5 Great Ways to Protect Your Instrument

photograph identifiers
Claire Cunningham
By Claire Cunningham
Thursday, June 6th 2013

​For those of us who rely on instruments to make our music, the idea of having those babies disappear is pretty painful. Even so, instrument theft is fairly common. The photo above shows the identifying sticker for my recently acquired banjolele - which is a kind of replacement for a ukulele that was stolen about two weeks ago. As excited as I am to learn to play Final Countdown on banjolele, I will miss my sweet Ohana, and hope it lands withGeartrack Logo someone who will take better care of it than I did. A bit of balm was provided by discovering GearTrack, whose aim is to make a dent in theft and aid in the recovery of stolen gear - both with their online registration and stolen alert network, but also with the power of knowledge. Here are some tips rom GearTrack to help protect your instruments. I would recommend you go do these things right now if you have not already!

​Document

Take the time to write down all your instruments’ makes, models and serial numbers. While you're at it, take clear photos of any distinguishing marks, scratches or modifications. (If you don’t have a serial number, these specs will be the key to the kingdom.) Store the info in a safe place away from the instruments. GearTrack is a great way to lock this data up safe in the cloud, available anytime & anywhere if you need it.

Gig Smart

We see a lot of theft stories about instruments getting swiped before and after gigs, when you might be distracted by loading in your pyrotechnic rig or maybe talking to the hottie that was making eyes at you from the front row.

  • Keep your eyes on the ball (or the guitar or the bass) at all times.
  • Don't let fans help with load-in/out.
  • Don't leave gear in your car outside the club while you drink your hard-earned PBR.
  • Put your locked trailer in a well-lit spot, in front of the club, and check in on it from time to time.

Get Wise About Your Home/Garage Studio

As one of our cop friends likes to say, your garage might be a great place to get loud, but anyone with half-a-brain and a motivation to steal will know that you're more than likely leaving your gear vulnerable. Make sure you put your instruments and gear back in their cases, don't leave them out after rehearsing, and double check your security on your doors, windows, etc. And while that wall of guitars sure looks nice, please make sure you have your curtains closed so that any-old passerby can't see those babies.

Insure, Insure, Insure!

Instrument insurance won't get your one-of-a-kind instrument back in your hands, but it will make sure you can find the next best thing without missing a beat. Don't assume that Homeowners or Renters Insurance will cover your instrument loss. Read all the fine print of your policy and ask your agent. Consider instrument insurance if you play gigs for money, travel with your ax, or have high value gear.

On The Road? Keep It Handy.

Airports, train stations, taxicabs and hotels are great places for instrument thieves. Be very aware when you set down your case. Try to avoid checking your instrument. The FAA has been pondering new regulations that may allow you to carry on one instrument - Take a look.

track your gear
Image via Gear-Track.com

Tags:

Loading cart contents...
Load contents