Lozz196 Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 4 hours ago, casapete said: A while ago there was a spate of band’s vans being broken into at Travelodges. Easy pickings if they don’t have alarms / security locks etc, as all the thieves have to do is watch the van being loaded up at the venue and then follow it to the hotel. Because the vans arrive so late there, more than likely the only parking spaces left aren’t near the reception area too, making it easier for the theft to go undetected. Be careful out there folks. This was happening when I was in my last band. The others used to whine a bit at having to carry guitars etc into hotels at 1 or 2am but to me anyone watching the vans getting loaded then parking up would see this and not bother breaking in for bags of merch. And given the numbers of bands that lost gear compared to us that lost none I`d say it worked. As you say Pete, be careful out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 2 hours ago, Lozz196 said: This was happening when I was in my last band. The others used to whine a bit at having to carry guitars etc into hotels at 1 or 2am but to me anyone watching the vans getting loaded then parking up would see this and not bother breaking in for bags of merch. And given the numbers of bands that lost gear compared to us that lost none I`d say it worked. As you say Pete, be careful out there. I always took my bass in to the hotels after gigs, no exceptions. Actually, after I had a hotel room cleaner come into my room one morning ( uninvited I might add! ), I used to jam my bass case against the door handle to prevent any further incidents. 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 That doesn't fill me with confidence. So the van is secure, but third parties just swipe my card details with a man-in-the-middle attack and buy themselves a load of brand new gear instead. 😲 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 8 minutes ago, Richard R said: That doesn't fill me with confidence. So the van is secure, but third parties just swipe my card details with a man-in-the-middle attack and buy themselves a load of brand new gear instead. 😲 Apologies, I honestly didn’t know. Will amend my post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 I’ve often stay on in hotels after gigs. My advice to hang them out of the window (like a guitar wall hanger) when you’re not in the room, that way they’re out of sight of the staff. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 It might be worthwhile putting an apple airtag (or similar device) in the gigbag/case. Alternatively if you've not fully shielded the bass's control cavity with slug tape an airtag might also work in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 Yep I’ve done that, good call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 1 hour ago, Boodang said: I’ve often stay on in hotels after gigs. My advice to hang them out of the window (like a guitar wall hanger) when you’re not in the room, that way they’re out of sight of the staff. Seriously? They are clearly visible to anyone passing by, and will get soaked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 13 minutes ago, Richard R said: Seriously? They are clearly visible to anyone passing by, and will get soaked. I thought it was satire... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 20 minutes ago, neepheid said: I thought it was satire... He was clearly being a pane! 🪟 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 26 minutes ago, neepheid said: I thought it was satire... Probably, yes. I'm too tired and missed the joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Richard R said: Seriously? They are clearly visible to anyone passing by, and will get soaked. … the rain, coupled with the scraping against the wall, gives your basses a free relic treatment which is much cheaper than Fender charge. I did this to an American strat recently, it rained so much and the relic effect was so good that I sold it at auction for nearly a million dollars to an Irish museum. Edited November 11 by Boodang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 Neither option is without risk, but even discarding the risk of theft, most instruments would prefer being left indoors without too many temperature fluctuations. I'd never leave an instrument in a car for any length of time for this reason, insurance companies get a bit shirty when you leave valuable stuff in an unattended vehicle too, but a hotel room is looked upon more favourably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted November 11 Share Posted November 11 I’ve heard more horror stories of guitars going missing from cars and trailers than hotel rooms. Even on busy streets in broad daylight. Amps too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 Unless you really want your room cleared while you're there, leaving the "do not disturb"/"do not clean" hanger on the door means that nobody will (should) go in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 On 10/11/2024 at 08:41, casapete said: Because you’re staying in the same room for a couple of nights, from my experience of Premier Inns it is unlikely any staff will be entering it to tidy / make the bed etc until you check out. Obviously leaving your basses unattended anywhere does involve a certain amount of risk, but I’d still go with the hotel over leaving them in a vehicle. Put them upright in the wardrobe section, behind some clothes if possible and leave the ‘do not disturb’ notice on the door handle. Leave the TV on too, just loud enough for anyone in the corridor to think there’s someone in the room. I think you would then be extremely unlikely to have any problems. If, for any reason, you do decide to leave your bass in the car, make sure to leave the engine running and the radio on so that any would-be thief thinks that you are still in the car. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 1 hour ago, Crusoe said: If, for any reason, you do decide to leave your bass in the car, make sure to leave the engine running and the radio on so that any would-be thief thinks that you are still in the car. Did you read the thread? Much safer to sleep in the car and have the bass in the room. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 49 minutes ago, BassTractor said: Did you read the thread? Much safer to sleep in the car and have the bass in the room. But then you risk getting kidnapped rather than losing a guitar... these thieves stop at nothing! Probably the best is to sleep hanging from the window, with your guitar. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwillett Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I've used many Premier Inns for work across the UK. Never worried once about leaving laptops and other equipment in the rooms. A lot of the time, it was my own laptop or two, not sure I've ever given it much of a thought. Slightly more concerned about work ones as plod gets involved as they are HO property. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I just used to shove my guitar in it’s gigbag under the mattress and leave it there while I was out, whether in the UK or not. Same with laptops or anything of value. Looking back it was possibly a daft strategy but I never had anything nicked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 (edited) 41 minutes ago, meterman said: I just used to shove my guitar in it’s gigbag under the mattress and leave it there while I was out, whether in the UK or not. Same with laptops or anything of value. Looking back it was possibly a daft strategy but I never had anything nicked. Edited November 13 by Dad3353 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 On 11/11/2024 at 23:38, msb said: I’ve heard more horror stories of guitars going missing from cars and trailers than hotel rooms. Even on busy streets in broad daylight. Amps too. A guy in Belfast had an expensive acoustic guitar stolen from his car, in broad daylight, not too long ago. it's just not worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 31 minutes ago, Dad3353 said: Thanks for the help Dad, you know I never learned much edumacation at skool. Its' a wonder I know how to speak any Engerlish let alone any French 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 Just now, meterman said: Thanks for the help Dad, you know I never learned much edumacation at skool. Its' a wonder I know how to speak any Engerlish let alone any French 👍 It's indeed a wonder..! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 26 minutes ago, Crusoe said: A guy in Belfast had an expensive acoustic guitar stolen from his car, in broad daylight, not too long ago. it's just not worth it. I had an early 70's Fender Twin nicked from the boot of my band mates car during a 9am load in to a studio back in the 1990s. Yes, I was super annoyed but also amazed that anyone could break into the back of a locked estate car and carry off an amp that to (younger and skinnier) me, weighed a flipping ton. I was only away from the car for 4 or 5 minutes at most. This was in Teesside though. Different rules apply in Port Clarence 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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