would this Deter you from buying used gear????

To answer the question, yes it would be a negative to me buying it. I am not sure of the value of engraving anything with a serial number. Is the S/N not in itself a unique ID? My brother tells me he video tapes all of his valuables and gets a closeup of the S/N and model numbers. This seems like a good idea. I am not sure why I have not gotten around to it myself. My main concern in buying something engraved is the concern for how difficult it would be to sell it to someone else. When I received my new Oddessy Stratus amp, it had my name on a nameplate on the back. I kinda thought it was a nice personal touch. I had since sold it never even thinking about my name engraved on the back. The new owner never mentioned it. Us audio nuts are kinda freaky about tiny inaudible flaws. I am all for making a thieve's life more difficult, but I am not sure engraving personal info would do so. I much prefer the thought of a short barrel shotgun for uninvited guests.

sorry I couldn't be bothered reading the other posts...

I'm completely bewildered by your post and why its a requirement to write your license # on your gear.
Do you think they won't allow you into the group if you don't do this?
What good is your license # on the gear anyway? Insurance will cover it...

I would take off a percentage of the sale value for this defacement, probably in the 5-15% range depending on where it is done.

Obviously, you engrave it, you've destroyed it, pure and simple.

I am genuinely encouraged by the sensitivities displayed above by twl, asa, slipknot and others. This is seriously Orwellian stuff (more than Hegelian, if you ask me, since I think Hegel was interested in finding truth through dialectics, but I digress), and people need to examine what we are giving up in relation to the perceived threat. To turn a phrase, just because they are out to get us doesn't mean we aren't paranoid. Not only does the Patriot Act have a searingly ironic name, it's actually an acronym. It's the USA PATRIOT Act, meaning the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. This includes reading your email without a warrant, by the way. Paranoid and arrogant behavior around the world is why they hate us to begin with, and we just keep coming up with more medecines that are worse than the diseases.

Neighborhood watch due to sniper deaths? Phillip Morris (I refuse to say "Altaris") and Ford killed 1,000 people in the time those guys were shooting up your town.

My advice is not to mark up your gear. Don't concede the point to the thieves. Chances are tiny that you'll get ripped off and the markings aren't likely to help much anyway. If you want protection, get a dog. From a shelter. Win/win.

By the way, I would still buy your gear, but I would pay less for it than if it had no markings.