Load ins

[Bilbo]

Having seen someone else lose their gear, I just thought it may be useful to discuss how we manage load ins/outs to avoid thefts.

Personally, I never leave an guitar unattended. Amps, yes, because, my reasoning is that, if someone tries to steal my amp (Eden Metro), they are unlikely to be able to get it out of my car and into another vehicle quickly or without being seen. They will also be unable to push it down the street without being seen or without making a LOT of noise. A bass guitar can be taken easily and quickly. If I get to the venue first, I wait until someone else arrives before I start unloading so one of you can watch the gear whilst the other loads in/out.

A double bass is another thing that is hard (but not impossible) to get away with so I would leave that in the car before a bass guitar.

But, in short, gear should never be left in a car for any length of time without someone watching it. Nothing is foolproof (my only loss was an amp/cab taken from a car with someone from the band SAT in it)...

And always keep your eyes open for dubious characters watching you load in/out. And for credible people to watch your stuff for you (door security etc).

If in doubt. Stay with the gear. 100%.

[Ou7shined]

We always try to keep someone with the gear too when we go away from home, whether it be band members or the WAGs.

[geilerbass]

A very sensible post.

I have a very similar approach, to the extent that I often irritate my band mates with how anal I am about leaving a vehicle unattended when it's full of our not in-expensive equipment. Maybe they're just not as paranoid as me, but there's no way I'd every leave instruments in vehicle overnight, despite their suggestion to "just park it so the back doors are up against a wall". That's really asking for it, in my opinion...

With load-ins, it's the same - a vehicle should never be left un-attended with gear in, for any amount of time. Like Bilbo, I'll stay with the car or van until someone else (preferably in the band or someone we know) can come and start un-loading gear.

I'm also often reluctant to leave our gear lying around in a venue. Unless I'm confident that there's a proper secure area, or reliable individual keeping an eye on it, I'm not comfortable leaving my stuff anywhere. If I'm heading out for food or something between soundcheck and performance, I'll often take my bass with me, just to be sure.

It can be a bit of a drag, but I'd rather the inconvenience, to the hassle of having to either replace something that has been pinched or trying to convince an insurance company to give me the money to do so.

[matski]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='873335' date='Jun 21 2010, 11:28 AM']Nothing is foolproof (my only loss was an amp/cab taken from a car with someone from the band SAT in it)...[/quote]

?????

Was this bandmate of yours deaf and blind...?

[wotnwhy]

indeedy, always always ALWAYS have someone standing at the back of the van, when the next person comes out with equipment the other can go up and get some. It's simple and effective and gives you 30 seconds to catch breath when loading/unloading

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='matski' post='873360' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:00 PM']?????

Was this bandmate of yours deaf and blind...?

[/quote]
I'll bet it was the singer, too busy yapping to chicks or folk from other bands to help with loading and unloading.
We had a singer that used to chuck his mic in the back of the van (if he hadn't forgotten it) and say "right lads that's my gear in" and he'd disappear to off to mingle.

[chriswilliams666]

We are pretty regimented with our approach to load-ins and outs. Basically we all get there at the same time (doesn't always happen i know) But we unload one car at a time whoever owns the car/gear generally stays with the vehicle until its time to move on to the next car.

But remember gear can be stolen inside the venue too, so never leave that un-attended either!

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='873368' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:07 PM']I'll bet it was the singer, too busy yapping to chicks or folk from other bands to help with loading and unloading.
We had a singer that used to chuck his mic in the back of the van (if he hadn't forgotten it) and say "right lads that's my gear in" and he'd disappear to off to mingle. [/quote]

[richrips]

And use Peavey Gear!

The guy i got my 115BX Black widow from said he was selling because their rehearsal space got robbed and the only thing the thieves left was the Peavey!

Good advice from the OP that many learn the hard way.

Rich

[fatback]

Good advice indeed. Never underestimate the sheer brazen neck of thieves. They'll be in and out before you've turned around.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='matski' post='873360' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:00 PM']?????

Was this bandmate of yours deaf and blind...?

[/quote]

Saxophonist - dozed off (late night gig) and when he heard the boot opening and the sound of talking, he thought it was us checking something out. By the time he figured all was not well and started to get out of the car, they had lifted the GK MB150 and SWR 2x10 cab out and were running off towards a car with a driver in it. We made chase but lost them. Police called but they were as much use as a mule's d*** (just gave me a crime number - ignoring the fact that the thieves had been seen on CCTV at the service station we were parked). 15 years ago so old news.

[hubrad]

Good post Bilbo, can't be too careful!

I'm known as the nut who takes his DB into the curry house after the gig.

[jezzaboy]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='873368' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:07 PM']I'll bet it was the singer, too busy yapping to chicks or folk from other bands to help with loading and unloading.
We had a singer that used to chuck his mic in the back of the van (if he hadn't forgotten it) and say "right lads that's my gear in" and he'd disappear to off to mingle. [/quote]


That`s uncanny! Our singer does exactly the same thing only he calls it "networking". What it really is, is chatting up the birds. Ugly ones at that.

Jez

[Linus27]

We used to always have one person unloading the van and waiting by it whilst the other band members got the gear and took it into the venue. The reverse for leaving. One band member would load the van and stay with the van and the rest carry out to the van. We have never ever had any equipment go missing that way.

We did however have somebody try and steal our cases during a gig as we played. I saw them doing it and droped my bass mid song and chased after them through the venue and caught up with them outside. The rest of the band caught up to find me roughing the guy up a bit.

I have stolen a few bands riders in the past but only to the bands that were w***ers

[essexbasscat]

I've known thieves to start a fight at the opposite end of a pub during the band's break. While everybody turned around to watch the commotion, the third thief walked off with a guitar.

It was organised for sure, as the fight was over too quickly and the pair involved were seen running off together after the guitar was lifted.

Be careful out there !

T

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='wotnwhy' post='873361' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:02 PM']indeedy, always always ALWAYS have someone standing at the back of the van, when the next person comes out with equipment the other can go up and get some. It's simple and effective and gives you 30 seconds to catch breath when loading/unloading[/quote]

That's what we do, the only bass I have had stolen was from a workshop when it was being worked on and as most of you know I got that back last week after years of looking.

[EssentialTension]

I'm always wanting to watch the gear and will never leave stuff in a vehicle unattended. Rest of the band think I'm paranoid even though one of them had an amp and cab nicked from a vehicle.

[mep]

We all arrive in the van and keep a good flow going so there is always someone keeping an eye on the van & someone in the venue.

Some good points have been raised in this thread that are worth remembering.

The only time I had some stuff nicked was from our flat. Our flat mte took us dowm the local pub to celebrate getting aj ob and when we cam back the back door had been kicked in and my bass and my mates guitars and pedal were taken. No luck with the cops. We suspected our flat mate of being in on it as the thieves were some well known local speedfreaks that he knew, but we couldn't prove anything. It took me ages to get another decent bass after that. Of course I was young and didn't have contents insurance.

Another time our Duo set up in a pub, soundchecked and went back home. We came back to the pub and our guitars weren't there. The landlord had secured them behind the bar and told us we were luck no to have had them nicked. When we started our set I noticed our monitors didn't work as some joker had pulled out a cable!

[The_D]

[quote name='richrips' post='873436' date='Jun 21 2010, 01:19 PM']And use Peavey Gear!

The guy i got my 115BX Black widow from said he was selling because their rehearsal space got robbed and the only thing the thieves left was the Peavey!

Good advice from the OP that many learn the hard way.

Rich[/quote]

That doesnt surprise me. The only thing I will leave unattended (for a matter of minutes at a time btw) is my Peavey 4x10. Me and the band have all agreed that if someone manages to lift it and get away before any of us notice then the dude has earned it

[Mr. Foxen]

I had a backup guitar (I took a backup for the guitarist's guitar, since he is a numpty) go missing during a gig on my own street (so I was carrying my gear from the House of Bass), was fairly sure someone had chucked it over the back wall. Turned out, after a bunch of asking around if people had seen anything instead of post gig drinking, the singer had decided to be a funny guy and slung it in the van with the drums.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Being as I usually travel solo, I never leave the car with gear in it - If I'm unloading in several trips, I'll [u]ALWAYS[/u] lock and alarm the car between trips. If I'm at a venue for more than one evening, I always pack down and take everything home, rather than leave anything to be lifted overnight.

[johnnylager]

Deter amp thieves by buying a Peavey Combo 300. If they do chore it, you can catch up with them at the local hospitals back pain clinic.

[Stu-khag]

[quote name='chriswilliams666' post='873400' date='Jun 21 2010, 12:49 PM']But remember gear can be stolen inside the venue too, so never leave that un-attended either![/quote]

My old band managed to gain an extra guitar at a gig in London a few years back. We'd played and then loaded all the gear in the van. Our sound man stayed in it as he wanted to sleep. We went back in and cue the headliners frantically looking for fender strat in a soft case. Thankfully we had stayed to watch them as they were a nice bunch and we liked their music.Christ knows what would have happened if we had gone home with it! So its not just thieves but half cut musicians who really should know better about how many guitars they have!