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?
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?
It’s like airport security: it does little beyond giving you a false sense that something’s being done to protect you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What you really need to question is the lock on the *air * guitar case!
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!
You use an air lock for those, silly.
Guitarists with small children may wish their thousand-some-odd dollar instrument not be handled with tootsie roll slobber-encrusted fingers.
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.
::: golf clap :::
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:
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.
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…