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It's a neat idea, and I think some people would really like it. But for me, everything is replaceable. I may be pretty pissed off about it, but everything's replaceable. I wouldn't mind using something like this for shipping, but I wouldn't want anything permanently attached or even semi-permanently attached to the horn.

No offense, but it feels a little bit like shoplifting and wearing things around with the security tags on it

I agree that just about anything is replaceable but one thing to keep in mind is that @the elephant has hundreds of hours in each of his horns and makes his living from them.

I have a couple of instruments that are pretty much uncommon (1 of 15 and 1 of 10 made). I’d be ticked off if the rotary King were stolen, but I don’t play it much at all. The USN 4v Martin being stolen would bother me more, but I could hunt down another 4v Martin (seen a couple over the years) or enjoy another vintage 6/4.

However, Elephant isn’t going to find another horn that has been customized/hot rodded/ blueprinted like any one of his horns. He’d have to invest all those hours again. If it were me I’d probably just throw in the towel at that point.

I like the idea of using a piece of copper tape to put an air tag as far down the bell as I can reach.

My horns don’t leave the house much these days but if I were taking one out most days of the week (increasing the chances of something walking away) I’d think the pros outweigh the cons.

For shipping? This seems like a no brainer.

Greyhound: “We seem to have misplaced your package,”

Tubs player: “No it’s traveling west bound on I-95 and just stopped at a Denny’s on 51st Street.” <— made up location, no idea which direction I-95 goes.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:22 pm I don't understand people poo-ing on Mr. Elephant. Isn't it worth $29 for a little protection and peace of mind for your multi-thousand dollar instrument?

It’s a good idea, imo. Biggest factor would be speed of tracking data. I also agree that even if you have excellent insurance, there are always additional costs and hassles with getting something like this replaced.

It's things like this that make me reconsider my approach to tubas, frankly. If I were to play something like a Miraphone 188, and it gets stolen or destroyed or something... I can easily replace it with another. I realize not everyone's tubas are replaceable like this, but no tuba is without a similar replacement if it's lost or damaged.

And no offense to Wade, but putting an extreme amount of focus and attention into one thing carries a fair number of risks as well as the obvious rewards. The most awesome tuba you've ever built and owned is a tremendous reward, but the risk of it being lost, stolen, destroyed in an accident, etc... could be soul-crushing to think of the time, energy, and effort lost to it. I obviously hope nothing like that ever happens, and trust that playing the game is as much -- or more -- fun than winning it and reaping the benefit.

All to say, protect whatcha got, but be able to move on in case shiit happens. And at the same time, we have to remember that this shiit ain't a museum. We own these tools to use them. If they are just for looking, take a picture and then sell it.

Frankly, I'd rather live freely, intelligently, and a bit carefully, but otherwise let karma take it's course. I'm not gonna make it easy for someone to steal my stuff. But if it gets stolen, the jackass who wronged me will have it coming to them 10x worse. And I'll move on from that.

PS -- I do think it's a neat idea.

How about a slide "brace" with a hollowed trombone counter balance weight?

This is a brilliant idea.

For putting on instruments you want to keep, indeed the trick is hiding them from obvious notice. No good solution comes to mind for that as of yet, except down the throat of the bell.

For shipping instruments via carriers that do not offer tracking, it's a must I think. Depends on the transaction.

Mark wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:47 pm How about a slide "brace" with a hollowed trombone counter balance weight?

That’s what came to mind to me if it were a trombone. But it could be done on a tuba. On the MTS, with a cool Elephant logo on it.

Or what have you…

Whenever someone reassures me that the ensemble's instruments will be safely locked into a room, I take mine with me (even if I have three large/clumsy instruments with me).

I trust "reassuring person" almost as much as I trust *gov't officials...

...and yeah, I've thought about tracking devices like that for instruments.
I sure would be nifty if they could be recharged magnetically (through other non-ferrous materials - such as brass - and more miniaturized.
If it were as small as - as an example - the size of an oblong coffee bean, I could imagine an insertion hole in the center of a tuba's bottom bow keel/guard wire, and just storing it in a hollow spot within.

bloke "following *'the science'."

For 4p 1r tubas it could potentially be integrated into a heavy weight valve cap and not look too conspicuous.

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:39 pm ...for me, everything is replaceable.

...as you've demonstrated many-many times.

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:15 pm Whenever someone reassures me that the ensemble's instruments will be safely locked into a room, I take mine with me (even if I have three large/clumsy instruments with me).

I trust "reassuring person" almost as much as I trust *gov't officials...

...and yeah, I've thought about tracking devices like that for instruments.
I sure would be nifty if they could be recharged magnetically (through other non-ferrous materials - such as brass - and more miniaturized.
If it were as small as - as an example - the size of an oblong coffee bean, I could imagine an insertion hole in the center of a tuba's bottom bow keel/guard wire, and just storing it in a hollow spot within.

bloke "following *'the science'."

I absolutely agree with how to treat someone who offers "security," as set forth in this quote, Godfather to Michael: "Barzini will move against you first. He'll set up a meeting with someone that you absolutely trust, guaranteeing your safety. And at that meeting, you'll be assassinated...It's an old habit. I spend my life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men." The person who sets up the security will be the traitor.

bloke wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:36 am

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:39 pm ...for me, everything is replaceable.

...as you've demonstrated many-many times.

For "things," yes. For people, animals, etc... No

I own some "exceptionally good" things, in my opinion/experience.

I could replace them, but - in my estimation - the likelihood of being able to replace them with equally exceptional things (regardless of how much funding might be available to seek them) is low.

An example would be the over-half-century-old 186 that I sold to Buffalo Bill.
I chose to sell it, but would not expect to be able simply "choose" to replace it with something equally good.

They're 1.26" by 8mm. That's a little wide for piston valve caps even as an extension. A bottom rotor cap extension (with drool-proofing) might work.
If a thief is non-musical you might could get by with a bottom piston cap extension unnoticed. It would have to include a drain system of some kind, and drool [condensation] proofing.

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If they were a little smaller, they could almost be made into valve buttons! The new iButton!

If you put the air tag inside some metal thing, I would think that could possibly reduce its signal range. I don't think you want to do that.

What I would do is make one of those naugahyde or leather protectors with a pocket only accessible from the inside of it. I'm thinking of one of those things people make and wrap around the bell ferrule to keep from messing up the finish or to keep their arm from turning green. I'd put the pocket on the inside and rotate it so the air tag would be between the outer bow and inner bow so you'd really have to look for it. You could probably add some filler material around it so the circular disk shape isn't seen at all. if we're getting fancy, I could see putting pencil pockets around it to disguise it more.

Here's a sorta example of the kinda thing I'm talking about (not mine).

They are fine with that. I have one buried in the guts of my jeep's dash, surrounded by steel. The signal is unimpeded. Brass is nonferrous, too, so it should be fine.

I will not be sticking anything inside my tuba. I have designed a case that screws down to a pair of brace "strap" type feet. (Two thumb screws on each strap, about an inch apart, for a total of four screws.) Not sure how to make it, but it would work very well. (I need to improve my "machine shop" skills…

This shows how powerful these devices are.

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