Rich Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Just out of idle curiosity, I've just filled a bored moment by weighing my working basses: Ibanez BTB six - 10lbs 6oz Sire V7 - 10 3 P bitsa - 10 3 Wal Pro 2E - 10 2 ska Jazz - 10 1 Shuker - 9 7 Thunder 1A - 9 7 fretless Ray - 8 14 No surprise that the biggest bass is the heaviest, but a couple of surprises. The T1A feels far heavier on a strap than it is, and the Shuker feels lighter. Perhaps it's to do with the balance? The Shuke is perfect, while the T1A neckdives like a bastid. Edited June 14, 2023 by Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I thought that basses over 9.5 LBs were unusable??? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Strangely I’ve never weighed any of my basses, I’m not too bothered what they weigh 🙂 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 hour ago, TheGreek said: I thought that basses over 9.5 LBs were unusable??? Over 9lbs for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Over 4 kilos for me is too much even sitting, if you speak modern language and measures, or 8.82 lbs in prehistorical money. 😎 Edited August 8, 2021 by Hellzero 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I aim for 3.6kg these days. 8lbs. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 It's a tough one. It's certainly possible to get light weight instruments nowadays, not just via chambering but better wood processes - however that is offset by the amount of genuinely good instrument wood at a light weight. Any kind of hard wood is generally (but not always) going to mean a heavier bass. As few seem to think that wood makes much of a difference to the tone, other than the aesthetics of different wood grains, maybe there's no reason to put up with a heavy bass if you don't want to? My three basses are 4.7Kg, 4.6Kg and 4.1Kg, but then I don't gig and mostly play seated, and as I like the tone of them (and two of them are very hard to get hold of), I don't mind the weight. But even seated, anything more than that would get a bit much. If I were gigging (and standing) then 4Kg would be my limit. Balance is also important - not too much pull on the shoulder, but also not too heavy at the body end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) I try for light weight, good sounding basses. I’ve had my fill of heavy after a shoulder issue thanks to a car accident. Having said that, if the balance isn’t there even a light bass will kill the shoulder. I can go to 4.08kg (9lbs) with a properly balanced bass even though I prefer 3.6kg. Most of my basses are 3.6kg or less. Most are Fender and it took me a good long while to find light and balanced within that brand. Edited August 7, 2021 by Moving Pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulhauser Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 My main gigging bass, a Spector Euro435 is 4,26 kgs - 9,39 lbs. It is never been a problem I suppose partly because due to onstage gymnastics it spends quite some time in the air thus not weighting my back as much 😄 😄 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 My basses have a range of weights and frankly, if this was 1980 I would have absolutely no interest in how much a bass weighed!!! The sound and look was what I was after so for example:- 1) pastel shade guitars and basses were totally unhip (and had been since the Shadows were passé in the mid 60s - in fact they’d become almost a variety act but were just having a resurgence (with Alan Jones playing an active bass). 2) Fender basses were totally passé - you needed to be able to slap (would probably fail auditions if you couldn’t), and get a fat sound like a keyboard (bassists, guitarists and drummers were losing jobs to keyboard players and machines!!) - they were ok for punk and ska 3) the weight of a bass had no bearing as far as I remember!!! These days, most of my basses are 9-10 lbs but I have a Stingray 5 which is a bit heavier - more recently, new basses I’ve bought have been 8 lbs of a bit over. To be honest, weight of basses still only really affects my thinking if I have a long gig to do. There are other considerations - will it be a very dark stage? If so definitely not fretless and possibly maple board will be easier to see. For v long gigs I would either take more than one bass or a very light one - however I don’t udder from a bad back so can’t comment on that - but with a decent padded strap and a well balanced bass, a heavier bass won’t make a big difference to me - I’d probably pick a lighter bass if I’m doing a long gig - probably my age makes me think like that!! 😬 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCH Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 A shout out for Paulownia for body wood, intro' to me by Alan ACG. It half the weight of traditional tone woods and dimensionally stable, no knots & warp free. The 4 string Krell Alan built is 6.4lb ! it looks great and tactile...very pleased Shur us it for their classic Tele's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 7.5lb limit for me. Too many injuries and operations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) I think my ESP LTD 6er has it's own gravitational field. Edit 14.22 pounds according to the website. Edited August 7, 2021 by Newfoundfreedom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 @Richyou have some heavy basses there! Mine are all lighter than your lightest! 2015 ACG Finn 4 3.4kg / 7.5lb 2017 ACG Skelf 3.7kg / 8.2lb 2019 Conway Taranis 3.4kg / 7.5lb 2019 Zoot Funkmeister 3.5kg / 7.7lb 2019 ACG Finn 5 3.6kg / 7.9lb 2021 ACG TKO 3.6kg / 7.9lb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 4 hours ago, Rich said: Perhaps it's to do with the balance? Very much so in conjunction with the actual weight obviously. A few years ago at the same time I had a Steinberger Synapse & a very ‘heavy’ mark 1 Sire Jazz. The Synapse felt like a feather in comparison on a strap. Turned out they were both the same weight….. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Sire V7 (gen 1, one of the signed ones) 4.5kg or 9.9lb Squier VM Precision 2010 model I think is the same weight. I've never weighed them before, but always thought they were about the same weight. I've had lighter basses, Ibanez SR and a Yamaha TRBX that were both under 4kg. That said I don't find my current pair a problem regards weight, I'm quite happy to play for 2 or so hours with either one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 My Sire 3 5er weighed more than 10LB - hired an HGV to move it when I traded it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd56hawk Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 7.3 lbs! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 In the height of my Gibson pomp I was regularly playing a 12lb+ Victory Artist and RD Artist. A wide, cushioned strap can take you a long way 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 2 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: I think my ESP LTD 6er has it's own gravitational field. Edit 14.22 pounds according to the website. Sounds like my 1997 Warwick Streamer LX6... Fortunately, My job is very physical, and weight doesn't bother me. Conversely, It surprises me that the Chapman Stick sounds so huge when it weighs very little. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulhauser Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Actually my Thumb NT6 is around 5.6 kgs, 12.34 lbs. Probably my all time heaviest but it does not bothers me. The Yamaha TRB6PII coming close as second with over 5 kgs (sold years ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Just been searching for heavy Les Pauls. This was not the only reference to a 70s guitar weighing this much that I found Edited August 7, 2021 by Ricky Rioli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCH Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 4 hours ago, BCH said: A shout out for Paulownia for body wood, intro' to me by Alan ACG. It half the weight of traditional tone woods and dimensionally stable, no knots & warp free. The 4 string Krell Alan built is 6.4lb ! it looks great and tactile...very pleased Shur us it for their classic Tele's After reading all the content on weights...I realise I'm a wimp @ 6 to 7lb max...ha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I’ll play, been a while… Bb424x white 10lbs Bb424x red 9.5lbs bb414 orange 10lbs bb350f white 9.5lbs tune tjx4 - 7.3lbs. and the rest are out of reach so 🤷🏻♂️😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLowDown Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) My heaviest is a 6 string HB at 9.9lb. The HB 4 strings were somewhere between 7 and 8lb. Not sure about the 5 string. Being lightweight is important, but balance is importanter. Edited August 7, 2021 by TheLowDown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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