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Locking my rig

J

JoePro

Apr 1, 2009
97
25
#1
hey guys I'm sure this is somewhere else on here but in my quick search I couldn't find a conclusive answer.

I'm looking for a way to lock up the rig at my church or render it unusable. Don't want to have to remove anything I saw the idea for the tarp and lock but I think that might be the last resort. I also saw the fuller uni lock v but that doesn't seem to be in production anymore that would have been perfect. Anybody else know anything I could do to keep "guest" from coming in cranking the rig and pretty much wrecking it while I'm away
 
#5
samson3382 said:
I've done this. I loaded in early and had to leave. Our opener was known for being stupidly loud, and of course bass player had no amp. Of course I get a call, "is there a secret to turning on your amp?" Yeah, but I'm the only one who knows how to do it.
That way I could babysit at least.
Click to expand...
If I answered that call, I'd say "what!? You broke my amp and now it's not turning on!?" That would make for a good laugh next time you see them and it works for you after reinstalling the fuse when nobody is looking.
 
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#7
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#9
Bar I played had cages with the gear in bolted to the stage and they had little plywood cases on the heads so you weren't just plugging in through the cage. Power ran under the bar so the bartender had a kill switch on the whole show. Little hardcore but I liked the cage idea. Maybe a little high speed for your situation but similar concept maybe? Build a box with a lock on it?
 
#11
It's a reasonable question, and bears considering for DIY amp builds/mods. The secret set of unlabeled switches that need to be in certain positions, a key lock on the power, a panel that locks over the controls - all worth considering for a build, but not so easy to retrofit in many cases.

Taking the fuse is certainly more effective than taking the cord. Having a bad fuse to swap in is extra insurance if you don't confuse yourself about it. If doing something with the cord, the cord lock of unknown-effectiveness at locking for the IEC power plugs is one option (pretty much exactly what I thought of, though I didn't know if they were actually made until @beans-on-toast posted that), the other one (similar to the fuse) would be to have a modified power cord with the hot wire cut and a tidy heat-shrink sleeve over the cut area, and plug that in - if you remove it, they'll just go grab one from elsewhere; it takes a higher class of abuser to actually think "the cord might be defective, I'll swap this one."

If the cord is fixed in the amp, a small box you could lock over the plug end would be as effective as anything.

To some extent, you are essentially raising the bar from "let's turn this on and play with it" to "there would be actual evidence that this thing has ben tampered with, and there's evidence that the owner does not want it tampered with" - while it would be nice to think you could trust everyone who might come in contact with it to behave well even if it was sitting open, it doesn't hurt to reinforce the idea for the morally wishy-washy, of whom there are a significant number, including some members of many families.

friendlybass said:
Bar I played had cages with the gear in bolted to the stage and they had little plywood cases on the heads so you weren't just plugging in through the cage. Power ran under the bar so the bartender had a kill switch on the whole show.
Click to expand...
...so you played Bob's Country Bunker? Did your beer bill exceed your pay? :D
 
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#13
T_Bone_TL said:
It's a reasonable question, and bears considering for DIY amp builds/mods. The secret set of unlabeled switches that need to be in certain positions, a key lock on the power, a panel that locks over the controls - all worth considering for a build, but not so easy to retrofit in many cases.

Taking the fuse is certainly more effective than taking the cord. Having a bad fuse to swap in is extra insurance if you don't confuse yourself about it. If doing something with the cord, the cord lock of unknown-effectiveness at locking for the IEC power plugs is one option (pretty much exactly what I thought of, though I didn't know if they were actually made until @beans-on-toast posted that), the other one (similar to the fuse) would be to have a modified power cord with the hot wire cut and a tidy heat-shrink sleeve over the cut area, and plug that in - if you remove it, they'll just go grab one from elsewhere; it takes a higher class of abuser to actually think "the cord might be defective, I'll swap this one."

If the cord is fixed in the amp, a small box you could lock over the plug end would be as effective as anything.

To some extent, you are essentially raising the bar from "let's turn this on and play with it" to "there would be actual evidence that this thing has ben tampered with, and there's evidence that the owner does not want it tampered with" - while it would be nice to think you could trust everyone who might come in contact with it to behave well even if it was sitting open, it doesn't hurt to reinforce the idea for the morally wishy-washy, of whom there are a significant number, including some members of many families.


...so you played Bob's Country Bunker? Did your beer bill exceed your pay? :D
Click to expand...
No it was the Old Curtis St. Bar. And I was underage at the time. Still got drink waivers...
 
#15
beans-on-toast said:
If your amp has an IEC power connector, there is the KDD320 IEC lockout for about $23 plus the cost of a lock.

You tighten a thumbscrew that compresses a bushing that wedges itself against the inside the connector. I've seen them but don't know how effective they are. It is more of a deterrent.

http://www.amazon.com/Accuform-Signs-KDD320-Lockout-Plastic/dp/B00BSG7P9O/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Click to expand...
Trying to put myself in the shoes of some jerk who wants to play with someone else's stuff without permission and I see one of these on the amp. What would happen if I put all my weight on this thing? How about I drop it and see if it comes off? Nope, I'll try dropping it again. How about I just take it home and see if I can get it off there? Oops, I accidentally put my foot through this bass speaker, no big, I couldn't play the amp anyway.
 
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#18
aetheldrea said:
Trying to put myself in the shoes of some jerk who wants to play with someone else's stuff without permission and I see one of these on the amp. What would happen if I put all my weight on this thing? How about I drop it and see if it comes off? Nope, I'll try dropping it again. How about I just take it home and see if I can get it off there? Oops, I accidentally put my foot through this bass speaker, no big, I couldn't play the amp anyway.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that the plastic case can be broken away if someone is determined. I think that it's intended more to dissuade use rather than offer a high level of security.
 
#20
A Christian rock band I was in rehearsed (and occasionally performed) in a church. We stowed our gear in the utility room with the water heater and furnace, and the utility room stayed locked. It's not so much that we were concerned that members of the congregation might steal our gear, but rather that mischievous younger members might decide to play rock band while no one was looking. Kids will be kids, regardless of religious affiliation.
 
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