Leaving the cab in the car

[ras52]

I park on the street outside my house... if I'm lucky. If not, I park further down the street... or even in the next street. Being lucky late in the evening is sadly quite rare.

Now, on those unlucky occasions, would you leave a cab in the boot of the car (out of sight, natch)? Winter is icumen in, and I wonder if the poor thing could be damaged by being left out in the cold.

[Jazzneck]

Wouldn't recommend it, even if the cab is bruddy heavy and has no wheels.
I did this for a few days once and condensation caused big problems with speaker cones and corrosion to the jack sockets - repair bill was in xs of £25 and that was in 1969!

[gjones]

I have left my poor old, UK built, electric blue ashdown combo in the back of my car for a year now. I use it regularly (at least once a week) at smaller gigs and it's never let me down. I would never leave my more expensive stuff out in sub zero temps like I do my ashdown but it only cost me £100 secondhand and it seems like it's bulletproof.

[pietruszka]

I've left my cab in the car before when I've been really lazy! 99% of the time I'll double park, unload then park the car where I can. Your gear is safe and there's less risk of your car being broken into.


Dan

[bertbass]

Out of the cozy house into the freezing cold boot. Out of the freezing cold boot into the over hot venue. Out of the even hotter venue into the freezing boot and out of the freezing boot into the cozy house. Only a thought.

[LawrenceH]

I'd have thought loudspeakers are (or certainly should be) designed to cope with relatively rapid and extreme changes in temperature, given that we regularly flay them with several hundred watts. I don't know what a 'typical' minimum operating temperature is but I'd be more concerned with moisture than heat per se.

[Lozz196]

From 2009 - the start of this year, the only times my cabs were out of the car were when I was using them. They never had any problems. But I always made sure I had Roqsolid covers for the cabs, for a bit of piece of mind.

[Tankdave]

get one of those fold up aluminium sack trucks

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Tankdave' timestamp='1323207839' post='1460683']
get one of those fold up aluminium sack trucks
[/quote]
I had one of them, but stopped using it when I ran out of fold up aluminium sacks.

([i]Ok, sorry; coat gotten[/i]...)

[chris_b]

[size=4]Car hi fi systems seem to work for years![/size]

[witterth]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1323215343' post='1460795']
[size=4]Car hi fi systems seem to work for years![/size]
[/quote]
thats the fella! it will be fine! old glassback here, leaves a cab in the car (out of sight) and all seems to be well
as Chris b, says its nowt new.

[icastle]

Mine regularly get left in the back of my car after a gig as I have to carry them upstairs to my music room - the last thing I fancy doing at silly o'clock in the morning after a gig.

I've never had a problem.

[Slipperydick]

Have to admit I do it quite often, and i park on my drive. Just too lazy to hump it into the house, especially if I have another gig next night. I do worry about the damp and th porous paper speaker cones though. Never had a problem in 30 odd years so its probably OK.

I back up to the wall with it in the back, cant see anybody getting it out easily, but my nephew had a 2X15 nicked out of his Astra, so it can happen.

[thumperbob 2002]

At the early hours do I start unpacking the car from the drive and bring this into the house- no! Only sometimes I`ll take my bass inside and amp/ gear etc. Just too tired. The car has great security mind and is away from prying eyes. I have had trouble with valve amps in the past though- if they dont have time to get used to the heat/ condensation buildup.

[Cat Burrito]

It doesn't seem to hurt when I've done it in the past. I'm now rocking a smaller rig though so usually find the strength to drag it in during the early hours. Valve heads & basses ALWAYS come in though

[ras52]

Thanks for the responses guys. Double-parking sounds like the fun option. As does the trolley.

As some others have posted, I'd be more concerned with moisture than hot/cold. I may occasionally leave it there with the intention of going back the next day to get it (and then realising a week later than I haven't! )

[thisnameistaken]

I never leave anything in the car. Actually I did once, but that was in a backstage field at a festival, with security on the gates.

[brensabre79]

Its risky from an insurance perspective, but if you're covered there shouldn't be any problems. Cover it up and pop a couple of those silica gel pouches in there to grab any moisture and prevent corrosion - that's your biggest enemy. Basses should definitely come out though, in summer and winter, they are not so good with the temperature shifts or condensation. I left my SWR 4x10" in an exposed underground car park for 2 years and a garden shed for another year, still works fine

[Gareth Hughes]

£20 collapsible hand cart from B&Q or Maplins - park in the next street if you have and roll the cab back. Well worth the peace of mind that the cab won't get damaged by the cold/damp or getting nicked.

[icastle]

[quote name='BurritoBass' timestamp='1323247984' post='1460903']
Valve heads & basses ALWAYS come in though
[/quote]

+1

Not only are they the most succeptible to dampness they're expensive items in an easily 'transportable' package and ripe for opportunistic theft...

[4 Strings]

> the car radio and other electronics argument.

Does the boot get damp? Why would condensation appear? Its less likely to appear in the boot as there are no musty breathed musos in there, or at least there shouldn't be (unless it helps the drummer to stop speeding up).

Just the security issue for me.

[discreet]

Another great reason to go straight into the desk... [i]just sayin'! [/i][i] [/i]

[goblin]

I used to keep my old 4x10 in the boot after gigs if I was back late, even the head. With a couple of dehumidification packs they were fine, as far as them getting nicked goes, the car double locks so you can't just put the window through and open the door, so if they're able to get a 45kg out of the boot / side window of a VW Polo, to be honest they're more than welcome to it!

[chris_b]

[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]The biggest problem is sudden climate change, for example when you move your gear into a cold car, then into a warm gig and back again after. That's when risk of condensation will be at its highest, not when the gear is left in the car overnight. [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font][/color]
[size=4][font=Arial][color="#000000"]Who worries about those temperature shifts? Who sets their gear up and switches on immediately? You cause more wear and tear if you do that. You should always let the equipment acclimatise before you start it up. [/color][/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2] [/size][/font]
[size=4][font=Arial] [/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font]
[size=4][font=Arial][color="#000000"]There are many countries that have more extreme climates than we do. The same musical equipment we buy seems to work well in [/color][/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2][color="#000000"][size=4]Canada[/size][size=4], eastern Europe and [/size][size=4]Scandinavia and even in places of high humidity, like Hawaii and Australia. [/size][/color][/size][/font]

[4 Strings]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1323334397' post='1462032']
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]The biggest problem is sudden climate change, for example when you move your gear into a cold car, then into a warm gig and back again after. That's when risk of condensation will be at its highest, not when the gear is left in the car overnight. [/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][font=Arial][color=#000000]Who worries about those temperature shifts? Who sets their gear up and switches on immediately? You cause more wear and tear if you do that. You should always let the equipment acclimatise before you start it up. [/color][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=Arial][color=#000000]There are many countries that have more extreme climates than we do. The same musical equipment we buy seems to work well in [/color][/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2][color=#000000][size=4]Canada[/size][size=4], eastern Europe and [/size][size=4]Scandinavia and even in places of high humidity, like Hawaii and Australia. [/size][/color][/size][/font]
[/quote]

Agree, except the acclimatise bit. Do you really let your amp and cab acclimatise? If I'm late (not often!) I'm up and running in less than 2 mins regardless of the weather.