Too cold? Outdoor gigs
 

What is the lowest temperature you'd be willing to take nice guitars (Gibson, Martin, etc.) to an outdoor gig without worrying about damage to the wood or finish? Assuming enough time for temperature acclimation.


I remember one time I was playing outside by myself for most of an afternoon, and the temperature got down to 55 Fahrenheit without causing the guitar any issues. It was sunny and I felt fine, except for slight finger stiffness. Today I played an outdoor gig when the temperature was 50 F and drizzling (I was under a tent). I only brought a ukulele (no nitro finish to worry about) and the wood was fine but it felt so cold that at times I had trouble holding the uke steady.

You may want to move this into the General Acoustic Guitar Discussion (or maybe it will get moved?). Might get more responses there.

For me, I play fingerstyle on a nylon string guitar. So my playing degrades when it's in the 50's outdoors. I don't think my fingers could operate in the 40's. So my playing is the biggest factor, not so much the guitar finish.

Most of the "cracks" that have developed on my guitars I attribute to playing in extreme warm weather.

I practice with an all solid wood Martin. I play out with a cheaper Martin that has a Stratabond neck and an HPL body. The both have the same Schertler AG-6/S-mic pickup and sound about the same amplified (though the all solid sounds quite a bit better unamplified). It’s not just protection against significant temperature damage. I think the Stratabond and HPL have less problem with tuning after coming in from a hot or cold car.

Hard to believe, but I saw a guy at a ski resort today playing a ‘66 Martin D-28 outside.

Temp was 27 degrees F. The guitar looked fine.

It is never too cold for a Carbon Fiber guitar! Great guitars for gigging in any weather.

Like my buddy BT55, I am all about the carbon fiber guitars... they can handle more than I can. Into the 50s is too cold for my hands; a non-issue for my Emerald guitars.

I remember playing for a Winterama festival in my hometown in the middle of winter. I don't remember exactly what the temp was but most likely in the -18C range. It was so cold that my fiddle player would play a few notes and you could literally hear the strings de-tuning.

If I need more than a light sweatshirt it's too cold.

I've played in 40 degrees with the Sun brightly shining. Felt like 65 degrees. I played once outdoors after dark and the temps at 50 and dropping and I won't do it again.

If it's too cold for me to be outside for any length of time, then my guitars and equipment aren't going to like it, either...

That's pretty much my rule of thumb...

Carbon fiber for sure. No worries in the cold, in the heat, low humidity, or high humidity, indoors or outside. Maybe not as traditional-looking as a wooden instrument, but way more practical in anything less than ideal conditions and my Rainsong and Emerald have excellent tone, even if different in character from my Martins and Gibson made of wood.

I played an outdoor patio gig last night with my Martin 00-17A. Temps hit a little below 50f and the guitar was fine. As for people that wanted to sit outside and listen in the cold, that is a different story.