Basses In The Heat!

[spongebob]

Wasn't quite sure what to call this thread for fear of misleading!

I've got a gig outside this Saturday. Played outside a lot before, so that's no problem.

I've got to take a bass and amps to work and leave it in the car during the morning, and it's going to be quite warm. Obviously then play in the open, which is also hot (if the forecast is right!)

I was just worried about leaving a bass in a hot car. Never would have bothered me a few years back, but a Luthier once told me about the damage humidity does to a bass - obviously affects the wood, and once it's cooled down, can muck the set-up right up (had one done last week before gig was called!)

Am I being daft? Any truth in this? Should I get the bass out ASAP, or just leave it in and play the thing (which I used to do!)

Any ideas?

[arthurhenry]

You'd never leave the bass in the car unattended though would you?

[mushers]

dont leave it in the car if it doesnt get nicked it could get damaged

[ambient]

It's gonna be warm....................seriously ?

The only thing misleading in your title is the word[i][font=comic sans ms,cursive] heat[/font][/i] .

I'd have thought the biggest threat to your gear is it getting stolen.

Edited June 27, 2013 by ambient

[Twigman]

What is this heat you speak of?

[4 Strings]

The threat of your bass being ruined is virtually zero, its in a car for a few hours, not a sauna.

So, yes the most likely threat is someone nicking it. I've left gear in cars and vans many times over the years, try to avoid it but just has to happen sometimes, I cover it up, never had anything nicked. (Have done from locked buildings, twice!)

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1372351757' post='2124746']
What is this heat you speak of?
[/quote]

Same stuff that kills dogs left in cars on hot days.

[Twigman]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1372351823' post='2124748']
Same stuff that kills dogs left in cars on hot days.
[/quote]
Hot days?

Can't remember them.........this is the Uk right?

[spongebob]

I do work somewhere pretty rural, and the car is fully tinted so you can't see in! [size=4] [/size]

[4-string-thing]

Yup, take the bass into work with you if possible, stops the possibility of theft or damage.

[ambient]

Every time I play outside it empties down .

[seashell]

I have to take my bass to work every Monday, as I always go to rehearsal straight from work. I'd never leave it in the car, but then again I can't fit it in my boot so it has to go on the floor in the back. And I work near a city centre and have to park about 5 mins walk from the building where I work, so all much more insecure than the OP.
But it does give me peace of mind knowing it's in the office with me.

I do sometimes feel like a pretentious twat though, wandering through the building with the bass on my back. Especially if I get into the lift with someone else and I have to explain why I've got it.

[RhysP]

Something I've heard of some people doing which might be worth thinking about if you're concerned is wrapping the case in one of those silver reflective blanket things (like they give out at the end of marathons) to help keep the temperature in the case stable.

I've also seen them used to cover gear when set up on outside stages.

[spongebob]

I'm going to try to get in into work - but I was worried it would be safer in the car!!

[Les]

Can't the guitarist/drummer/Japanese nasal flute player/oboist in your band take it for you if they are not working Saturday morning ?

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1372352151' post='2124752']
Hot days?

Can't remember them.........this is the Uk right?
[/quote]

Sorry, yes, my slim humour gland ran itself empty!

[Truckstop]

The thing is when the temperature affects the moisture in the wood that was used to build the bass.

Basses these days are designed to be as stable as possible. A bass of any sort of decent quality will be constructed of well aged wood which will have a lower moisture content than poorer quality wood.

I'd only ever be worried about stuff like this if my bass was a cheap beater made of balsa wood.

Truckstop

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1372377709' post='2125172']
well aged wood which will have a lower moisture content than poorer quality wood.

Truckstop
[/quote]


It's not a case of the lower the moisture content the better, more a case of seasoning the wood to match as closely as possible that of the environment in which it will be living. Too high or too low and it will move while acclimatising.

You're right of course about better quality basses being less susceptible to movement, but this will more likely be due to being more structurally sound (laminated neck, carbon rods etc)

[Truckstop]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1372411377' post='2125353']



....more a case of seasoning the wood to match as closely as possible that of the environment in which it will be living. Too high or too low and it will move while acclimatising.
[/quote]

That's right....because of the moisture content of the wood.
The wood doesn't move because of magic. It moves because the moisture in the wood expands and contracts in different envrionments and forces the wood fibres to shift.
Well seasoned wood has a low moisture content and therefore doesn't shift as much as wood with a higher moisture content. There's a reason that manufacturers like Fodera have a source of wood that's been seasoned for decades!

I'll agree with you the hardware though. Truss rods of course help with stability and some basses come with carbon fibre reinforcement rods as standard. Multi-laminate necks are also supposed to be more stable than one-piece necks.

Truckstop

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1372412169' post='2125368']

Well seasoned wood has a low moisture content and therefore doesn't shift as much as wood with a higher moisture content. There's a reason that manufacturers like Fodera have a source of wood that's been seasoned for decades!

Truckstop
[/quote]

The moisture content in wood once seasoned is not constant, it is always trying to equalise with the moisture content in the air, whether through evaporation or absorbtion. Therefore if the MC is either greater or less than that of the air, it will try to equalise and move the wood accordingly.

Therefore, I would say that well seasoned wood has CORRECT moisture content, I would read your statement as implying that the lower the better, which is not true. Anyway, it's a small detail and I think we're more or less reinforcing the same point :-) I'm off to play with my wood

Edited June 28, 2013 by Roland Rock

[iconic]

I've always thought you wouldn't want to keave your bass near a radiator, out in the rain etc, but in a hot car wouldn't worry me too much.

.....I mean, once a mass produced bass is built it's off from Asia, Mexico, US etc via various poorly controlled environments as regards temp' and humidty....

.... such as first cardboard box, then back of lorries, storage warehouses, metal containers used for shipping, metal container then goes on top of ship across hostile, stormy salty seas, container sits around in port docks, container goes off to central warehouse where basses are removed from the container, back into another warehouse via lorry, off to a dealer, shipped via Royal Fail into your home....they (basses) seem to be able to handle it OK.

[chris_b]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1372350529' post='2124728']
....I was just worried about leaving a bass in a hot car....
[/quote]

If it's possible and safe, I'd take the bass into work.

These basses are sold and used with no trouble in much hotter climates than we can get in the UK; Arizona, Hawaii and New Orleans spring to mind.

I would imagine your bass is more at risk of "problems" after a winter of gigging, alternating between central heating and a cold car.

Put the bass in a case, cover so it's out of the direct sun light and you'll be fine.

[iconic]

As an aside I once met a guy who worked for a music shop here in Norfolk, the shop bought a batch of 'no-name-so-put-ya-own-name-on-it' chinese bass's. When they started unpacking them they had all had a bad case of

[Dave Vader]

I regularly leave my bass in my car for entire festival weekends (except the bit we are playing) amazingly some of them have been in baking heat. It is fine, never had any problems from it at all.

[spongebob]

Interesting stuff!

I think I've found a safe haven at work so I won't be leaving it out in the car all morning....just the amp and cab!

It's piece of mind - just got to remember to take it when I leave.....the building's locked until Monday....! [size=4] [/size]