Do you bring your expensive mando to the bluegrass festival?

[dang]

I was at Telluride in 2007. It was super hot. It melted the rosin in my fiddle's case even though I was super careful about keeping things in the shade. I was there for the band contest and had access to the instrument check(not sure if it is provided for everyone). During one of the hot days, I took off my Teva sandals and sat under a shade tent while leaving them in the sun...they melted and delaminated.
If you're arriving from low elevations, knows that the altitude and increased solar radiation will affect you and you instruments severely.
Have fun!

I have been to the TBF 8-10 times and this fits well with my observations for most of those trips. A few years have been cooler, but the majority have been pretty hot.

That said, I did have a mando with me most of those trips (but the last few times I stayed in a condo). I bought a colorado case company thermal insulating case cover specifically for those trips, and with some planning and weather watching I never had issues.

The picking at TBF has never been as much as I have seen at other festivals, and pretty much limited to the campgrounds anyway... I would not want to try and drag an instrument into the festival. Just not a lot of playing opportunities to make it worthwhile.

If you have town park camping you’ll be fine. Really close to your campground all day. If I was shuttling in from another campground (some are miles away) I would have more concerns, but it’s certainly doable with some planning.

Dan

[onassis]

I use a case with a shoulder strap, so I tend to be in the "carry it with me at all times" camp when in doubt. It's a good conversation starter, and not too much of an annoyance. That said, most of my festival going it fiddler's conventions, where most of the action is in the campground and very little time is spent at the stage area. I tent camp and often leave the mando and guitar in the tent unattended. But I almost always camp with a group of friends, and someone tends to be around the campsite all of the time. I've heard stories of instrument thefts, but don't personally know anyone who has had an instrument stolen at a festival

[Hendrik Ahrend]

I do, but I never let it leave my hands. If I go to the bathroom, it's between my legs. I will put it in a less expensive, lighter case to ease the burden of carrying it all day.

dto.

[BrianWilliam]

Good common sense, but for the OP, average high temp in Telluride in June is 68 degrees. Other considerations of course if one wants to bring their nice instrument, but “too hot” isn’t one of them.

Do you live in the mountains? 68 may not seem hot on paper but telluride is pretty close to the sun.

Colorado also gets wild temperature swings and can be very hot and cold in the same day.

[Mike Martin]

Do you live in the mountains? 68 may not seem hot on paper but telluride is pretty close to the sun.

Colorado also gets wild temperature swings and can be very hot and cold in the same day.

I don’t live in the mountains but have spent plenty of time there in every season. I’ve never had heat related issues with any of my instruments. Then again, I am almost always camping where there is plenty of shade available. You’re right, and I should have said things a little better. You still need to be careful even if it’s not that hot, especially in direct sunlight.

[Tom Sanderson]

Has anyone used a large cooler (like a 120, or 150 qt. ). I thought about trying that but never have. You could probably fit a couple of mandolins or a fiddle & mandolin if you had the right cases maybe add an ice pack to keep it cool.

[BrianWilliam]

Has anyone used a large cooler (like a 120, or 150 qt. ). I thought about trying that but never have. You could probably fit a couple of mandolins or a fiddle & mandolin if you had the right cases maybe add an ice pack to keep it cool.

MacGyver! Love it.

[barney 59]

Get a Tesla, climate control automatically comes on if interior temperature reaches 105 degrees. Good for dogs too! Thanks Oh, you spent all that money on a mandolin? Well then you should just carry it around with you wherever you go. They're small, they don't weigh much and much more difficult to steal if your holding on to it. You would think building a solar powered car cooler would be pretty easy to actually make and with most of the parts probably available even at harbor freight not very expensive.

[Miltown]

My advice: take the mandolin you love playing most. You're going to be in one of the most beautiful places in the world (Telluride), and you should enjoy it as much as you can. Lots of people leave valuables in their tents at Telluride, and I'm unaware of any stories of theft.

That's not to say thefts don't happen, or that there's no chance of theft, but... I think the risk is low.

[Jeff Mando]

There was a time in my youth when enduring hot weather was a small price to pay for the fun we were having.......I even waited standing in a rain storm for 4 hours outside to see Bob Dylan, who was to perform outside -- all the time overhearing rumors he was going to cancel -- he did perform, so i stood another hour in the rain and loved it -- all in a day's fun!

25-30 years later, I don't think I would do it again, doesn't sound fun at all, in fact, sounds like a lot of work and discomfort, IMHO. But, there was a time when the world was new...........now we have youtube and can enjoy it from our sofa with my dog and a soft drink!

[OlDanTucker]

Yes and No. First is a Pava. My second is an Eastman 515, so I don't feel horribly deprived.
If I'm performing, then probably yeah. Just Picking: maybe not.
It's Texas so over about 95 or under 32, probably not. And never in the car.
If staying in the climate controlled trailer, then yes, where we have jury rigged security closet. If in the car, probably not.

And yes, as my father told me on his deathbed: "Hope for the best, expect the worst, and insure the hell out of everything."

[MikeZito]

IF I still had my old custom Rigel, (I really miss that thing) . . . and IF I were worthy of a bluegrass festival . . . yes, I would bring it.

[mbruno]

Depends on the festival and what you're planning on doing

Aside from the heat, security is an issue at some festivals - though not all. I've seen people at Greyfox Bluegrass leave very nice instruments out without any issue. I've been at GF for 10+ years and I don't think I've ever heard an issue. However, I've also heard other stories about different festivals where instruments were taken out of tents or unlocked cars. So, more than just the whether - make sure you know where you are going and who the people around are.

For me:
If I'm just attending a festival - I pretty much attend bluegrass festivals for the jams and a few of the main stage acts. I'll keep my mandolin on me, but usually will bring a less expensive one. Depending on the whether I'll usually bring my "festie-lin" (a Morgan Monroe I essentially only bring camping or festivaling) or sometimes my middle of the road mandolin (Gibson F9). In both cases, the instrument is typically on me for most if not the entire day - in part for security and in part to ensure heat is not an issue. If it's my Gibson, I'm more protective and definitely have a line of sight on it the whole time. The Morgan Monroe - eh, if something happens to it so be it

If I'm volunteering at a festival - Typically that means you have backstage access, which is a great place to have an instrument. While I'm working, often there's hiding spots that are cool (under the stage for example) and security is usually high or the people are good enough not to have that issue. While I'm not working, it makes you look important enough that you can usually get some extra goodies if you have a nice enough looking instrument hehe.

If I'm playing a festival - I bring my Newson mandolin (my nice one) and either have it with me everywhere I go or, if it's not too hot, I'll leave it in a friend's locked camper. I don't care what the security is - I'm not about to leave an expensive instrument in any place where someone stupid / drunk / cheap / evil enough can do any damage.

[Mark Wilson]

I do, but I never let it leave my hands. If I go to the bathroom, it's between my legs. I will put it in a less expensive, lighter case to ease the burden of carrying it all day.

That's it right there. I've got a small form fitting Collings case that I travel with now so I don't get the hairy eyeball when I carry it everywhere I go. Most folks ask if it's fiddle - quite a few ask if it's a mandolin. Main thing, it stays with me

[MikeEdgerton]

Generally (not always) the highest caliber of players I find myself surrounded by are at festivals. I take my best mandolin and I never let go of it. That way when the 12 year old kid with a Flatiron pancake smokes me on a break I can at least say "Yeah, but I've got a nicer mandolin than you!"

[colorado_al]

Bring it. Keep it with you. Get a better case that is water resistant.
I suggest Crossrock fiberglass in white color to keep the temp down
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0759MTKNM/

[Timbofood]

Generally (not always) the highest caliber of players I find myself surrounded by are at festivals. I take my best mandolin and I never let go of it. That way when the 12 year old kid with a Flatiron pancake smokes me on a break I can at least say "Yeah, but I've got a nicer mandolin than you!"

Aaah Mike, you always state the most important things about playing! I think we may have been separated at birth!

[MikeEdgerton]

That's why I'm here Tim.