The focus of this month’s article was supposed to be something truly useful and important, like an in-depth look at the impact of Lycra pants on sweep arpeggio speed; or, perhaps the potential risks of singing wistfully around a campfire at a folk festival (these risks include the accidental attraction of amorous Yetis or Sasquatches and/or unfortunate humans that bear a striking resemblance to these hairy and elusive lovers of folk music).  Yet, following the theft of a 12-string Guild JF65 from our store on Saturday, August 18^th, I am impelled to delve into a more mundane topic in my ongoing effort to combat the forces of evil as your friendly neighborhood guitar slinger.
First of all, I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for your support in the wake of this brazen theft of a beautiful Guild.  The amount of social media support definitely helped spread the word and ultimately got the attention of our local Fox affiliate, who ran a primetime story about the theft.  Between the news media , social media attention, and the diligence of the police, we are very hopeful that the suspect will be apprehended.  Some of this would not have happened without the efforts of those within our community of friends and customers, so thank you once again!
Theft is something that almost everyone has to deal with at some point in life, and it stinks!   While having someone relieve you of a possession that you’ve worked hard to earn (or make) is obviously a frustration of the highest order, there is something particularly distressing about losing an instrument.  Folks tend to forge a very intimate connection with their instruments, such that stealing a person’s instrument is a transgression roughly equivalent to kidnapping!  Obviously, there are no guarantees in life, nor is there any sure way to deter a criminal who has set their mind to the task of committing a given crime.  But you can take some precautions that will mitigate the risks and aid you should you have ever be the victim of a theft. 
I routinely find myself discussing insurance with customers.  While there is plenty of shady and completely useless insurance to be had in this day and age, certain forms of insurance are actually pretty worthwhile, and I would argue that insurance for personal items like instruments falls into the worthwhile category.  Many customers choose to list their instruments on a homeowner’s insurance rider, which is a perfectly acceptable approach.   However, I’m always quick to recommend that folks look into policies from companies that specialize in musical instrument insurance—the two principal companies are Heritage (a division of Hartford) and Clarion.  Though I’ve seen improvements in the coverage of some homeowner’s or renter’s policies, it has been my experience that musical instrument insurance policies are typically more comprehensive and less expensive.  Moreover, I find that musical instrument insurers are more familiar with the instruments themselves and the risks associated with normal use.  As a result, the musical instrument insurers often seem to put up less of a fuss in the event of a claim. (One customer recently reported that Clarion not only covered his damaged PRS, which had not been officially added to his policy but was within a 30-day grace period after the purchase, but they also covered the packing and shipping costs to send the guitar back to the manufacturer for restoration!).  I’ve also found that these specialized insurers may not be as quick to require formal appraisals and/or letters of value—although one should expect to provide formal appraisals for any instrument of considerable value (i.e., $5000+).
Regardless of whether or not you choose to insure your instruments, having an appraisal or some itemized list of your instruments is highly recommended.  I have received a number of calls over the years from distraught customers who ask us to look out for their recently-stolen guitar(s).  Yet, I’m often surprised to learn that the victim has no record of the guitar’s serial number or model, which essentially means there is little we can do to help!  Letters of value for individual instruments typically cost around $50-70 per instrument, depending on who you are dealing with (presently we charge $50).  Not all stores offer itemized appraisals, but these are a good option if you have an extensive collection or if your collection is comprised of instruments that are moderate in value (i.e., less than $5000 each).  These itemized appraisals are usually more cursory, being comprised of only a brief list of specifications for each instrument, along with its respective model number, serial number, date of manufacture, and value.  In the case of any appraisal, it is important to distinguish between replacement cost and fair used market value, the former being the higher figure.  Much like a low-mileage car that is pampered, it could be very difficult to find a comparable replacement for a mint condition or rare/vintage guitar.  Thus, it makes a good deal of sense to insure such instruments at full replacement cost.  However, less expensive instruments, or those that can be readily found on the used market, should probably be insured at market value, as this will translate to a lower premium.   At the minimum, you should create a list or spreadsheet that details your instruments and that includes their serial numbers, original purchase price, and any salient descriptors.  I also recommend keeping a file with this and copies of all original receipts.  It is also very easy these days to line up your inventory and take a short video or a series of photos with your phone—this can readily be backed up virtually or on a thumb drive kept in a safe place.  In the case of an appraisal or simple do-it-yourself inventory, it is a good practice to update values every 2-3 years.
In the unfortunate event that you are a victim of a “guitarnapping,” you should immediately report the matter to the police (duh!).  There is also a national stolen guitar registry, where you list the details of both the instrument and the theft: stolenguitarregistry.com.  And, as we’ve recently learned, taking to social media and notifying various online communities (e.g., popular forums) can yield real results.  You should also notify the popular online sales platforms and then keep an eye on listings.  It is difficult for them to be proactive about identifying a listing for stolen items; but, should you find your stolen baby listed, you will have more to work with if you can demonstrate a paper trail linked to your report that the item was stolen.  Finally, be sure to contact your local music stores.  Some thieves are smart enough to go outside city limits or cross state lines to dispose of stolen items, but some are stupid or lazy enough to simply go to another dealer to sell the stolen goods.   In any of these situations, you will be glad to have a detailed list of your instruments!
All in all, my family and I have been pretty lucky over the years, in that our losses due to theft are a good bit less than most retailers.  Yet, we’ve certainly dealt with enough theft that I’ve adopted the attitude that it is pretty much unavoidable.  Of course, I’d be the first to say that one shouldn’t go through life paranoid with respect to theft (or death for that matter, but that’s a whole different article!).   Simple common sense is probably the most powerful protective measure:  don’t leave a guitar visible in a parked car or unattended; lock up the instrument if you live with irresponsible or shady people or if you’re staying in a hotel (I often take a cable bike lock); don’t broadcast what you own to strangers, people working at your home, or friends of friends; etc.  Otherwise, I strongly encourage you to track and insure anything that would be truly painful to lose.  It is true that you can never replace something as personal and unique as a beloved musical instrument, but a little insurance money or having the information to help track down a thieving bastard will certainly go a long way towards making you feel better!  - L. Petsch,  September 2018