Question: Keeping your Bass from being stolen while on a gig?

[ivbenaplayin]

No one steals over there, Very cool what a perfect world, here we just keep our Glocks loaded.

I prefer my colt...

[Psycho Ward]

Touching any of my stuff causes nose bleeds, strangest thing really.

[ZiggyDude]

I guess that I should count myself the lucky. After decades of gigging I have yet to have something stolen at a gig - or any of the other band members for that matter.

I keep my basses well on the stage. Anyone going up there would be the most obvious. And if we set up early I either don't leave them or they get hidden.

I would think the biggest danger is load in and out. We try to keep a person watching on each end. Common sense stuff like keeping things covered, park the truck so the tailgate can not be opened, don’t leave little stuff like a wireless remote hanging around.

I guess one reason is that over the years I did a lot of private clubs. The members are always better behaved. No fights, this and that. But, there are the other rooms I play – I guess the common sense stuff is number one.

Having something stolen can be a huge hurt to the mind and heart. I had a Traynor YBA-2A head stolen from a locked music room when I was in high school. To this day there is a “hole” in life where it was supposed to be. Rare as poop to find also – so I have not replaced it yet.

[Calaveras]

Well I live in Oakland. I have had some microphones and PA gear stolen but never anything more dear (like a bass!). I make it a policiy to always have an eye on my gear. Or have someone in the band watching it. If I can stash it in a backstage I will, but even then it is not safe. Some other bands have some very lame friends!
I always stack my gear backstage in a way that makes it daunting to fiddle with it. EG, put the gear box on the floor against the wall. Put the bass on top of it. Put the cabinet in front of those two. put the head on top of all of that. Now they cant get at your pedals or your bass without moving the big heavy stuff!
I also never leave my axe out on stage. Way too easy for some drunk to knock it over.

[TheAntMan]

Reading stuff like this makes me feel blessed to live at a place where such thoughts are of no concern!

You should see Switzerland man, it's the most beautiful and perfect place I have ever been. Everyone is friendly and you would be lucky to find a single person who owns a gun...It doesn't suprise me that there is no need to worry about thieves there.

Here, well it's a different story.

Wow, sounds like the perfect place for a criminal to set up shop since everyone is so complacent. Anyway, don't leave your gear unattended is the main rule.

--Ant

[Moose308]

New Product Idea.

Feel free to exploit this and desgin it for yourself.

Problem - Basses getting stolen at gigs. Nobody cares about the guitars, steal all you want. :-)

Possible Solution (with markteting tie in) - Exploit the installed base of Ernie Ball Strap Locks, and drive their future sales, with a "locking" Strap Lock which would quickly, easily snap into the pre-installed EB Strap Lock button on the bass. However, this widget would would not be attached to a strap, but rather a thick aircraft cable type lasso. Something you could bolt to the floor, or around a pillar, or something like that. The "locking" Strap Lock would have a key, or combo lock.

So when you leave the stage, just pop off your strap, and pop on the security cable. Only you will be able to open it with your key/combination. The chances are nobody would be able to defeat the lock/cable without a lot of effort. The weak point would be the bass itself (made of wood), and they would have to destroy the upper horn to get the strap button off. Since 99% of thefts are usually easy targets of opportunity (small items, easily carried, and unguarded), a locked down bass would be an unlikely target.

Just a thought.

[spencer]

Good one attach the other side to the cab.

Only I can see right before a gig starts, shoot where's my key.

Or loosing it and then trying to load ip with a bass attahed to a 810

[sitonmybass]

I also never leave my axe out on stage. Way too easy for some drunk to knock it over.

Exactly! My bass goes in its case even during breaks! I'm not a big fan of guitar stands.

[toomanyslurpees]

Well, this isn't for everybody..... but nobody has ever mistaken this case for their own, and I can spot this case from across the bar, it does have it's advantages.

[MSilvers]

We had someone steal a Marshall Half Stack from my school once. We actually managed to get it back. Ever since then there is always someone where the equipment is. Also don't lend your stuff to other people, even if you feel bad. It blows my mind when people show up to gigs without amps or other equipment.

[strummer]

Generally this is not a problem for me, or us as a band. I guess we don't have an audience interested in instruments and such, because between sets I have yet to see one of the audience on stage. They generally gravitate towards the parts of the locale where the women are, and that is usually the bar area, which never is on stage

[Lax]

I've never been stolen on a gig, but each of my guitar made a ground meeting one time...Friends or anonymous misplacing it back on the stand or else...

The worse one was a drunk tourist that got on stage at the minute we were not looking during a break and he dropped my JP6...
First I wanted to kill him, but he was completely drunk and happily the guitar didn't show trouble.

But since, I never leave stage, even if I have to eat my sandwich or piss there

[Calaveras]

You should see Switzerland man, it's the most beautiful and perfect place I have ever been. Everyone is friendly and you would be lucky to find a single person who owns a gun....

I was under the impression that everyone in Switzerland had to onw a gun as part of their national guard reserves or something. Don't they have compulsory service there like in Israel?

Meanwhile back in the US. I remember when I first played in NYC. I was completely freaked out. That place was a lot sketchier back in the 80's-90's. It's changed a lot. Last couple times I have been out there I was shocked, SHOCKED at how nice New Yorkers are.
Here in Oakland people assume everyone else is packing heat. So they talk, drive and act accordingly.
I keep my heat at home. Not worth getting busted and what am I gonna do? get in a shootout? over a bass?

[oli@bass]

I was under the impression that everyone in Switzerland had to onw a gun as part of their national guard reserves or something. Don't they have compulsory service there like in Israel?

Correct. However, we're not allowed to carry guns in public, and generally are not allowed to carry hand guns except with a special permit.

As for thieves: We struggle them with bare hands right at the scene of crime...

[ivbenaplayin]

Generally this is not a problem for me, or us as a band. I guess we don't have an audience interested in instruments and such, because between sets I have yet to see one of the audience on stage. They generally gravitate towards the parts of the locale where the women are, and that is usually the bar area, which never is on stage

Not much problem with people on stage around our gigs either. They'd get their ass kicked in short order by the bouncers! My band also has some airport-style retract-a-fence (I have no idea what it's really called...) that we put around the front and sides of the stage. It couldn't keep my 9 year old daughter out if it wanted to, but most people respect the fact that it's there for a reason.