The wait votes are ahead. Just received notice that it is delayed until tomorrow
Well then, you will have already waited. Open it up when it gets there.
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Wait to open my bass in cold temps?
- Thread starter sgiacomo
- Start date
Well then, you will have already waited. Open it up when it gets there.
I voted "Wait", but I think waiting a whole day is excessive.
When I've been in this situation, I've waited a few hours until the outside of the case does not feel excessively cold. At that point, I open it up. I've never had an issue.
When I've been in this situation, I've waited a few hours until the outside of the case does not feel excessively cold. At that point, I open it up. I've never had an issue.
I let a friendly local metalhead borrow my poly finished early 80’s musicmaster bass one single digit day and since I had no case for it he carried it to his place a few blocks away wrapped in a towel. The finish shattered in huge checks. Actually looked cool later. Because the cracks ended up looking kinda purple on a black bass.
so yeh. Wait a bit I vote too
so yeh. Wait a bit I vote too
D
Are you going to always treat the bass like a museum piece and only ever play it at home, in a climate controlled environment? Then you should probably be patient and wait, even though the chances of anything bad happening are practically 0 with a poly finish bass like this one.
Are you going to use the amp for gigs, where you (for obvious reasons) can't wait 24 hours until you open the case, no matter what the temperature outside is? Then you might as well go ahead and open it.
Are you going to use the amp for gigs, where you (for obvious reasons) can't wait 24 hours until you open the case, no matter what the temperature outside is? Then you might as well go ahead and open it.
AQUANOVA
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong
Wait.
Regret is a cruel master.
Patience Grasshopper.
Regret is a cruel master.
Patience Grasshopper.
Fascinating...I just received a new 5 string bass from Sweetwater on Saturday. It was shipped from their Arizona warehouse to my Indiana home (just 2 hours from their Fort Wayne HQ). It was delayed for two extra days in and around Chicago. Arrived on my doorstep while I was out and sat there for 2 hours at -3F. I chose to bring it in and slowly let it acclimate, figuring patience would do no harm. I tuned it on Sunday and let it rest again and did a full set up this afternoon, Monday. I was not needing to rush, so took my time. Enjoy having your Fender back!
Nitro or poly but nitro can be more sensitive.
Wait in cold. If you want to lay eyes on it when it gets off the truck do it outside or in your garage. It’s OK for the bass to BE cold. It’s not ok for it to be freezing and rapidly exposed to your heated environment.
I have seen a custom finished Hamer ruined within seconds because a coworker got excited to see it minutes off a UPS truck. Just give it a while.
Wait in cold. If you want to lay eyes on it when it gets off the truck do it outside or in your garage. It’s OK for the bass to BE cold. It’s not ok for it to be freezing and rapidly exposed to your heated environment.
I have seen a custom finished Hamer ruined within seconds because a coworker got excited to see it minutes off a UPS truck. Just give it a while.
Of course it’s not a museum piece but I don’t want to unnecessarily mess up the finish on a brand new bass. Thanks for the feedback
I once received a bass in the middle of several days of sub-freezing temps across the US. The bass had been shipped from Louisiana and the package was freezing cold when I received it. I waited a while, but not long enough - when I opened it up, the bass was frozen and a crack in the ash body started to appear at the heel. The bass had an oil finish, so it wasn't just checking, but an actual crack in the wood.
It never moved after that, but it was a good lesson to just be patient and let things acclimate before screwing it up.
When I was a kid, my dad received a Martin acoustic guitar during a cold spell. I remember waiting literally all day for it to acclimate before he opened it up. I don't recall if he waited because that was part of the receiving instructions, or he was just being cautious. I think it was shipped from Elderly Instruments, if I remember correctly. This was way before internet.
It never moved after that, but it was a good lesson to just be patient and let things acclimate before screwing it up.
When I was a kid, my dad received a Martin acoustic guitar during a cold spell. I remember waiting literally all day for it to acclimate before he opened it up. I don't recall if he waited because that was part of the receiving instructions, or he was just being cautious. I think it was shipped from Elderly Instruments, if I remember correctly. This was way before internet.
American Pro has a pretty durable finish.
I received my Fender AV63 P (lacquer) during winter back in 2018. Chicago Music Exchange had a big sticker telling you to wait 24 hours (or maybe more) because of the cold on the outside of the box. I think I waited an hour or two maybe and got the case out of the shipping box, then waited another hour before opening it. It was fine.
I've had other basses that sat in a cold trailer while we were heading between gigs and pulled them out and played them right away, never an issue with those either, but I wouldn't do that with a nitro finish.
I received my Fender AV63 P (lacquer) during winter back in 2018. Chicago Music Exchange had a big sticker telling you to wait 24 hours (or maybe more) because of the cold on the outside of the box. I think I waited an hour or two maybe and got the case out of the shipping box, then waited another hour before opening it. It was fine.
I've had other basses that sat in a cold trailer while we were heading between gigs and pulled them out and played them right away, never an issue with those either, but I wouldn't do that with a nitro finish.
Pull the case out of the package and let it warm up slowly for a few hours. Don't throw it in front of the wood stove and it will be fine.
Wait. That way, if something bad happens, you can say with 100% certainty (and honesty) it wasn't you. Impatience is for toddlers. It's unattractive, illogical, and counterproductive in adults.
Leave it alone!!!
Let it sit in the box for at least 8 hrs. It’s not going to run off
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I follow what my tech told me when we were touring. Instruments come in first from the bus. Cases are cracked and they stay that way through load in and setup. until we were ready for sound check. I still do the same today at gigs. If I have a bass shipped I never unbox anything for 8 hours. Just my way.
It’s not the extremes of temp it’s seen on its shipment to you. It’s the speed of the change that can harm.
Waiting can’t hurt. Not waiting could. You choose.
Waiting can’t hurt. Not waiting could. You choose.
