Klarinet Archive - Posting 000374.txt from 2004/11

From: orm1ondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinets - Identification markings etc.,
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 00:38:55 -0500

Kathy wrote:

> It's a yamaha plastic clarinet. OR whatever
> that stuff is called. LOL

Theft of complete instruments is, unfortunately, not uncommon. Your
daughter's experience was a bit unusual.... but kids at school do
weird things sometimes.

....anyway, perhaps some people will say that the following is heresy,
but if you do feel the need to tag all pieces:

Since your daughter's clarinet is 'only' a student horn, and since
plastic is comparatively soft, and since the horn probably has a couple
of dents & dings already, perhaps you could use one of those 'hardware
store' engravers (set to its gentlest setting!) to engrave one small
letter or symbol into the plastic? There'd be no need to go very deep.

For example, the first letter your daughter's name (or pet or whatever)
ought to be enough to convince any reasonable adult that the object in
question belongs to your daughter.

As for a lockable case, they exist but they cost money. My own
solution (especially since Yamaha's case is smaller than most) is to
carry my clarinet case inside a battered old brief case. Most brief
cases have locks which, although they can be forced easily, will
discourage idle hands. And if the brief case is battered and doesn't
look like a musical instrument case, kids are more likely to ignore it.
IMO, a fancy case just screams "Steal Me!"

FWIW.....

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