Pedal Steel in basement

Andrew Goulet · Post by **Andrew Goulet** » 21 Nov 2024 2:20 pm

My basement is around 50 - 60% humidity, and stays around 60 degrees in the winter. Flooding is not an issue. What do you all think about keeping the pedal steel set up in the basement? It would be nice to have more room.

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 21 Nov 2024 3:28 pm

Shouldn't be an issue if you don't mind playing in a space that cool.

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 22 Nov 2024 5:04 pm

You may have to deal with some tuning problems. May have to rub your hands up and down the strings, And work pedals to get strings settled to tune the guitar.
If you up the temperature 10 degrees when you go to play, It may cause some guitars to go crazy with tuning.

Dan Beller-McKenna · Post by **Dan Beller-McKenna** » 25 Nov 2024 4:26 pm

My study/music room (/laundry room/walk-in closet) goes down to the ow 50s at nigh in winter, and never gets much above 60 degrees. I keep it between 45-55% humidity all year. Never been a problem for my steels and other instruments.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 26 Nov 2024 6:02 am

My studio is in the basement year-round ... it typically stays between 62-66, its actually cooler with the AC in the hot summer than with the furnace running in the winter, currently 64º and 49% ... which is great for me, seeing how I run a bit warm anyhow.

Recently I hung blackout curtains from the ceiling behind where I sit so when I record video you only see my hands

and it helps control the lighting. HOWEVER, with amps and computers and lighting, and those curtains holding in the heat from everything mentioned, it can still get a tad warm for me even in the basement. So I put a fan under the desk that I can turn off and on and adjust speed with a remote control which helps a lot. Its quite, but even if it was noisy I record direct these days so it doesn't interfere or get captured in the recording.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 29 Nov 2024 9:34 am

I have 6 pedal steels set up in my basement. I run a dehumidifier in the summer to maintain around 50% humidity. Never had a problem with any of them. My guitar collection is also there. Basement is finished and insulated and both heated and cooled by the central HVAC system for the house.

Luke Morell · Post by **Luke Morell** » 15 Dec 2024 6:05 pm

It would be nice if you had an elevator instead of having to carry everything up and down the stairs.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 17 Dec 2024 8:02 pm

Luke, my basement is a walk out. If I need things to go to a gig or upstairs I use my mower pulling a small trailer and load it then drive around to the upper door. Much easier than carrying up and down stairs.

Tim Toberer · Post by **Tim Toberer** » 18 Dec 2024 5:35 am

I have my "music room" in the basement utility room. It was the only space available. Our sewer main just started leaking through the wall, cracked just outside the house. With the weather and cost, not sure when this will be fixed. It ain't ideal!

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 19 Dec 2024 6:13 am

Larry Dering wrote:Luke, my basement is a walk out. If I need things to go to a gig or upstairs I use my mower pulling a small trailer and load it then drive around to the upper door. Much easier than carrying up and down stairs.

That would be ideal ... It would save you needing to have kids just to pack you stuff up the stairs. This house and my last both had/have stairs which makes just the thought of playing out a source of angst.