Colby Laney is a student in the bluegrass music program at ETSU in Johnson City, TN. He plays in the young bluegrass band Next Best Thing. Tim Stafford was kind enough to loan Colby a CA guitar for his use in the band. Unfortunately, someone has stolen the instrument.

Colby is seeking any information that may lead to the recovery of the instrument. Here’s his description of the guitar.

It was a black CA Bluegrass Standard, white inlay around the sound hole, Waverly tuners, Fishman aura pickup, and a small chip on the head near the letters CA. It was inside a black dreadnaught TKL type case made by CA with CA on the case. There is no serial number that we can find yet, but the makers have been informed.

If anyone sees this instrument or has information concerning it, please contact Colby immediately.

Here’s a clip of Colby playing the guitar with Next Best Thing.

Unfortunately we have another Stolen Instrument Alert to bring to your attention.

Kayla Ray, plays fiddle and mandolin with the bluegrass band “Exception To The Rule“. The day after her 17th birthday, our car was broken into while playing two concerts in the Dublin, GA area. A black canvas double violin case was stolen containing Kayla’s two antique ornate fiddles. She is heartbroken!

Kayla’s mother sent along a few photos and a flyer they are using to alert people. They are offering a $1000 reward for the return of these instruments. Hopefully the bluegrass community can rally and help this young musician recover her instruments without the need for a cash pay out.

Download a high resolution PDF of the flyer.

Jesse Cobb of the Infamous Stringdusters wrote in to inform us of his brother’s loss of four instruments.

The guitar should be easily identifiable by its serial number. The other instruments will not be so easy to identify. But if you have any information that might lead to the recovery of these instruments, please contact Jesse at the email address below.

UPDATE (1:43PM EST): We’ve received photos of the fiddle and mandolin.

Hello friends, Shad Cobb of the John Cowan Band has suffered the loss of four instruments today. Shad has taken the news as only he could and is saddened by the loss but thankful and comforted by all the friends who have reached out to him today.

Sometime in the afternoon of Monday, May 4th, unknown thieves kicked in the back door of his little cabin home in the hood and made off with the following instruments. We would appreciate any help anyone could give in locating them. Unfortunately, we only have a serial number for one of the instruments and limited info on the fiddle and banjo. If you see these instruments for sale anywhere please contact me, Jesse Cobb at: mandocobb@hotmail.com.

1). Nashville Guitar Company. D size, mahogany guitar, very light colored wood on the top. serial# 03115. There is some finger wear near the bottom of the strings from posting fingers.

2). Approximately, four year old Bart Rider open back banjo. Shad thinks it was modeled after a White Lady banjo, with no distinguishing marks other than some wear on the head. Shad is trying to contact the builder get the serial number.

3). 7-8 year old Fairfax Abraham fiddle, with a Guarneri (spl?) label inside. The fiddle has a LR Baggs pickup installed and a bit of finish wear by the top of the fingerboard.

4). ‘98-’99 Ratliff F model mandolin. I used to own this one, it has major pick wear on the top, near the scroll. The fingerboard extension has been cutoff and there is a mark on the top where my saw slipped. There is also a repaired crack in the top f-hole. Dark sunburst finish.

Here’s another sad story about a stolen instrument, this time a string bass belonging to a student in the bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University.

Program director Raymond McLain has distributed this notice:

One of our students had a distressing experience this morning. Her car, containing her upright bass was stolen as she was parked in Kingsport, Tennessee.

The following is a description of the instrument:

The bass is a 1946 American Standard. There is some patchwork on the bottom back. There is a new bridge on the bass, with the initials G.H. directly behind the D string. The neck on the bass is also new. On the back of the bass it says Cleveland Ohio. The bass was also in a black case, and the bottom had a red, blue, and white cloth wrapped around it.

If anyone has knowledge of this instrument, please contact:

Raymond McLain, Director
Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Program
East Tennessee State University
mclain@etsu.edu
423-439-7072

Let’s hope this one turns up as well. If not, perhaps someone with a spare bass can help this young lady continue her study of bluegrass.