Gotta question of you....(stolen equipment?)

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Playing in public for more than sixty years, the only equipment I've ever had stolen was the loss of a Rickenbacher Bakelite and matching Ric Amp, misc. personal affects..........the result of a thieving ex-wife, The EVIL PRINCESS of DARKNESS. Ooops, I forget when my Datsun 280Z was stolen along with my Pack-Seat and all related equipment therein.

Over the years I've heard of many equipment thefts from cars, trailers, etc.

I feel I've been exceptionally lucky.

How about YOU? Ever suffered a music equipment loss?

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Ray, that's happened to me twice in my musical career........

The first time was in the late sixties or early seventies and I got a call from a bass player friend of mine (Lloyd Carlson) who was working with a band in SoCal called Amil & Hallie Presson & the Presstones at a club called the Avalon Room. One Tuesday night, Amil was sick so they needed a lead guitarist. When I went in the club with my guitar, Lloyd told me I could just use Amil's amp if I wanted to so I said OK and left mine in the car. At that time I had one of the old Standel all tube combos which had a 15" JBL and an input on both ends of the faceplate. I used a Y-Cord with it like a lot of players did in those days. I had an old station wagon and had it standing up in the floorboard between the front and back seats. When the gig was over, I went out to my car and the amp was gone! I loved that amp and later bought another one but it didn't sound the same.......

The next (and last) incident came around 1979 or 1980. I took a job as steel guitarist in a club in Stanton, Calif. called Shire's on Beach Blvd. The club had a new owner and we played a few months until he decided to close for two weeks for remodeling. When we re-opened, we worked Tuesday and Wednesday nights with everything OK. I got a call during the day on Thursday that the club had been broken into sometime in the night! The bass player and guitar player both left their instruments on the bandstand as did I. When I got there I found out that the bass amp & guitar, the lead guitar & amp, most of the drums, and my steel amp were stolen. I had a Randall Commander II amp at the time in which I'd recently installed a 15" ElectroVoice speaker. What was amazing was my steel guitar was still there along with my pack seat. I also had a small guitar stand against the rear leg of my steel on which I had a Kay electric mandolin. The only thing of mine that was missing besides the amp was the cord going from my volume pedal to the amp. They also broke open the cigarette machines and took all the coins from them. The guys used to rag me about being in on the deal because they left my steel. I always told them the crooks probably didn't know what in the hell it was so they left it alone.........Oh well, I've never left an instrument on stage after that........JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I've played with guys that routinely stopped at Denny's Restaurant for a burger befor their night time drive home. One station wagon was completely cleaned out while they were eating inside, just feet away.

THAT's why, I started buying vans. "Out of sight, out of mind".

Has anyone had their gear stolen off of a bandstand?Most bartenders say it's okay to leave your gear set up from Friday Night until Saturday night, typical weekend performances.

Unfortunately, their insurance company claims manager will deny coverage for 'musicians'.

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

My Wright 4-necked Custom, Fender Amp, Bigsby Foot Pedal were all burned up around 1960 when the Jubilee Ballroom in Baldwin Park, Ca. burned down after the Friday night dance was over. We all left our instruments on the Bandstand for Saturday night.
I heard there were some suspicious circumstances about this fire. Was playing there with Johnny and Joanie Mosby.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I had my 1958 Flying V and my white Showman Amp stolen in Milwaukee, along with my Crossover. If I had the V today,,,,, I'd sell it and move away from Ohio!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I'd been playing with the KANE ROAD COWBOYs for several months and we'd been playing Fri/Sat nights at the upstairs dance facility in Carlton, OR. Great floor, fine people that loved to dance and two stories straight up.

I left the band.....and a couple of weeks later while ensconced (sp?) in front of the television with remote held firmly in my hand, I clicked onto the new channel and saw a raging, 2nd floor fire and as I gazed at the scene, I recognized the bandstand thro' the smoke and flame.

That's how lucky I've been! WHEW.........

Mickey Adams · From: Bandera Texas

Decatur AL 1979, I went to audition for Beau Monday's band...The Steel Player in the band was none other than Julian Tharpe...I got the gig, but decided to use the amp that was onstage...Car window smashed and lost a brand new Twin Reverb...
_________________
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders!

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

I had a banjo stolen from a club in New Jersey in 1980.
Guess I was lucky. Smile

It didn't feel that way at the time.

Randy Kohrs and his band were ripped off Big Time this past weekend. Please see my post at
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1432662#1432662

Some of his reos guitars are worth more than Franklin PSGs.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

When I was at the Claremore College "Hank Thompson School of Country Music," our college country band came home from a gig late on night. Most of our gear was in my Dodge window van. I parked right outside of the dorm, under a street light. During the night, somebody pried open a side window, unlocked the side doors, and stole some guitars, mikes, a bass and an amplifier. My steel and amp were way in the back, and didn't get ripped... They twisted the handle off the rear door trying to get it open. Sorry, no good, dirty rotten lowdown *@#@**#s! The local cops investigated but nothing was ever recovered. This happened in the fall of 1975. I've been real careful of my gear ever since.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I've been lucky to have never been ripped off. I have left equipment in the car many times, but never if it is visible. In the past few years, I have left my Carter, NV400, Pak-a-Seat, and accessory bag in the back of my PT Cruiser for a week at a time. The car has an adjustable shelf in the very back that all the stuff fits under and hides it from view. I don't do it any more though.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Have been lucky [so far] The only thing I've had stolen was a guitar case,Sometime in the 60's had bought a Fender Mustang,Was playing an EM club at Fort Benning Ga.,Someone stole my case while I was on stage,The sax player lost a little more,They stole his horn case,it had two Selmer mouth pieces in it. DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

A inside job that I still can't solve. Back about 81-81, I had a 58 Fender Strat, (perfect condition), in its tweed case, under my bed. I do not play lead, so the guitar was like new. One day my wife asked me what I did with the Fender. I said it was under our bed. She said noooooooo. I'm frantic now. I checked all my other instruments, and all there except the Fender, and a fiddle I got for $20. I questioned the 2 kids, and got no response. They were both in high school at the time. The son said "I didn't take it", but as the years went on,he had friends over the house a few times the wife and I were gone for a few hours. As the value of that Strat goes up, all I can do is boil inside. I can just think it was boosted, and sold for a case of beer, or bag of pot. Still sick over it.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Dennis Coelho · From: Wyoming, USA

In the mid 70's I was teaching in large music store in Indiana, and also doing their string instrument repair. I used the same room for both, workbench on one side. During the week I usually left my Martin guitar, along with my Gibson banjo and mandolin, along the wall by the repairs so I could reach them during lessons. One night, someone backed a rented van up to the back of the store and cleaned out everything except the grand pianos. Some one had come into my studio / repair shop but I guess the mess scared them away. They took nothing, just scattered some music around. After that, I took my stuff home every night.

Forum Index > Steel Players		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: