Double Bass How hot is too hot?

[fdeck]

This hot...



My band played it last week. We have a great singer, who also plays alto in our front row.

 

[Ryan in PDX]

Four outdoor afternoon/early evening sets in the last two days. Seems a bit early in the season for 90°F but here we are. Love that dihydrogen monoxide.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Whew reviving this thread!

Well here we are under another blasted heat dome! Third day of intense summer sun & 100 degree heat (feels like: much hotter).

Returning to a lovely community jazz concert this evening at an outdoor patio / venue. Fortunately the “stage” area is under a gazebo with a large propeller type ceiling fan.

After some consternation, I’m leaving the Upton at home and going with the Fender 4 with flatwounds (aka the ersatz upright).

Fortunately it’s my trio gig so I can bring what I want. Wish me luck and cool breezes.

 

[Ketbass]

Whew reviving this thread!

Well here we are under another blasted heat dome! Third day of intense summer sun & 100 degree heat (feels like: much hotter).

Returning to a lovely community jazz concert this evening at an outdoor patio / venue. Fortunately the “stage” area is under a gazebo with a large propeller type ceiling fan.

After some consternation, I’m leaving the Upton at home and going with the Fender 4 with flatwounds (aka the ersatz upright).

Fortunately it’s my trio gig so I can bring what I want. Wish me luck and cool breezes.

Bring the baby powder pouch for the left hand. Fender or Upton, you’re gonna sweat your tucus off. But still, have fun!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

It’s about the same here. Just gross. Stay safe, brother!

 

[fdeck]

I've let the bands I play with know: Under extreme weather conditions that I am the sole judge of, I reserve the option of bringing my Fender. This includes heat, and playing outdoors without proper cover.

I also think this is when we can bring the "temperature" of the music down a notch by playing mostly nice slow ballads.

 

[Jason Hollar]

I've let the bands I play with know: Under extreme weather conditions that I am the sole judge of, I reserve the option of bringing my Fender. This includes heat, and playing outdoors without proper cover.

I also think this is when we can bring the "temperature" of the music down a notch by playing mostly nice slow ballads.

I’ve taken your position on this as my own and have let several of the guys I work for know this upon accepting certain jobs.

 

[Bruce Calin]

I used to be much more casual about bringing my good DB on all gigs, regardless of weather. I was extremely lucky that I had no serious issues over many years. Now I have a fretless BG a luthier friend put together for me. I wouldn't take it on a reading gig, but for outdoor faking things in iffy weather I'm using it more and more.

 

[Inky13]

Whew reviving this thread!

Well here we are under another blasted heat dome! Third day of intense summer sun & 100 degree heat (feels like: much hotter).

Returning to a lovely community jazz concert this evening at an outdoor patio / venue. Fortunately the “stage” area is under a gazebo with a large propeller type ceiling fan.

After some consternation, I’m leaving the Upton at home and going with the Fender 4 with flatwounds (aka the ersatz upright).

Fortunately it’s my trio gig so I can bring what I want. Wish me luck and cool breezes.

The Brat is in Philly where it’s 102. That’s crazy.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

I don’t take outdoor gigs in the summer anymore.

 

[TroyK]

Sorry, I haven't read the whole thread, but whenever someone tells me that I'm too hot, I think that has more to do with their own insecurity.

Hope that helps.

 

[Paul New]

I had an outdoor gig last week and it was in the 90s with high humidity. Perfect for my p bass. I don’t take even my Kay out in that, hoping to avoid a global delamination event.

 

[s van order]

I was thinking about the same thing two days ago, so I decided to bring my ALCOA aluminum bass. Zero problems at the gig and a bonus. On the way home, I stopped to meet some friends at a restaurant and left the bass inside the car on a 90 degree day in the direct sunshine for 2 1/2 hours. It was definitely very hot, but zero issues with the bass. My other wooden basses would have been destroyed....ALCOA for the win!

I figured your Alcoa might get too hot to play, like bleacher seats. I learned my lesson with my black carbon fiber L&C cello at an outdoor gig. It got too hot in the sun, we musicians of course were in the sun, and I had lay it down and play my Fender bass. No cello singing melodies and fiddle tune breaks for me that gig, lol.

 

[Don Hergert]

I played at the Susanville bluegrass festival 3 times last week, twice at 90 degrees in afternoons and once at 54 degrees at 8:30 in the morning. All on stage in the shade and with a moderate-to-heavy cross breeze. The 90 degree afternoons were livable. I liked the 54 degrees at 8:30 in the morning the least.

 

[sean_on_bass]

it was so hot here on Friday that my INDOOR gig got cancelled. we had power outages caused by the extreme heat and the restaurant we were booked at had to close for the day. that was a first.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Well I survived the Friday outdoor gig. Three days straight of 100+. Like walking into an infinity sauna! Fortunately we had a gazebo with some shade and a “ceiling” fan.

Was still way too hot for upright. The Fenders were happy to get some straight ahead time.