TC5 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I read that Historic guitars are fitted with a "transponder" chip that can be scanned to identify the guitar. Could that chip be used to identify a guitar in the event that is was stolen? If so that's a pretty good thing to track stolen gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delawaregold Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 You would think so, wouldn’t you? Yeah, me too. We would both be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 So is this actually in existence? By transponder would that infer it needs a power source? Or are you talking more along the lines of a embedded chip that can be read (i.e. no RF involved)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Apparently there's a chip in all Historic instruments made since 2000 as stated here: http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifestyle/Features/219%2Dgibson%2Dcustom/ "the transponders can be used to foil counterfeiters and thieves. If somebody’s trying to sell a guitar, it can be scanned to see if it belongs to another owner, is a genuine Gibson, or is a vintage guitar or a reproduction" I would like to hear more about how it is scanned. And could it be tracked at all?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC5 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 You would think so' date=' wouldn’t you?Yeah, me too. We would both be wrong.[/b'] Have you had experience with this chip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delawaregold Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Yes. The level of help Gibson is willing to offer is not what I was expecting, or needed. The idea to include this chip is pure genius. Their willingness to care for, and share information is practically non-existent. Very nice people, who are either unable, or unwilling to do anything for you. I sincerely hope that if you should need this service from Gibson, you find your experience better than mine. Denny – The RFID is passive. No power is needed. It reacts to their scanning device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 It's a lot like the large rice-grain sized transponder that the vet sells (genius marketing, the company donated the scanners to the local animal shelters so people would buy the chip knowing that their pet could be identified if it winds up in the shelter). Used by zoologists now instead of ID bands to track animals. There is no battery in it. Same technology as an EZ Pass but it won't work if you hold your cat up to the windshield at the toll gate. Now more to the point, delaware, did you take your guitar to an authorized service center to verify it or was it that they couldn't find anyone who had the scanner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Find a buddy at any Wallmart or Home Depot They all have portable RFID scanners that can read any onboard RFID - if it was installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delawaregold Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Now more to the point' date=' delaware, did you take your guitar to an authorized service center to verify it or was it that they couldn't find anyone who had the scanner?[/quote'] Without getting into all the boring details…Just reading the chip code doesn’t do you any good if Gibson is not willing or able to tell you which chip code went with which guitar. The only way the information is meaningful, is if you know that guitar serial number X XXXX has chip code XXXXXXX embedded in it. If Gibson is unable or unwilling to tell you that information, then just knowing the guitar has a chip in it, is of very little value. Or at least it was in my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Just reading the chip code doesn’t do you any good if Gibson is not willing or able to tell you whichchip code went with which guitar. I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Try calling Lojack and ask them to tell you the secreat ocation that their installers are supposed to put the unit so you can find it in your car. They'll probably react the same way. Sorry but I just don't see how you could expect Gibson to give out the very information that makes the feature valuable - only Gibson knows what code should be there and only they can authenticate the instrument. Now it would be nice if they offered to keep a registry and donated the scanners to all the police department property rooms. But that's not what it's for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just reading the chip code doesn’t do you any good if Gibson is not willing or able to tell you which chip code went with which guitar. The only way the information is meaningful' date=' is if you know that guitar serial number X XXXX has chip code XXXXXXX embedded in it. [/b'] If someone had the guitar in their hands to read the chip code they certainaly could have read the serial number. This doesn't seem to be a problem with policy, but a problem with procedure. Don't you know the serial number of your own (presumably lost) guitar. Don't you watch CSI. If you really want any help here, I WOULD furnish the details. Otherwise your just another poster whining about a hypothetical situation. Details please, or maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delawaregold Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Let me ask you this hypothetical question; If a scam artist took a 2005 Guitar Center G0 which they bought new for $2,695.00, to a Luthier of questionable Ethics and Morals, and had them refinish the guitar into a guitar with a 2003 Brazilian range Serial Number R0. Then the scam artist sold you the guitar as a 2003 Brazilian Fretboard R0, for $8000.00. Could you take the guitar to Nashville, and have the Gibson Custom Shop scan the chip and tell you, yes the Chip Code in this Gibson guitar is the genuine 2003 Brazilian Fretboard R0, Serial Number 0 3xxx. Or no, the Chip Code in this guitar is a a different Code Number, and this guitar is a fake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCollector Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Guy's trying to beat up Delawaregold..............He has VERY personal knowledge of this process. In this case, he has been there and done that..........the outcome was VERY shocking and down right irresponsible. BTW, the ID chip doesn't store the serial number........it stores a code that is linked to a serial number....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Not trying to beat anybody up. You haven't seen that yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCollector Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Symantics aside, Delawaregold's situation brought to light some very unforunate information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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