Hello! I live in Finland and going to study music to another city where i´m going have to walk a lot outside with my bass and in winter it gets pretty cold like -20C to -32C (-4F to -27F). Any tips keep my bass safe outside?
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Double Bass Winter in Finland and double bass?
- Thread starter Bass Baron
- Start date
I'm not an expert, but I would recommend getting a really good (thick) bass bag if you don't already have one. Also, when you bring your bass inside after having walking with it outside, leave it in the bag for as long as possible so it warms up slowly. I know not everyone likes them, but I'd use a couple dampits if the humidity is low. Just a couple thoughts from a guy that lives in a city where the temperature doesn't often go below freezing and the humidity is usually around 50% 
Yes i have pretty solid bag from Ritter that has 15mm high density foam and 5mm density padding. And yes the humidity is very low in winter and i´m using dampits almost the whole winter long.I'm not an expert, but I would recommend getting a really good (thick) bass bag if you don't already have one. Also, when you bring your bass inside after having walking with it outside, leave it in the bag for as long as possible so it warms up slowly. I know not everyone likes them, but I'd use a couple dampits if the humidity is low. Just a couple thoughts from a guy that lives in a city where the temperature doesn't often go below freezing and the humidity is usually around 50%
I´ve tried a carbon bass once but didn´t like the sound at all
Thanks for the replys! Any other tips anyone?
I think the main thing is to avoid rapid temperature changes in either direction, as mentioned. If your bass is healthy, you should be fine. Maybe your fellow countryman Reiksa has some further thoughts on this. Hopefully he'll chime in...
Indeed. I don't think I do either, at least not the single one I tried.
Out of interest, what is the wintertime humidity in the room where the bass lives?
Yes hope so thanks for the tips! And yes maybe Reiska will chime in!
Last winter it stayed under 20% all the time, can´t remember the exact percent... Moving to a new house and hoping the radiator setup is different at least. Probably going to get a humidifier.
Ta, below 20%RH is dry. I striked-out my earlier comment, a solid bass would probably benefit from a humidifier in that room.
But the problem is that IF you humidify it, to say 40%RH @ 20°C inside, and you then take it out into -32°C outside, the RH inside the bag may, eventually (when the temperature drops inside), increase to above 100%RH (even if fully sealed-off) so that you get condensation. I'd have to find some charts to see to what level you could humidify to @ room temperature before you get condensation, but I guess your outside humidity will be high (~90-95%RH) @ -32°C, so that you can't go much above 20%RH inside (assuming outside & inside is the same air in absolute humidity). And then when the bass is cooled down from the outside temperature, and you take it back inside, and you would unpack it quickly, you may get condensation on it again (even in 20%RH @ 20°C), followed by a drying cycle, down to that 20%RH. That will be pretty stressful for a solid instrument. Your best chance is to not let the temperature drop too much inside the bag, so a thick coat & short stays outside.
I have no experience with these extremes. I have had a solid bass cycle between ~75%RH & 99%RH in the tropics (AC, inside/outside) with no problems of cracking (but with rare condensation), but your problem is far more extreme.
A solid instrument may get problems, for a ply bass it would probably be OK. Hopefully someone with experience in these extremes joins in.
But the problem is that IF you humidify it, to say 40%RH @ 20°C inside, and you then take it out into -32°C outside, the RH inside the bag may, eventually (when the temperature drops inside), increase to above 100%RH (even if fully sealed-off) so that you get condensation. I'd have to find some charts to see to what level you could humidify to @ room temperature before you get condensation, but I guess your outside humidity will be high (~90-95%RH) @ -32°C, so that you can't go much above 20%RH inside (assuming outside & inside is the same air in absolute humidity). And then when the bass is cooled down from the outside temperature, and you take it back inside, and you would unpack it quickly, you may get condensation on it again (even in 20%RH @ 20°C), followed by a drying cycle, down to that 20%RH. That will be pretty stressful for a solid instrument. Your best chance is to not let the temperature drop too much inside the bag, so a thick coat & short stays outside.
I have no experience with these extremes. I have had a solid bass cycle between ~75%RH & 99%RH in the tropics (AC, inside/outside) with no problems of cracking (but with rare condensation), but your problem is far more extreme.
A solid instrument may get problems, for a ply bass it would probably be OK. Hopefully someone with experience in these extremes joins in.
- Aug 1, 2005
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Yes, there are plenty of bassists in Finland and other far northern places who must have knowledge. While I don't have to deal with this issue myself, I think the most important thing is to avoid leaving the bass in a cold OR dry place for any extended period. Wherever you spend your indoor time it is presumably warm and somewhat moist with people breathing. Just keep your bass with you
Didn´t think about condensation... Good point! I have to look into that more. I play a hybrid bass at the moment. ( even though changing to a solid one soon)
Use a nicely padded case when outside and keep the bass in a room with 40% humidity.
Works for my Hill.
Works for my Hill.