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Leave combo amp in the car?

mbbassmojo

mbbassmojo

Aug 11, 2012
52
6
NC, USA
#1
I typically gig on the weekend with a practice on Monday nights. Lucky enough to have space at my office to set up the bass gear for some lunch time practice, just wondering what the opinions are on leaving my amp (GK MB112-ii) in the car - parked in the garage - overnight on the weekends. I always take the bass in and out, but it's starting to get down to the 30s at night here and thought I may need to start bringing the amp in and out as well.
 
#2
I would expect any issues would be with shortening the lifespan of the amp, i.e. they won't show up for years.

Big changes in temperature can cause moisture condensation, which can rust components. A lot depends on your climate and humidity.

When you say "garage" I assume you mean your garage at your house. If it's any kind of public parking or apartment building garage don't even leave your sunglasses in the car.
 
#3
It's probably not too big of a deal...

Car stereos are similar animals and they survive OK in the garage.
Summer heat's not going to melt your voice coils or anything.

Might cause Tolex to peel or a glued on label to fall off.
 
#4
I will never, ever leave an amp in my car ever again after having one stolen. Even if there's no fear of you having it stolen in your garage... it's easy to get complacent and start leaving it in your car more often. Anyway that aside, there's another thread going on discussing leaving your cab in the garage that's basically the same deal.. 1. watch out for condensation which if your windows are all wound up shouldn't be a problem. 2. be aware of changes in temperature. If your cab/amp is ice cold, it has to ease into the temperature of whatever room you're going to use it in or you could pose damage to the amp or speaker.
 
#7
Personally,I never leave my gear in the car but that's mostly because I don't trust the hovel of dirtbags down the street. IMO,the solid state components aren't really any different than the radio/amp that spend their whole life in there.
My guitarist NEVER takes his gear out of his car,claiming it's the same as the radio staying in the dash..My argument is his radio doesn't have thirteen tubes for the extreme temp changes to wreak havoc upon and his handwired VOX AC30 nearly has the same monetary value as his car,but to each his own I guess.
 
#8
Thanks for all the feedback! The garage is attached to the house so I'm not too worried about somebody stealing the amp. Humidity doesn't seem to be an issue and I keep the windows up. If I were using a tube amp then I'd be a little more concerned. The wife would probably vote to leave it out in the car anyway.
 
#10
I don't think doing this once a week or so is going to have any negative impact. I did leave an old Trace Elliot combo (1x15 with their 7-band graphic EQ preamp) in the trunk of my car for a couple of years, and I think that did degrade the amp and speaker pretty significantly- but the problems didn't surface until after another 2 - 3 years. At that point it started breaking down repeatedly and just sounding bad even when it was "working". But when I say I left it in the trunk for 2 years that is entirely literal- it only came inside for gigs and rehearsals. At home I had a different practice amp and it just stayed in my trunk.
 
#11
One of my rigs lives on a van with PA gear year-round in Ohio. The only time it ever sees the indoors is for shows. 10 years on, and I've replaced speakers, but never had any issues with the amp (SVT350H, solid-state). I wouldn't leave anything with tubes out in extreme temperatures. I'm unsure about temperature effects on a class D, but seeing as they're small and expensive anyway, I can't see a reason not to just take them inside.

I second the notion that condensation/moisture/rust is probably your worst enemy in this scenario.
 
#12
I learned from handling my telescopes that going from a cold environment into a warm one can cause a lot of dew to form. In the case of electrical equipment I'd be concerned about that dew forming on the wrong component and causing a short or corrosion. But, I hear ya, and I've done it myownself. When I get home after a gig late at night and don't feel like hauling everything into the house I've left my amp out. But, usually I don't bring it in until it's warmed a bit the next day, so dew isn't a problem. I'm just glad nothing has been stolen, so far.
 
#13
Here's another issue - if you are in a crash anything that's not strapped down becomes a life-threatening missile. If you're on your way to a gig or practice there's a good reason to have it in the car, so that's an acceptable risk, but if you leave the amp in the car overnight odds are good you will start leaving it in there everywhere you go, and you might consider that an unacceptable risk.
 
#14
Rockin Mike said:
Here's another issue - if you are in a crash anything that's not strapped down becomes a life-threatening missile. If you're on your way to a gig or practice there's a good reason to have it in the car, so that's an acceptable risk, but if you leave the amp in the car overnight odds are good you will start leaving it in there everywhere you go, and you might consider that an unacceptable risk.
Click to expand...

Good point Mike, I buckle the amp up like one of the kids in the back seat when I'm riding around so it doesn't move, tip over, or fly in to the back of my seat if I hit the brakes. Works pretty well. :hiding:
 
#16
This stuff is fine to be left out in the cold. I live in northern Minnesota, been gigging since the early nineties, all of our stuff sits in an enclosed trailer year round, comes out for gigs. I have yet to see any kind of issue arise from this treatment. Hell, guitars can take it too, as long as you warm them up slowly, dont bring it inside a warm bar and whip the case right open. This stuff isn't nearly as fragile and delicate as everyone seems to think it is.
 
#18
almightycrunch said:
This stuff is fine to be left out in the cold. I live in northern Minnesota, been gigging since the early nineties, all of our stuff sits in an enclosed trailer year round, comes out for gigs. I have yet to see any kind of issue arise from this treatment. Hell, guitars can take it too, as long as you warm them up slowly, dont bring it inside a warm bar and whip the case right open. This stuff isn't nearly as fragile and delicate as everyone seems to think it is.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input, I'm sure it gets way colder up in Minnesota then down here in NC.

What I really need is another bass and amp then I could have a setup at home and at work...not a bad plan...
 
#19
Yah its not a good idea to pick your nose at a stop light either, just common sense. People might be looking.

But sometimes that booger is so big and annoying you just dig it out anyways.

leaving a amp in a car is a bad idea theft wise, but damage to the amp....probably not.

The bigger problem is having a steaming hot tube amp and then rolling it out the door into the cold. that is bad news. otherwise
if it makes life convenient, keep it safe and have fun.

sounds like a good excuse to buy more gear ;).......:D
 

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