Lesser of two evils

[jom]

I've often been curious about this hypothetical situation: You have to leave your instrument in your car for an hour to run an errand. It is hot and sunny. Is it better to leave it in your trunk? or covered in the "cabin". My gut has always said that greenhouse effects would make the cabin hotter than the trunk, although I haven't measured the two.

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

In my experience, the trunk is generally cooler. But if I had any inkling I'd be gone for more than an hour, I'd take the mando with me.

[Tom C]

In the car, if you have a sunroof, you can leave that open a little and the side windows cracked for the hot air to escape. I've been considering buying a very large cooler.

[sunburst]

Makes me think.
Maybe I'll get a couple of thermometers this summer and find an answere to that question.
Of course the ideal thing would be "don't ever leave it in the car", but sometimes it might have to be done.

My guess is; the lowest, darkest part of the floor of the back seat, wraped in a blanket or something like that might be best.

[Hans]

NO and NO! #It is not "better" to do either. Take it with you.

[jom]

I realize that this isn't something you should do, and every luthier I talk to cringes and won't answer the question. There are certain instruments that I would never risk this with, but the situation has unfortunately occured in the past due to the demands of reality. That is why I prefaced my question with the word "hypothetically". If you are presented with the choice, what would you choose and why? Lets say you can't take it with you because you are swimming out to an island to rescue your soul mate. Or perhaps for you folks, lets say you are swimming to an island to rescue your #l mandolin which is sealed in a climage-controlled, water-proof, floatable chamber. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

Of course, it also depends on whether it's a pac rim mando or a multi thousand dollar Gil or Gibson or Collings, etc. Also might need to consider if your wife told you that until you get rid of your current mando, you can't get the new one . . .hmmmm

[AlanN]

I was at a summer festival once, asked a fellow mando player where his axe was, he said very non-chalantly, "Why, in my trunk, of course". I said Not a good idea, he didn't seem to care. And he had some sort of F model Gibson.

[straight-a]

I've actually experimented with this situation. #Using an old "yard sale special" guitar, I put it in a case and left it in the various places on similar days, weather wise. #What I found is that IF YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE , store a heavy blanket in the car and wrap the instrument (case and all) and store it in the trunk. #Temperatures of the instrument itself were markedly lower than just relying on the case for protection. You also have more protection from theft (out of sight, out of mind). #

(note: #this is done only for storage. During driving, I have the instrument up front with either A/C or the windows down)

[Walter]

This is an interesting question.

What do "festival go-ers" do in this situation? I figure if you attend a festival, you can't just "take it with you"... It has to stay in your vehicle for some time...

[dixiecreek]

I never, ever leave my mandolin in the car, even just for a few minutes. Not so much because I'm worried the heat will damage it (although that's a definite concern), but mostly because I live in the LA are and I'm scared it'll be stolen. Yesterday I was driving home from my lesson and I stopped at the library to check my e-mail... I wasn't gone more than 10 minutes, but my mando still came with me, haha... because of that I got a lot of "do you ALWAYS have that thing with you?!" but I don't mind. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

but in answer to your question, if you absolutely had to do it, I'd probably say go with the trunk and make sure it's covered up. but again, that's something I can't do 'cause I drive an SUV and it doesn't have a trunk, just a little storage area in back. Ah, well.

[AlanN]

What I've done is cut out cardboard window shades to fit all 4 windows in a car, tape them up inside the door panels/dashboards. This really does the job. The interior is no hotter than outside.

Just don't forget to take them down when driving home http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[John Zimm]

Of course, it also depends on whether it's a pac rim mando or a multi thousand dollar Gil or Gibson or Collings, etc.
Of course, to those of us who cannot afford a Gibson or one of the other fine brands mentioned, our Pac Rims are just as valuable. Since some of us can't afford to replace even these, our Pac Rims may as well be Gibsons.

My Taurus has a huge trunk that seems to stay pretty cool, so I'd tend to leave it there. I believe the windows let in more of the sun's energy, but I am no scientist.

-John.

[Clyde Clevenger]

A good friend from Seattle, Emily Keene, never leaves her fiddle anywhere, always at the end of one arm or the other.
I asked about it once, thinking maybe it's very valuable, but she said, "No, what if I run into Bill Monroe in Safeway and he needs a fiddle player right there, and I didn't have my fiddle???" The only instrument that I will leave in the truck is my wifes bass, not so easy to carry and besides, it's hers.

[Bob A]

When I bought my first good guitar, back in 1969, I got a Mark Leaf case for it. Insulated to the nth degree. Brought the guitar home in a car in DC in August - the car was hot enough to cook eggs. Took the case inside, opened it and was hit in the face by a whiff of cool air.

Mark Leaf no longer makes cases. I would not hesitate to trust an instrument to one of his cases for a couple hours; failing that, an insulated case cover might help as well, although it is not hermetically sealed like the Leaf cases.

Remember it is more the rate of change than the temp that causes problems; except of course when the temp gets to the glue-softening range.

[Jaded]

I did what AlanN describes at the last festival I went to. It did keep the car pretty cool and had the added benefit that I could sleep in the car without feeling that people were staring at me ;)

However, I had to keep going to the car to check on it, because it made me so nervous to do it...well and also to get the liqour, but mostly to check on the mandolin. I'm pondering either carrying it with me or getting a cheaper mando for festival season just so I can relax a little.