The hardest part about ordering a bass...

[DanAdams]

Waiting for it to CLIMATIZE before you can open it! DANGIT!.
I saw that UPS truck with no doors, I know this bass is <10 degrees F right now...
How long must I wait? :|

Bless that UPS driver, Up since dawn driving with NO DOORS on his ride all day, everyday, in Maine, in January.

 

[Bodeanly]

I think the 3-5 days it takes to arrive is more painful. Or the idea that the delivery driver could leave it there when I'm not at home. At least it's warm. At least it's safe. Happy NBD! (What is it?)

 

[hypercarrots]

that's a wide box. what kind of bass is it?

 

[dedpool1052]

Waiting for it to acclimate? unless it's got a nitro finish, I'd open it up as soon as I shut the door.

 

[Grumry]

Came inside a pelican case?

 

[DanAdams]

It's a Peavey neck-through (indo Cirrus) with lots of different wood types and glue joints.
I'm going to let it ease into the 60 degree temp shift, at least an hour to two to make the transition.
I don't know why the box is so big.

 

[DDXdesign]

Came inside a pelican case?

Nah we're just friends; I'm not that into seabirds.

 

[DDXdesign]

Waiting for it to acclimate? unless it's got a nitro finish, I'd open it up as soon as I shut the door.

Even with a poly finish, though, I leave it shut for awhile so the wood doesn't freak out. N'est ce pas?

 

[BigBigGuy44]

I always let mine acclimate for a day regardless of wood type of finish. Never had a problem doing this and I have bought a lot of basses.

 

[joel406]

An hour should do. Then we want unpacking pictures.

 

[dedpool1052]

Alright then, at the most I'd wait an hour.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I'd always heard the 24 hour recommendation too (regardless of finish). For all I know that's excessively conservative, but what the heck, a little self-restraint never hurt anyone.

 

[DanAdams]

24 HOURS!
Uh oh, I better start showing up for gigs a day early.
Do bars usually let you sleep under the pool table?

 

[mmbongo]

It's a Peavey neck-through (indo Cirrus) with lots of different wood types and glue joints.
I'm going to let it ease into the 60 degree temp shift, at least an hour to two to make the transition.
I don't know why the box is so big.

PTHTHTHHTTHHH, nonsense! Bust it open and hit it with the hair dryer to bring it up to temp post haste!

 

[Bob_Ross]

24 HOURS!
Uh oh, I better start showing up for gigs a day early.
Do bars usually let you sleep under the pool table?

LOL! Yeah, I was just talking about when a new instrument gets shipped to you. I think the presumption is that for gigs your instrument didn't spend several days unattended in the truck!

When I travel to a gig in sub-freezing weather I usually let it acclimate for ~20 minutes in the bag/case, and then another 10 still in the bag/case but with the lid propped open. So a half hour total. But I'd still be the first one to arrive even if I didn't do that.

 

[petrus61]

Unboxed both nitro and poly within an hour and always in the dead of a northeast winter and never a single problem. Anywhere longer than a couple hours is excessive and unwarranted, IMO. It's also self torture. While the cabs of the delivery trucks aren't necessarily heated, they're not outside either and unless it's been sitting outside on the porch all day, I don't see the need to wait so long. It's not like you're bringing it from below freezing into 90 degrees...unless you're one of those people that are always cold and heat their homes accordingly. The warning is there as a disclaimer because in the event that your bass does have some issues from being poorly finished/built in the first place, the first thing they ask you is how long you waited to open the box, and if you say less that 24hrs (or whatever stupid time they put on those stickers) they have a reason to void your warranty, be it weather related or not. I think an hour, maybe two, is reasonable, considering you open the outer box first to slowly let the warmer air and do go ripping it out of its case like an idiot.

 

[PortlandBass77]

24 HOURS!
Uh oh, I better start showing up for gigs a day early.
Do bars usually let you sleep under the pool table?

Depends on how good of a customer you are and how friendly you are with the bartender

 

[BigBigGuy44]

24 HOURS!
Uh oh, I better start showing up for gigs a day early.
Do bars usually let you sleep under the pool table?

It isn't always feasible to let an instrument acclimate. But why risk it on a brand new instrument especially when the shipper, merchant and manufacturer won't cover finish checking from the humidity change?

 

[petrus61]

Wanna know what's immensely more annoying? Having a pedal you order show up on rehearsal day, only to miss FedEx by 5 minutes to find one of those "Sorry we missed you!" notes taped to the door. I'd rather be left in the dark and wait another day than see one of those notes. Drives me nuts. First world problems...

 

[petrus61]

It isn't always feasible to let an instrument acclimate. But why risk it on a brand new instrument especially when the shipper, merchant and manufacturer won't cover finish checking from the humidity change?

There's absolutely no way they can prove it didn't happen en route or was the result of flawed workmanship, hence the sticker. It's only the there as an out for them.