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Posted

Hi, 

 

I've been playing concertina for several months now and would like to take it on a camping trip next week. I'll be camping in Southern England so as its summer it could be any weather possible 😆. Should I take any precaution taking a concertina camping? I'm mainly concerned about any excessive heat or damp damaging the bellows - is this a likely problem?

 

Thanks! 

Posted

The only thing I avoid is leaving instruments in a locked car parked in the sun, as the temperature inside can soar!

Otherwise just be careful around BBQs, beer, and rain storms!!! 

 

Of course, your fellow campers may have different views about a concertina!

  • Like 1
Posted

Hi,

Last month I spent one week in a camping with musicians friends, we had hot days and cold and damp nights.

 

Our storage technique was :

during the day, instruments under a tree to stay fresh

- when the night fall and the damp arise from the ground, they move to a tent

- during the night they sleep in a car to be dry

- beware to take them out the care before it became an oven

 

During the day, tents also became really hot...

 

I've put several desiccant bags in my concertina bag, but I have no idea of the effectiveness of it.

Posted

Don't leave them unattended!  Judging from the plethora of ceramic and cinematic representations, all manner of Critters love to play 'em.  Theft by " evolutionarily advanced ?" primates is also a issue.

Posted

I've taken my instruments camping with me to festivals for many years, with no ill-effects.

 

At night they stay locked in the car. During the day, I have them with me. However if this is a general holiday, rather than a musical one, I'd be more worried about security if I won't want to take the instrument everywhere with me  Tents are obviously not secure and cars can get very hot (even more of a problem for instruments with waxed-in reeds).  However there have been times when I've had to leave instruments in the car, and I wrap them in a blanket to provide some insulation. 

 

Sound carries a long way outdoors and tents have no sound insulation. Will your neighbours on the campsite want to be regaled by someone who is still a novice player? Or even an expert one, for that matter?

 

I don't see any reason not to take a concertina camping if you take care, but I would consider carefully whether it's really a good idea.

Posted (edited)

I go camping with my concertina when I vend at Renaissance festivals. I use a Nanuk 908 case, keeps it safe from the elements very nicely. I have a shoulder strap for it and carry it around with me everywhere I go. I'm often away traveling for a couple weeks at a time and the concertina is always safe and properly functioning. I highly recommend a pelican or Nanuk case for sure 

 

I live in New England in the US and our temps get much higher than anywhere in England and it's always very humid in summer. As long as you don't play in the rain or sit in direct sunlight, it'll be fine. My Kensington concertina has dymondwood frames and robust reed pans so it can handle a lot more than say, a wheatstone from the 1800s perhaps, but I'd think that any box will be ok with a bit extreme temperature and humidity change

Edited by Oberon

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