Double Bass Camping with a Double Bass - Smart or dumb

[9_Lb_B_Twin]

Is it okay to go camping with a double bass?

Just bought my first UB recently, new to this world and I have been perusing the web, googling info on camping and can't find much of anything. Or is it just that obvious you shouldn't go camping with a double bass? How would a flat-back hybrid with steel strings hold up if I took it up to Wisconsin just north of the Dells for a three day weekend camping out of a car and tent and playing around fires? We all know tuning would be a potential hazard/nightmare, and would need constant tuning and maybe to be down tuned before night, etc. I'm more curious as to if this could damage the instrument or shorten the life of it? Are there are ways of doing this safely or any precautionary measures to take into consideration? Or would my best bet just be taking my cheap acoustic Dean (not an UB) and let that thing get wrecked and keep the nice hybrid at home?

 

[GretschWretch]

For campfire sinaglongs the Dean should be adequate, and in fact such applications may justify the existence of that particular instrument on account of its big body. If I *had* to take an upright, it would be a quarter-size; no larger. IMO, a hobbit could survive in the wild better than a 3/4 size double-bass would.

 

[skwee]

Take your Dean. I wouldn't bring a big ol' DB along.

 

[Don Kasper]

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Huy Nguyen]

I think it's fine so long as you control the temps in which the bass is in. If you can guarantee that the bass will not be left in a hot car or in direct sunlight for long periods of time, it's ok. You just don't heat to damage it in any way. Otherwise, the doghouse at home.

I do a jazz camp in the woods every year and camp out each time with my fully carved. The bass is always in the shade. I never leave it in my car during the day and store it in the car at night, making sure it's out of the by sometime in the morning.

 

[Don Kasper]

What could possibly go wrong?

Oh Wait! If it's a CCB, the wood is probably "green" and therefore NOT Flammable...
You should be OK.

Possible jazz tunes to play while camping:
Owl Be Seeing You
The Squirrel From Ipanema
All Spruce
A Sleepin' Bag
Woodsy 'N You
Tinderly
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, (and Ears, and Lungs, Etc.)

Sorry. So Sorry. (I can't help it).

 

[BobKay]

I don't see much difference between what you want to do and a bluegrass festival. I've taken my Kay to dozens of festivals over the years. Not a hybrid, but still a bass.

My only recommendation is to forget the campfire. Not because of fire damage, but because of the smell. It can be very hard to get rid of the smoke smell. Gather around a nice bright Coleman lantern under a canopy to keep the dew off and play away.

 

[9_Lb_B_Twin]

Thanks for the initial responses. I appreciate and respect all of the views here, even yours iona bass, since there is a tendency to get carried away with my friends from time to time.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Hundreds of bluegrass bass players go camping with their basses every weekend through the summer and into the fall. We were at Lighthouse on Vancouver Island two weeks ago and we'll be at Darrington next weekend. Treat the instrument with normal care and respect and everything will be fine.

 

[Big Hoss]

I've seen it done. Guitar, a db, and bongos. I was drunk enough to play bongos...

 

[MrLenny1]

Take a cheap Yamaha 6 string acoustic. Coom Ba Ya.
Leave the DB at home.

 

[FitzFitz]

You wouldn't happen to be going to Eau Claire? I'm camping out there for the music festival Thursday-Sunday this weekend.

 

[JollySpudd]

Is it okay to go camping with a double bass?

Just bought my first UB recently, new to this world and I have been perusing the web, googling info on camping and can't find much of anything. Or is it just that obvious you shouldn't go camping with a double bass? I'm more curious as to if this could damage the instrument or shorten the life of it? Are there are ways of doing this safely or any precautionary measures to take into consideration? Or would my best bet just be taking my cheap acoustic Dean (not an UB) and let that thing get wrecked and keep the nice hybrid at home?

Keep it at home, methinks.

My concern would be dew, humidity, any moisture that could mess with glue joints.

Not nearly the same, but I had an experience with a vintage 1950s portable pump organ that I had taken to an outdoor night time jam session. We were set up in a screened open air rectangular kinda gazebo thing, it was a cool but humid night. The organ has these leather straps that act as valves for air intake to the foot bellows. It was a nice jam. I packed up and put the organ back in my closet not ever thinking that those leather straps, due to age, where thirsty to absorb the night air humidity; probably with every pump of the bellows. As it sat back home, it dried out and the leather straps became brittle and cracked to pieces.

Not that it's like a double bass, but I'd be concerned that if the bass is dry, it will absorb moisture from wherever it can, since out doors is often more humid than inside, especially if you have AC or dehumidifiers at home. I'd be concerned with glue joints getting soft by moisture, then drying out and the glue potentially cracking. Especially after a weekend out. If it's an older bass - not sure how glues compare with newer.

Also, I'd be concerned that, if you're playing in front of a camp fire, the bass would be shielding you from how hot the fire might be in building up the temperature on the lower face of the bass closest to the fire. I've had that with guitar by the campfire, when feeling below the bridge.

And if it is a new baby for you, why chance it. Plus it'll hinder your mobility and add worry if you're off trekking. Better to be safe.

It would be different if you were gigging for the weekend.

 

[Martin Beer]

I've played my 100 year old carved bass outdoors and kept it in tents overnight many times (hence the avatar). I tend to avoid getting too close to fires, to avoid the uneven dry heat in a situation that's otherwise cool and humid. So far the worst that has happened has been a small section of open seam, and that can happen anyway. I keep it in its bag overnight to cut down on condensation and avoid leaving it in vehicles in warm weather.
If I had space for a second double bass in the house I would keep a laminated bass for these situations, but I don't have room for that.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Could you? Yes. Should you? Why?

I would think you want to have fun, and not worry about your new pup.

 

[bloo1]

I'd be concerned about bears...

 

[bassfran]

I'd be concerned about bears...

Yep- they're liable to want to sit in.

 

[james condino]

If you want to be overcome by your own neurotic obsessions, leave it at home. As for me....I've taken my best instruments all over the world since I can remember- on cars and planes and boats and on my back and on Yaks and naks and pack horses and all the way to Everest basecamp and down the heart of the Grand Canyon by raft and to war in faraway desert lands.

Not once did I ever wish I left it at home or brought some cheap plastic ukelele.....or you can chose to leave it at home and while you are out in some beautiful place surrounded by friends having a great time playing music while you sit there agitated and sitting on your thumb not participating, all the while knowing that the cat just knocked over your bass at home and broke the neck in half while you were too worried about a couple of scratches to bring it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[themarshall]

Go for it. With reasonable care, it will be approximately the the same conditions that all instruments lived in not too long ago - sans central HVAC.

 

[9_Lb_B_Twin]

If you want to be overcome by your own neurotic obsessions, leave it at home. As for me....I've taken my best instruments all over the world since I can remember- on cars and planes and boats and on my back and on Yaks and naks and pack horses and all the way to Everest basecamp and down the heart of the Grand Canyon by raft and to war in faraways desert lands. Not once did I wish I ever left it at home or brought some cheap plastic ukelele.....or you can chose to leave it at home and while you are out in some beautiful place surrounded by friends having a great time playing music you sit there agitated and sitting in your thumb not participating, all the while knowing that the cat just knocked over your bass at home and broke the neck in half while you were too worried about a couple of scratches to bring it!!!!!!!!!!!!

My next question was about Everest base camp so thanks for clearing that up!