Serial number

[glesga123]

I'm thinking of buying a second hand guitar from a local bloke but i'd like to check the serial number first to make sure it's not dodgy. Is there a data base available to the public. They all seem to want a police number.

[sara3]

guitars have serial numbers? who wants to see a police number?

I've bought my son 3 guitars and this is news to me!

[on.knowledge]

of course they do sara ffs , this is my guitars serial no.

http://fp.centralbooks.plus.com/images/cabinet _barcode.gif

[sara3]

okay, I've obviously missed that.. somehow!

[tamborine]

check condition of tighteners; straightness & firmness of neck are all more important on 2nd hand guitars than serial nos.

You can't play a serial number!

[on.knowledge]

what does .........tamborine .....mean?

[glesga123]

Sara, You have to submit your police shoulder number before the database will allow you access. Not being a copper i dont have access to the info. Hope you didn't buy any of your son's guitars from dodgy sources. Wouldn't want the law to come to your door just because you didn't know guitars had serial numbers.
Tamborine!!! You're right, you cant play a serial number. Thanks for that! And by tighteners i suppose you mean Tuners or Machineheads. (Something i check regularly on all of my eleven guitars.) But i would dispute your theory that serial numbers are not as important than the condition of the instrument. After all, if its been stolen the guitar's not your's to worry about is it?
Anyway back to the question. Does anyone know of such a data base or maybe a website dedicated to identifying stolen property? I'm concerned because the item is being offered at a price well below market value.

[woozer]

Ask to see their receipt

[glesga123]

Yes Woozer. Another brilliant non answer to a serious question.

[sara3]

just for the record, I have a legal career to think of, and wouldn't buy anything through a dodgy source.

so should I be registering my son's guitars? how do I do that?

[glesga123]

Just insure it. Keep a note of the serial number and hopefully it wont turn up on a nicked property data base in the future.