• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

old band lost my guitar. advice?

#41
lfmn16 said:
First, forget about your money and your guitar. You are NEVER going to see either. Now I'm not saying you should do this, but what if someone found out what nights they practiced and called the cops to tell them about this guy that was dealing out of his band's practice space and the cops showed up and he was holding drugs?
Click to expand...

1. the OP would get arrested for wasting police time/perverting course of justice

2. the band member with drugs would get carted to the cop shop for a few hours and then set free.

These guys have alrady broken a law and are already in the wrong. Why place yourself in jeopardy by lying to the police?
 
#43
Look I had to deal with a situation like this a couple years ago.

These guys were on meth like crazy. I told this guy if he enjoyed breathing he needs to simply bring back the guitar and rack toms. I have size on these tweaker jerks and we could go rounds if they wanted. I do not recommend that.

You might just wanna completely ignore these guys for the rest of your life. I went after about $3500 worth of gear. The police never crossed my mind. They are usually not helpful in cases like this where its not so cut and dry. However if you do choose the fuzz, some good options have been listed here.

However if you narc on them you that's just bad karma.
 
#46
JamesGoodall said:
Thanks again for all the suggestions. I think what I'm going to do is head over this saturday, politely ask if they have any Idea where my bass could be, not assuming yet that it's stolen (though that is very likely the case) and if they don't have it, I'll ask around at local pawn shops and if nothing turns up, I'l take the few hours out of my life to file a claim in court and hope for the best. I know he wouldn't have the money to pay me, should I win, but he has a substantial amount of gear that can be auctioned off by the court.

I know my gear was only worth $400 had I decided to sell it, but I wasn't, and to replace it new would cost me over $1000. I liken it to if someone were to borrow your car, return it with $1000 worth of damage to it, and refused to do anything in recompense. I'll let you all know what happens, and hopefully it all plays out in my favor.

I know now to never loan by gear to anybody who has or had substance abuse issues. Or really to anybody for more than one night for a gig.
Click to expand...

This doesn't make any more sense than having loaned out your gear to a drug addict in the first place. I think you still haven't learned very much. :rolleyes:

1. What good will it do to "politely ask" one more time? These clowns have already given you the stiff arm and the one-finger salute. Are you expecting them to miraculously change their tune - simply because you "politely asked" once again? :confused:

2. You can look through the pawn shops all you want, but it's no substitute for putting pressure on the goon(s) who stole from you. Even if you should happen to get very lucky and actually find your missing instruments in the pawn shop(s), without a police report and proof of ownership, your only recourse will be to buy it from the pawn shop. Can you afford to do that? Is that what you had in mind? :eyebrow:

3. Winning a judgment in Civil Court is one thing. Collecting on that judgment is a completely different matter. Over time, if you're especially persistent about it, you can eventually win compensation. But it could ultimately take far more of your time, energy & money than your guitar and bass guitar are worth. Pursuing it as a matter of principle alone is certainly a valid reason. But expecting it to be quick & easy is unrealistic.

4. Based on your reluctance to involve the police, I also assume you must be a user. Been there, done that. Make your own judgment, but know this: without a police report, your legal leverage over these cretins is practically nil.

5. I like Tom Richards' idea of showing up at their next show or rehearsal (but especially a public show), and taking back your instruments - IF they're there. Suggestion: If you decide to go this route, bring friends. Big friends.

Live & learn. Or just live. Whatever... :rolleyes:

MM
 
#47
I think the best course of action is to call the police, file a report, and then show up with the police at the practice space at a time you think they will be there practicing. Knock on the door and say you just want to look for your guitar. If there's resistance, that's when the cops take over and do their thing. Options: you find the guitar there (it's miraculously been "found"!) or you don't.

If you don't, the cops will probably question the guitarist about it's whereabouts since he's the last person who had it. A guitar doesn't just disappear. Bonus if the place smells like weed or they happen to be smoking meth or whatever when you show up. At any rate, either the guy will give up the guitar's whereabouts, or he won't, but you will have a police report documenting that it's been stolen.

Go look around at pawnshops and music stores and in the meantime, file a small claims case.

If this guy is a serious druggie, he will probably want nothing to do with court and wont even show up. That mean you get a default judgement in your favor. After that, you can file to have his assets seized to satisfy the judgement, and then yes (despite what someone said above) they will take his stuff and auction it off and give you your money.

If it goes like that (sounds like it will) it probably won't take you much more than about a day and half or so worth of court appearances and filings. Is 12-16 hours of your time worth $1000? That's about $60-80/hr.

Good luck, and yeah dumb idea to get into a band with someone who doesnt even have their own instrument, and then LEND them YOURS despite the fact that they're a heavy drug user with no job.
 
#48
I really do hope you get some resolve! Lesson learned is to not loan out your gear. For some reason, folks think it belongs to them and they can do what they please with it. Loaned out a digital 4 track some years ago and really had to poke and prod to get it back. Loaned a small bass combo amp a few years back. Somehow it went missing. Had some help in getting that one back although it was beat to hell when I got it back! Was damn near mint when I loaned it out. Never again.
 
#49
Do you still have a key to your practice space? Go check it out sometimes when you know they aren't there to see if they left it, and if you still can't find it then go there at a time when you know they are practicing and if he's using it take it back and call the cops on him/them.
 
#50
ChrisB2 said:
^ Great story. I don't understand all the advice to lick your wounds, do nothing, and get over it. Also don't understand OP's reluctance to involve the police.... :confused:
Click to expand...

I dont understand this either. just today on facebook a friend of mine had something stolen from his tattoo shop and he's saying he's giving the person a week to return it blah blah blah. then everyone chimes in and says how they should go kick his @$$ etc..

then the guy gets upset with me when I told him its not the time to be an internet tough guy, it's time to be an adult and file a police report.

he then went on a tirade about how he doesn't want a police report good or bad with his shops name on it :confused:

idk, i just don't get it
 
#51
Thick McRunfast said:
File a police report but I wouldn't hold out much hope that the cops are going to expend an ounce of energy trying to "solve" this unless you live in Mayberry.

Keep an eye on CL and make a sweep of local pawn shops etc.

You might want to take a look at how small claims court works. You'll probably come to the conclusion that it isn't worth your time.
Click to expand...

JohnMCA72 said:
Should any of your gear show up at a pawn shop, CL, etc. you will have zero chance at recovery if there is no police report on file. Actually, you will have a chance, but that chance is limited to being the high bidder & buying your own stuff back.
Click to expand...

File a report.
 
#56
Loaning gear to others is like lending money to family or really close friends. Eventually there will come a time when you won't get it back and there are hard feelings. The only time I allow someone to use my gear is if I will be there and able to take possession of it when they are done with it. May sound harsh, but to date I still have all my gear.

Sorry for your situation. I think I would take previous advice and get the authorities involved.
 
#57
MatticusMania said:
No, its not. But narcing on them for drug use isnt going to get his stuff back, it'll just create more problems without resolving any.
Creating problems for others in an attempt to resolve ones own would certainly create bad Karma.
Click to expand...

I disagree friend (and that is if any of the concerned parties believe in karma).
The band mates use drugs and apparently that was a motivating factor for the guitar to go missing. So, having a reason and a history with these people may actually help the police and this dude get his guitar back. It is part of the crime.
Not standing up for ones self and doing everything in you power to get your stolen gear back makes one a doormat.
Drug addicts play by different rules.
 
#58
TNCreature said:
I disagree friend (and that is if any of the concerned parties believe in karma).
The band mates use drugs and apparently that was a motivating factor for the guitar to go missing. So, having a reason and a history with these people may actually help the police and this dude get his guitar back. It is part of the crime.
Not standing up for ones self and doing everything in you power to get your stolen gear back makes one a doormat.
Drug addicts play by different rules.
Click to expand...

Im not saying not to do anything, I just dont think narcing on these guys for drug use is going to accomplish the goal of getting the OPs guitar back.
Its likely the guitar has already been sold off. Filing a report with the police would be a good idea. But having the cops bang on their door for drugs would only be a vengeful act, unless they still have the guitar, which I think its likely that they dont. Assuming they dont, narcing on these guys would serve what purpose at this point?
Drug addicts may play by different rules, but the laws of Karma are immutable.
 
#60
Whether it takes a day, a week, or a whole decade. There's a time and place to settle it. Just be patient. The tide WILL swing your way, eventually. And, you sure ain't gonna get no money from a dope head. Me personally, I'd just take the $400.00 out of that ass. I know there will be responses of people ragging on me for my remarks. But, that's just me. I work too damn hard for some strung-out dope head to come along, and snatch my gear. And, I would assume it's the same for the rest of us. So, I'll say it again. I'd stomp a mud hole in his ass, and then stomp it dry. Just don't be doin' it in front of the county jail (obviously!), or the local Quickie Mart, in front of the security cameras. The hell with it. PM me, and we'll draft you up a perfect game plan.:D
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back