Taking the heat. A uke for the car?

It gets hot down here and even hotter in the car. 45C isn't unusual out in the open so in a locked vehicle 50C (over 120F) would not be an exaggeration. I would love to have a uke that stays in the car for those odd moments I'm caught waiting but it bothers me to leave an instrument in those conditions so I don't do it. Does anyone have a uke coping with heat? Has it warped the wood/plastic?

I'ma recommend my Ohana concert solid sprucetop CK-70RB for the composite round-back body. It's extreeeemely durable. Check it out: http://www.ohana-music.com/conc/ck70rb/master.html

I can't imagine any glue holding up to that heat... at least not for very long. You could always buy a cheapo for $25 and find out.......

I agree that it doesnt sound good for any instrument to be in that environment, especially not solid wood. I also agree that a "disposable" dolphin, or the like, may be a good choice for this purpose. Or any plastic instrument may fit the bill???

Take care,
Thomas

I live in Florida, and my Flea and Fluke have done a moderate amount of car time, with no apparent ill effects. You'll need a Philips screwdriver to adjust the tension on the friction tuners from time to time, because sometimes the change in temperature loosens them up.

For durability and portability, my Risa soprano stick takes top honors. It's built like a tank and I use and abuse it. I usually just leave it laying around in the cockpit. I don't even keep it in the case. When I leave the boat, it goes along in my backpack.

The downsides to it are price (used they are about $175-200), and lack of volume (after all, it's not an acoustic instrument). I find the volume fine for practicing by myself, plus I have a $30 AmpUPlugNPlay that I keep in the case for when I want the volume of an acoustic.

I think that for other options a Flea or a Dolphin would be good to consider. I got a Flea a couple of years ago to have as my "backpack uke" while we were in Florida. It held up well getting carried around a lot and even spending a few afternoons in a hot car.

I just take mine with me...business or pleasure. It's a unique, positive conversation piece and people understand when you explain it to them why you cant leave it in the car.

by the way, it helps if you have a cool case...looks fancy!

I would say that the solidbody ukes are indeed probably the best option. What else comes to mind? probably a resonator. Though I have to say I live in similar conditions and have left my ukes in the car on numerous occasions and so far had no problems (I certainly don't practice what I preach). Though I wouldn't recommend anyone trying this - I'm probably a bit lucky. These ukes were always in polystyrene cases, maybe they keep the heat out.

So yes, if I had to recommend one tough one, it'd have to be an Eleuke. Plug in your earphones and go!

I wouldn't recommend leaving "any" instrument in a hot car. I left my Fluke in a warm car under a shade tree and the plastic fretboard came unglued. On the upside it gave me an excuse to upgrade to a rosewood fretbaord.