Our house was robbed on Sunday night while we was at a super bowl party. He (one guy judging from the footprints in the snow) got both of our macbooks, a bag full of Bosch Litheon power tools, three of my guitars and a banjo. Didn't do hardly any property damage - came in through a window with a bum sash, and only broke the latch on the gate to the alley - and the dog is fine, though obviously pretty useless.
Of everything that's gone, this is the only thing that's more than just a hassle:
This guitar was built in prison in the late '50s and given to my grandfather by the builder. It's literally one of a kind, and irreplaceable. It was an heirloom for my mom's family and the family of the builder (who was later convicted of murder). Fortunately, it's not THE guitar my family associates with my grandfather, but it's still important to all of us.
Anyone who's willing, I'd really appreciate you keeping your ear to the ground in your area for this guitar. Here are some more pictures if you're inclined to look out for it.
I don't have pictures of the actual banjo that was stolen, as I only recently got it back from a friend after a long-term loan. It was a '60s Sovereign (Japanese) 5- string, and it also belonged to my grandfather - we think it was the one he bought after learning to play 5 string on a loaner from one of his daughter's hippie friends.
The headstock and logo look like this:
And the body looks like pretty much any 5 string:
Here's my grandfather Pat and my Grand-cockatiel playing the loaner banjo at the dining room table:
(The crutches leaning on the wall are the ones he used after he had his leg amputated at the hip after being shot in the Pacific theater. He came home, married my grandmother, raised a family and ran an HVAC business, aside from just being an overall badass. All 5'4" of him on one leg would beat this punk's ass if he was still around.)
Also stolen was this mid-'60s Norma, which I acquired less than a year ago. It holds no sentimental value, really, but it's an oddball and quite rare in the states.
This Alvarez RF-30 was also stolen. It's a cheapo, but it's mine, dammit.
If you do the Facebook, here's link to an album of all the instruments, which you're more than welcome to re-share. Facebook album
If that doesn't work, friend me on FB (Alex Carlson in St. Louis) and I'll send it to you there.
I'm going to pawn shops in an increasing radius from my house, and guitar shops are next. Obviously the cops are involved, in as much as they care to be.
Again, any assistance anyone can provide will be very much appreciated. At the very least, please just pass this information around in any way you can think of - the more widespread it becomes, the more likely we are to recover these.
Thanks a lot.