the story of my stolen D55s

[jgmaute]

To answer West's question about my D55s.

The first one was a gift from my husband on our son's first Christmas (1974) not only did he go the extra mile to buy me a new guitar when I was taking a year leave, but he checked with my friend to see what to buy, where to buy it, and made me a beautiful macrame strap for it. (The strap was very wide and distributed the weight of the guitar nicely. It was made of a really nice cord with a shine to it and required LOTS of little knots.) The D55 had Barcus Barry hot dots (quite an innovation at the time, which, btw didn't work very well) and I loved the guitar, it had a much bigger sound than my NewYorker and seemed to ring forever. At that time I started playing my 12 string less and would take my D55 to gigs and used the NewYorker mostly for school, the studio home playing, and writing.

In 1977 someone entered our house and stole my D55. When we did the police report an interesting scenerio evolved...our house had an atrium in the middle, we had left the sliding doors open from the atrium to the halls to get fresh air in the house. Since we had a flat roof and the previous owners had an antenna tower, the theory was that the thief/thieves climbed up the tower, went across the roof, dropped into the atrium, then went into the house. As it happens my Mom, who had a key, stopped by the house. When she walked in she heard a noise toward the back of the house and found the back sliding door open. We didn't realize the guitar was missing until after we got home. The theory is that Mom interrupted the robbery and the thief/thieves just grabbed a guitar and went out the back. (All my guitars were in the same place in their cases.) I can tell you it was a very creepy feeling that someone had been in our house, that Mom came in and fortunately scared the robber(s) away but could have been harmed, and someone knew there was more where that guitar came from. This was the final straw, something had been taken from one of our cars, something was stolen from our porch, then this. We installed more security on the house, always left it with everything locked and closed. We moved within a year. (We'd been planning on moving before our son started school, this just gave us a bit of a jump start on that move.) I bought a new D55 (without hot dots) and was amazed that it sounded just as good at the one that had been stolen. The guitar strap could not be replaced and my husband wasn't up for making another. (He'd given one to my friend for helping him get and surprise me with the guitar; she still has it and has offered to give it to me but since she is still using it I've declined the generous offer.)

Fast forward to 1983. By then I'd done my master's thesis where I wrote songs to teach about alternative energy (The Alternative Energy Suite, still available and being purchased all the time as a digital download on SongsForTeaching.com) and had added educational singer/songwriter to the many hats I wore. I had a great gig in Boston for some national ed conference. I checked my guitar but the guitar and my bag went on an earlier plane. When I got to Boston my bag was there but not my guitar. After I was over the initial shock and no longer felt like throwing up, I filed a claim and borrowed a guitar to do my presentation. I then purchased my 1983 D55 and once again the sound was wonderful...I have to say the consistency with those three guitars was amazing.

Gee Wes...aren't you glad you asked? I can tell you that every time I see a '77 or '83 D55 NT on ebay or anywhere else I try to figure out if it might be mine. If you care to join in the hunt, the serial numbers are: 162414 and DE-101208.

and now you know...no more stolen guitars...and my '83 still sounds and play great, it's been 26 years, time sure flies fast when you're playin' doesn't it? joan

 

[geoguy]

Wow . . . unfortunately, those thieves had remarkably good taste.

I had an earth science instrument (worth roughly $36,000) stolen from a work truck near Chicago a few years ago. I remember actually shaking for a few minutes after I discovered the theft . . . very upsetting. And that thief likely never knew what he took, nor could he sell it. It has also never turned up. A complete waste of time for both him & me.

- Mark

 

[jgmaute]

Wow . . . unfortunately, those thieves had remarkably good taste.

I had an earth science instrument (worth roughly $36,000) stolen from a work truck near Chicago a few years ago. I remember actually shaking for a few minutes after I discovered the theft . . . very upsetting. And that thief likely never knew what he took, nor could he sell it. It has also never turned up. A complete waste of time for both him & me.

- Mark

I think the first one was taken because it was the biggest case, actually the Martin and my f-312 are both Brazilian so probably would have been better takes...I have always thought the fact that I had my D55 in a Guild case (I think it had a badge on it that said Guild) help it attract a thief...but the thought of a thief stealing something so valuable from you...then probably jut pitching it somewhere because it wasn't that cool stereo or other electronics and wasn't worth anything on the hot market...like you said, what a waste...

 

[West R Lee]

Joan,

I'm so sorry I made you rehash those old bad memories, I just couldn't believe the horrible luck. It is pretty incredible that they left A Brazilian guitar, obviously not knowing the difference.......or being in one heck of a hurry.

Nothing chaps me like a thief, and though I'm sure it's water under the bridge for you by now, there is at least one website on which you can list stolen guitars. I sometimes check the site against guitars listed on ebay and Craigslist. You never know, there was a story on our local news several months ago of an old Martin stolen 40 years ago and finally returned to it's rightful owner. The registry presently has well over 500 guitars listed.

http://www.stolenguitarregistry.com/

West

 

[kyguild]

I just have no respect for a thief, guitar or otherwise. A guy broke into my house once, and one of the neighbors spotted him going in through the window. When he started out of the house through the basement door, he was staring at a cop with a shotgun. Two hours later he gave himself up the the public defender (who he was on a first-name-basis with, by the way).

Fast forward 10 years, same guy breaks into a chinese restaurant in the middle of the night, but he was so drunk he fell asleep under a table. Owners opened up the door the next morning, and the cops woke him up to take him to jail.

Fast forward another 10 years, he finally did himself in with a drug overdose. Had the greatest obit you ever read, sounded like a pillar of the community.....

 

[West R Lee]

I just have no respect for a thief, guitar or otherwise. A guy broke into my house once, and one of the neighbors spotted him going in through the window. When he started out of the house through the basement door, he was staring at a cop with a shotgun. Two hours later he gave himself up the the public defender (who he was on a first-name-basis with, by the way).

Fast forward 10 years, same guy breaks into a chinese restaurant in the middle of the night, but he was so drunk he fell asleep under a table. Owners opened up the door the next morning, and the cops woke him up to take him to jail.

Fast forward another 10 years, he finally did himself in with a drug overdose. Had the greatest obit you ever read, sounded like a pillar of the community.....

Probably stole the drugs. Some folks are just better off gone, and Lord knows the world is! May sound heartless, but folks work very hard for what they have, I've got no sympathy. And in Joan's case, not just her first D55, but a gift from her husband........just can't be replaced.

:twisted: Texas is one of the few states in which you can shoot a burgler in retreat.

West

 

[markus]

:twisted: Texas is one of the few states in which you can shoot a burgler in retreat.

Sorry West, but commenting any shooting on anyone with smileys seems very inappropriate to me.
Markus

 

[cjd-player]

:twisted: Texas is one of the few states in which you can shoot a burgler in retreat.

Sorry West, but commenting any shooting on anyone with smileys seems very inappropriate to me.
Markus

Markus, I agreee.
You don't shoot them with smileys ...
you use bullets.

And a thief who breaks into your home and steals your property deserves to be shot.
Most are stealing just to get money to support other criminal activity, such as drug use.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

 

[stclrob]

Worst feeling I ever had was when my Les Paul was stolen in 2005. Insurance company did replace it, but this one just isn't the same. Grot's justice seems fitting.

 

[taabru45]

Like taking your kid.....you never forget, or easily forgive.....Steffan

 

[fronobulax]

Joan,

Thanks for sharing. Sad story but so much of this community is telling and sharing stories.

Markus,

Without getting into a discussion of the morality or ethics of firearms, in most U.S. states the laws are different when using deadly force in self-defense compared to in defense of property. The "joke" in Virginia is that if you do shoot a burgler you need to drag the body into the house before you call the police because it is much easier to claim self-defense if the burgler is in the house. In that context I think the smilies were meant to acknowledge the difference in Texas laws rather than to make light of the use of deadly force.

Everyone,

My one experience with theft was a thief who broke into my apartment and grabbed some electronics many years ago. He was caught the next day trying to pawn the stolen goods. What I remember is the fact that what he actually took was relatively worthless and harder to fence than what he could have taken. (JS, Starfire and amp were in a room he apparently never visited, for example). I was also impressed because the police kept the recovered property for at least 6 months "as evidence". In a way I would have been better off if it had not been recovered because the insurance settlement would have gotten a replacement in my home at least 5 months sooner.

 

[West R Lee]

:twisted: Texas is one of the few states in which you can shoot a burgler in retreat.

Sorry West, but commenting any shooting on anyone with smileys seems very inappropriate to me.
Markus

Then I would certainly suggest he not break into my house or damage my property......fact is though, that when I actually shot him, I probably wouldn't be smiling! :wink:

West

 

[dreadnut]

In the Navy, especially aboard ship, thieves who were caught typically "fell down a ladder" on the way to being turned over to the ship's M.P.'s. :wink:

Some low-lifes stole my Epiphone 12-String and my Hohner 64-key Chrominica out of the barracks. When I inquired about what recourse I might have, the Barracks Master at Arms said "Son, if they'd wanted you to have a guitar, they'da issued you one!"

So much for that. I didn't get another guitar until after I was out of the Navy for awhile. That's when I bought my D-25M

 

[plaidseason]

For a country with huge percentage of people who consider themselves Christians, we are a pretty violent bunch.

I've had stuff stolen and each time I've wanted the thief to be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But never once have I wished to physically harm or kill them.

-Chris

 

[West R Lee]

For a country with huge percentage of people who consider themselves Christians, we are a pretty violent bunch.

I've had stuff stolen and each time I've wanted the thief to be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But never once have I wished to physically harm or kill them.

-Chris

I pray for theives almost everyday Plaid, but there comes a time in which you need to defend yourself and your property. In the real life example in which Joan gave for instance......when the burgler climbed onto the roof and enters her home through an unlocked atrium door. What if Joan had been home at the time? Comes a time when you can't pray them off your property....and things can happen very fast. I can give many other examples. We love our families and value our property, those things are worth whatever it takes to protect them. Left alone, I personally think we're a very peaceful bunch. For a violent bunch, check out the Middle East.

West

 

[plaidseason]

For a country with huge percentage of people who consider themselves Christians, we are a pretty violent bunch.

I've had stuff stolen and each time I've wanted the thief to be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But never once have I wished to physically harm or kill them.

-Chris

I pray for theives almost everyday Plaid, but there comes a time in which you need to defend yourself and your property. In the real life example in which Joan gave for instance......when the burgler climbed onto the roof and enters her home through an unlocked atrium door. What if Joan had been home at the time? Comes a time when you can't pray them off your property....and things can happen very fast. I can give many other examples. We love our families and value our property, those things are worth whatever it takes to protect them. Left alone, I personally think we're a very peaceful bunch. For a violent bunch, check out the Middle East.

West

I'll stay away from the Middle East debate. That's a pretty big can of worms.

I do agree with your "things can happen very fast" argument - I share common friends/aquaintences with two families who were killed in home invasions and both stories are about as nightmarish as anything I've ever seen/heard.

I'm just not impressed with the sort of callous, or at least casual, humor and comments like "Texas is one of the few states in which you can shoot a burgler in retreat."

Would I defend my family by any means necessary? YES

Would I shoot a guy who was running out of my house with one of my guitars? Not a chance.

-Chris

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Would I shoot a guy who was running out of my house with one of my guitars? Not a chance.
-Chris

I'd aim for the back of his knees. That way he would just drop the guitar!

(Uh-oh, shooting and smilies again )

 

[fronobulax]

Would I shoot a guy who was running out of my house with one of my guitars? Not a chance.
-Chris

I'd aim for the back of his knees. That way he would just drop the guitar!

(Uh-oh, shooting and smilies again )

Grot - you'd never get the chance. The poor guy would still be inside looking at the stack of cases and paralyzed with indecision trying to pick an armfull.

 

[cjd-player]

Grot - you'd never get the chance. The poor guy would still be inside looking at the stack of cases and paralyzed with indecision trying to pick an armfull.

Brilliant, Frono !!

You've really nailed it:
The best way to prevent guitar theft is to have so many that the thief will be unable to decide which to take.

I'm gonna tell my wife right now. :mrgreen: