Stolen Guitar Turns Up On A Dealer Website

[Richard Russell]

Wilko I know. It's God Awful. But as far as the guitar goes it has several unique features
which cannot be changed without seriously degrading the value. Particularly the metal
face plate engraving and the neck and fretboard. Each of Tony's guitars were unique so
unless the guy who has it wants to hack the guitar up it can't just be sold. I am gonna
post pictures soon. I am waiting to hear back from Keith Smart at the Zemaitis owners club.
He thinks he may have posted a notice about the guitar being stolen in his magazine back
4 years ago.

Ok can anyone show me how to post pics. Sorry for being such an idiot.
Ok I think I did it. Great here is the guitar. Wish me luck.

http://s1040.photobucket.com/user/andrewowensrussell/media/Image 1_zpsipn7p5py.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[chasenblues]

:salude

 

[Marcel M]

Damn... thats sick. Good luck man!

 

[Richard Russell]

Damn... thats sick. Good luck man!

Thanks

 

[Wilko]

Beautiful!

And now the levity:

Here's my "Zemaitis". I made it out of a "Sobe" Epiphone Les Paul.

 

[Richard Russell]

Beautiful!

And now the levity:

Here's my "Zemaitis". I made it out of a "Sobe" Epiphone Les Paul.

Not bad but its not the doo dads its the feel.
Thanks Wilko

 

[Wilko]

Not bad but its not the doo dads its the feel.
Thanks Wilko

I sure hope you can get that back. Very special, indeed.

Mine was made ass a stage prop as I did a Stones cover band for Christmas eve for may years and made this to look similar to the M<etal fronts="" that="" ronny="" and="" keith="" used.="" instead="" of="" dragons,,="" it's="" got="" the="" sobe="" lizards.<="" html="">etal fronts that Ronnie and Keith used. Instead of dragons, mine had the sobe lizards and the holly leaves were for the christmas feel.</etal>

 

[j45]

I am trying to legally and correctly do the right thing.

I think everybody here understands that but most also understand the futility in that as well. I have COMPLETELY lost faith in the court system after getting drained for $37,000 in legal fees this year alone.... and I'm in my third year of litigation. It's much easier to steal, lie, and get away with it (free actually) than to legally prove you are right (which will cost you a fortune). Wilko is right, social media, and especially dedicated forums like this is where the power lies these days. I totally understand why you are tentative but sometimes you just have to take the point of view that the truth, made public is just about the only thing anyone fears anymore. It doesn't need to be done in a malicious manner, just tell the truth, give the details, we are a guitar community and probably the only ones who will understand, sympathize, and in time, if someone has been dishonest, which is apparently the case here, unless they are willing to make things right in a timely fashion, and help facilitate the return of YOUR guitar, their "worldwide" reputation will be one that will make it hard for them to continue to do business in this market.

 

[Richard Russell]

I think everybody here understands that but most also understand the futility in that as well. I have COMPLETELY lost faith in the court system after getting drained for $37,000 in legal fees this year alone.... and I'm in my third year of litigation. It's much easier to steal, lie, and get away with it (free actually) than to legally prove you are right (which will cost you a fortune). Wilko is right, social media, and especially dedicated forums like this is where the power lies these days. I totally understand why you are tentative but sometimes you just have to take the point of view that the truth, made public is just about the only thing anyone fears anymore. It doesn't need to be done in a malicious manner, just tell the truth, give the details, we are a guitar community and probably the only ones who will understand, sympathize, and in time, if someone has been dishonest, which is apparently the case here, unless they are willing to make things right in a timely fashion, and help facilitate the return of YOUR guitar, their "worldwide" reputation will be one that will make it hard for them to continue to do business in this market.

J45
Thanks, you are right. After today I am just gonna post my story. I also notice that I don't see the guy here defending himself. If I was the dealer I would
be right in here saying XYZ and defending myself. I don't see anything from him. Nor have I heard from the lawyer of the mystery dealer. Yet...

 

[GotTheSilver]

Fuck him. I don't give a shit who he is. His reputation just took a huge dump when he handed your guitar back to the "mystery man"

Legally, that makes him an acomplis, and a piece of shit.

+1,000,000!!!!!!!!!!!

He had your guitar. He knew it was yours. He knew it was stolen. He then (presumably) broke the law himself by giving to someone else. He did this to protect a business relationship that makes him money. I'm not a lawyer, but I believe what he did was against the law.

 

[Norlight]

Hey Rich Russ! What's the news? Biting my finger nails waiting for an update. Same issue just happened with a close friend of mine and he was able to get his 5 guitars back that were stolen 2 years ago. I'm in Canada and the pawnshop, though usually dodgy actually did a check on the guitars, they held the guitars and returned them to the owner. The culprits were not caught as they used fake drivers license and medical IDs. They don't pay for merch until they pass a check so I'm guessing the thieves were hoping enough time passed by or the original owner never made a police report. Keep us posted!

 

[Tom Wittrock]

When was this stolen and in what state?
When was it "discovered" and in what state?

I'd still like to know the answer to these questions. :hmm

 

[CutieJones]

Who is this Ass-hole dealer. Name and shame, he has not got a leg to stand on and has forfeit his right to honest reputation. I don't wanna buy from a disreputable dealer, so it is your duty to let us know who this guy is.

 

[Richard Russell]

Who is this Ass-hole dealer. Name and shame, he has not got a leg to stand on and has forfeit his right to honest reputation. I don't wanna buy from a disreputable dealer, so it is your duty to let us know who this guy is.

Ok here is the latest update! Around 3:00 PM yesterday I get a "no caller ID" on my cellphone. I answer and a guy identifies himself as a "lawyer" for the mystery owner but wont give me his name or even identify the state he practices in! The condensed version is that he says the mystery owner bought the guitar in good faith from the dealer who stole it from me and wants to remain anonymous but wants to "sell" me my guitar for the price he had listed with the consignee dealer.

So any thoughts?

 

[Rev.WillieVK]

F'ing lawyers! (present company excepted :laugh2: :spabout )

Hard to say what your options are. Owner is already 'lawyered-up', dealer that sold it to him is probably long gone (?)...

IMO your only option without spending crazy-$$$$ on courts/lawyers might be to try to pay sale price or purchase price, whichever is less, and be happy you got your guitar back.

Best of luck!

 

[Marcel M]

Ok here is the latest update! Around 3:00 PM yesterday I get a "no caller ID" on my cellphone. I answer and a guy identifies himself as a "lawyer" for the mystery owner but wont give me his name or even identify the state he practices in! The condensed version is that he says the mystery owner bought the guitar in good faith from the dealer who stole it from me and wants to remain anonymous but wants to "sell" me my guitar for the price he had listed with the consignee dealer.

So any thoughts?

The price that the mystery owner bought it for? Or the price that the mystery owner was trying to sell it for? If he is trying to make money off of it than thats a bullshit deal. If he's asking for the price he paid it for, and the guitar means a lot to you and you want it back, I think thats fine.

 

[Richard Russell]

The price that the mystery owner bought it for? Or the price that the mystery owner was trying to sell it for? If he is trying to make money off of it than thats a bullshit deal. If he's asking for the price he paid it for, and the guitar means a lot to you and you want it back, I think thats fine.

The price that he had listed it for. The lawyer said that the mystery dealer was selling it for the same price he paid the thief dealer.
PS the thief dealer died in 2011. So yeah he is long gone and hopefully to a nice hot place.

 

[Tom Wittrock]

Ok here is the latest update! Around 3:00 PM yesterday I get a "no caller ID" on my cellphone. I answer and a guy identifies himself as a "lawyer" for the mystery owner but wont give me his name or even identify the state he practices in! The condensed version is that he says the mystery owner bought the guitar in good faith from the dealer who stole it from me and wants to remain anonymous but wants to "sell" me my guitar for the price he had listed with the consignee dealer.

So any thoughts?

You would have to have a contact number in order to go through with this. I would demand the lawyer's name and the "owner's" name before any payment was even considered. You want iron clad proof who you are dealing with.
After getting that info, I wouldn't pay them, I would pass the info to authorities [in their location] along with [another?] copy of the theft report.

I suspect this "lawyer" is not acting within the law. But, I'm not a lawyer. It just sounds very fishy.

 

[WBailey]

Yeah, way to much cloak and dagger bullshit here. If you really want this guitar back, do the deal, but take your paperwork and the sheriff with you.

Good Luck !

Keep us posted

 

[chasenblues]

I maybe totally naive but i wouldn't think a "Real Lawyer" would get within 10 feet of trying to broker a deal this way knowing the possible ramifications if he got caught dealing with stolen property.

Smell's like something either the owner or the shady dealer(Both?) cooked up.