It was one of the most anticipated music reunions of all time; Oasis Live ’25 has been one of the bucket list tours for multi-generational fans. From nostalgia heads that were the original ‘mad for it’ fans to those that never thought they’d see the day the Gallagher brothers would perform together again.
Seeing your favourite band perform in concert isn’t just about seeing or hearing them, there’s the enormity of the stage to marvel at, not to mention the plethora of instruments and sheer volume of musical accessories to get your head around.
But with so many instruments and music equipment to tour with, how do bands keep their gear safe?
With that in mind, we’re taking a look at some of the most iconic lost, stolen, and accidentally damaged instruments and share our top tips on how to look after your gear when you’re out performing.
Top ten lost and stolen instruments
While it may come as a surprise, considering Oasis comprises of three guitarists, Noel Gallagher, Bonehead, and Gem Archer – the band itself has managed to evade any costly lost or stolen instruments during their time together. However, we couldn’t not mention the incident of Liam Gallagher smashing up Noel’s Red Gibson ES-355 guitar at a backstage brawl that marked the end of the band in 2009.
The guitar previously auctioned for £325,000 in Paris and is expected to fetch up to £500,000 at an upcoming auction in the UK.
Let’s take a look some of the most high-profile incidents of musical artists that have either had their equipment lost, stolen or accidentally damaged:
Famous musicians are well-known for building up quite a collection of high-value instruments throughout their years in the industry, however, policy data from The Insurance Emporium* shows that even amateur musicians can have thousands of pounds worth of equipment to insure.
The data reveals 47.1% of customers insure their musical equipment between £1,000 to £4,999 while a further 27.6% insure £5,000 to £9,999 worth of equipment. The third highest sum insured by 15.1% of customers fell between £10,000 and £19,999.
The real cost of musical instruments on tour
Whether Oasismania has got your group hooked on a Britpop renaissance or your band aligns more with the musical style of Black Sabbath, musical instrument theft is an unfortunate reality.
The cost of equipment can soon add up, with a previous study revealing 24% of musicians have had gear stolen. Here’s a quick breakdown of what a basic band set-up might look like, before you add in mics, amps and other equipment.
- Drums: £300 – £1,200+
- Electric guitar: £79 – £15,000+
- Bass guitar: £149 – £6,500+
- Acoustic guitar: £79 – £13,750+
Practical tips on protecting your gear
While it’s not always possible to prevent your gear from being stolen, or stop yourself accidentally leaving your trumpet on the bus, there are ways to reduce the risk and to make your equipment easier to identify when trying to recover it. For example:
- Take photographs and videos of your instruments and accessories (and the cases they’re stored in too). Be sure to document any serial numbers and unique references, scuffs, bumps or marks that would help identify your gear.
- Where possible secure your instruments and accessories in a hard case, ideally with a lock which would make it harder for people to access in a hurry.
- Mark your case(s). When travelling, it’s worth adding stickers, something with your name on and other accessories that will make it easier to identify your case as yours and reduce the risk of someone else thinking it’s theirs.
- GPS tracking. While using a GPS tracking device might not deter someone from taking your gear it might help you track it down if it’s lost or stolen.
What’s more, if you’re in a band you might be practicing towards playing a live show. The reality is, performing at a venue is going to very different to your usual garage or basement set-up. Therefore, it’s worth bearing in mind that when you’re in a gig environment, it’s likely to be dark, loud, with plenty of other people around. There’s also the potential you could be having a drink so don’t forget to be aware of your surroundings as you load your equipment in and out of the venue.**
Francis Martin, Chief Executive Officer of The Insurance Emporium commented: Being in a band can be an exhilarating experience. Playing your favourite songs to a captivated audience is a feeling like no other. However, it’s times like this where people can let the guard down and opportunist thieves might take advantage while you’re still in a euphoric state.
A couple of tips that might build good habits to avoid music gear theft includes keeping your keys in the same pocket. It may sound simple, but it could mean you secure your gear away a lot quicker than fumbling around to find them each time. Avoid depending on someone else to watch your stuff and don’t get distracted until your equipment is secured.
Like many hobbies, and as we saw with our high-profile cases, the value you place on the music equipment and instruments you accumulate over the years isn’t always about what it would cost to replace them, it’s the sentimental value and memories attached to them as well.
If you’re out and about performing it might be worth considering music equipment insurance. Theft, loss and accidental damage, new for old (standard) and unattended vehicle are all included as standard benefits plus a 25% introductory discount***. Take a look at the website, or give us a call for a free, no-strings quote today.
*The data used is for all policies that were live, cancelled and/or claimed on from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025.
**Security requirements for musical equipment and music instruments apply.
***The 25% Introductory Discount is available from the start of the policy until its first review/renewal date.
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