Sound Beach Music

Takamine EG340DLX

The latest installment of our (mostly) monthly web video series!

Another angle of that awesome premium RG from yesterday

New Ibanez Premium RG

A look inside the shop

The store front.

Reflection of one drum in another

View through a drum kit.

Vintage Silvertone Guitar. The case has a built in tube amp!

Back in March, I played a show.

The whole band had a great time. There was a great crowd - a lot more people than we ever expected. Once we finished our set, we started breaking down all the gear and bringing it out to our cars.

This is where the night turned bad. In a matter of mere minutes, someone managed to walk off with my 60th Anniversary American Fender P-Bass and about $600 worth of rack gear.

Now, here’s where I look like a total idiot. I didn’t realize that my bass was M.I.A until two days later when we all showed up at our practice studio. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Hey, who grabbed my bass?
Singer: Not me!
Drummer: Not me!
Guitarist: Not me!
Me: *Graphic expletives*

Now, before I go any further, I should note that I still have not yet recovered my instrument. However, this article (I hope) will serve as a guide for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Step One: Call The Police.

Call the police. You can call your local precinct, but will most likely be met with an answering machine. You can leave a message and they will call you back. Another route would be to call 9-1-1. If you decide to take this route, it is imperative that the first thing you say when they pick up is that you are calling in regards to a non-emergency. Once you tell them that, make sure you mention the estimated value of the item that has been stolen. If it’s over $1,000 (like in my situation) it is considered grand larceny. They will dispatch an officer to wherever you are at their earliest convenience.

Once the officer arrives, have a couple things handy. Have the serial number of the instrument, a list of any defining characteristics (chips, cracks, carvings, etc.), and if possible - The original invoice. The officer will put in a report and a detective will call you in a few days. In the meantime, he’ll ask you to fill out a form for all the local pawn shops. They will request the serial number and a description of all the items stolen. Send this out ASAP. Pawn shops are required to hold all instruments for 21 days before they go out for sale. They WILL check against a police database to see if they are stolen.

Step Two: Call the place your stuff was stolen from.

Even if they broke into your car, call the local businesses around where your car was parked. You never know who’s sporting a new state-of-the-art surveillance system. If there are tapes that target the area where your item was stolen, the police can seize the footage and use it for the investigation. Then, you can post the picture on Facebook or Tumblr. Make a meme out of it! He can be internet famous like ridiculously photogenic guy. Maybe you can call him “Ridiculously photogenic thief who stole my bass guy.” Ok, it needs some work, but the concept is solid.

Step Three: Check Craigslist and eBay.

Check Craigslist and eBay. Tell your mom, dad, sister, brother, best friend, estranged aunt, and dog to check Craigslist and eBay. It may not pop up right away. This doesn’t mean it won’t. There’s a rule to selling stolen gear that some more savvy thieves subscribe to: Wait a month. By then, they may have a false sense of security. They probably figure that the heat has died down and your incessant checking of classifieds has mellowed. But they never anticipated that you’re not only relentless, but maybe a little crazy. Ok, maybe you’re not, but I sure as hell am.

Epilogue: An ounce of prevention…

Is worth 27 pounds of whatever or something. Seriously though, there are steps you can take to prevent your instrument from being stolen, or make the blow less harsh if it is stolen.

First of all, never turn down help from friends when packing up after a show. If you’re anything like me, you want them to hang out and have a good time. From now on, my friends will be put to work getting as much of our stuff out to the cars as possible, or at least making one of them stand guard while we load-out.

Also, keep a list of all your instruments. Brand, model, and serial number are all super important to the investigators trying to find your instrument, and can be helpful to the insurance company as well should you decide to file a claim.

Homeowners or renters insurance WILL cover your missing instrument. There may be a $500 (more or less) deductible, but that hurts less than having to pay for a new one completely out of pocket. There are insurance plans you can get for your instruments, none of which I have invested in yet, but might be worth a look.

In the mean time, keep an eye on your instruments at all times. Don’t be like me and take it for granted that you’ve played x-hundred shows without a scare. It can happen to anyone at any time, so just be careful.

Also, if you should come across my missing bass, call the store at 631-476-3850. Here’s the details:

Fender 60th Anniversary American P-Bass (Pictured)
SN:Z5048XXX(last few digits unknown)
Stolen with silver Fender 60th anniversary hard shell case
Also Stolen: SKB Molded Plastic 4 space rack. In the rack was a power conditioner, Rack Lights, and a Korg rack tuner