How does "Instument Check" work?

[Porter Brown]

Depending on room, I will be bringin' a mandolin (maybe 2), a uke, and if room allows a guitar.  How does instrument check work?  I'm in Lawson Hills, in an TBF expert opinion, are my babies safe unchained in my tent all day?  If I bring an axe to insrtu-check should I   A: Have no case,  B:  Have a soft case, or F:  Bring a hard case?  I can string the mando over my back, with or without the softcase (like a back pack).

 Listening to: Christian McBride Band (Funky Jazz)

[Auntie Hope]

Depending on room, I will be bringin' a mandolin (maybe 2), a uke, and if room allows a guitar.  How does instrument check work?  I'm in Lawson Hills, in an TBF expert opinion, are my babies safe unchained in my tent all day?  If I bring an axe to insrtu-check should I   A: Have no case,  B:  Have a soft case, or F:  Bring a hard case?  I can string the mando over my back, with or without the softcase (like a back pack).

Porter (I'm going to call you by the dog's name until we get another option  ) instrument check is near the front gate. It's free. Just ask anyone and they can point you in the right direction. If you really want to protect those babies put them in a hard case. On that same theme...

Can someone advise "Porter" about altitude and lack of humidity and what he needs to do to keep his instruments from drying out and cracking at altitude, please!

Of course locking them in the car is always an option, but there is, again, the thing about extreme temp. changes from morning to afternoon to night and back again. If you are going to keep the mando remember you'll be on a festival field and you'll probably want to protect it there also. We're not crazy all the time but let's get real here, it is a festival and if you're always nervous about the mando what kind of fun are you going to have?

Better safe than sorry, right! 

Auntie Hope 

[Porter Brown]

Didn't even think about altitude or something called "lack of humidity"    So yes, if anyone has words of advice I would greatly appreciate it.  And don't even begin to tell me ya'll ain't crazy all the time.

 Listening to: the clock tick

[tycho_brahe]

Hey Porter. Have you ever heard of a band called SnakeBeard Jackson? I saw that you were from Sioux Falls, and I'm really good friends with them. Maybe we've crossed paths in the past. Anyway, I hope to buy you a beer for your first TBF when you arrive. I'll be at Warner Field.

I also really hope to meet you too sometime, Auntie Hope.
 

[Porter Brown]

I certainly have heard of Snakebeard.  SuFu misses them dearly. My name is Bryan, I sat in on mandolin with Lunar Funk during 2008.  Would love to sit down and chat over some beers with ya!!!!

 Listening to: baseball on the radio "hooray for opening day"

[Matt]

Your instruments will be okay in your tent all day from a theft standpoint.  I've left guitars and fiddles in my tent and never had a problem.

The only thing you might have to worry about is heat.  Lawson has no shade, so unless you bring your own, the sun will heat your tent up into the 90's easily, and even to 100+ if it's a hot enough day.  Unless you have shade, I'd bring anything you care about up to the instrument check. 

As for humidity, make sure you bring a Damp-It or other humidifier and keep it full.

[TheBanjomatic]

There is also the other end of the spectrum... the blistering cold at night. I haven't ever had any issues with any of my banjos, nor do I use any sort of humidifier, but I've heard stories about varnish cracking, etc.

The worst that happened to me was having all my strings detune at once after stepping out of the warm picking tent and into the cold outside. The friction screws on my Keith tuners became extremely loose due to the sudden change in temperature and the strings went slack within about 2 seconds. Ironically, the reason I stepped outside the tent in the first place was so that I could tune!

Adam

[Matt]

My biggest fear with the heat has always been glue melting on my guitar somewhere and it coming apart. 

[Auntie Hope]

There is also the other end of the spectrum... the blistering cold at night. I haven't ever had any issues with any of my banjos, nor do I use any sort of humidifier, but I've heard stories about varnish cracking, etc.

The worst that happened to me was having all my strings detune at once after stepping out of the warm picking tent and into the cold outside. The friction screws on my Keith tuners became extremely loose due to the sudden change in temperature and the strings went slack within about 2 seconds. Ironically, the reason I stepped outside the tent in the first place was so that I could tune!

Adam

You tune those things Adam? 

[Porter Brown]

Thanks you guys. I love you forum peeps!!!!!!!!1
Hope to meet ya'll in CO.
Much Love,

Bryan

 Listening to: tony rice sings gordon lightfoot