Bass being left in vehicle durring the summer

[vulturedog]

I live in Las Vegas. summer is comming it gets up to 115 in the summer ... Question: I usually practice in the evening I work till 8:30 pm at night. Practice is on the same side of town as I work. I live at least 30 min away from both sites. So I bring my bass to work with me and go straight to practice. So I have been keeping it in my truck until I leave and go to practice. Will the heat in the summer be bad on the bass? Cause to fail or warp the neck in some way? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[red_rhino]

I've been told by a luthier that heat damage is one of the most common repairs they see, and I do know a guitar player that experienced damage to his instrument after leaving it in his car trunk. I would never, ever, leave my bass in a hot car.

-Alan

 

[hover]

Yeah, don't do it. REALLY not worth the risk. There's no where to stow it at work? I've in the past run into similar issue (be it extreme heat or cold) and have always found my then -Employer to be at least minimally accommodating in this regard....there has to be a coat closet or something to throw a gig bag in, no?

 

[buldog5151bass]

Summer in Vegas would not be good. Is there somewhere at work to bring the bass, even if you chain and padlock it? Could you leave it at the practice space before work? Especially if your truck is in the sun, that heat would not be good.

 

[Zos Kia Cultus]

Yes, extreme heat will definitely cause damage, just as extreme cold will also cause damage. Prolonged exposure to heat, especially in Las Vegas, being as it's a very dry heat, can cause cracks and warping in the neck, maybe not right away, though it wouldn't take long at 115 degrees. Think of the temperature inside of your truck when it's 115. I would wager it's 130F or more. It will throw your intonation off, and it will always take you out of tune. See if there is any chance of bringing it into your place of work and storing it in a safe place where it wont be stolen or broken.

 

[Technotitclan]

Best case scenario it will jack up your setup and it won't play right. Worst case your finish will peel/crack/check/melt/split, a glue seam will split (like the one between your fretboard and neck), the neck will warp, body can warp, coated or nylon strings can loose they're finish... the list of possible bad things is endless.

I'd speak to management and see if you can bring it inside.

 

[groooooove]

i've never seen a problem- but it rarely gets up to 90 here in NY.. i generally don't leave basses there, and when i do its for an hour or two.

 

[silverjet]

I run a shop in Phoenix and see it all summer long...it can easily get over 180 degrees inside your vehicle left in the sun...finish checking, de-laminating, fret ends popping out, cracks, neck twists, batteries in active setups catastrophically discharging...etc. It can get ugly, might not, but is that a chance your willing to take with an expensive instrument?

 

[PortlandBass77]

Couldn't you just leave it where you practice? Or carry it with you in a gigbag? I would be worried about heat damage.

 

[vulturedog]

Ok thanks for the replies.. One band I was in we practiced in a garage durring the summer. It was hot as he'll but I have to tell you the bass had an awesome lows!

 

[Raf Seibert]

Part of the problem with leaving the bass in a vehicle is that the vehicle acts as a greenhouse, getting much hotter inside than the ambient temperature. I wouldn't leave an instrument in a vehicle in Alaska, let alone Nevada.

Raf

 

[sharkbait130]

I left a fairly expensive 12 string in a trunk one time and the heat softened the glue on the bridge and it shifted about 3/8 of an inch making it impossible to tune. Had to have the bridge re set. Heat and instruments don't go well together.

 

[deathsdj]

I have heard of lots of instruments being stolen out of vehicles as well. To risky for me.

 

[Beej]

A general rule to follow is to store/keep your instruments in an environment where you would be comfortable. If its too cold, hot, humid or dry for you, it will be so for the instrument as well...

 

[dmac1961]

If I wouldn't do it to my dog, I wouldn't do it to my bass.