Playing Outside?

ThumpPlunkJunk · #1 05-17-2011, 04:28 PM

Let me start off by saying there are two things I really love: Being outside and playing the bass.

I play my electric bass guitar outside quite often--usually on the front doorstep or on the back patio with my amp plugged into an outdoor outlet or something, and it's a really fun experience, but I'm not nearly as proficient on the EBG as I am on my upright.

I love my bass, first of all--she's not perfect, she's got some wolf notes and she's got imperfections, but I love her. I call her Martha and I joke with my friend that she's my high-school sweetheart. Now, one morning, when I was making breakfast and the family was starting to get up (namely the basset hound), I thought I'd go outside and sit with my dog on the back patio for a bit. We've had great weather for the past week or so in Pennsylvania (not much right now, just rain, but it was great earlier, I swear!), so it seemed like a good idea.

So here I was, outside, with my dog, on my patio and she really didn't seem to want to go pee, just sit and soak up the rays. Now, my basset likes the sound of my bass--she curls up around the endpin and won't move until I'm done playing, and I'd just got done making breakfast so the first thing I wanted to do after being fed was, of course, play.

Inside I went, and grabbed my bass, and hauled her outside to play for a bit. It wasn't extremely hot, and it wasn't cold--the humidity of the air wasn't much different than my house (probably a little more humid, though), and it was really quite enjoyable playing outside. I felt like I had an audience (in a basset hound and the other dogs that it feels like everybody in my neighborhood lets out at the same time), and it was great. I got a lot of practicing done and when I went back in, I felt like it was a good time playing.

My only question is, is this good for the bass? It's just a laminate, and it sounds better with a little humidity in it, but is this good for the structural stability of the bass and will it change the sound if I decide to play outside more often?

hdiddy · #2 05-17-2011, 05:21 PM

It's a lam. You should be fine. As long as you don't leave it sitting in the sun baking needlessly, knock yourself out.

RustyAxe · #3 05-17-2011, 05:24 PM

I take my laminated Strunal to outdoor events and festivals all the time. I love having a student model bass for these kinds of gigs/events. No worries.

Lo-E · #4 05-17-2011, 05:27 PM

Your bass will be fine.

Now, if you decide to start playing it in the pool you may run into some problems....

ThumpPlunkJunk · #5 05-17-2011, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdiddy

It's a lam. You should be fine. As long as you don't leave it sitting in the sun baking needlessly, knock yourself out.

Sweet--good to hear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lo-E

Your bass will be fine.

Now, if you decide to start playing it in the pool you may run into some problems....

So I shouldn't do this anymore?

Lo-E · #6 05-18-2011, 05:11 AM

Well... I guess it would be alright once in a while.

J. Montgomery · #7 05-23-2011, 09:15 AM

Many people on this board are playing basses that predate air conditioning, so I'm guess the bass will survive

ThumpPlunkJunk · #8 05-23-2011, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Montgomery

Many people on this board are playing basses that predate air conditioning, so I'm guess the bass will survive

Of course.

Just making sure my bass doesn't explode and then I wonder if I should have asked TB first before playing outside.

PostBop · #9 05-25-2011, 08:37 PM

Other than direct sunlight cooking the bass and rain, what other elements of the outdoors have negative impacts on the bass?

drurb · #10 05-25-2011, 10:48 PM

...very low or very high temperatures, rapid swings in temperature and humidity if the bass is taken indoors/outdoors during extreme weather. The rapid swings can be especially bad but can usually be avoided with some forethought.

PostBop · #11 05-26-2011, 08:21 PM

Ok, so for instance if it is 90 outside and the bass is in a 68 A/C cooled house, bringing it out is bad news, so what is the most common way to acclimate the bass if you have a gig that night on the gazebo in town square?

I live at the Jersey shore and rarely use the A/C, I keep my windows open until it gets disgustingly humid, then I cave in and crank A/C. Last summer I used it maybe 7-10 days all season. I plan to do the same this summer. Will the natural rise and fall of temp/humidity through the home allow ample time for my hybrid to acclimate, or is a 90 degree day just too much for the bass?

thnx

Stev187 · #12 05-26-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drurb

The rapid swings can be especially bad but can usually be avoided with some forethought.

^Very true. A simple tip is to leave the bass in the bag for as long as possible when you move it from one extreme to another. Leaving the bag on will slow the change of temp and humidity to a certain extent.

--Steve