Leaving drums in car

[pelicandrum]

Hey guys I thought I would ask the experts their advice on a situation. I recently started playing with a band once a week but this week we have back to back practice; tonight and then tomorrow night. I usually unpack my drums into my house no matter how late I get back but I was thinking of leaving them in tonight and tomorrow since I have to work early in the morning and then head to practice after. Do you guys think it will damage my drums leaving them in my car for that amount of time? If so do you think it would be okay to take out my snare and shells and leave my cymbals and hardware in the car? Thanks. Oh and I don't have a carport or garage and I park under a tree at work for some shade so my car is pretty much out in the elements. You input would be very much appreciated!

[ironfist]

I certainly would not class myself as an expert Pelican, but I have on occasions left my gear in the car, and have not suffered any damage. I think if they are cased, and you don,t have extreme weather conditions, then no harm will be done. I suppose the biggest threat would be having the car broken into. Just my 2 pence worth.

[pelicandrum]

Thanks and I forgot to mention I have my cymbals in a case but at the moment do not have cases for my shells or snare.

[Drumbledore]

But if you have extremes of weather where you are, especially heat...hardware....maybe, but drums and cymbals definitely do not leave in your car.....cased or not! I know what it's like with a 9 to 5 job plus having rehearsals/gigs several times a week, and I know how tired any drummer is after a full day work plus rehearsal.....been there done that. But 5-10 mins to unpack your car is time better spent than weeks, months or longer working to replace cymbals that have distempered and made useless due to heat buildup in your car or drums stolen when you've woken up in the morning and some lowlife has decided to smash your car windows, or God forbid, stolen your car because you've got your drums out in display.

Don't risk it...grin and bear it....get all your gear safe inside your home.

[NPYYZ]

Back when I was playing the New England Club Circuit I played 4 nights a week and 3 nights off. For the 3 nights and days off, my kit stayed packed up in the band truck. Hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter, never had a problem other then going out of tune. In the winter when I would bring them inside from the cold I'd open the cases and let the air get to them for a bit before I took them out and set them up.

[bongobro]

Hey, pelican--

Leavin' anything in the car, much less my drums, makes me uneasy. If your car doesn't have tinted windows, you might as well set them outside for all the theft protection you have. You don't say what kind of car you own, but I'm presuming it's one with enough cargo space to hold a set of drums...

And even if the security wasn't an issue, you're definitely going to have an issue with the heat and humidity ... and at least the humidity ... could mess up your tuning.

Don't do it if you don't have to....

[EddieV]

Back when I was playing the New England Club Circuit I played 4 nights a week and 3 nights off. For the 3 nights and days off, my kit stayed packed up in the band truck. Hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter, never had a problem other then going out of tune. In the winter when I would bring them inside from the cold I'd open the cases and let the air get to them for a bit before I took them out and set them up.

Same here.....only once did I have a problem with a shell cracking....but it was -1000 below zero outside.

You should be more concerned about theft.....as I know of three people that have had gear stolen from their cars.

One was an entire PA system and keyboards.

[Kazaamski]

I am lazy. I'd leave them in the car. I can't imagine my car getting as hot as a kiln to drastically affect the cymbal. If it did, than cymbals at outdoor gigs should be melting off the cymbal stands here in the desert.

[pastor_bob]

If the economy wasn't so tough, you might get away with it, but people are doing whatever they can to survive, and that just might include taking your drums for a quick sale. In my mind, the question is whether you can afford to risk that.

[nio]

I grew up in Florida with the heat and humidity. We certainly did not leave our drums in the car under those summer conditions. I've seen too many drums where the wrap has been damaged....the adhesive or something just goes out of wack and pretty soon you have the bubbles and unbuckling. Also, you'd have to re-tune all your drums cause the heads will soften and stretch.

[pelicandrum]

Thank you guys for all the great advice and opinions. I brought my drums and cymbals inside the house and left the hardware in the trunk. When I asked the question I wasn't even thinking about someone stealing my drums I was just focused on whether or not they would be damaged by the elements. I drive an old volvo with huge windows so you can probably see the drumset from a mile away don't want to risk someone breaking in and taking my baby.

[kay-gee]

Personally, theivery would be a bigger concern than climatic or enviromental conditions. A car is very unlikely to overheat over night time, don't you think?

all the best...

[Drumbledore]

A car is very unlikely to overheat over night time, don't you think?

Overnight....maybe not.....but during the day? We've had summers where an enclosed car space can exceed 50 degrees Celcius. So don't leave gear in during the day, for sure.

[markthechuck]

even after a gig at 3am with headaches from being so tired i always take my kit inside, i would be gutted if anything happened to it..

[Larrysperf]

I wouldnt leave my dog , or child in car so dont do it to your drums . Even in winter inside of car can get very hot. If you have to get a shield for front window to block sun

[Jack Keck]

My first drum teacher had a pickup truck with a cap on it. He rotated keeping one of two sets in the truck. The sets were a Gretch Catalina and a Pearl I-don't-know-what. He dept one in the truck in the winter and the other in the summer. I believe he kept his cymbals and hardware there, too.

The funny thing about this was that if any drums at all were already set up where he was going to play, he'd use those. I asked him if he was going to play in my basement where my Sound Percussions and ZBTs live, I could not even get the question out before he said he'd play "K Mart drums" if it meant he did not have to set his up.