How heavy is too heavy?

[JimBobTTD]

I was looking for a backup bass, and thought about making one from parts. I found a great Japanese BC Rich copy which needed everything but body, neck and tuners. Well, it was great until, in discussions about postage, I found out it weighs 12lbs (5.5kg). I don't know how much two P pickups, a bridge and the electronics weigh, but they won't make the thing lighter!

I can't help but think that 12lbs+ is crushingly heavy...or am I mistaken?

[johnnylager]

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='251813' date='Jul 31 2008, 07:33 AM']I can't help but think that 12lbs+ is crushingly heavy...or am I mistaken?[/quote]
Yes it is and no you are not. Horses for courses though.

[warwickhunt]

I aim for 9lb being about as heavy as I'd like, though I own a bass that is closer to 10lb. I'd consider anything over 10lb to be heavy

I've owned a bass that weighed over 12lb and though the tone was fantastic I'd not want to repeat the experience and 'yes' I will sacrifice a little bit of tone to save lugging an extra 3lb around on my shoulder at every gig.

[bassmanady]

I have found that some of the heavy basses i have owned (5 string basses),at around 11lbs did have the best sound,but i cant handle that weight now for long playing/practising times,so i wont buy anything over 10lbs if possible.
For me 9.5lbs is around the best weight for a 5string bass.

[waynepunkdude]

I used to play a Les Paul when I played guitar I'm sure that thing was made out of iron.

It did my back in and I was 18 at the time , Maybe I'm just a pussy.


I guess the point is be careful with your back.

Ishould really think about the point before I start

[ahpook]

my musicman sabre weights in at a little under a stone.

it's ok, but i have got a [i]very[/i] wide strap

[6stringbassist]

My 6 string Sei is about 11 or 12lbs, I don't find it uncomfortable at all to play.

I use either a comfort strap, or a padded leather Fender strap, I can play for 3 or 4 hours with no problem.

I have a problem carrying it in its gigbag though, the bag weighs 10lbs on its own.

[silverfoxnik]

My Wal Pro 2e and Roscoe Beck V are pretty heavy basses but I like them, so I'm prepared to put up with a bit of extra weight..

That MM Sabre is very, very heavy though!! Great basses mind you....

[The Funk]

It's too heavy if my back hurts after playing it standing up for 3 hours, or if my leg hurts after playing it sitting down for 4 hours.

[Jase]

I couldn't handle anything heavier than 8 or 9 pounds, which is about the weight of a Fender....roughly.

[Fraktal]

I personally dont care at all about weight, as long as the bass has a perfect balance. If the balance is perfect then the weight gets distributed more evenly and my spine is positioned on a very straight way that allows me to stand a heavy bass without problems.

So far the only bass I have played that had a perfect balance was a Hohner Jack Bass Custom, headless. I had it for years and it was a dream to play with (save some cheap electronics and pickups, those 'EMG select' pickups are pure crap), unfortunately the intensive gigging and road life screwed its electronics, frets and trussrod badly, and I had to let it go. Now Im pestering Ian 'Chopthebass' to craft one his Sirius basses for me, since every headed bass I have had/tried tended to pull the neck down, even if only slightly, but enough to force me trying to push it up, slowing my left hand, moving my shoulders out of balance and bending my spine, causing pain at the end of the night.

If you would like to experience the perfect balance of a headless bass, I suggest to contact Ian 'Chopthebass'. He is a member of these forums and will surely be kind enough to let you have a ride on his Sirius bass. He is also accepting orders and his prices are so cheap Im still shocked! you can also check the looks of his basses on his avatar pic.

[Bassy]

I had a 14.5lb Wal 5 string. Great sound, but way too heavy. Got another 10lb Wal, less bottom than the previous bass and still too heavy! I'm now talking to Jon Shuker about a light weight ash 5 string which will hpefully weigh about 8/9lbs.
Weight definately seems to add to the bottom end, but also can make some basses a bit muddy sounding?

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='The Funk' post='251977' date='Jul 31 2008, 12:22 PM']It's too heavy if my back hurts after playing it standing up for 3 hours, or if my leg hurts after playing it sitting down for 4 hours.[/quote]
Got any pics to share??

[JimBobTTD]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='252120' date='Jul 31 2008, 04:51 PM']Got any pics to share??[/quote]

Yeah, but not of your back. Just pictures of your leg. (ho ho ho)

[Fraktal]

Oh, BTW, this seems to be a nice solution to heavy basses, sold at thomann.de, has anyone ever tried it?

[doctor_of_the_bass]

I've just sourced a monstrous Jaydee Calibas six string - I've not weighed it but I think its just over a stone! On saying that, it hangs nicely on a Comfort strap, but then I play quite high etc.

Nick

[waynepunkdude]

Tim Armstrong uses one of those straps now after years of lugging his beast.

[JimBobTTD]

waynepunkdude - I can't see anything special about the strap in the picture. Or do you mean he now uses one of those "twin" strap thingies for the guitar he has on him in the picture?

On the topic of the original bass which prompted this thread: I've found out that it weighs 12lb [b]including [/b]packaging. But like most people I know (except Swedes), I have no real understanding of weights. How much would the packaging weigh? I have some spare guitar bodies and they are not heavy. But pop them on the scales and they weigh 1.75kg each! If 1kg = 2.2lb, then I could see the packaging weighing that much or even more, which means this bass could weigh as little as 8lb. I've asked the seller a couple of times for the weight of the bass itself, but I keep getting "it weighs 12lbs packed up". I think that she thinks I'm questioning her postage rate. Either that or she is being intentionally stupid.

I'm babbling a bit here, and I apologise. I asked how heavy you folks think is too heavy because I don't understand this stuff! Hand me a bass, and I couldn't tell you its weight.

[warwickhunt]

TBH I'd expect the packaging to clock in at 2-3lb (a bag and a bit of sugar ), unless the package includes some kind of case or gigbag in which case the bass is as you say going to clock in as quite a light-weight. I have to confess I didn't read your OP thoroughly and I was talking about basses that weighed up to the 12lb 'excluding' any packaging. I'd say that 12lb fully packaged equals a bass that will be absolutely fine for weight when played.

[Marcus]

My Spalted Maple Alembic Series II weighed in at 15lbs !

It was like playing with an iron gurder strapped to you.... that is the only reason why I don't own the instrument now !!

By the end of the first set i'd usually be in pain !!!

10lb is my "ceiling" for a gigging bass

Edited August 1, 2008 by Marcus

[JimBobTTD]

warwickhunt - I thought that it was 12lb excluding too. The seller's first response was unclear: "This is a 12lb weight in package without case". But now I know better! Thanks too for your calculations. I'm starting to think that it will be fine. The only worry is that pickups, electronics, 9v battery and bridge will start to add up to a heavy bass...not to mention the fact that the seller is seemingly reluctant to reveal the true weight of the bass.

[waynepunkdude]

Yeh I couldn't find a pic of him with the dual strap. :blush:

[RayFW]

[quote name='Fraktal' post='252243' date='Jul 31 2008, 06:50 PM']Oh, BTW, this seems to be a nice solution to heavy basses, sold at thomann.de, has anyone ever tried it?[/quote]
I bought one of those for my Dolphin, which is the heaviest bass I own. In short it was a waste of time and I went back to a wide Comfort Strapp.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='252541' date='Aug 1 2008, 10:19 AM']warwickhunt - I thought that it was 12lb excluding too. The seller's first response was unclear: "This is a 12lb weight in package without case". But now I know better! Thanks too for your calculations. I'm starting to think that it will be fine. The only worry is that pickups, electronics, 9v battery and bridge will start to add up to a heavy bass...not to mention the fact that the seller is seemingly reluctant to reveal the true weight of the bass.[/quote]

The extra bits all add weight but the bridge is the greatest mass. As a point of note... are you sure that you can get all the bits easily? I'm not an expert on BCR but I'd have thought the bridge would have been quite specific to them as they are quite idiosyncratic instruments! There is someone on BC who is a bit of a BCR fan, it may be worth doing a quick search... DONE - it be 'Shockwave' Why not have a word with him about BCR weights and the availability of parts.

<edit>

You might want to disregard the above as I've just noted that it is a BCR 'copy' so the relevance of any info will be negated

Edited August 1, 2008 by warwickhunt

[JimBobTTD]

Thanks for the concern, mate! I've been tinkering with guitars for a while, so getting a bridge on it is no problem. I'll choose something chunky, throw in two EMG P pickups...a couple of 9v batteries and have myself a [size=4]METAL MONSTER[/size]!!! (Assuming that the seller gets back to me about the weight and it is no more than 9lb or so.)