what is the best option when not playing my amp? need opinions please!

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thebreathing

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hi, i need some help. i have a cream colored crate vc50h and matching cream cabinet (beautiful). recently we (my drummer and i) have lost our practice space and have been forced to get a storage unit. my question is this, would it be better for my amp to just leave it out there in the heat and cold when i am not playing it or should i move it back and forth to my house and the unit when making trips out to play. i would like to leave it out there if i could but i am mainly just wondering if the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter will do any damage to it, more so than if i am moving every couple days. any opinions will be great! thanks alot, Jason
 
I'd keep moving it, I wouldn't trust it in a storage center. It's only a bit more work, and if you're careful, you shouldn't have a problem.
 
Always good to keep tube stuff out of the bad weather. Solid state stuff is a good bit more forgiving, but tubes don't seem to like lots of temperature and moisture changes.

However, it is important to note that if you are going to move your tube amps, you need to wait for the tubes to cool down before moving them (and this can sometimes take 15-30 minutes). The number 1 reason for tubes aging and going bad quickly is moving them while they're still warm.
 
You would be better off getting a solid state practice amp and leave your tube amp at home. It makes no sense to screw up a good amp dragging it back and fourth or leaving it to the mercy of the elements just to play in a storage unit.
 
what about the cabinet, do you think it would be okay to just leave the cabinet and move the head?
 
As long as long as you let them warm up sufficiently before you play, the speakers will be fine out in the cold.
 
I think you would do more damage to the amp by moving it around. I would at least let it warm up a bit before using it. I don't think the heat will hurt it.
 
okay so i can leave the cab out there and if i wait 15 - 30 minutes before moving the head i should be fine. is that basically the best option? i can't afford a seperate practice amp, i spent all my money on this one. i'm just looking for the least damaging option, so unless someone can give me a good reason not to, i'm going with what i mentioned above. its only a five minute drive to the storage space. thanks, Jason
 
I have one question. When you guys practice in the storage space when it's cold out do you heat it or just tough it out? Soon it will be summer time it must be unbearable in such a hot place.
I guess my point is that I think your equipment can handle any extremes you can. I might be wrong so someone jump in.
I used to practice in this guys attic and man it was insanely hot up there even with a bunch of fans going.
 
EdWonbass said:
I have one question. When you guys practice in the storage space when it's cold out do you heat it or just tough it out? Soon it will be summer time it must be unbearable in such a hot place.
I guess my point is that I think your equipment can handle any extremes you can. I might be wrong so someone jump in.
I used to practice in this guys attic and man it was insanely hot up there even with a bunch of fans going.
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I think you're right. Amps are pretty resilient as long as they don't get wet or banged around while the filaments are hot.
 
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