Has anyone ever thought about micro-chip recovery ?

[Roscoe East]

Carvin puts SNAGG chips in their basses at the factory. it doesn't send out a homing signal, but it can be programmed with the owner's info and be scanned.

30+ years ago Veillette-Citron used to embed a metal serial # plate within the neck/body laminates to allow for x-ray confirmation of the bass' original owner


...'cuz, y'know, that's the first place I'd take the cops when they track down my allegedly stolen bass: The hospital emergency room!

 

[Jeff Bonny]

As said, my Carvin has a SNAGG chip... the only problem is that maybe 12 pawn shops in North America probably have the technology to actually scan the freakin' thing.

That's not the only problem. Once tracking tech becomes commonplace so will the very simple methods of detecting and defeating it. Initially you'll catch a few dumb-asses and maybe discourage some amateurs but the pros will find and employ effective workarounds within hours.

 

[Herrick]

It's entirely possible. Just use the same technology that enables iPhone users to track their lost or stolen phone. Just not probable.

You better get to work on that. There probably are some very high-end instrument owners that would be interested. The only drawback is that it would be difficult to make it permanent to the perp doesn't rip it out and attach it to a varmint, Total Recall style.

Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz. Get your ass to Mahz.

 

[jasonbraatz]

That's not the only problem. Once tracking tech becomes commonplace so will the very simple methods of detecting and defeating it. Initially you'll catch a few dumb-asses and maybe discourage some amateurs but the pros will find and employ effective workarounds within hours.

There's not much to defeat - it's an RFID chip, like your dog has. When scanned it spits out a unique ID number that you can look up in a database.

Instruments aren't pets. Even a Stradivarius is replaceable. Just insure your stuff.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

I was reading a post about stolen irreplaceable guitars. I then wondered has anyone every thought of micro-chip technology to recover stolen guitars. The lo-jack of recovering your instruments ?

Yes, several times.

Unfortunately it won't work unless it's done with (/by) the insurance company.

When a friend of mine had his Hayabusa Micro-Dotted in Ireland back in the day, I made some inquries about becoming a rep over here. The potential customers were interested in that, the insurance companies weren't. End of that.

The passive micro chip found on our pets won't work either unless the recovery units buy chip readers and the world-wide database is maintained meticulously and made available to every party involved.

The regular cheapo micro-chip is also easily defeated or rendered inoperable, so if someone suspects there's one, all the trouble will be in vain.

There's also dozens of manufacturers, with dozens of different readers, most of them not compatible with eachother, so there goes that as well.

It's a neat(ish) idea, but neither nothing new, nor feasible in a scale it's possible.

Active systems, as mentioned multiple times earlier in this thread, are cumbersome and very expensive.

Regards
Sam

 

[khutch]

If there is enough money to be made by stealing basses then sophisticated thieves will learn to defeat anything you throw at them. But even simple measures will catch a lot of casual thieves. RFID chips as commonly used in pets have no location reporting abilities and in fact they have such short range that you need to be within a few feet at most to energize and read them. But they would be of use by police or pawn shops checking to see if a bass is stolen. GPS based tracking collars for dogs have limited range too but if you realize your bass has been stolen quickly enough they may let you track down the thief before he leaves the area.

Something like a smart phone will work but the battery life is limited. That may not be an issue for a bass stolen at a gig since you know right away that it is missing and can start tracking it right away. So, if this is really an issue you are concerned about you could simply buy the cheapest phone you can find with a tracking function, hog out a cavity for it under your pickguard, and hide one in your bass. Hopefully if you report a stolen bass and give the police a means by which they can track it down, right now, they will assist you.

Ken

 

[TBirdie]

i think this would be possible. for people that do not have low jacks for their cars, they hide cheap old mobile phones on their cars which is connected straight o the battery. most mobile service providers give this type of service. you can track this by using another mobile phone with the same network. with tech today; antennas are getting smaller. the only problem is the interference you will get on your pickups. (try placing your phone beside your speakers) I would suggest a rechargeable attachment, just place it every time you do not use the bass or a hidden on/off switch

 

[Roy Vogt]

Believe it or not, I had a bass that I had sold that was stolen from the buyer. Over 2 decades later a friend who is a collector of these instruments called me and told me he found my name and number in the instrument cavity where I had written it 25 years ago. I have newer Carvins that have the SNAGG technology. I wish everyone would do that.