View Full Version : taking instruments to festivals
carler6
May-29-2005, 9:36pm
So being kinda new to the mando playing scene I'm looking at taking mine to festivals for the first time this year. I tent camp only and am just a little anxious about having it A) exposed to the change in temp and B) exposed to those of lower moral values than myself. Any advice on this. I'm hitting the NWSS and Targhee and would love to have it along but it would break my heart if I lost/ruined my mando.
arbarnhart
May-29-2005, 10:42pm
I am a novice, but...
The short answer to A is that some of the very best mandos in the world are on tour and played in varying conditions from one day to the next.
As far as protecting it from thieves goes, I would keep it with me as much as possible and probably lock it in a car with an alarm (if the car doesn't have one, you can get one for laptops that has a motion sensor and a high decible yelp for only $30 or so) perferably out of sight. Of course, then you have potential temperature issues. Maybe get a cheap extra one for piece of mind.
John Flynn
May-29-2005, 11:14pm
For temperature, I would not keep it in car, but find a shady place for it. I would also get a case cover, because it adds insulation for the mando and helps keep it from changing temperature as rapidly. It also gives extra protection if it rains. A good, inexpensive cover for a shaped case is a triple tennis racket case, like a Dunlop Bullet or Wilson Triad.
For security, I would get a Pacsafe net and secure the mando/case/case cover package to an immovable object. I have a Pacsafe for my mando and it works great.
http://www.pac-safe.com/
GTison
May-30-2005, 11:59pm
When driving in and tent camping, during the day I would always wrap the mando and case in the sleeping bag as extra insulation against the heat, and put it in the trunk. park in the shade too. lock every thing up. you'll be fine. If it is really hot out just take it with you.
fredfrank
May-31-2005, 7:48am
If you need to leave it in your tent, put it in a banjo case.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Lane Pryce
May-31-2005, 8:09am
If you need to leave it in your tent, put it in a banjo case.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
MAn you guys jes kill me wit da wit!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif Lp
Heeheee, so eh, what color's your tent... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
arbarnhart
May-31-2005, 9:29am
That pacsafe is a pretty cool idea. If you combine that with the notebook computer lock, it would probably work out well. The notbook lock has a really thin steel cable, but it yelps if cut or if the lock is jostled. It chirps first as a warning and to give you time to do the combo. So its method is deterance by drawing attention and the pacsafe is stright up rugged protection. If you had both they would complement each other well. However, neither one will help you if you leave it in a remote location. If it is out of sight, odds are you won't have a problem.
Per an earlier thread, I'll be taking my mando with me everywhere i go (I bought a Travelite case) in Teluride. And on that note - I'm leaving a week from Saturday to head to Teluride. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!
earthsave
May-31-2005, 12:33pm
Yep get a travelite... I plan to put my mando in that for Beanblossom this year if my travel schedule will allow me to go. You can strap in on yer back, or over yer shoulder, plus it weighs next to nothing compared to my TKL.
tiltman
May-31-2005, 1:07pm
Depends on the festival.
Some festivals will have a secure instrument check - Wintergrass and Sisters Folk Festival for example.
At NWSS I carry mine with me - a Small Dog case cover comes in handy for carrying it around. That's not too much of a hassle (be glad you don't play bass!) and you never know when you might run into a good jam.
Kirk
JD Cowles
May-31-2005, 3:43pm
car + summer heat + instrument = BAD
i have one mandolin and we have been to many festivals together (hopefully many more) in colorado. get an insulating case cover if you can. i've made due in the past by packing my sleeping bag around the case in the tent. a therma-rest between it and the ground will work well too.
i always leave my mando in the (unlocked) tent all day. i may be a trusting fool, but i'd like to believe that there is some decency left in the world.
have fun-
jd
Jaded
May-31-2005, 10:00pm
We have left tends of thousands of dollars worth of instruments in campers and tents at festivals, but that's not to say you might run across one bad apple and regret it.
A friend of mine once theorized that you might actually do better with an instrument in a tent or camper than a locked car, cuz while it's easy to tell when a car is unattended you never can be quite sure you're not going to walk in on someone if you're tryin to steal stuff out of their tent.
I'd definitely think about one of those reflective case covers or something though. I didn't get a shady spot the last time I tent camped and I was somewhat concerned about the temperature my black tkl case was achieving in spite of my best efforts to keep it out of the sun in the tent.
TommyK
May-31-2005, 10:24pm
If you need to leave it in your tent, put it in a banjo case.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
You weren't listening. He said he's worried about those of less than stellar moral values. Haven't you heard about the guy who forgot and left his banjo on the front porch over night? Or the guy who forgot to lock his car?
What's Carler6 gonna do with an extra banjo?
TommyK
May-31-2005, 10:33pm
Carler6,
I DO NOT speak from experience, but it seems to me there is a reason people refer to their mandos as their 'baby.'
Treat it like a living breathing baby. Would you chain a baby to a tree soes you can wander a festival? Would you leave a baby locked in a car? A mando is small enough that you should be able to put her in a back-pack and sling her over your shoulder. Or maybe one of those new fangled front mounted baby carriers. Opt for a light colored case cover or back pack to reflect heat in the summer.
There's some outfits out there that make a backpack style case for hauling smallish instruments like violins and such. They're semi-ridged and look like a little surfboard from a distance. I'd bet a mando with case would fit just fine. If you can't do that, get a baby sitter and leave her home.
fatt-dad
Jun-01-2005, 7:27am
Get a rider on your homeowner's policy, be careful and have fun.
f-d
In car trunk on a hot day? Never.
Do you carry your mandolin into the Porta-Potty with you?
mandopete
Jun-01-2005, 9:14am
Do you carry your mandolin into the Porta-Potty with you?
No, but I let my kids play in there....
John Flynn
Jun-01-2005, 9:17am
Treat it like a living breathing baby. Would you chain a baby to a tree soes you can wander a festival? Would you leave a baby locked in a car?
Does c--p and up-chuck come out of your baby? If so, perhaps you should take up another instrument!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif