is to secure the lid so it can't open inadvertantly, to prevent an accident where the bass falls to the ground while you carry the case. The odds of that happening in the first place are probably slim.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
if you are touring and people you don't know have access to your gear,locks would be wise.....an m/t guitar case looks just like a full one and you can bet the road crew is counting cases,not contents...just for the record tho' it is a real good idea to take a polaroid of everything and leave it in your case so you are less likely to forget something ...one glance and you know you have it all....I don't even close all the clasps - just one or 2 so the case remains closed. Easier to get the bass out in a bass playing emergency.
The difference between a locked bass case and a 250 pound safe is a thief can easily pick up the case, walk away to another location, and pry off the latches to help himself to the goods.
Don't lock a case when shipping it internationally, it's bubble wrapped and boxed so is not necessary. I had that happen to me when buying from overseas.
Fortunately a customs officer was smart enough to read the form and see the 3-digit combination code written on the paperwork.... but only after a few failed attempts with a screwdriver. Surface scratches only to the latch thank God.
Fortunately a customs officer was smart enough to read the form and see the 3-digit combination code written on the paperwork.... but only after a few failed attempts with a screwdriver. Surface scratches only to the latch thank God.
a locked case is not going to deter a guy from stealing the whole case ,but it may prevent someone from stashing the instrument and loading the case.....a lock is even helpful in that unless you know exactly what is in that particular case you may be less inclined to steal it....The difference between a locked bass case and a 250 pound safe is a thief can easily pick up the case, walk away to another location, and pry off the latches to help himself to the goods.
Nope, and if I did, that would be the day I would lose the keys to it... For anti theft purposes I'd imagine it would be easier for a thief to just walk away with the bass and case together anyway so a lock isn't really going to help in that department. Sometimes I keep things in the storage compartment while I gig though (phone usually) and I should probably lock it then.
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When flying, we covered the latches and hinges in gaffe tape (a strap can get caught). This secured the latches from being caught, breaking or accidentally opening.
Then we wrapped clear 2" wide tape over that. It's impossible to remove that thin stuff without tearing, so the handlers know they can't open it without evidence of tampering.
Customs Officials could still open it if critically important, but only ever did that in front of me.
OT:
random drug swipe of guitar case came up positive so they insisted on looking inside my case before the flight.
'Are you carrying any drugs?' she asked.
'No', I answered, 'but that case has been around the country, under stages and next to other musos gear..... and I can guarantee a few of them were on drugs.'
Fortunately she laughed at that, a quick look inside and I was done.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
If I ever travel with an instrument on an airplane again (highly unlikely to ever happen), it will have clear tape over the latches. In 1980, I took a bass guitar to Europe and travelled around there, but never locked the case. If I ever lock the case, I'll immediately lose the key, so I keep the key safe in the case where I can't screw things up. Another viable option for me is to lose the key without locking the case. That would remove any possibility of doing something completely dumb.
The comment about drug residue on the outside of a case makes me laugh. I have no doubt that every case I own has something on it from somebody. I got most of my gear used, so if it doesn't have residue of all kinds of things on it, I would be completely surprised. I guess I won't be going to Canada with a bass guitar! The first owner of my upright was a classical music student. The likelihood of drug residue on that is a whole lot less than the likelihood of something on the Ric!
The comment about drug residue on the outside of a case makes me laugh. I have no doubt that every case I own has something on it from somebody. I got most of my gear used, so if it doesn't have residue of all kinds of things on it, I would be completely surprised. I guess I won't be going to Canada with a bass guitar! The first owner of my upright was a classical music student. The likelihood of drug residue on that is a whole lot less than the likelihood of something on the Ric!
When I was in high school I locked the case to my electric guitar while I was at school so my brother couldn't play it. (He went to a different school and got home long before I did.)
I came home one day and the lock is damaged, but he couldn't get it open.
But the lock was ruined so I couldn't open it either and I had to pry it off.
I then re-attached it with screws, and it works as a latch--but doesn't lock.
I don't even know where the keys to the latches that lock are.
I used to lock mine back in high school because I would leave it in the band hall and didn't want people messing with it but now I just keep it in my sights at all times unless it's at home so I don't think locks would change much. If someone is going to steal it, they will just grab the whole case and walk off.
