pro guitar thief

[Verne Bunsen]

It’s very fashionable these days to treat criminals as poor victims of a system that just isn’t fair (which is to say that daddy did not buy them an Oompa Loompa) while treating the victims of their crimes as instigators and oppressors; to diminish the immoral acts of one group by focusing on and loudly demonizing the legitimate actions of another. And it’s effective: just look at how quickly this thread was diverted from discussing the criminal actions of a pair of thieves to defending the right of a business to make a profit. Cognitive dissonance and doublespeak abound. I hope the shop gets its guitar back and the criminals face penalties.

 

[TBurst Std]

It’s very fashionable these days to treat criminals as poor victims of a system that just isn’t fair (which is to say that daddy did not buy them an Oompa Loompa) while treating the victims of their crimes as instigators and oppressors; to diminish the immoral acts of one group by focusing on and loudly demonizing the legitimate actions of another. And it’s effective: just look at how quickly this thread was diverted from discussing the criminal actions of a pair of thieves to defending the right of a business to make a profit. Cognitive dissonance and doublespeak abound. I hope the shop gets its guitar back and the criminals face penalties.

Excellent point. Maybe the MSRP of that guitar is so high as to offset thieves? Shrinkage is always a consideration when pricing a good/service.

 

[Cagey]

I would think high MSRPs would encourage thieves (they wanna steal as much as possible with as little work as possible), but that's neither here nor there and misses VB's point. The criminals need to be hunted down and crippled, dragged back home, and fed to the very hungry pit bulls out back. Just for starters. Of course, that still doesn't make the victims whole, but it might make them feel slightly better.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I would think high MSRPs would encourage thieves (they wanna steal as much as possible with as little work as possible), but that's neither here nor there and misses VB's point. The criminals need to be hunted down and crippled, dragged back home, and fed to the very hungry pit bulls out back. Just for starters. Of course, that still doesn't make the victims whole, but it might make them feel slightly better.

At a minimum, it gets the dogs fed while reducing the thieving population.

 

[Wizard of Wailing]

    I have no problem with a company charging whatever it wants, I just won't buy their product.  I remember on 9/11 there was a local Iowa based gas station chain that raised prices to $4.00 a gallon.  I didn't care, I just haven't given them a single dime since 9/11 and I never will.  My wife says I need to let it go, but I'm stubborn about certain things.

 

[Zhaezzy]

    Did they steal it for themselves. Because unloading a hot guitar for even close to that would be extremely difficult. While it is impossible to think of a guitar that is worth 11k to me in the end I feel bad for the proprietors of the store that where it is sold and will there be an insurance claim etc all the hassle they have to go through and the loss that they will take.

 

[amon]

You can always tell when something is priced wrong. It won't sell.

As people who try to sell PRS guitars on the used market find out.  As Peavey, Washburn, Schecter, et al, found out.  And as Gibson is finding out in a spectacularly hard fashion.

 

[aarontunes]

    Did they steal it for themselves. Because unloading a hot guitar for even close to that would be extremely difficult. While it is impossible to think of a guitar that is worth 11k to me in the end I feel bad for the proprietors of the store that where it is sold and will there be an insurance claim etc all the hassle they have to go through and the loss that they will take.

I was thinking the same thing. With a guitar that expensive, it becomes "not a question of how to steal the king's trumpet, but where to blow it."


I hope they are caught, prosecuted, and incarcerated. The odds are slim.

 

[amon]

I hope the shop gets its guitar back and the criminals face penalties.

As do I.

 

[amon]

I have no problem with a company charging whatever it wants, I just won't buy their product.

The only problem with regard to guitars is that there are often patent and trademark issues in play.  Gibson won't make a good Flying V, but they'll sue anyone else who does.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I have no problem with a company charging whatever it wants, I just won't buy their product.

The only problem with regard to guitars is that there are often patent and trademark issues in play.  Gibson won't make a good Flying V, but they'll sue anyone else who does.

But, if someone comes out with a "Y" guitar, all bets are off, because Gibby trademarked the "V". 
To me, the "Y" seems far more accurate in  appearance anyway, I mean, it appears Gibson forgot to add the neck into the image trademark. :sign13:

 

[Wizard of Wailing]

    Speaking of the Flynig V I have no idea how anyone can play one unless you're standing up.  Gibsons and I have never gotten along.  I've always found most of Gibson's guitars to be the worst ergonomically designed guitars for me (YMMV).  It turned me off from them at an early age and I become a Fender guy from the beginning. It also helped that I started playing guitar in 1989 when it seemed like every guitar at the stores were some sort of Soloist or Strat type bodied beast with Camo or Zubaz pattern.  Les Pauls and SGs just looked like old man guitars to me in 1989.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I've never had an issue with the V, I lock the lower wing between my legs like Schenker as I have for 35 years, and I still do it with the TFS6 that I've played for 21+ years.

 

[Hendrix]

    Did they steal it for themselves. Because unloading a hot guitar for even close to that would be extremely difficult. While it is impossible to think of a guitar that is worth 11k to me in the end I feel bad for the proprietors of the store that where it is sold and will there be an insurance claim etc all the hassle they have to go through and the loss that they will take.

I was thinking the same thing. With a guitar that expensive, it becomes "not a question of how to steal the king's trumpet, but where to blow it."


I hope they are caught, prosecuted, and incarcerated. The odds are slim.

Usually, some black market "dealer " or some gray market pawnshop will take it at maybe 10%~ 20%  then sell it for 20% ~40% market price.

that why thief tries to get as expensive as possible item.

 

[stratamania]

Theft is of course theft and it is reprehensible however you look at it.

A legitimate business selling things at a price higher than you think they ought to be when you are not obligated to buy is not the same thing.

In the guitar market where there are guitars available at all sorts of price points, you make your choice, based on whatever factors you believe are important to you. And, of course on what you can afford.

 

[Seamas]

The guitar was priced at £11K, but I am sure that if you gave the owner an offer of £9.5 K s/he might let you go home with it.
The fact that that model will sell for that much is proof enough of its value, and no red-herring discussions of Gibson or copyright will change that. If you like Gibson's design of the flying V you should either buy one and "fix" whatever you don't like about it, or have a luthier make you one. Is the fact that Fender and other makers will license their designs to other makers cool? sure, but it is STILL within their copyright to decide.
As some who works in the creative field I am always amazed at how cavalier people are about OTHER people's creativity and paycheck. You like the design, pay for it.

 

[musicispeace]

The thieves should be caught and prosecuted and the value of the stolen object may or may not raise the crime to the level of a felony. It likely would in this country. I can't stand thieves. What I have seen in my area with regard to either highly appraised vintage guitars or coffee tables like high end PRS guitars is that they are under lock and key and if you want to get your hands upon it you get a hovering employee as well. Hopefully the vendor in this case gets insurance and goes a little further in oversight.

All that said, I remain appalled that guitars are priced as they are and that is what lead me to the parts guitar world. I gave up playing for years and years. I went from seeing a Les Paul or Strat on the wall for $800 new to seeing them for thousands.

I am aware it is solely my opinion for myself what I think about that or what I think about "custom shop" type guitars. I don't pretend to project that opinion onto someone else's buying decision. I'm happy with the path I have selected. You can say (correctly) that if someone wishes to pay 11K pounds for a guitar that it has that value to them but I do not believe any guitar is "worth" 11K pounds or that any yesteryear Les Paul is "worth" $175,000. Many players/musicians are still not wealthy nor do they have a tech worker's salary. To each their own, of course.

 

[Seamas]

A good saxophone will cost you more than most of the "expensive" guitars out there (other than the rare vintages, etc).
https://www.saxquest.com/store/category/new-saxes-C7/manufacturer/135

The stock Strats and Les Pauls in the stores today aren't any more expensive than they were in 1959 once you adjust for inflation.

A Flame top  Les Paul would cost about $375 in 1959.
In today's dollars that is $3,219.71

 

[mayfly]

+1.  A basic pro level trombone will cost you about ten grand.  This is for a basic one.  a nice one goes up from there.

And if you think that vintage Gibsons are outrageous, then you should check out what a vintage Cremona Amati violin goes for.

We guitarists have things very good - especially with respect to the cost of gear.

 

[Logrinn]

Steinway or Bösendorfer concert grand pianos ... Nuff said. To afford one of those you need to sell both your house in the city and the one in the Hamptons ...

And by the way - check out this sunburst Steinway :icon_jokercolor: