Stolen gear story you gotta read!

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 24 Mar 2005 10:48 am

I bought my son his first bass guitar when he was in Junior High. He is now 25 years old and has worked himself into a position as a well known, and even sought after, bass player in the Minneapolis area. He saved and sacrificed in order to build his equipment. He owns a beautiful Fender P-Bass with a custom pearl white finish and a 600 watt Ashdown amp. For those not familiar, the Ashdown is a British made tube amp with tone to die for.

Two weeks ago he was on his way home from band practice and stopped for a brief errand. Usually he will put his gear in the trunk but this time he left it in the back seat of the car. He was away from the car for only eight minutes. During that time some jerk smashed his back window and made off with his guitar and amp. He had serial numbers and filed all of the necessary police reports. He visited all of the area music stores and pawn shops and left a description of his gear.

Now the rest of the story...

It turns out that there is a ring of instrument thieves working the Minneapolis area. The police were looking for the one piece of evidence to bust these jerks. My son got a call from the police today and was informed that last night, during a raid on this gang, they recovered all of his gear. Since his gear was so rare and he had all of the documentation, it turned out to be the piece of evidence that the police really needed to bust these guys. Because of the critical nature of the evidence, and the scope of the gang, the City of Minneapolis is even going to pay for his smashed car window. As a result of his diligence many musicians have a good chance of getting their gear back and these jerks are going to jail for a long time.

Let this be a lesson to all of us. Write down your serial numbers and even take photos of your gear. You never know when it might be unprotected for eight minutes.

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Country Music - (kun'tree myoo'zik) n. - Three chords and the
--------- truth.

Johnny Baldwin · Post by **Johnny Baldwin** » 24 Mar 2005 11:36 am

Yipee.... Chalk one up for the good guys. Please thank your son for helping to take those creeps off the streets.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 24 Mar 2005 12:15 pm

Good for him!!!!!!! Thank you Don for sharing the story, it's always good to hear a happy ending.

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 24 Mar 2005 1:37 pm

YES!!!

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 24 Mar 2005 6:39 pm

great

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"Promat"
~when tone matters~
http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne2/PROMAT.html

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 24 Mar 2005 7:16 pm

Getting gear back is great and even better when they bust the thieves.

About 10 years ago my son had about 2 grand in gear ripped off from his car parked in our driveway. The police came over and dusted it, but to no avail. The thieves got away clean.

Fortunately my homeowners policy covered the loss, but not the loss of innocence. We are both more carefull as the result.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 25 Mar 2005 3:07 am

excellent

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 25 Mar 2005 4:46 am

Hey Don, glad to hear he got his stuff back, a lot of times that just doesn't happen. I've never written down serial numbers or anything before in my life but I just got remarried to a sensible girl last June and since then she's taken photos of all my guitars, amps, effects boards, or whatever and recorded serial numbers on the back of the photos. They're also on a disc should the photos get lost or anything. Congratulations on having a son who plays music and is good at it. I have 4 children and none of 'em ever took to playing. It sure must be nice....JH in Va.

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 25 Mar 2005 5:33 am

Jerry - Yes, the police told him that it only happens about 5% of the time. He's a great kid and, though I don't always agree with his choice of music, I am very proud of his love for music and playing.

Don

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Country Music - (kun'tree myoo'zik) n. - Three chords and the
--------- truth.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 25 Mar 2005 9:23 am

Thanks, Don for letting us in on the happy ending. Stolen equipment is such a heartbreak.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Tony Susen · Post by **Tony Susen** » 25 Mar 2005 11:45 am

A great and happy ending! Stealing the tools of a man's trade is one of the lowest acts imaginable.

Mark Lind-Hanson · Post by **Mark Lind-Hanson** » 25 Mar 2005 2:51 pm

And I would certainly second THAT.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 25 Mar 2005 2:56 pm

Thanks for the story and thanks for the reminder of the importance of documenting and marking our gear.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jon Light on 25 March 2005 at 02:58 PM.]</p></FONT>

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 26 Mar 2005 2:12 pm

And you want to go to New Mexico?.....What is wrong with you.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 26 Mar 2005 2:43 pm

Jail is too good for these bastards. They should tie them up in the back room of the local guitar store and let every musician in town be alone with them for 5 minutes.

Here in L.A. I think every single guitarist I have ever spoken to about the subject, without exception, has been the victim of theft at one time or another.

My instrument room is now protected by 4 security doors, 6 high tech locks, 2 alarms, (one of which is silent but calls both the police and a private armed security service) and a 75 pound pit bull.

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So many guitars, so little time....

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 26 Mar 2005 3:31 pm

Roger - Are you THE Roger Miller. Did ya really try to rollerskate in a buffalo herd?

Yeah, I REALLY do miss the west.

Thanks for all of the comments. Do write down those serial numbers. I've actually had three guitars stolen. Also a tuner that was stolen by a band mate when he left the band. He headed for TN and I was in WY before I discovered the theft.

Don

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Country Music - (kun'tree myoo'zik) n. - Three chords and the
--------- truth.