Roadtrip with your violin

May 11, 2008 at 12:01 AM · I'll be facing the same problem this fall. Retiring and taking off on a permanent road trip, first down to the gulf coast for some warm salt water and sandy beaches, then wander west thru the south western deserts to Cali...going to live on my boat summers, then head for the desert in my camper winters...

Is heat really the problem if the case is kept at the proper humidity? Cold certainly didn't bother Little Red(my second fiddle)when she arrived on my front step and sat the whole evening(I was at work)in a December snow storm. I shook off the snow and put her case in the coolest corner of the house to "defrost" overnight and when I opened the case she was fine.

May 11, 2008 at 01:33 AM · The heat itself will just melt the varnish off of the violin. I would be careful.

May 11, 2008 at 01:38 AM · We take violins on every road trip.

If you leave then for a few hours for hikes, be sure that they are insulated by baggage, dirty laundry bags or whatever. Things should be ok, but if you are in the middle of the Mojave desert in late August it might be a matter of concern!

Arnold Steinhardt mentioned in one of his books about leaving a Guadinigni (sp?) fiddle in the trunk of a car that was soaked with gasoline due to the car's being parked on an incline.

May 11, 2008 at 02:02 AM · Whenever I came across the topic of violins and car trunks, all the experts seemed to agree very strongly in unison: "Do not ever leave your violin in the trunk of a car!!!". Personally, I'd leave it at the hotel/motel when going for a hike.

May 11, 2008 at 04:09 AM · Heat is a problem. It will melt varnish. Thermal mass is the key.

If you surround the violins with a lot of stuff, that stuff has to heat first before the violin will heat up.

So you can leave a violin in the car or trunk *if* there's enough stuff around it and you get back to the car before the violin itself heats up.

Travelling in the Pacific northwest in the summer, we felt very comfortable leaving the instruments in a packed car parked in the shade if we were stopping for lunch or something. We also had a dog with us so if it was too hot for the dog, it was going to be too hot for the instruments.

If you're talking Mojave desert or most of a day -- I'd leave the instruments in an air-conditioned hotel room.

- Ray

May 11, 2008 at 12:24 PM · Thks everyone for your responses. Yes, the violins will probably be in the hotel/motel most of the time, It's more like when travelling from 1 place to another (in between places), and we need to stop enroute to sightsee that the instruments will be left in the car. Thks Ray for the thermal mass tip!

May 11, 2008 at 12:37 PM · LyeYen, i travel often and my impression has been that people are always very helpful especially with issues with kids. i wonder, in extreme hot days, instead of leaving the violins inside the vehicle, it would be advisable to see if there are businesses/shops/offices/restaurants around that can help keep the violins for couple hours.

then, of course, the kids need to pay back by giving a recital:)

ps, also bring spare strings just in case...

May 11, 2008 at 12:55 PM · I remember a summer when one of my adult students left her (rather nice) violin in her car for 20 minutes while she went shopping at the Walmart. The varnish did not melt, but the glue did, resulting in a rather pricey neck re-attachment.

I agree that it would be much better to leave the violins at the hotel.

May 11, 2008 at 02:39 PM · Oh Al, thks for the tip. Yes, with a cute 5 year old around (esp when he lugs his violin case half the length of himself), people tend to be more helpful :>

Thks Anne for sharing, that is indeed scary...

May 12, 2008 at 05:14 AM · For full-size instruments, consider a Cushy insulated case cover. I've used one for over 17 years, and it's amazing how well it works at keeping my violin at an even temperature. Even in a baking car (transit, not left alone), the violin barely heats up. If you don't want to spring for a Cushy, el-cheapo styrofoam cases are also quite insulating and provide a lot of protection in this way.

I also echo two other points. Surrounding your instruments by all your other stuff and keeping cases out of direct sunlight will further insulate them and keep them from heating up too much. And second, be very very careful about leaving instruments in your car. I'm still recovering from the psychological trauma and guilt of having my violin stolen out of my parked car--some 18 years ago. And I have those feelings even though I was incredibly fortunate in being reunited with my violin again last year, after a 17 year separation.