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BC bass weight obsession


chevy-stu
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My back grumbles if a bass is anything above medium weight. My main squeeze now is far under that weight, and as a result I don't even think about back pain any more.

Who knows? Maybe if I'd considered weight earlier, rather than years jumping around with a 10lb precision over my shoulder, my back might be a bit more tolerant at this stage.

Look after it, folks. It's the only one you've got.

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tbh its something that i've never thought of either and i suffer from back problems, maybe i'm just a bit dense, i've seen plenty of people (well not actually seen that would make bass chat a very weird place) asking about the weight of basses but thought nothing of it. so i geuss i'm with the op on this, it just weighs what it weighs
i've owned heavy (sting ray) and currently i would think mine is in the light catagory, i'm now curious to check

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It all seems daft to me. I have a bad back and knackered knees so I bought a really good quality strap. I can really see myself knocking a 1961 stack knob for a grand cos its a pound too heavy. Cmon.... If you like the bass then get it, if you have a bad back you already know that Warwick NT 6's are made from wood with a density 3x Uranium 238 and weigh more than a London bus - so why ask?

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1443023307' post='2871582']
This is the crux of the matter. It boils down to the fact that if you're not actually in pain yourself then it's hard to understand that other people can be, and for what reason. It's like a friend telling you to 'snap out of it' when you're actually clinically depressed. If you've never suffered from depression there is no way you can appreciate how debilitating it really is.

Personally I've never suffered from pain brought on by a too-heavy bass thank God, but I sure as hell suffer pain from an unrelated condition, so can sympathise. However, I do prefer light basses purely because I find them easier to play, and for longer.

Plus, I'm sure there are quite a few, er... 'older' bass players on this forum (including myself) who have noticed all sorts of aches and pains that start to manifest themselves over time as our bodies become less flexible and weaker and we approach the time when we finally join the choir invisible. And what a fine day that will be as the angels of the LORD, in all their splendour... (cont p.94)
[/quote]

Amen to that, I'm 70 next year but mentally 21 still so I have a young outlook on life.
I've had a really bad back for more years than I can remember so my P Lyte at 7.5 lbs is perfect. I had John Shuker make me a maple board and he fitted me an SD-SPB1 pickup and it's perfect now, one of the best basses I've ever owned.

So good I'm looking for another to give it the same treatment and have it for a backup.
I have to say though that standing there with my USA P bass is a great feeling, just too heavy.

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On a seriuos note I have degenerative problems with C2-C5 vertebrae in my neck (mine ,not the bass) all on the left hand side so even with a well balanced bass, all the weight is on that side. My old Westone Thunder 1A had to go as it weghed a ton. My Aerodyne is great. Not too heavy and well balanced. I also have a well paddded and wide leather strap. All the fancy ones don't work.

My other bass is an old Peavey Milestone 4 and it sounds and plays great. It is too heavy though so I thought maybe I could fit basswood or paulownia body? Took it apart to find it is a laminated (plywood) body yet is sounds great and the neck is superb.

So if you see a cheap P Bass, basswood or paulownia body, let me know.

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As another back pain sufferer I do certainly understand why lightweight basses are a must for many folks on here. But weight is only part of the picture - balance is at least as important, in my view. I suspect that having to prop up a neck-diving bass with your fretting hand for a whole evening is likely to be just as much of an ergonomic catastrophe as wearing a boat anchor around your neck all evening. And yet there seem to be far fewer people asking 'any neck dive?' than there are people asking 'how much does it weigh?' on the 'Basses for Sale' page. If I had to choose between a lightweight bass with neck dive and a heavier bass with perfect balance I'd take the latter every time. I think that may be why I am with Lozz on this one - I tend to gravitate towards 9lb/4kg basses as they seem to be most reliably in the sweet spot for both weight and balance. Yes, I know boutique manufacturers like Mike Lull make fantastically well balanced basses that still weigh less than a bag of crisps, but not everyone can afford their prices, in which case balance should be an equally important consideration. A lightweight bass may still f**k your back up good and proper if it is not balanced properly.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1443271040' post='2873528']
...and Maruszczyk make fantastically [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]well balanced basses that still weigh less than a bag of crisps, for a reasonable price. As you suggest, people just need to ask around and do their research.[/font][/color]
[/quote]

+1 to this. My Elwood weighs about the same as my Ibanez SR300 (which is to say very light indeed) and the balance is perfect. It just sits with no dive what-so-ever both on the lap and strap.

A light bass that is well built and balanced really is a charm to play.

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[quote name='tom1946' timestamp='1443036639' post='2871772']
I think he means 'fat'? :lol:
[/quote]

Yep.... if you are fat and you have back problems, you might want to start closer to home to hep your back problems.
2st in the wrong place is REALLY not going to help....IMO

Edited by JTUK
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[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1443280523' post='2873576']


Yep.... if you are fat and you have back problems, you might want to start closer to home to hep your back problems.
2st in the wrong place is REALLY not going to help....IMO
[/quote]

Of course, but if having a lighter bass helps, where's the harm?

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I've got a bad back (slipped discs) and I am one to obsess about a bass' weight. With some light mods I've got my P5 down to 8 1/2 lbs.
Eventually I realised that I'm also 2 stone overweight. That's one pound more than the weight of THREE whole 9lb P basses hanging off my frame. At all times.
Shaving a few (costly) ounces off the weight of my bass seems a bit silly now.
I'm now working on the love-handle and moob situation instead.

No pain etc... 😓

Edited by miles'tone
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[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1443270908' post='2873526']
As another back pain sufferer I do certainly understand why lightweight basses are a must for many folks on here. But weight is only part of the picture - balance is at least as important, in my view. I suspect that having to prop up a neck-diving bass with your fretting hand for a whole evening is likely to be just as much of an ergonomic catastrophe as wearing a boat anchor around your neck all evening. And yet there seem to be far fewer people asking 'any neck dive?' than there are people asking 'how much does it weigh?' on the 'Basses for Sale' page. If I had to choose between a lightweight bass with neck dive and a heavier bass with perfect balance I'd take the latter every time. I think that may be why I am with Lozz on this one - I tend to gravitate towards 9lb/4kg basses as they seem to be most reliably in the sweet spot for both weight and balance. Yes, I know boutique manufacturers like Mike Lull make fantastically well balanced basses that still weigh less than a bag of crisps, but not everyone can afford their prices, in which case balance should be an equally important consideration. A lightweight bass may still f**k your back up good and proper if it is not balanced properly.
[/quote]

I've been playing my neck diving Bertha of a bass for 15 years. This summer my left shoulder has developed the habit of giving me gyp. All of a sudden I'm looking at her in a very different light, no matter how much I've enjoyed the experience so far. (Spending an evening playing a custom shop fender hasn't helped either...)

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As much as I know heavy basses are bad for my back, I just can't get on with the feel of a lightweight bass.
The lightest bass I've owned was a Spector legend and I always hated the way it felt so light and flimsy like it was made out of balsa wood.
My Corvette is probably the heaviest bass I've ever played and I'd never get rid of it.
If lightweight basses are more desirable and that keeps the cost of the heavier ones down relatively then I'm happy (at least until my back starts to give me problems anyway).

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