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Topic: Equipment care in "extreme" weather |
Jack Abraham
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 23 Dec 2004 9:55 am |
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I am looking for suggestions/comments concerning what type of temperature "extremes" one should avoid in moving equipment to/from gigs. For example, the forecast for the lows tonight are in the single digits here in NE Oklahoma.
I always try to keep my amp/guitar inside my vehicle when moving around. My first Sho~Bud looks like a "mosaic" because I subjected it to some pretty rough handling for a number of years - spending the "nights" in trailers, pick-up truck beds, etc.
I am attempting to keep my LDG in great shape - as well as a new Peavey 112. Any suggestions? bOb - If this topic has been "worn-out" previously, please "purge" this post. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2004 10:11 am
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Guitars should never freeze or bake in the elements. Amps may be a bit more rugged. The real killer is rapid temperature change. If an amp has to freeze in a trunk and then come into warm gig, you may want to let it warm up slowly, still covered, before you fire it up let it get warm on the inside. Tubes especially, but even circuit boards can be vulnerable to rapid temperature change. The actual cold or heat shouldn't do any damage. Modern electronics are pretty capable of handling the extreme elements. If you have a tube amp and it's ice cold and it's also showtime, take your hand and warm the glass of each tube before firing it up. This will prevent the glass from cracking in extreme situations. I've cracked a couple of 6L6's over the years when arriving late to a winter gig and the gear's all icy cold from the being in the trailer or truck.
Brad Sarno
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 23 Dec 2004 10:13 am
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I used to live in KC, MO and never worried about it. I would keep the equipment in the house and wouldn't load up until the last minute. When I would get to the job it is unload and get inside. Never had a problem with a Emmons PP or my current Franklin guitar.
KC gets colder than Oklahoma in the winter. |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 23 Dec 2004 10:55 am
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Jack, when I was in my playing prime I kept my guitar and amp in the trunk of my car, in both winter and summer. Except for the "sweating" from bringing the guitar into a warm environment from a sub-freezing condition, I experienced no problems.
www.genejones.com
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 24 Dec 2004 9:13 am
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I never subject my guitars or vintage amps to conditions I would not be comfortable in. I just did the big temperature inversion -- moved from Michigan to South Florida -- and the principle is the same.
Things to be careful of:
* CONDENSATION is probably the biggest enemy of electronic equipment. In the north, when you play an indoor gig in the winter, your amp is surrounded by warm, moist air. As soon as it hits the cold, that moisture will condense on whatever gets cold first -- usually metal. This can cause rust and component failure.
* HUMIDITY is one of the things to avoid with your guitars. Anyplace where there's a snug fit can bind up when wood starts to swell. If your cross shafts aren't well lubricated they can get stiff and sticky whenever the humidity rises.
Just a couple of examples of why my guitar rides with me whenever possible. If I can take it, the guitar usually can. Same goes for my old Standel and Fender amps -- I can't easily replace them -- so I baby them as well. You take care of them and they'll take care of you.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Dec 2004 8:30 am
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| I will leave my guitar in the case until it reaches room temperature. Sudden changes in extreme temp can ruin your guitar's finish. So, try to be early to your gig. Or keep the guitar up front where the heater will keep it warmer. Same goes for amps, let them warm up slow before you fire them up. [This message was edited by James Morehead on 25 December 2004 at 09:30 AM.] |
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 5:43 am
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Larry I am with you, I use a van so that I can control the temp and still have room for the gear.
I keep my banjo and dobro inside my closet in the house so that they are not affected by changes in my music room in the garage, even though it is heated.
The more money you spend on an insturment the more care you should give it is my way of thinking.
After gigs I will not go out with the boys, and part of this is because of statements.
Larry Behm |
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Farris Currie
From:
Ona, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 28 Dec 2004 11:31 am
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| just a sujestion, up north they salt the roads,mabe, salt em down,ha ha ,,,,,farris |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 28 Dec 2004 2:34 pm
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"I never subject my guitars or vintage amps to conditions I would not be comfortable in."
Isn't this just common sense? Do you keep your gear stored in your unheated garage in the winter? Do you keep it in the attic of your house in the summer?
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Artie McEwan
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