Anti-theft "device" for ukulele?

what about something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Techko-S184S-...d=1360691338&sr=1-2&keywords=hotel+door+alarm

Beau Hannam Ukuleles said:

The Snagg.com products have one flaw.

I presumed the Snagg.com products would have a GPS in them. They don't seem to...

This system is based on the hope that one day the item will turn up to someone who has a scanner and the wits to use it.

Might be a decent selling point though. But i wonder what those scanners can 'scan' through, 4mm of ebony??? I doubt it.

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They're RFID chips - if they're like most such devices then typically the scanners will read them reliably at around 2" - and it doesn't make much difference whether it's ebony or tissue paper - as long as it's not metalic (you wouldn't want to bury them under shielding paint in an electric guitar, for example).

John

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

The bad news is that they boast a recovery rate of 35%! Is that a number worthy of boasting about? It's not very comforting.

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Verses a recovery rate of nearly zero for unprotected musical instruments? The recovery rate should get better with time, also. It's fairly new technology right now, and depends on pawn shops and the like buying and using scanners. A few communities around the country have passed laws that require pawn shops and even music retailers to proactively reduce the amount of stolen merchandise on their shelves by taking "reasonable" measures to ensure that they are not receiving stolen property. I think within ten years you'll see RFID scanners in most pawn shops and major music retailers - they're cheap insurance for those businesses where community law enforcement holds their feet to the fire.

Of course, something like a custom Moore Bettah is distinctive enough it's easy to identify without the chip and the chances of a Moore Bettah ending up in a pawn shop are slim. In fact, stealing one would be pretty stupid - you'd never dare display it in public at any festival, use it on a video, etc. because sooner or later somebody who knows it's stolen is going to call you out.

John

BTW, many people make sure their expensive instruments are insured. Yours may already be covered under your existing homeowners policy. Talk to your agent.

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Ahhh...I suspect for most folks with Moore Bettah ukes the monetary loss would be the least concern - I'm not rich but I know if I had one I could scrape together the funds to replace it...the bigger upset would be knowing that "my baby" had been violated and that I'd have to wait for a new one. Arghhh! (Not that getting the money back from insurance wouldn't be better than nothing, of course!)

The devices that read the information from chips in animals and library books are RFID scanners. If it'll read through several mills of dog meat, it'll read through wood.

Rick Turner said:

I leave my stuff around at the festivals I go to, and I've never had a problem. Telluride, MerleFest, Strawberry, Wine Country Uke Festival...no problem...ukes, guitars, etc., and I often have $15,000.00 to $25,000.00 worth of instruments on hand.

BTW, the old scam in New York used to be to steal the instrument and leave the case. All looked fine until you'd pick up the case and find it much lighter than it should be.

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Ouch! And with ukes you could actually get home without ever noticing because hard cases are probably four or five times heavier than the nice ukes in them... Scary. Note to self...open all your cases for a peek before leaving an event!

John

hoosierhiver said:

Putting a GPS device in the case is another idea.

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There's an idea, just lock your iphone with GPS and the "find me" feature turned on in the case with uke, then use your 4G iPad to track its location... And if you're searching for the perp on the festival grounds you can dial your phone and listen for it to ring...

The other funny New York story...perhaps urban legend...was to compact and gift wrap your garbage and leave it in the nice brown paper bags with handles the back of your ( mistakenly... ) unlocked car. Guaranteed gone by 5:00 AM...

Joe Veillette used to laminate aluminum foil serial numbers into his solid body guitars. The instrument could be X rayed for identification.

Rick Turner said:

The other funny New York story...perhaps urban legend...was to compact and gift wrap your garbage and leave it in the nice brown paper bags with handles the back of your ( mistakenly... ) unlocked car. Guaranteed gone by 5:00 AM...

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Not just urban legend. I remember a couple of decades ago hearing about this on the national news - it was during a long garbage strike in NYC and some folks were actually doing this.

Thank you Rick. I was starting to think there was something wrong with me. I don't have an outrageously expensive case and I sometimes leave my ukulele under a table at ukulele venues. Yes, I have a Moore Bettah. It is fully insured for the price. No, if stolen it can never be completely duplicated. But on the other hand, if it gets stolen no one will dare take it anywhere because its the only one in the world of that design. I am watchful. I don't let people take it out of my sight. But I find ukulele venues to be pretty safe. Maybe my stupidity there? I don't know. Beside, unless you know me, how would you know that my case has a awesome ukulele in it?

I find the folkie/ukie crowd to be pretty honest, and I'm just not going to waste a lot of the precious years I have left on this planet worrying too much. Each of my instruments is fairly unique; I have records of serial numbers; and there are few enough of them in existence that IDing one is not too hard. That would be even more true of Chuck's gorgeous creations. Make sure you have good photos; send copies of the photos to your insurance agent. Beyond that, if you're really worried, get a beater uke to take to festivals. My beater is an abalone purfled high figure flame koa. If someone steals it, I'll build another after prayers to Pele to consume the thief...

Rick Turner said:

I find the folkie/ukie crowd to be pretty honest, and I'm just not going to waste a lot of the precious years I have left on this planet worrying too much. Each of my instruments is fairly unique; I have records of serial numbers; and there are few enough of them in existence that IDing one is not too hard. That would be even more true of Chuck's gorgeous creations. Make sure you have good photos; send copies of the photos to your insurance agent. Beyond that, if you're really worried, get a beater uke to take to festivals. My beater is an abalone purfled high figure flame koa. If someone steals it, I'll build another after prayers to Pele to consume the thief...

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But . . . but . . . what about the mahogany neck story?!! That's not replaceable.





. . . and when you want to let your beater go, you have my number

Back around 1969 my 1960 Gibson LG-1 was stolen from the back of my VW . It still pisses me off. It was a great guitar. It was my fault for leaving it unattended. I would not leave anything unattended anymore, I just don't trust people, I'd like to ,..... but I know I can't.. It has been many years and I still kick myself for leaving it in the car.

Couldn't you just cable tie it to a banjo?

wconley said:

Couldn't you just cable tie it to a banjo?

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BWAAAA-HAAAAA!

I'm sure you know definition of perfect pitch...

When you pitch an accordian into the dumpster and it hits a banjo...

John

Okay, some great ideas (and laughs) here. So all know, I emailed my friendly State Farm Insurance agent as soon as I arrived back at the condo after getting this ukulele from Chuck. I've carried a musical instruments rider on my homeowners policy for years (son had a guitar stolen when our home was broken in to; never did get the guitar back but the funds helped him to find a replacement). Despite the policy, I'd rather not go through the drama/pain of loss of such a nice ukulele that just "feels" like it was meant for me from the moment that its koa was first milled.

And, yes, I like ukulele folks a whole lot; I often say that I've only met one ukulele player I didn't like (and I know a lot of others who don't like him either, so I'm not alone!)--but that doesn't mean I don't feel like I shouldn't use due diligence if I'm at a festival. It's not fair (or smart) to call temptation up where it doesn't need to be so I'm gonna be careful--but not unreasonable. I can't wait to share this lovely instrument with folks; I find many folks don't get the chance to see/hold/play (no belt buckles, please!) a "nicer" instrument and if I can share, all the better for getting them to think about the possibility of one for themselves (and all the better for the great luthiers out there).

I've attended upwards of 25 ukulele festivals as a participant but this is my first when I'm going to have an exhibitor's booth (*not* for the Moore Bettah ukulele!) and I was simply concerned about keeping a (gentle) hand on the case (with uke inside it!) when I was busy with other things.

Thank you, didgeridoo2, for the backpack case offer--I'm not near LA and the festival's in Reno. I think I'll get one of those door stopper "squealers" (double use, you know) and perhaps use the bike cable, too. But I've also got my eye out for a really BIG "Mahalo Uke" sticker

In the meantime, if anyone here wants to see my Moore Bettah at the Reno festival, just look for me! But make sure I disengage the squealer before I grab the case!

I think it's wise of you to be vigilant Tonya. Most of the ukulele folks (except for one, must be the same person!) I've run into are honest and loving people. A trait that just seems to go along with playing the instrument. Still, I recall hearing of an "incident" at last year's Reno festival.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

I think it's wise of you to be vigilant Tonya. Most of the ukulele folks (except for one, must be the same person!) I've run into are honest and loving people. A trait that just seems to go along with playing the instrument. Still, I recall hearing of an "incident" at last year's Reno festival.

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Chuck- did you ever get your money from that dude ("TC") in the UK??? I remember you posting a warning about him with his initials. http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...8-Tis-the-season-to-rip-off&highlight=warning

Didn't Johnny Cash shoot someone in Reno just to see him die?!

Beau Hannam Ukuleles said:

Chuck- did you ever get your money from that dude ("TC") in the UK??? I remember you posting a warning about him with his initials. http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...8-Tis-the-season-to-rip-off&highlight=warning

Didn't Johnny Cash shoot someone in Reno just to see him die?!

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Yeah, that was the incident I was referring to. Maybe it was further back than last year. I seem to remember the perpetrator was some boy named Sue.

Re the rip off I suffered. I'd forgotten about that. Some things are best forgotten. I rarely look backward.

You Know Tanya and all,
I was wondering if someone can develop a alarm like the tags in clothing stores...when you get outside the perimeter it goes off...just install a chip inside the uke and carry a car alarm remote
Even a tracking chip hidden inside would be nice too.....

Pukulele Pete said:

Back around 1969 my 1960 Gibson LG-1 was stolen from the back of my VW . It still pisses me off. It was a great guitar. It was my fault for leaving it unattended. I would not leave anything unattended anymore, I just don't trust people, I'd like to ,..... but I know I can't.. It has been many years and I still kick myself for leaving it in the car.

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wconley said:

Couldn't you just cable tie it to a banjo?

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I have a friend who left a banjo in the car while grocery shopping.
When he came out, a rear window was shattered and there were 5 banjos on the back seat.