Double Bass Thin thermal gigbag

[bickele]

Hey!

I'm looking for a light weight non padded gig bag with good thermal insulation to use inside my flight case.

I have a good gig bag with thick padding for when I go to gigs without the flight case, so the thin bag I'm looking for is only for insulating my bass from the cold in airplanes. Keeping the weight down is essential.

Tips?

Ciao

b.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

I don't think the cold will hurt your bass.

 

[maveriten]

... insulating my bass from the cold in airplanes...

I'm curious. Can a bass really store enough heat to stay warmer than the temperature outside of the insulated bag? If so, for how long? Especially at the altitudes airplanes reach...

 

[Andrew McGregor]

Airplane holds are airconditioned the same as the cabin. Don't worry about it.

 

[bickele]

Great to hear the plane itself is not a problem, but I live in Norway and the temperature here can be well below freezing in the winter, so just having the bass standing outside waiting to be loaded makes me nervous. Houses are very warm and there can easily be a 35C jump when you walk out the door.
Again, for local gigs I have a good padded bag, but I don't like the idea of a naked bass inside the thin carbon fiber flight case.

Also, when I tour in other parts of the world, I often fly with the hard shell case, then store the case in the trunk of the night-liner and keep the bass in a bunk bed. I do need a thin bag to go in and out of venues from the bus.

Ciao

b.

 

[bickele]

I was under the impression that sudden changes in temperature will harm your bass.
I don't think a bass can store enough heat to stay warm for a long period of time, but a bag will definitely make the warm-cold transition much smoother, and hopefully the wood has time to adapt. I also have the feeling that a bag will protect the wood from sudden humidity changes.
Is this nonsense? It would be great if it was, no need for gig bags
Hm, I would still need a thin gig bag for touring abroad with the night-liner.

b.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

Well, you could line your CF case with aluminium foil, or aluminised mylar (space blanket, get it at a camping/mountaineering store). That would make a big difference to the heat retention and almost none to the weight.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

its not changes in temperature but rapid changes in humidity that can hurt your bass. Keeping it in the bag for a while in its new location will help slow down any changes. Sounds like you're going from warm and dry (your place) to cold and dry (subzero plane) and warm and dry again.

 

[bickele]

its not changes in temperature but rapid changes in humidity that can hurt your bass. Keeping it in the bag for a while in its new location will help slow down any changes. Sounds like you're going from warm and dry (your place) to cold and dry (subzero plane) and warm and dry again.

This is great news! Does this mean one shouldn't stress about drafts in the house or open windows in the room where the bass is? I always have a blanket on my bass to protect it from drafts and sudden temperature changes due to open windows.

b.

 

[bickele]

Well, you could line your CF case with aluminium foil, or aluminised mylar (space blanket, get it at a camping/mountaineering store). That would make a big difference to the heat retention and almost none to the weight.

The space blanket idea is brilliant, would it work? Or does it need a source of heat like a human body to work its magic?

b.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

All space blanket does is contain any heat there is inside; it won't warm up fast like it does with a person inside, but it will greatly smooth out the temperature changes inside the case.