Car wheel balance weights to balance bass

[Paolo85]

Not completely incospicuous but they do not bother me at all. I only needed four of those in the end - 20 grams - to go with this bass from alright balance on a neoprene strap to great balance. I hindsight, they would have fit into the control cavity.

They are not directly attached to the body for the most part. There is packing tape in between as they are very hard to take off once attached onto something.

Cheaper than a high mass bridge, do not require a neck shim and cannot result in unexpected, unwanted changes to the tone assuming high mass bridged do something to the tone

 

[kodiakblair]

1 hour ago, Paolo85 said:

I hindsight, they would have fit into the control cavity.

Or tape them to the end of your strap  👍

[Paolo85]

Well, the strap is for multiple basses so I am happier this way, but true, as I ended up needing just 20gr, it would have not been a problem with other basses!

[chris_b]

Maybe you would need fewer weights if they were on the edge of the bass, just below the strap button.

[Paolo85]

There you go! I can't believe 10 grams matter! I must say, it's not like the bass was neck diving before. It would slide from angled up to horizontal every now and then. Just enough though to trick my brain into resting the wrist on the body to hold it, as I don't rest my thumb on the pickup.

In fact, maybe more than perfect balance I am looking for slightly body-heavy..

[jd56hawk]

[NikNik]

13 hours ago, Paolo85 said:

There you go! I can't believe 10 grams matter! I must say, it's not like the bass was neck diving before. It would slide from angled up to horizontal every now and then. Just enough though to trick my brain into resting the wrist on the body to hold it, as I don't rest my thumb on the pickup.

In fact, maybe more than perfect balance I am looking for slightly body-heavy..

 

'Perfect balance'......Hmmmm. I wonder if someone who promotes this on his 'builds' is reading this?

[yorks5stringer]

Just wondering how you fastened your Bass to the spinning hub and where the valve goes?

[fretmeister]

Hipshot Ultralites at the other end would do it, and lower the total bass weight too.

[franzbassist]

10 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Hipshot Ultralites at the other end would do it, and lower the total bass weight too.

Agreed, always the easiest option to shave off some weight.

 

Another thought, why not put the weights inside the control cavity?

[Paolo85]

The bass already has hipshot licensed ultralight The body is from a Squier Affinity PJ, which is both poplar and thin.

Weighs in the control cavity would be a good idea! The first time around I did not do it because it would be more of a faff and because I was not sure how many of those I would need and how much space they would take. The second time around just because it is a bit of a faff compared to a 5-second job Maybe next time I change strings I put them in there!

I'll take the opportunity to show off my beloved bass

[iconic]

I hope you used tone lead...😉

[Rayman]

I don’t know about car wheel weights…..

 

 I think I need an actual car to balance my Thunderbird 

[snorkie635]

33 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I don’t know about car wheel weights…..

 

 I think I need an actual car to balance my Thunderbird 

I could flog you a used pair of diver's boots? 😊

[Rayman]

Now that would be worth trying…

[Waddo Soqable]

1 hour ago, snorkie635 said:

I could flog you a used pair of diver's boots? 😊

How on earth are flippers going to help?.. Stupid boy

[fretmeister]

On 15/05/2023 at 17:22, Paolo85 said:

The bass already has hipshot licensed ultralight The body is from a Squier Affinity PJ, which is both poplar and thin.

Weighs in the control cavity would be a good idea! The first time around I did not do it because it would be more of a faff and because I was not sure how many of those I would need and how much space they would take. The second time around just because it is a bit of a faff compared to a 5-second job Maybe next time I change strings I put them in there!

I'll take the opportunity to show off my beloved bass

 

 

If you swap to USA Ultralights and go for the Y keys instead of the Clover ones you'll save about another 12 grams.

 

As you've noticed from the other end, even a little makes a bit difference.

 

(I'm obsessed with bass balance and weight!  )

[snorkie635]

1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said:

How on earth are flippers going to help?.. Stupid boy

Flipper always saved the day on telly. 😘

[tauzero]

On 15/05/2023 at 16:50, fretmeister said:

Hipshot Ultralites at the other end would do it, and lower the total bass weight too.

 

Just chop the headstock off. It would look nicer and balance better.

[moley6knipe]

5 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

If you swap to USA Ultralights and go for the Y keys instead of the Clover ones you'll save about another 12 grams.

 

As you've noticed from the other end, even a little makes a bit difference.

 

(I'm obsessed with bass balance and weight!  )

True, but (IMHO) Y tuners on a trad shaped Fender is… just… no. Clovers, lollipops permissible on 60s Jazzes. 

[Count Bassy]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

 

Just chop the headstock off. It would look nicer and balance better.

True, and it also would save having to mess about with tuning it.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Just drill  a series of holes through the fretboard all the way through the neck where the dot fret markers are now, and chop off excess wood from the headstock as well, then fill the control cavity with cement/concrete... Fixed! 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Paolo85]

7 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

Just chop the headstock off. It would look nicer and balance better.

 

2 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Just drill  a series of holes through the fretboard all the way through the neck where the dot fret markers are now, and chop off excess wood from the headstock as well, then fill the control cavity with cement/concrete... Fixed! 

 

 

On 15/05/2023 at 01:14, jd56hawk said:

 

On 15/05/2023 at 17:01, franzbassist said:

why not put the weights inside the control cavity?

 

It seems this thing of the weights on the back of the bass is not a huge success 😁

[fretmeister]

7 hours ago, moley6knipe said:

True, but (IMHO) Y tuners on a trad shaped Fender is… just… no. Clovers, lollipops permissible on 60s Jazzes. 

 

For me, functionality and comfort is far more important than looks.

[jd56hawk]

5 hours ago, Paolo85 said:

 

 

 

 

It seems this thing of the weights on the back of the bass is not a huge success 😁

Sure, you can do that, but the strap can be used for other basses.

Hey, some people do this, too.

i wouldn't.