Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: glocke on July 28, 2019, 02:48:33 AM
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Next weekend I have a pretty cool gig coming up in Jersey and want to bring my series 1...Unfortunately I found out yesterday I need to be in Manhattan in the early part of the day for a double bass lesson. I've paid in advance for these, have already missed a few this month due to vacation, me being sick, my dog being sick etc...and I think if I miss another one this guy will probably tell me to hit the road which I don't want to happen.
Typically I take the train up from a station that isn't very sketchy. hour ride up, hour ride back, hour at the lesson. so figure 3.5 hours is how long it would be unattended.
How comfortable would you guys be doing this? I did think about just carrying it on the train with me, but that case is so heavy I don't think I could carry it the 5-6 blocks from Penn to the studio where the lessons are..
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How much further out of the way is it to run back home and get your bass before the gig? Three hours is at my outer limits, even if I'm comfortable with the security of the area. It's July-hot... I'm guessing it ain't much cooler in Pennsylvania than Virginia. ;D
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How much further out of the way is it to run back home and get your bass before the gig? Three hours is at my outer limits, even if I'm comfortable with the security of the area. It's July-hot... I'm guessing it ain't much cooler in Pennsylvania than Virginia. ;D
Going back home and getting it won't be feasible from a logistical standpoint. As far as the heat goes...These things sit in UPS trucks all day long when getting shipped so I figured that wouldn't be an issue.
I don't bring this to every gig, but if there was a gig I'd really want to bring it to it would be this one..I suppose I could take it on the train and than just get a taxi or Uber that 6 blocks, otherwise I'll just have to carry my jazz bass.
Driving up there and than driving to the gig is an option as well, I'd take my bass into the studio with me but the rest of my gear would be sitting in my 4runner, albeit it in a parking lot/garage..but im not sure how safe that would be.
Unfortunate set of circumstances. My intent was to take Friday off and schedule the lesson that day, but I was out sick three days this past week. Afraid if I miss too much time I'd get laid off or fired (which would be bad, but really wouldn't be all that bad to be honest lol)>
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The only thing I can add is this... if it's going to be in direct sun in your vehicle, it's going to be exposed to temperatures not experienced in the Brown Truck. Maybe cover it with one of those reflective deals like you put over your windshield. Or even a light-colored blanket. I do that anytime I have to leave one in the car more than a few minutes. It is remarkable how hot a black guitar case can get in a short time in the sun.
Outside of that, I say go for it.
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3 hours in a trunk, potentially in near record breaking heat and then taking it into an (assumed) air-conditioned environment sounds sketchy to me... unless you can let it normalize to the AC temperature for several hours (the more the better) before opening the case.
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A few months before I retired I had to move back into an office on company property from my home office (that is a story in itself). It was summer time and I was playing in a band at the time. Rather than drive an hour home and an hour plus to get to rehearsal I would leave my Brown Bass on the back floor of the truck cab covered with a blanket. I will note the blanket was the same color as the interior floor so it hid things well through the dark side window tint. I never had any issues with the neck or anything else on the bass. It would have been sitting in the unconditioned truck for 8 - 9 hours. By the time I drove to rehearsal, picked up dinner and rehearsal started the bass was pretty well acclimated. I've always been less concerned about environmental factors of leaving an instrument in the vehicle than the risk of theft. To that end if I had to bring more than the bass I would not have left it in my vehicle (we also had an Explorer at the time) as it is kind of hard to hide big boxes sitting in the back no matter what you do.
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Glocke, once I leave my house with my Series, it never leaves my hands.
I would recommend a quick run to GC and grab a Roadrunner gig bag for
$40-$50 bucks and take it with you. My main bag is a Mono and the Roadrunners
are used only at home, but, in this case they are padded well enough for a quick run.
The peace of mind will let your lesson be much more relaxed.
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I never, ever, leave an instrument in a car. Many years ago I worked in a camera store for a year. We got folks in every week who needed an insurance value for the camera they left in their locked car that got swiped. It's just not worth the risk to me.
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I won't even stop to eat and leave my bass in the car. To the show and back. If we want to eat, we go back out.
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Leave your bass in a car in New Jersey? So, youse wanna let Tony Soprano give your Alembic to his son after it “fell off a truck”? Hey, it’s only a bass - Fagedaboutit!
+1 on the gig bag or taxi/Uber.
Bill, tgo
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Glock, once I leave my house with my Series, it never leaves my hands.
I would recommend a quick run to GC and grab a Roadrunner gig bag for
$40-$50 bucks and take it with you. My main bag is a Mono and the Roadrunners
are used only at home, but, in this case they are padded well enough for a quick run.
The peace of mind will let your lesson be much more relaxed.
is there a mono bag that will fit a S1?
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My small body medium scale Series I five-string (fan headstock) and my long scale Balance K Series II five-string both fit in a Mono Vertigo gig bag. It is a tight fit but works. The Vertigo is pretty solid for a gig bag, has a neck support and a big rubber boot on the bottom. Definitely never leave any instrument in an unattended car.
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Glocke, my Series I is a medium scale Omega. It fits fine in a standard Mono M-80 bag.
Long scale with the Standard Point I am not sure. You could try calling them, 415.329.3633.
I found them very helpful when I called about an issue a few years ago.
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I could never leave any musical instrument alone in a car, sober. I once ruined a truss rod by forgetting my old bass for 6 hours in the car, under the hot summer sun, after a party where I drank a little more than I should. Hard way to learn ...
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Greg,
Where in NJ is your gig? If there was a way I could babysit your bass for you, while you take your lesson,I gladly will. Post some venue information, and maybe we can come up with something.
Regards,
Pete
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I would go the gig bag route. And Uber.
I'll just say that I've toured extensively with gear in an un-climate controlled trailer or truck, from way below zero to above 115°F. Alembic, Guild, David King, etc. Never had a problem. I also let the instrument adjust to the indoor climate (although some of the gigs were in the extremely hot outdoors), but not much longer than it took get the gear loaded in and stage set up.
Oh yeah, any instrument that goes to a gig is covered by Heritage Musical Insurance and they will cover instruments left in locked cars.