What's the point of locking guitar cases?

[Argent Towers]

My hardshell guitar case has a metal loop for locking it if you choose to do so. Other cases I've seen have built-in keyed locks.

What's the point? If someone wants to steal your guitar, wouldn't he just steal the case too?

[Otto]

What if he doesn't want to steal your guitar? What if he just wants to steal your stash that you've hidden under your guitar?

[Q.E.D.]

It's like airport security: it does little beyond giving you a false sense that something's being done to protect you.

[hawksgirl]

Maybe it's to keep your stuff from falling out if you have a faulty latch? If it's locked and the latch slips, you don't damage your instrument. I think of this because my clarinet case constantly falls open of its own accord, and that sucks a lot.

[Two and a Half Inches of Fun]

A lot of guitar players will keep things in the case like strings, a tuner, extra picks, etc. If you are on stage someone could go through your case and take that stuff. The lock in probably pretty shitty, but better than nothing. Also, a lot of people may have kids in their house. The locks will keep dirty hands off the guitar.

[Khadro]

Recently, when my wife bought her new guitar (her 12 year dream guitar of a sunburst Gibson Les Paul), not only did the sales guy tell her to lock it all times, but to be sure to carry it so that if it DID happen to open, the "lid" would open into her leg, preventing it from falling out in transit.

So I would suggest it's more for the safety of the guitar during transport, than the security of the guitar from thieves.

[Mister Rik]

Another thing: your average opportunist thief is going to have a hard time pawning the guitar if he takes it to the shop and can't unlock the case, or if the lock has obviously been pried/broken open. Pawnbroker's gonna be saying, "Wait here while I step into the back room ..." and then making a phone call to the local constabulary.

[feppytweed]

Another thing: your average opportunist thief is going to have a hard time pawning the guitar if he takes it to the shop and can't unlock the case, or if the lock has obviously been pried/broken open. Pawnbroker's gonna be saying, "Wait here while I step into the back room ..." and then making a phone call to the local constabulary.

Nothing that can't be alleviated with a pair of bolt cutters or dremel tool, either of which a thief would find access to.

[Mister Rik]

Ah, you're thinking of a padlock (which is what I see somebody above was talking about). I was thinking about the built-in lock I've seen on most hardshell cases.

[scm1001]

It also might be advantageous for a thief just to lift the guitar, not the case. That way when you see your case on stage, you think it still has your expensive guitar in it, giving him valuable time to get away.

[Sebhal]

What you really need to question is the lock on the air guitar case!

[don't ask]

Well, let's say like Daniel Johns of Silverchair you are the current holder of the Pick of Destiny, you wouldn't want to lose that!

[Q.E.D.]

What you really need to question is the lock on the air guitar case!\
You use an air lock for those, silly.

[An Arky]

Guitarists with small children may wish their thousand-some-odd dollar instrument not be handled with tootsie roll slobber-encrusted fingers.

[Chefguy]

Amateur musicians cannot resist trying to play any guitar they see. Same with drummers. Perhaps it's to keep some ham-fisted dope from trying Led Zep on your expensive instrument, getting his oily fingers all over your finish (or scratching it), or spilling beer on it.

[Otto]

You use an air lock for those, silly.
::: golf clap :::

[AWB]

When I was in band in junior high, my parent bought me a new Yamaha trumpet. Other friends of mine had new Yamaha instruments as well (sax, cornet).

We found that the cheapo locks on those could be opened not only by each others keys that came with the cases, but with paper clips. All you had to do is push the mechanism around one rotation.

And, of course, anyone that wanted a $500 silver trumpet just had to pick it up and walk. :rolleyes:

[Zeriel]

I have a pretty damn expensive trumpet (a Bach Strad 180, probably $1600 new) and I use the case locks--one, to keep the latches doubly secure, and two, because I'm often stashing my wallet and keys in the hard case when I'm playing somewhere, and I don't want someone rifling the thing while I'm distracted.

It's a lot easier to pawn the contents of a case that might not be an actual expensive instrument, after all.

[Triskadecamus]

I'd leave my wallet out on top of a $1600.00 instrument! Hell, nothing in my wallet is worth a tenth of that!

Tris

[Jragon]

I'd leave my wallet out on top of a $1600.00 instrument! Hell, nothing in my wallet is worth a tenth of that!

Tris

Agreed, except for me it's not "I would" its more like "I do" and its more like $1800... and a flute. Then again everyone around me always knows the rule of "you even THINK of LOOKING at it, you die." That thing is my baby...

[GorillaMan]

Amateur musicians cannot resist trying to play any guitar they see. Same with drummers. Perhaps it's to keep some ham-fisted dope from trying Led Zep on your expensive instrument, getting his oily fingers all over your finish (or scratching it), or spilling beer on it.
I have a pretty damn expensive trumpet (a Bach Strad 180, probably $1600 new) and I use the case locks--one, to keep the latches doubly secure, and two, because I'm often stashing my wallet and keys in the hard case when I'm playing somewhere, and I don't want someone rifling the thing while I'm distracted.
These are two reasons I would have given. If the lock on my violin case worked, I'd be able to leave things in there which I end up keeping in my pockets on stage, which is a real pain. And I've got pupils who've gone out and bought lockable cases specifically because too many others think they can just 'borrow' an instrument, because, y'know, they'll look after it :rolleyes:


::Quitely chuckling in a smug string-player way at the idea a $1600 instrument is something even worth worrying about:: :p

[lobotomyboy63]

Remember when you could lock your luggage, then hand it over to the airport baggage people? I suppose if you entrusted your guitar to them, same deal. They probably wouldn't be bold enough to steal the whole thing, but they might like to rifle through it for a tuner, capo, or whatever else you might have in there.

Of course now you can't do that. But there may still be times, like if you were having Mayflower move you, where you temporarily entrust it to someone else. Mostly now it's an added security to keep from dumping your instrument on the ground as you carry it.

[River Hippie]

Guitarist here, and I agree with the keep the rugrats/other players from messing with it line of thinking.

[WreckingCrew]

My guitar came off an airplane once, with several of the latches opened, but the lock still in place. Just a standard combo lock, but did the trick. Don't know if it stopped a thief or just a curious baggage handler. Either one would have been disappointed to find the Japanese knock off inside of the Gibson case. ;)

[Jragon]

My guitar came off an airplane once, with several of the latches opened, but the lock still in place. Just a standard combo lock, but did the trick. Don't know if it stopped a thief or just a curious baggage handler. Either one would have been disappointed to find the Japanese knock off inside of the Gibson case. ;)
For some reason I imagined your guitar falling out of a plane in transit and trying to figure out how the hell you noticed that before you noticed your guitar was plummiting at terminal velocity. Then I attempted to figure out how you got it back. Then my brain kicked in.

[Mister Rik]

So basically, we can say the locks are there to keep honest people honest. Kind of like the latch and padlock I installed on the freezer I keep on the porch outside after somebody got into it and stole an entire case of my vegetarian roommate's veggie burgers (we joked afterward about what the thief must have said when he got the stuff home in the light and saw what he had). The latch and lock would be a piece of cake for a determined thief to break off, but it's enough to discourage the opportunist who sees the freezer and wants to "see what's inside".