Ukuleles in the car?

Chopped Liver

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I have read where several of you keep ukes in your car so that you will always have one (I'm assuming it isn't your prize uke!). I want to do this, too. However, I was under the impression that a hot car was a dangerous place for a wooden musical instrument.

Explain, please!

Thanks!
 
I think a laminate wood ukulele generally holds up better to swings in temperatures. I wouldn't leave a solid uke in any car.

I have a Mahalo ($25 uke) in the back of my Jeep.
 
Here in the cold neck of the woods we have the other extreme. If you must leave the treasure out in the cold then detune because the coldness makes the tension even greater which could result in sadness when you return.
 
my dolphin is my car uke, its also my camping and hiking uke, it has been exposed to freezing cold weather and also hot humid weather and apart from needing tuning up or down it is still in good condition, love it!!!!!
 
my dolphin is my car uke, its also my camping and hiking uke, it has been exposed to freezing cold weather and also hot humid weather and apart from needing tuning up or down it is still in good condition, love it!!!!!

Yeah, I'm looking at those. The wooden top and neck are ok after being in the car?
 
The only partial plastics I know are the dolphins. Are there others?

Fleas and Flukes have a molded plastic body, but wooden soundboard. They are too expensive to use as a car-uke-beater, but they are especially good for camping, hiking, beach and other rough activities. You might find a vintage all plastic uke on eBay for a good price. I think the Dolphin is probably your best car uke choice.

–Lori
 
The only partial plastics I know are the dolphins. Are there others?
Fleas & Flukes, but they're pricey enough I wouldn't risk leaving them in a car for very long. Of course this all depends to some extent on where you live and time of year. I imagine even a Dolphin wouldn't fare too well left for many hours inside a car parked in full summertime Texas sun.
 
Fleas & Flukes, but they're pricey enough I wouldn't risk leaving them in a car for very long. Of course this all depends to some extent on where you live and time of year. I imagine even a Dolphin wouldn't fare too well left for many hours inside a car parked in full summertime Texas sun.

Well, it gets pretty hot here in NC. It can get to 100 degrees in the shade and inside the car is a lot hotter. Sounds like the dolphin is the way to go if I decide to do that, but I'm just not sure about leaving one in the car.

But, I probably "need" a dolphin anyway! :p
 
Well, it gets pretty hot here in NC. It can get to 100 degrees in the shade and inside the car is a lot hotter. Sounds like the dolphin is the way to go if I decide to do that, but I'm just not sure about leaving one in the car.
Unless you spend a lot of time running around in your car, I'd either leave the ukes at home or get a gig bag/case with straps and haul it around with me. Consider it like a briefcase or laptop pack. That way you can bring something better than a Dolphin. Nothing against Dolphins, but... :)
 
Unless you spend a lot of time running around in your car, I'd either leave the ukes at home or get a gig bag/case with straps and haul it around with me. Consider it like a briefcase or laptop pack. That way you can bring something better than a Dolphin. Nothing against Dolphins, but... :)

Yeah, and I'm wondering how much I would use a car uke anyway. When I'm in the car I'm driving. When I stop, I'm at home, work, or seminary.

I could, however, get that dolphin to leave at school. While my students are at specials, I could strum.

Who am I kidding?! I usually have meetings or such during that time!!

But still - it would be there if I did have a minute. Hm .... I could use it to signal that it is clean up time, or we are going to lunch, or it's time for math, or whatever! :rolleyes:
 
Fleas and Flukes have a molded plastic body, but wooden soundboard. They are too expensive to use as a car-uke-beater, but they are especially good for camping, hiking, beach and other rough activities. You might find a vintage all plastic uke on eBay for a good price. I think the Dolphin is probably your best car uke choice.

–Lori

i don't get any problems at all with my dolphin other than to tweak the tuning when it gets too cold or too hot and as Lori says the fluke/fleas are also good, but a lot more expensive than the dolphin, when i go camping i take my fluke and my dolphin, when i go hiking i only take the dolphin but only coz of the space i have in my rucksack, dolphins for the price are bulletproof and cheap enough to replace if they should get damaged
heres some pics of me on the banks of Loch Lomond ukeing and camping last summer

DSCF0430.jpgDSCF0427.jpg
 
Nice book rack in that first pic! :p

I'm trying to find the orange burst dolphin but that thing is hard to locate! I have e-mailed one dealer who's website says they have it. However, someone else here ordered the orange burst and got the new tangerine orange! EEK!!
 
Nice book rack in that first pic! :p

I'm trying to find the orange burst dolphin but that thing is hard to locate! I have e-mailed one dealer who's website says they have it. However, someone else here ordered the orange burst and got the new tangerine orange! EEK!!

thanx Ukemania lol
 
My car uke is a Lanikai LU-21. So far it's held up just fine.

JJ
 
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