Has anyone ever microchipped their guitar/amp/bass/other piece of equipment? Does a register exist?

Haych

Not that I do Facebook much but when I do I often see shared posts about stolen gear, sometimes whole touring bands have the van and all their equipment nicked outside a hotel or some venue while they're packing up.

I've seen microchips and associated registers for all sorts of stuff, but bicycles and other high value gear are a big target market for such things.

Does a similar product/service/register exist for guitars and other musical instruments?  Is it a feasible idea to microchip a guitar, practically I mean - where could you conceal a chip where a scumbag thief couldn't find and extract it?

I've often thought that a dedicated registry of microchipped musical instruments would be a good idea.  

Has it been done, is it available or should I start one?  Is there enough interest to make it viable (assuming it's not already done)?

It might make high value gear less appealing to steal, make insurance premiums cheaper and possibly reunite stolen guitars and other instruments with their rightful owners.  It would also make buying a guitar etc less of a minefield, i.e. the seller would have paperwork to prove that it's theirs to sell and not stolen.

jdgm

When the police get a report of stolen goods the place they check is the database;  immobilise.com.

Some years ago my musical equipment insurance company required me to mark all my insured items with an 'invisible' pen, but I can't remember what the system was, and they stopped using it a year or 2 later.

ArchtopDave

A quick trip to the nearest Vet with your gear then???

guitarmangler

I’ve got smart water on all of my stuff. 

jdgm

guitarmangler said:

I’ve got smart water on all of my stuff. 

That's it! That's what the invisible marker was....thankyou! 

skunkwerx

 I''ve often thought about this. 

My wacky idea includes a passive tracker lol. 

Have it wired in somewhere so it becomes powered and active when the guitars plugged into an amp. 

Track it via an app. See where your guitar ends up. 

I have no idea if the power it would need would be supplied by plugging into an amp though. 

Also potential tonal interferences? 
Also potential costs.. 

... its early stages yet.. 

Flanging_Fred

I came across immobilise.com the other day and wondered if anyone is used no it to register their gear. It sort of seems a no brainer to get you stuff registered there as it’s pretty much an ‘official’ property register.

skullfunkerry

I used to have my guitars registered on theguitarvaults.com, but I haven't updated it since I stopped gigging and changed all my gear. Not seen immobilise.com before, but just had a look and it looks worth further investigation...

TeleMaster

I have all my stuff insured on my home insurance. I’m even insured when I go to band practice or play gigs. 

Even if you mark them if you never get them back it’s a waste of time for you, and if you’ve claimed on your home insurance it belongs to the insurer. 

Look into insuring them.