Ordering custom shop bass - arriving in the summer

[WarwickDolphin]

Hey guys,

I am looking to place an order for a custom shop instrument. The thing is, if I order it now, it will arrive sometime in July or August. Possibly at the hottest time of the summer. I live in Washington D.C. and it can get as hot as 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) around that time of year. I know for a fact that there will be a signature required at the time of delivery.

My question is, do you think there is any concern for the instrument to be damaged by hot weather (neck getting warped in the heat)? Or am I being too paranoid? Obviously, it won't be left outside of my house, but still.....What do you think?
Thanks.....

 

[RickyT]

Too paranoid. Let it sit in your house to acclimatise.

The Luthier who built my custom does a lot of set up work on Dingwalls when they arrive in Sydney. One year it was like -20 in Canada and 35 (Celsius) in Sydney. The basses were fine. He just let them sit for a day.
You may need to do a tiny bit of tweaking but it'd be very unlikely (and unlucky) if anything warped.

 

[bassdude51]

What did you order? I'll sign for it!

 

[WarwickDolphin]

Trying to order a custom shop Warwick Dolphin......

 

[Goatrope]

I understand that stress about climate, but if it worries someone that much, just take the day off and wait for it. We all get days off, no?

 

[WarwickDolphin]

Well, there is signature required. So it won't be left outside by my house. The concern is whether it will be left outside somewhere while in transit. Who knows.....maybe UPS or FedEx will leave the box outside for a bit while loading the truck or something.

 

[Alexander]

If you woulda bought a PBass, it probably would have held up, but a Warwick? You're screwed.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

I've left basses sitting my car in mid summer heat for 50 yrs and NEVER had one have ANY problems. Period. Same with freezing weather. Don't overthink it.

 

[Badwater]

I don't think the heat during transportation is going to harm the instrument. Grant it they will sit in a UPS truck for several days at 110+ degrees. I had a brand new bass shipped in a box in to the desert 107+ degrees at 140+ degrees in the back of a UPS truck during the end of summer. And had no issues from the heat.

I was more concerned with the shipment of a Bass during the winter in January this year at sub freezing temps through Colorado and Utah where the bass would sit in the back of a UPS truck for several weeks due to bad road conditions. The bass survived 2 weeks of sub freezing temps, no issues do to the extreme climate changes.

Note: this is a dry heat and a dry cold.

 

[Trouztrouz]

Don't overthink it.

Counterpoint: if something's worth thinking about, it's with overthinking about.

 

[Spidey2112]

Trying to order a custom shop Warwick Dolphin......

Good thing your username wasn't, 'Space Shuttle'... then you'd have something to worry about.

 

[hermetic]

Counterpoint: if something's worth thinking about, it's with overthinking about.

Be careful. Thinking will get you in trouble.

 

[inanimate_carb]

You're being too paranoid. Electric guitars and basses have been shipped in unbearably hot and unbearably cold weather since they were first invented. They sit for days or weeks in trucks, shipping facilities, aircraft, and ships, most with no heating or air conditioning. Then they are carelessly tossed around in courier distribution centers until they arrive at the homes of the most finicky and hypercritical customers, and get there in perfectly fine condition in the vast majority of cases. Doesn't matter if it's a $125 SX or a $25k Fodera - they are pretty tough and have survived this for around 6 decades or do.

 

[BAG]

Well, there is signature required. So it won't be left outside by my house. The concern is whether it will be left outside somewhere while in transit. Who knows.....maybe UPS or FedEx will leave the box outside for a bit while loading the truck or something.

I'd be more concerned if it was left in a hot car or truck on a warm day than if it was left outside.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

I'd be more worried about it being handled by the people who are bringing it to me than any climate based events. Be at peace young Jedi.

 

[Charlzm]

Trying to order a custom shop Warwick Dolphin......

That bass will be coming on a ship from Germany, most likely. The weather at your end will simply be the last day of its long journey.

I had that experience with my Warwick Katana several years back.

Don't sweat it.

 

[Spidey2112]

That bass will be coming on a ship from Germany, most likely. The weather at your end will simply be the last day of its long journey.

I had that experience with my Warwick Katana several years back.

Don't sweat it.

Sweat? I didn't even think about sweat!
Aaaarrrggghhh!

 

[Oddly]

This sort of post perfectly illustrates the dangers of TB. Until I read about it here I would have never in a million years thought to worry about the effect of temperature on a bass in transit...and I'm a worrier by nature!
Now admittedly I live in Ireland and we don't get extreme temperatures but still I have come to learn too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

As said above, your new bass should be just fine.
Enjoy it when you get it!

 

[Nedmundo]

Last time I ordered a bass, I arranged to pick it up at a FedEx facility instead of having it delivered to my home. That way, I didn't have to worry about being home when it was delivered. That was my concern, but this approach also means it was at room temperature for awhile before I picked it up.

But I agree with the others not to worry about it. That bass came from Arizona to Philly in winter, and I once had a guitar shipped from Louisiana. No issues. Happens all the time.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

It does get pretty hot here in the summer, but you can always get it delivered to a FedEx or UPS store and it will be there waiting for you in an air conditioned store until you pick it up...