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Leaving Bass in cold weather

#21
OK, to clarify. It's the SPEED of the temperature change that's going to cause problems here. I've been gigging in sub-zero temps since 1977 and I've never trashed a bass by having it in the back of the van or the trunk of the car in sub-zero weather. You get to the gig early, you let things slowly come back up, and you plan on retuning. Of course anything you can do to aleviate the problem is better.

To the point of the OP. So you're going to rehearsal right after school, but it's a 2 hour wait? Can you get there early and leave your bass in the case for 2 hours? Or are you saying it's a 2 hour drive between school and rehearsal? Or is two hours how you define "right after"? That part's confusing me.

Myself, I was blessed to be able to leave a bass at the rehearsal spot (guitarists home) where the temperature, humidity, and security were good. I could walk in five minutes before rehearsal and be ready to go.

jte
 
#23
I was just thinking about this topic the other day. I actually played outside for when Pres. Obama came through Maryland on the train. It was like 15 degrees and before we played, our stuff sat out for like 3 hours because of scanning, secret service, blah blah blah. We then played a few tunes, stopped for about 45 min because the power got jacked up, then kicked off again for about 2 hrs. My 5501 stayed in tune and held it down the whole time. We ended up being there at about 9am and when all was done, it was about 3pm. Played the next day in church with no issues.

As I mentioned earlier, the best wood I've found for stability is wenge.
Click to expand...
Thats the truth. Had a Warwick Thumb that I hardly ever had to tune even in after being left out two days in 120-135 degrees. :eek:
 
#24
I had several Peavey Dyna-basses in the 80's/90's that would live all week in an old school bus outside in the cold all winter and summer. -20 degrees extended were not unheard of.

We'd arrive... drag crap into the bar and open the cases. :: gasp :: Nothing ever cracked or warped or died of exposure.

More vintage delicate finishes can give you problems, but people tend to grossly over-worry about the durability of almost all mass produced instruments.

IMHO.



.
 
#25
I wouldn't (and don't).

The worst was when I left a set of bagpipes in full view on my back seat and went in a gas station.

When I returned to the car, the back window had been smashed and some miscreant had thrown two more sets of bagpipes in!
 
#27
currently on tour and i just played montreal last night, i just let my bass warm up in the case for awhile.

but my singer's taylor acoustic suffered a crack in the finish yesterday when we were setting up for soundcheck. brutal stuff.
 
#29
There were many times I came home when the sun came up, and was so tired I left the bass in the car..sub zero weather...

went to the next gig the next day..bass still in the car...

Tuned, did the gig, went back home...

Or the bass would be in the trailer or un heated back of van for hours upon hours..and we only would have about an hour before the gig.

My expensive basses couldnt handle reality but my cheap axes could..go figure.
 
#31
I'm sorry, but I find some of the responses to this tread a little amusing. I like California, Texas, and Florida TBers that say never let your bass get cold. (I still love you guys). But I live in Montreal, Canada. We get sub zero temperatures all the time. And although the wood certainly changes with temperature and humidity, it always comes back. When I gig in winter, I try to get to the club at least 30 min before, and let my bass warm up. I have to re-tune all the time in winter though, witch obviously proves the wood is sensible to cold.

I agree, and I myself do it, if I can avoid temperature changes, I do it. But I would never consider not to bring my bass because of temperature. Just my opinion.
 
#34
I've been gigging for more than 20 years in western NY weather. Not the coldest in the country but in the winter time its almost always in the low 20's to mid teens at night on average. I leave all my equipment in an unheated shed in my back yard so that I don't have to haul it that far from and to my truck. I've had Fender Jazz, Musicman, Schecter Basses - David Eden and Mesa Boogie amp heads, Mesa and Fender Cabs. I follow one rule of thumb; let them all warm up for at LEAST 30 minutes at room temperature before turning anything on or taking guitars out of the cases. I have never had a problem.
 
#36
In my area we don't see weather like you guys would in the north, but on Nov. 1st I played an outdoor gig and it was pretty freaking cold. Down in the 30's at least. People spent most of the time around the bonfire and we'd see people walking up to the stage and quickly moving back to the fire. They wanted to dance lol..it was just too cold. I loaded the bass into it's case and we drove to the property. We set up the rest of our gear before I took my bass out of it's case. So I'd say it'd been in the cold in it's case for 30 minutes to an hour. I took it out of it's case and put it on the stand, and left it there for about an hour or two before the festivities began.

I tuned my bass and after letting it acclimate to the weather, and didn't have to tune for the rest of our short set. After loading up and driving home way later in the night, I took my bass inside and left it in its case overnight. Bass still playing like a pro, and in great condition. But it's not a glossy finish either. I think it's like most people here are saying. If you are moving a stringed instrument between temperatures, give it time to acclimate IN THE CASE and you should be fine.

On another note.. I've decided not to play anymore outdoor gigs in the winter. I couldn't feel my strings through most of that show.
 

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