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Most "temperature tolerant" basses?

#21
Guitars are not humans. The are pieces of wood with some electronic parts attached. You own it. You cannot kill it. You will not go to jail. Now if you own a Rickenbacker or Gibson, or some other model that is held together by wood glues, it is not a good idea to leave it in a hot car because glue can soften and later reset slightly off. If your instrument has a nitro finish, it will age more quickly due to rapid temperature changes, nickel plated and metal parts will age quicker due to condensation issues, and thieves do break through and steal. Most manufacturers warn against leaving instruments in the car.
However many people want their instruments aged. If that's want you want, and it gives you more time to practice, then it's your bass, go ahead and do what you want.
BUT, if your instruments neck warps, the finish is ruined, or it gets stolen, don't come posting your problems back here; they will eat you alive.
 
#25
Find a cheap thermometer that records or marks the highest temperature experienced. 100 degrees and in the sun could probably get into the 150+ temperature range


Buy a cheap neck and bridge, then attach them to a 2x4 or something and string it up. Then again, the cheapest way to get a neck may be off a 50-100 beater on CL.

I have been thinking of how I could make bass that folds at the neck joint fir travel and basic alone practice. Just good enough to practice finger positions. that folds at the neck/
I have wondered about making a folding bass bassfomentioned but
 
#26
I bought a SX Jazz bass for the same reason. There are times when I have to leave my gear in the trunk at the train station all day and play a gig at night. Temps can range from 0 degrees to 100 degrees in New England. I wanted a 'sacrificial' bass that I wouldn't feel bad about if it got destroyed or stolen. The SX has handled heat and cold just fine and it plays and sounds good as well. If something does happen to it I can just write a check for $120 or so and get another one.

Rick B.
 
#28
RickBlair said:
I bought a SX Jazz bass for the same reason. There are times when I have to leave my gear in the trunk at the train station all day and play a gig at night. Temps can range from 0 degrees to 100 degrees in New England. I wanted a 'sacrificial' bass that I wouldn't feel bad about if it got destroyed or stolen. The SX has handled heat and cold just fine and it plays and sounds good as well. If something does happen to it I can just write a check for $120 or so and get another one.

Rick B.
Click to expand...

How many seasonal cycles has this test been going on?

I may have to store my Less than two year old Fender American Deluxe P, and J basses in an un-heated, and un-cooled environment. (A semi trailer in Wisconsin). I may have to store these basses, and a Gibson SG guitar in these conditions for a couple years, and I would hate for it to ruin them. The basses have a thick poly finish. The SG is nitro. I would probably wrap the cased instruments in plastic, even though I expect the inside of the trailer to remain completely dry. There will be the large temperature swing as the seasons change, (from below zero, to mid nineties). Anyone have any actual experience with something like this?
 
#29
P Town said:
How many seasonal cycles has this test been going on?

I may have to store my Less than two year old Fender American Deluxe P, and J basses in an un-heated, and un-cooled environment. (A semi trailer in Wisconsin). I may have to store these basses, and a Gibson SG guitar in these conditions for a couple years, and I would hate for it to ruin them. The basses have a thick poly finish. The SG is nitro. I would probably wrap the cased instruments in plastic, even though I expect the inside of the trailer to remain completely dry. There will be the large temperature swing as the seasons change, (from below zero, to mid nineties). Anyone have any actual experience with something like this?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't take the chance on any instrument that is worth more than $100 or so. My wife has a 60's Gibson acoustic guitar that she lent to some guy who left it in a car overnight in sub-freezing temps. The finish is cracked all over the guitar now.

Rick B.
 
#30
Mr. Blair,
Sorry to hear about your wifes Gibson. Many years ago, I loaned a '61 P bass to someone, and the building his band was practicing in burned down, and my bass went with it. Bummer.

The Gibson I may have to store is a "faded" finish, which is a very thin, non gloss lacquer, and probably not prone to cracking.

I hate to have to store these instruments in an unheated environment, but may not have a choice.

I also have some other instruments that I will have to store for a while, but they did not cost as much as the Fenders. (An Ibanez Artcore guitar, a MIM Strat, and a 1967 Kapa short scale bass). They are all poly finishes.

I hope that the thick poly on the Fenders will not have any problem with getting cold.

The semi trailer is insulated, so the temperature swings will be very gradual, but the instruments will go (seasonally) from below zero, to mid 90s, unattended in their cases.

I do plan to put a large bag of desiccant in each case, and wrap the cases in plastic.

I will leave them strung, and maybe tuned down a step.

I hope I'm not going to cause damage to any of these instruments by this treatment.
 
#31
Here's a tip. Find an old Cort copy of a Steinberger headless bass. They usually go pretty cheap. Not only will it stand up to just about any kind of temp and humidity change you can throw at it, but it will be a lot easier to play in a car with limited room.

Years ago, when I played in a band in VA, I kept one in the band bus as a backup. I also used it for rehearsals. I would drive to the drummer's house (where we practiced) and go out to his back yard and grab my Cort from the bus. Sometimes it was 95 + (a gagillion dgrees in the bus) and a bunch of humidity. Sometimes it was 20 degrees. I would walk right into his house and start playing. I rarely even had to TUNE the thing, much less set it up.

It was this bass exactly. (See attached)
 

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#39
So, really "heavy" basses weigh <15lbs and you can't carry that back and forth with you? Laziness.
Having to store an instrument in a semi trailer for extended periods of time? You don't have any friends or family with climate controlled homes who would hold an instrument or two for a while?
Why folks can't take care of the things they have amazes me.....
 
#40
mbelue said:
So, really "heavy" basses weigh <15lbs and you can't carry that back and forth with you? Laziness.
Having to store an instrument in a semi trailer for extended periods of time? You don't have any friends or family with climate controlled homes who would hold an instrument or two for a while?
Why folks can't take care of the things they have amazes me.....
Click to expand...

You missed the point. The OP wanted to take a bass to work and leave it in his car so he could practice in the car at lunch. Put your soapbox away. Basses are made of wood and steel. They are not artifacts. They are tools. I leave me tools in my truck all the time. And they're fine. Lighten up.
 

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