heat and mandolin

[jeffshuniak]

its a moderate day here in largo, fl.... probably in the low 70's right now, but sunny. I left my mandolin in the car for about an hour, the case was warm, and when I took the mandoin out, it was warm. it is still in tune, the a is slighty out. how warm is warm , to be bad for the mandolin? I suppose #'s and temperatures would help, it wasnt HOT, but it was warm I am just letting it sit out now for a while.

[Wando]

When I go to a lesson, it's after work so my mando sits in the car all day. On my teacher's recommendation, I got a beater for hot days and cold days. He was talking about more extremes, though, like above 80 and below 40. Apparently he has seen finishes go bad right before his eyes.

[jeffshuniak]

it cooled down pretty quick. I wonder, I bet it get pretty warm when I play it for a long time, just dont notice because its relative to my temp. I freaked out though. I hope nothing warpes slowly or anything.... it seems to be ok. I am estimating it was probably less than my body temp, maybe right around it.

[Bob DeVellis]

At temperatures above 120 or so, for the mandolin, not the environment, you have to begin worrying about glue softening, especially if it's also humid. It's not hard for an instrument in a dark case to get that hot in a car during the summer. At less extreme temperatures, there are other issues, like differential rates of expansion for various components (truss rods, for example) that probably don't do an instrument a world of good, but also probably won't cause it to come flying out of the case in shards when you pop the lid. Lots of instruments have had multiple exposures to fairly high temperatures without harm. But then again, the same could be said for driving 85 mph while drunk. It's often possible to get through it without incident but still not prudent.

[Tom C]

I do not let mine stay outside if it's lower than 60 degrees. Sure in the car with windows up, it will only get to be 80 degrees most. On the hot days or anything close, I do not leave it in the car at all. I will bring it into work with me if needed.

[GBG]

Check out the discussion on the Cafe link to the Colorado Case Company.

[Nik-chick]

Better in the car than under it.

Seriously, do you people really leave your instruments in the car all day at work? Do you have security garages?? If not, dern...I'm the one who's notorious around here for running mine over, and even I would think that's rather careless (maybe for 15 minutes to an hour tops in a safe neighborhood). People can break windows. Unless your in Goosepimple Junction or somewhere, you should never do that, not even in a fairly nice town. IMHO

You could always take it in and put it under your desk- as long as you didn't take it out and play it on the job. That's the nice thing about mandolins. They don't take up much room. Then, you don't have to worry about it.

[jaybee]

I have heard it said, and I live by it, that if you would be comfortable, your mandolin will be comfortable. How would you like sitting in your car/trunk or whatevere all day? I think this to be a good rule of thumb.

[jeffshuniak]

no, my mandolin was not in the car "all day at work". I dont have that kind of arrangment.. it was in my car for about 45 minutes , or maybe an hour. it only got warm enough to stay warm for maybe 5 minutes after I took it inside. everythng seems ok. it ws still in tune and still is now so I guess nothings changed

[Tom C]

...."How would you like sitting in your car/trunk or whatevere all day?"
I would not want to give it claustrophobia, else it may never sing again http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Ken Berner]

I'm thinking that any drastic, sudden change in instrument temperature might be damaging. Perhaps not taking the mandolin out of the case until the case has cooled down, might help avoid problems. I just don't like the idea of leaving a mandolin in the car; certainly not the trunk, ever. An insulated case cover can offer some insurance and maybe a white sheet to cover that to reflect the sun. I would rather take my mandolin to work with me rather than leave it inside the car all day. I guess it all depends on how much you value your instrument. Just my humble 2 cents.

[Nik-chick]

Jeff: Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I got that from someone else's post. NEVERMIND! Sorry for the misunderstanding. Scratch that about in the car all day at work (I would just delete it, but since it's already been replied to...) Sorry.

[vkioulaphides]

If it's the instrument I am thinking of, Jeff, you would be wise not to let it overheat; I'm thinking fishbone-glue, etc. But the temperatures you mention are not bad. Blisters in the varnish, on the other hand, can happen even in moderate heat. I'd be careful.

[neal]

Back in the late 80's I left a guild D66 in my car on a hot day. All day. The action was very high for some reason when I got back. DUHHHHH!!!!! It was repaired, and I was made happy again. DO NOT LEAVE IN CAR!!!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[Peakbagr]

Wood and varnish/lacquer expand and contract at different rates. When an instrument has been in a cold environment and re-warmed quickly, the wood expands more quickly than the finish, one of the prime causes of the finish crazing, those spiderweb type cracks you sometimes see on instruments.
When the instrument spends too much time in the heat, the glues soften, and with the neck under lots of pressure....you get the picture.
I NEVER leave my guitar or mandolin out in a cold car for more than a few minutes. I can modify that one way or the other if the car has warmed up completely as the case can insulate it for the few extra minutes while the interior of the car cools down. Given the greenhouse effect of cars heating up quickly on a sunny day, the instrument either stays with me or I don't bring it along for the ride.
While trunks are a bad idea in cold weather(they never heat up), it would be better to store your instrument in the trunk instead of the car interior. With no windows, trunks usually heat up much more slowly. I once read a great tip I haven't yet tried. Get a large styrofoam cooler and put it in your trunk. If its large enough for your mandolin and case to fit in it, the interior of the cooler will maintain for hours the general temperature it was at when you put the mandolin in it. The trunk will warm up or cool down slowly and the cooler will protect the mandolin.