Car Uke

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HoboTerminator

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The first ukulele I bought was a Makala Dolphin. I've now moved on to bigger and better things, but I often find myself wishing I always had a ukulele around, even when I'm out and about. So I was wondering if there would be any damage done to keeping my Dolphin in my car all the time, as a travel uke. My concern comes from the fact that I live in Arizona, and the summer here get REALLY hot, but it's a dry heat, for better or worse. They get upwards of 100 often, and inside a car can reach up to like 130s. Your thoughts?
 
Generally speaking, it's not a good idea to keep a wooden instrument in your car when it's hot - it's not the wood that's the big issue, it's the glue. You get it hot enough, and it melts and things start separating. Your poor little dolphin will die on ya in those conditions. If you keep it in the car, consider at least keeping it in the trunk or somewhere out of the direct sunlight and it'll have a better chance of swimming to the next uke jam.
 
Well, just my gung-ho opinion but... I would think that a cheap, almost plastic 'ukulele would be the best bet for high-risk music campaigns. I assume that "bigger and better things" is a new 'ukulele? That would mean that you wouldn't be frying your main instrument. But fry you will the little dolphin if it gets that hot in the car. A cheap uke is good for banging around in the shopping cart too though. No one says you need to leave it in the car.
 
I do leave a uke in my car boot (a dolphin) but I am in the UK! Even in high summer here I wont bother as it is sure to damage it. In your climate it would kill it totally surely - the glue would melt, as would (likely) the finish and anything else plastic? 130 degrees? holy moly! Would you put your uke in an oven?
 
EricStetson said:
If you keep it in the car, consider at least keeping it in the trunk or somewhere out of the direct sunlight and it'll have a better chance of swimming to the next uke jam.
Click to expand...
Trunks get awfully hot, too, especially when the car is sitting in the sun.

True story... I used to live in Arizona. Was wearing a very short mini-skirt which hiked up, sat on a seatbelt buckle and it branded my behind. Literally. :eek:
 
I once put a guitar in a trailer for a trip down south in the summer when I was a teenager, it got ruined, warped the neck and bowed the body. I also had a old guitar that was stored in a hot place (Florida). It literally looked like someone had disassembled it. It was a hide glued instrument.

I was told if you can stand the heat/cold so can the instrument, so that rules out a car/trunk in the summer.
 
Eleuke Peanut

About $100, and it should be as temp-proof as possible for a playable instrument. Pick up a small amp when you don't want to use earbuds.

I've an Eleuke pineapple, and haul it in the trunk, etc., w/o worries. So far, so good (about 6 months usage).
 
It's going to be a lot hotter than 130 "inside" the car!!!!!!!!!! Bad idea
 
itsme said:
Trunks get awfully hot, too, especially when the car is sitting in the sun.

True story... I used to live in Arizona. Was wearing a very short mini-skirt which hiked up, sat on a seatbelt buckle and it branded my behind. Literally. :eek:
Click to expand...

I would have paid to see a gal in a miniskirt try to stand up inside a car.. <grin>

Just sayin.. hehheh
 
why not just take it with you when you get out of the car? I bet that would start some interesting conversations :)
 
One possible option would be to keep it in one of those hard-shell-foam cases. It might
moderate the actual temp, sort of insulate it. Especially if you find a cheap or broken one.
Case that is.

Keep uke'in',
 
off subject. But everytime I think or hear about the heat inside a car in the summer, I reflect back to the ass whoopin I got when I was a wee lad. I left a big jumbo box of crayons in the back window shelf area of my dad's pride and joy (a 1959 Cadillac Sedan). I remember the ass whoppin, and I remember how pretty I thought that blob was...

Ok, go back and discuss.. ;)
 
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