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bass sitting out in the cold??

#21
I accidentally left a bass (Fender '72 Jazz neck and newer P body) in a car for most of Jan and Feb in the Northeast US.
Let it warm up slowly inside for a day or two before opening the gig bag - no apparent damage.
The Lakland I just got rode around in a UPS truck for 10-12 hrs at sub freezing temps before I got it, opened the case after 2 hours, but the bass was still VERY cold. No apparent damage again, but I'd wait 12 hrs instead of 2 next time.
 
#23
I have never had any damage form the cold, but I had my 83 L-2000 trans blue finish ruined by heat...melted the material in the case right to the finish. And doing some overseas tours for the D.O.D. pretty much ruined the finish on my Pedulla Rapture, but I attribute that to altitude....could have been temp changes I suppose.
 
#24
I lived in Alaska for 5 years and I left my bass on our equipment truck most of the time in the dead of winter. Temperatures would often drop well below zero. I never had even the slightest problem with my bass. (Tobias Classic neck through) I wish I still had that bass.
 
#25
I live in Alaska now and sometimes my bass gets left in the back of my car outside for a day or so. I just bring it in and toss it on the stand and play it when it warms up. I've done this with several instruments and never had problems.
 
#26
I always try to bring my basses in from the cold, especially those with thinner necks, because I don't want my set up to change all the time in the winter.

What I do worry about in cold temperatures is my amp, because bringing it inside places where there are people dancing, drinking, and the heat is on (AKA breathing people's sweat), attracts a lot of moisture to it. The same will happen to instruments if they are very cold and enter into a humid atmosphere, especially the metal parts.

I can't count how many times I've had to wipe down my bass and gear multiple times through a set. After traveling for 6 hours in a snow storm with my gear in a trailer and having to play right away. I end up burning through a large bath towel getting all the water off of everything.

No damage yet. *Knocks on wood
 
#27
thanks for all the replies. i'm not worried about it anymore. it really won't be a problem to let it gradually warm up either, the wife doesn't know i bought it yet so i'll have to hide it for a couple of days anyway.
 
#28
Eric Moesle said:
TERRIBLE ADVICE. No offense, but that's exactly what causes the damage.

Finish cracking occurs ....leave the case CLOSED and let the entire thing warm up gradually over two or three hours.

KEEP THE CASE CLOSED!
Click to expand...
No offense taken because, obviously, posted out of concern and love for a musical instrument.

However I used to play gigs in Alaska being from Seattle. I used this method for years on advice from a guitar tech. Never had any problem with finish damage. Didn't always have a lot of time between transport and showtime to let the case and guitar to warm up.

I agree your method makes a lot if sense and would be optimum if one had no time constraints. Thanks!

peace
 
#30
KEEP THE CASE CLOSED!

I totally agree. I could send you pics of my '78 Precision, with fine cracks spaced about every 1/8 -1/4 inch, that happened back in high school. Had a one hour drive to a dance (back then, high schools actually hired bands for dances) in far northern MN in -40 degree weather. We were running late and didn't have time to let it warm up before opening up the case. Opened the case and ... wallah! Hundreds of cracks across the front and back.:(

Let it warm up for a couple of hours first.
 
#31
Bring the guitars into the room. Don't open the cases. Crack them and let them sit for about 30 min. or so. Then, you should be safe. When I was doing roadwork, the road crew made the mistake of opening a guitar case all the way out of a truck traveling through sub-zero weather. We could hear the finish crackle all the way across the room.
 
#33
Hey there. You say "if the delivery guy leaves this outside for say 2 or 3 hours". Does it have to be like that? Can a neighbor keep it for you? Aren't you concerned about potential theft? I would!

Peace, bass bruddaz & sistaz.
 
#37
Luckydog said:
"In a lot of residential areas UPS and Fedex can leave packages outside, even if a sig. is required."

Isn't that more like, "they do", rather than "they can"?
Click to expand...

Yes, its "they do"!

Kinda like the time a UPS driver forged my signature and left my new Ken Smith BSR5GN on my porch in plain sight. I live on one of the busiest streets in my town, with a lot of foot traffic year-round.

I also found a new Eden D410T and WT-800 signed for and left one day as well.



dcr
 
#40
Way too much paranoia in here.

I've left acoustic guitars outside in below freezing weather after playing them next to a 2000ºF fire all night, nothing happened.
 

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