Protecting your RIC from theft
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rickenbrother
- RRF Moderator
- Posts: 13194
- Joined: Sun May 26, 2002 5:00 am
Joshua, I've been through a home break-in with a house I used to rent in the mid-90's. My cherished 1982 4001S JG wasn't stolen because it was in its case in the lowest level of the house tucked away either in the bathroom or a back room. Same goes for my 1965 Hagstrom F400 I've had since I was 18 or 19.
The ******** hit the living room and master bedroom grabbing electronics, my high school ring (which wasn't worth anything), watches, VCR's, etc.
If I'd had my Ric bass out on a stand near the areas they went through it would have been looong gone.
They came in through the front door using a wrecking bar or crow bar, which is the easiest thing to do. Once inside they try and be fast and hit the "money" rooms.
Ever since then, I've re-inforced front doors (one thing to do is long deck screws in the deadbolt striker plate) and I continue to store my musical instruments in the basement in their cases. I just got lazy and wasn't using my lamp timers on a cold winter night (Friday). A radio on a lamp timer also is helpful.
It isn't foolproof I know, but it worked once. I was really lucky, as my computer and main stereo system were also on the lowest level. I also liked the fact that they stole an old Sony CD player from my bedroom that didn't work anyway.
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy - not that I have many. I had dreams for a long time and still go through a house locking ritual where I double check more than I used to.
The ******** hit the living room and master bedroom grabbing electronics, my high school ring (which wasn't worth anything), watches, VCR's, etc.
If I'd had my Ric bass out on a stand near the areas they went through it would have been looong gone.
They came in through the front door using a wrecking bar or crow bar, which is the easiest thing to do. Once inside they try and be fast and hit the "money" rooms.
Ever since then, I've re-inforced front doors (one thing to do is long deck screws in the deadbolt striker plate) and I continue to store my musical instruments in the basement in their cases. I just got lazy and wasn't using my lamp timers on a cold winter night (Friday). A radio on a lamp timer also is helpful.
It isn't foolproof I know, but it worked once. I was really lucky, as my computer and main stereo system were also on the lowest level. I also liked the fact that they stole an old Sony CD player from my bedroom that didn't work anyway.
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy - not that I have many. I had dreams for a long time and still go through a house locking ritual where I double check more than I used to.
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect." Vince Lombardi
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gray
I very rarely leave my basses anywhere, and at a gig they never leave my sight or my side, unless I know for a fact it's safe. After a gig, even if there's another band, the bass stays with me. If that's a problem with someone, fine with me, I'm out the door and on my way. I'd rather be on the road anyhow.
Furthermore, I won't play anywhere so seedy that I have to handcuff the case to my wrist or something like that. There's no point in playing a place like that. They don't pay well, if at all, you're more likely to run into trouble and nobody you'd like to hear your band is going to see you somewhere they're nervous about parking their car. So my advice is to choose well the places you play and book shows with other bands you know and trust. If you feel like it's a bad situation, it probably is.
But all the advice in this thread is good.
Furthermore, I won't play anywhere so seedy that I have to handcuff the case to my wrist or something like that. There's no point in playing a place like that. They don't pay well, if at all, you're more likely to run into trouble and nobody you'd like to hear your band is going to see you somewhere they're nervous about parking their car. So my advice is to choose well the places you play and book shows with other bands you know and trust. If you feel like it's a bad situation, it probably is.
But all the advice in this thread is good.
Our band played the CMJ festival in NYC in 1998...we took our axes, but rented amps and drums (in advance, by phone) from a store there.
The system worked great (for us, anyway)...every piece of gear in the city was rented that night, all in half-hour increments with time allotted to whisk it to the next venue. Picture the citywide 'cartage' going on for days...
Of course, immediately before and after our set we were standing on the sidewalk outside minding all these amps that weren't ours, and me standing there with a Rick in a case. Now, I'm not a heat packer, but I recall thinking once or twice that it might be nice to have an uzi...
The system worked great (for us, anyway)...every piece of gear in the city was rented that night, all in half-hour increments with time allotted to whisk it to the next venue. Picture the citywide 'cartage' going on for days...
Of course, immediately before and after our set we were standing on the sidewalk outside minding all these amps that weren't ours, and me standing there with a Rick in a case. Now, I'm not a heat packer, but I recall thinking once or twice that it might be nice to have an uzi...
I didn't get where I am today by being on time...
Dane, when I was in high school my 1970 Dodge Charger was stolen. A friend of mine found it before the police. It was wrapped around a tree in Golden Gate Park. My school books were still inside. i know it's not the same as your gear, but it was finals week. FYI: I wasn't actually in high school in 1970, in case anyone was wondering.
LET THE WORLD KNOW YOU WANT PAUL TO BRING BACK THE 4001. JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP!! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147641915268984
I just noticed the RIC does not offer an installed LoJack option in their latest catalog. If more Rick guitars and basses had a GPS-equipped LoJack module inside, there would be less stolen Rickenbackers! 
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and sit in with the band whenever you can, to keep your chops up!
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atomic_punk
- Senior Member
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lyle_from_minneapolis
- Advanced Member
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- Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:13 pm
Here is where I hide my music:
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman
But Kevin, think of the sweet quantity discounts you would enjoy on all those LoJack modules you'd be buying for all the toys!
And for Steve and JA, the Rick is made from wood, and wood is transparent to radio waves, so it could be placed in the control cavity, or any other part of the wood that you wanted and that your imagination could envision! Few thieves would even suspect anything amiss until the cops arrived and snapped the handcuffs on (and then brought our Ricks right back to us!). These newest GPS LoJack things are smaller than half a RAZR cell phone these days...
All of us (except Keith Richards!) could stop worrying about that infrequent but devastating future burglary that would rob us of the very embodiment of our dreams, our Ricks!
Looks like Keith doesn't need anyone's help....
(OK, so I am extreme about this bit, but remember, I lost my beloved March 1971 21-fretter that I bought new as a teenager in New Orleans in April 1971, to a home burglary Sept 4th 1987, and to this day I still have not gotten over the loss of my "baby")
And for Steve and JA, the Rick is made from wood, and wood is transparent to radio waves, so it could be placed in the control cavity, or any other part of the wood that you wanted and that your imagination could envision! Few thieves would even suspect anything amiss until the cops arrived and snapped the handcuffs on (and then brought our Ricks right back to us!). These newest GPS LoJack things are smaller than half a RAZR cell phone these days...
All of us (except Keith Richards!) could stop worrying about that infrequent but devastating future burglary that would rob us of the very embodiment of our dreams, our Ricks!
Looks like Keith doesn't need anyone's help....
(OK, so I am extreme about this bit, but remember, I lost my beloved March 1971 21-fretter that I bought new as a teenager in New Orleans in April 1971, to a home burglary Sept 4th 1987, and to this day I still have not gotten over the loss of my "baby")
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and sit in with the band whenever you can, to keep your chops up!