Bass in car during work day in winter?

[mikeswals]

i might need to take my bass to work once a week starting in a couple of weeks.

It’d be in the car in the cold for eight hours, after which I’d be hopping on a commuter train for an hour or so from central NJ to NYC.

How bad is this for a nitro finished bass? How bad for a poly finished bass?

Bringing it inside to work really isn’t something I want to do.

I leave nothing in a car.... if I go to work, I take the bass with me.
If I stop at a restaurant, I take the bass in with me.

 

[mikeswals]

Why is it that as soon as we want to leave a bass in a car, we worry about the heat and the cold?

Because from shipping "we" let them acclimate before we open the cases or take indoors from freezing.
At practice, you need to open it right away to play.

 

[Gaolee]

I try to avoid leaving instruments in places where they will experience rapid temperature changes. Even taking a bass guitar to rehearsal or a show in cold weather means it's going to be sharp to begin with and then go flat as the strings and everything else warm up. I haven't had any finish or setup problems, but I'm also a cave dweller with stone age hands that don't seem to care much about setup.

 

[Siggy]

In the old days nitro finish would "check or crack" with a rapid temperature change. The rule of thumb was if it was in a case in a car in freezing temperatures, it should set in the case at room temperature for a few hrs. I woulden't worry to much about a poly finish unless it was 20 below F. In 65 I walked outside with a new acoustic guitar and it checked. I kept hearing a crackling sound. It was about 20~25F.

 

[MrLenny1]

Basses are tough, it should not affect it but
may change the neck setup and kill a battery
if it's active.
Personally I'd take it inside at work.

 

[TeamScorpioRI]

It won't hurt it, but bring it in anyway for the cool factor.

 

[Jokei]

Absolutely no disrespect to any member here at all, but if the question pops up, tell work you're in a worship band.
A) That's kinda respectable
B) Not very rock and/or roll - work won't think you're a junkie

 

[idorky]

do you ever leave your fave dog, /cat, and or your best friend in the car for a period of tyme??? may be d x-wife but never....... your axe ....

 

[57pbass]

Bring it in to your office.. thieves are out there and Mother Nature can be unkind.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I keep a bass in my truck 24/7/365
It’s poly-finish body and neck (Squier VM). The finish is perfectly fine.
Though my bass sees extreme temperatures of Winter and Summer, they are only the gradual changes of the seasons...I never take it from 20° to 70° within a minute...

The ride on the train might allow it to warm up a bit before you take it out of its case/bag to play...

 

[Bruce Johnson]

For your reference, when we build up a nitro-lacquer finished instrument here, where we deliberately want the aged cracked look, we put it in a freezer that we have here for about six hours. Then bring it into the shop and let it warm up sitting on a stand. That will usually do it, fully cracking the finish. Sometimes it takes a second application of the freezer.

Generally not a problem with a polyester or polyurethane finished instrument. But don't subject a nitro lacquer finish to rapid temperature changes.

 

[deste]

I have too many body parts in my freezer, so I keep my spare batteries next to my bonesaw.

I'm sure guitar players keep away from your home...

 

[Jonithen]

Did the open office thing. Even the opennest office has somewhere safe, a closet, something. This is a great excuse to chat with reception. Absolute worst case is they laugh and say no if they are inhuman jerks. Someone will be decent.

 

[JoeWPgh]

It's not the temperature that is a problem, it's sudden changes. And really? Winter is no worse than the extreme heat in a vehicle during the summer. If you are opposed to bringing it into your office, get a cheap beater to leave in your vehicle.

 

[micguy]

Only reason I hesitate with that is because it's a corporate open office environment. It would draw too much attention to myself is the main thing I'm worried about.

So, you have a life outside of work, doing something cool. And maybe it'd be a nice conversation starter. My bass comes into the office about 30 times a year - hot cold, in the middle, I don't leave it in my car or trunk. I get a few good conversations from it a year; none of them negative.

 

[bikeplate]

Cant bring it inside or you dont want to bring it inside?

 

[dhagopian]

I work a corporate job and bring mine in the office every week. Never bothered anyone. Temperatures aside, why risk it being stolen?

 

[JW56789]

Most axes will tolerate the temp changes OK, but I'm with Bruce: Poly finish basses should generally be fine, but you are rolling the dice with lacquer, a chance I would not want to take. I've long since quit leaving axes in cars, why take an unnecessary risk?

If you're going to make that commute, do yourself a favor and get a good gig bag, I would NOT want to brave a commuter train or the subway swinging a big case.

I'd definitely take it to work. Can't get stolen under your desk.

 

[DanAdams]

COLD TRAINS SUBWAYS NYC NIGHTIME!!!
I would use this as a fun opportunity to buy a cool old used beat-up bass in a gig bag. It could double as a bat if you are in need of a weapon.

 

[DrayMiles]

Bad idea.