Guitar safes -- Do you have one?

[PortlandAxe]

I've built quite a collection of guitars in the past 20+ years I've been playing. Recently I've brought a lot of them out of their cases and am hanging them up on the wall in my home studio. Personally I think it is a GREAT way to decorate your walls! It's also a GREAT way to give you easy access to your guitars any any time! And also a GREAT way to advertise your very vulnerable guitar collection to anyone passing by a window who has thoughts of burglery...

The point is, I'm thinking about buying a guitar safe. I've seen quite a large range of prices, and they seem to have a lot of variation on how much protection they offer against the heat from a fire (and for how long).

I'm looking for recommendations based on experience. I'm trying to find what would be the best return on my investment. Is there one company that stands out as the one to go with? (PrivateSecurityProducts.com, Homelandsafes.com?)

Thanks for educating me...

[DEADTUNES666]

I'm curious myself about this. However, wouldn't it be less expensive to finish a room with specs for temp control and safety issues, that could double as a showroom? I would think a guitar safe system would be $$$$$...

Maybe not, either way I'm interested to hear what others think.

[Bones43x]

Basically, there's nothing that would really differentiate a "guitar" safe from a gun safe...they're anywhere from $500-3k or so...just depends on size and fire rating.

$1000 can get you a decent-sized safe though.,

[Assumer]

If you have tons of money in gear, would be a good Idea. I just leave my dogs in the house, and anyone who comes to the door tends to stand back.

[freakout]

Insurance is easier.

[toneboy]

Originally Posted by freakout

Insurance is easier.

...but replacing some instruments is not. Often the best one will do is find a replacement guitar that is similar to the one that was lost. Colors (for guitars) change almost every year, trem systems change, figured tops can take a while to find, etc. Replacing guitars can be a very difficult and drawn out process for most folks so it makes far more sense to avoid a problem then to solve it, insurance or not.

That said, there are (2) main reasons to buy a guitar safe.

The first one is first protection. All gun safes are rated for to withstand up to X temperature for Y time but consider this - guns are primarily metal with a little wood and/or plastic whereas guitars are mostly wood. I don't know how a guitar finish would hold up after being cooked in a safe for a few hours.

The second reason for purchasing a safe is theft prevention and safe will only deter all but the most determined criminals if it's securely bolted to a floor (with steel plates for reinforcement) or a concrete foundation. If thieves can move the whole safe to crack open at their leisure, they will.

Also consider that if you have a large safe, thieves have no idea what's in it. They may think that there are firearms in it when there's not. Thieves generally steal things that they can resell and there's always a demand for illegal firearms, even more so than vintage guitars. In a way, putting your guitars in a safe makes them a false target.

[jemaholic]

I start with a perimeter exterior camera system that records 24/7. 2 terrabyte hard drive which ties into my access control system for perimeter doors. I use proximity card readers on all the doors with electronic door strikes. I also tied in a bunch of exterior flood lights that go on in the event of a forced entry.
Regular monitored alarm system takes over from there - if I'm home when a break in occurs.....well, I always carry a backup just in case ;^)

Oh yeah, I do have a rider on my insurance policy too, but that's not nearly as fun.

[Emericavox]

Originally Posted by jemaholic

I start with a perimeter exterior camera system that records 24/7. 2 terrabyte hard drive which ties into my access control system for perimeter doors. I use proximity card readers on all the doors with electronic door strikes. I also tied in a bunch of exterior flood lights that go on in the event of a forced entry.
Regular monitored alarm system takes over from there - if I'm home when a break in occurs.....well, I always carry a backup just in case ;^)

Oh yeah, I do have a rider on my insurance policy too, but that's not nearly as fun.

haha damn i just use a rock and a stick =p

[toneboy]

Originally Posted by jemaholic

I start with a perimeter exterior camera system that records 24/7. 2 terrabyte hard drive which ties into my access control system for perimeter doors. I use proximity card readers on all the doors with electronic door strikes. I also tied in a bunch of exterior flood lights that go on in the event of a forced entry.
Regular monitored alarm system takes over from there - if I'm home when a break in occurs.....well, I always carry a backup just in case ;^)

Oh yeah, I do have a rider on my insurance policy too, but that's not nearly as fun.

That's the way you do. Layering defenses is the best way to deter criminals. They more obstacles they have to overcome to get your stuff the less likely they are to do it. They're looking for the soft targets to make their jobs as easy as possible.