cytania Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Another one of my weird wonderings... Has anyone ever accurately weighed a new bass when they bought it to test out the notion that the cell structure of the wood loses moisture over the years. I know this sounds really anal but there's so many people on the net that take things to the Nth degree. Surely someone has tested this claim just to settle the internet argument... or is it another wood myth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 This exceeds by a significant margin my levels of giving a damn If anything, my interest in this level of detail has diminished greatly over the few years I have been playing to the point that I'm firmly in the "if it sounds good then it is good" camp. If someone wants to put a bass in quarantine and weigh it every day for 20 years then fill your boots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]This exceeds by a significant margin my levels of giving a damn"[/font][/color] Ahh, but could all those heavy basses eventually become light ones? [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"If someone wants to put a bass in quarantine and weigh it every day for 20 years"[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]That's exactly the kind of thing I was wondering about. No need for it to be in quarantine just for it to lose a bit of weight and maybe just in the first couple of years?...[/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 [quote name='cytania' timestamp='1360487593' post='1970990'] ... Has anyone ever accurately weighed a new bass when they bought it to test out the notion that the cell structure of the wood loses moisture over the years ... [/quote] I hope not. Quarantine would be necessary in order to rule out other causes of loss of weight (such as wearing away of the poly or chips and dinks) and causes of increase in weight (such as collection of gunk in the fingerboard and frets). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 [quote name='cytania' timestamp='1360488263' post='1971003'] Ahh, but could all those heavy basses eventually become light ones? [/quote] Seeing as I'm in a long term relationship with a couple of all maple Gibsons, my shoulder and back and only but hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 If someone decides to do it can they perform a plays like butter test too? Would need some kind of butter scale from "cheap margarine that rips the bread when trying to spread it" through to "Lurpak left on the radiator" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 There's probably a test for 'this bass kills' as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyR Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 13 amp plug on the end of your lead ought to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyR Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Do not try this at home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1360492055' post='1971056'] If someone decides to do it can they perform a plays like butter test too? Would need some kind of butter scale from "cheap margarine that rips the bread when trying to spread it" through to "Lurpak left on the radiator" [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 It's a wood myth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_drying#Equilibrium_moisture_content Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Lucky I didn't buy an expensive set of scales then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) My '72 Jazz weighs very little and resonates beautifully, my '74 Jazz is very light too and also sounds alive. My 78 Jazz weighs a ton and sounds soggy, I reckon I should put a bucket under it to catch all the moisture that's going pour out in the next couple of years. Edited February 10, 2013 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 [quote name='cytania' timestamp='1360487593' post='1970990'] Has anyone ever accurately weighed a new bass when they bought it to test out the notion that the cell structure of the wood loses moisture over the years. [/quote] look, it's just winter....it's be sunny soon and we can all get out a bit and stretch our legs. it'll do us the power of good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 This idea that vintage basses are lighter than when they came out of the factory has been around a long time , and was always spurious , and , at best , anecdotal and difficult to prove . It may well have its' origins in the era when Fender basses were on the whole getting to be on the heavy side and people began to take notice of how much lighter some of the older ones were by comparison . Heavy basses will still be heavy in the future , that is the bottom line ( no pun intended ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Not only are you dispelling all my illusions Dingus but Only Connect leaves me stumped... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1360516563' post='1971570'] This idea that vintage basses are lighter than when they came out of the factory has been around a long time , and was always spurious , and , at best , anecdotal and difficult to prove . It may well have its' origins in the era when Fender basses were on the whole getting to be on the heavy side and people began to take notice of how much lighter some of the older ones were by comparison . Heavy basses will still be heavy in the future , that is the bottom line ( no pun intended ) . [/quote] Pretty sure I saw an interview with Roger Sadowsky saying he now chambers his instruments to get them down to the weight they used to be with older stocks of wood. Maybe there's an element of speed growing / kiln drying that's affecting the weight of newer wood? Edit: about 16 minutes in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBSg1_CRfWY Edited February 10, 2013 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) [quote name='cytania' timestamp='1360517333' post='1971598'] Not only are you dispelling all my illusions Dingus but Only Connect leaves me stumped... [/quote] I am sorry to have to dispel another illusion , but I am not really Victoria Coren . She may have many wonderful talents and great attributes , but give her a Fender Precision Bass and a truss rod tool and she would be completely out of her depth . Edited February 10, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Even goddesses have their limitations I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 My 1979 Peavey T-40 weighs 12lbs, if it lost weight over time I fear for the spinal distortion the original owner encountered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Would not make any significant difference in weight unless the wood was 'green' to start with. If the wood dried out that much as a guitar the guitar would be screwed. If a guitar was made using poorly seasoned timber in a humid environment/country, such as malaysia, and then brought to a temperate climate like that of the uk then it would lose a bit of moisture but I dont think you could weigh the difference on kitchen scales Likewise if you make a guitar in siberia and then send it to the rainforest it would swell up like a ballon. The real extremes of this effect could possibly be weighed in grams possibly. A heavy guitar will never become light unless you introduce some kind of drywood eating bugs which dont exist I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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