The latest email newsletter has a section on stolen gear.They also say in the article that "very few" Fender guitars /amps/equipment are ever recovered.And I know why.Fender still uses decals and ink stamps as serial number identification.Amps still have decals.This is 50 year-old technology waiting to be victimized and the bad guys know it.All Fender instruments and amps etc should have embedded microchips and actual hard-stamping into frames,necks,bodies,and any other major component of any Fender product.Decals and ink-stamping of necks etc are easily altered or outright forged by pro thieves,especially Europeans and Russians.Hidden microchip technology has been around for decades and Fender should get with it,now.Too much gear is lost because of the simplicity of Fenders security methods and identification system(s).This will not raise the cost of the product very much and even if it does I believe Fender users will gladly pay it for the greater chance of recovery of their instruments and gear.And Fender Corp and their website has no stolen instrument/gear registry.At least try Fender,at least make an effort to try and improve security,OK?

That sounds like a very good idea but where would a microchip go in the body,neck,pickguard assembly?Where so many people swap out parts and mod their guitars this would only work with guitars that remain stock.I agree though that the serial nos. should be stamped on to reduce the chance of forgery and theft.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Thanks sling,it is easy and I think Fender just ignores the problem or any possible modern solution.I don`t want to say exactly how the chips are placed or where,but they can easily do this and it is about time.Martin too.And the guitar electronics industry would have to cooperate,in the case of any Hot-Rodding,modifications,etc like you mention.The majority of all Fender guitars are still left mostly untouched from the factory to many years and even decades of use by the buyer.

Whatever they do, there will be someone making a counterfeit of it sooner or later. Education is the key to stopping fake guitar manufacturers, theres no real viable prevention.

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No no and no