My Bass Is Too Heavy Now

[KISSbestfan]

Originally Posted by samroon

I think that might actually be going too far for me- do you have a recording of what that sounds like?

My bass is actually unfinished, I'm waiting for a summer, maybe during August or Sept, I'll make some progress. Anyway I wont change anything - as I mentioned I played a stratocaster made of MDF, and it doesnt sounded bad.

Oh, I nearly forget. I played one bass guitar from China, with body made of MDF. PJ budget pickups, 24 fret Fender like neck. Pretty light for a normal size bass. The sounding:
http://twardy90.wrzuta.pl/audio/5UGh...sion_jb-8_test

[Biggbass]

There are certainly light weight options out there. Short scales, Chambered bodies.
Might check out a Birdsong if solid body is your pref.

[Dan Knowlton]

My Sadowsky Standard JJ-5 is 7.9 lbs and sounds/plays amazingly!!!

Dan K.

[Steve Dallman]

I had my neck fused in 96 and have had tons of neck and shoulder pain since. I've gone with wider and more padded straps, but no luck. As I age, it just gets worse. In high school, in the 60's, I used a Fender waist strap (Fender Go Around strap) after a wrestliing injury, so I looked for the modern equivalent.

I found the Slinger Waist Strap. slingerstraps.com I mount it to my two main basses with straplocks, and after a little time to get used to the bass on my hips instead of my shoulder, I'm sold. I've done many gigs and my neck is even feeling better than it has in years.

I had lightened my Variax 5 string, a lot with chambering. My backup is the lightest bass I've ever played, a parts bass, sort of a 5 string Stingray affair. But now, using the Slinger, I don't think weight would be much of an issue.

There is some movement restriction, and I'm wearing my bass a little lower than with a conventional strap, but I've adjusted and I just love it. I keep trying to come up with ways to improve the design, but I just can't. It might not be suited to everyone, but it was the solution for me. It just might keep me gigging another decade or two. It wouldn't work well for the more portly players among us, nor for "high waisters."

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by samroon

Two years ago I herniated two disks in the center of my back. Physical Therapy was able to get me to a place that was livable and life went on. Then in June of last year my hand started to go numb. Countless doctors and tests later I was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Anyway, long story short is that my left shoulder is compressing the nerves going into my arm and causing my hand to go numb. All this got me to thinking about the particularly aggressive way that I perform live and how heavy my Warwick is.

As someone who performs a lot, does a fair amount of session work etc, I'm particularly nervous about not being able to use an instrument that has amazing tone. So my question is, are there any bass companies out there with uniquely amazing tone to their instruments, while not weighing a million pounds?

Can you play seated?

I wound up switching to an EUB and adapting a few of my favorite basses to be played like an EUB, which means I have no weight at all on my shoulders or back.

[--Vissinger --]

I played a prototype Bill Conklin made, I believe for Rocco Prestia, made of swamp ash. It was super light -- maybe about 6-7 lbs -- and sounded great.

Maybe Bill can find something for you.

[samroon]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallman

I found the Slinger Waist Strap. slingerstraps.com I mount it to my two main basses with straplocks, and after a little time to get used to the bass on my hips instead of my shoulder, I'm sold. I've done many gigs and my neck is even feeling better than it has in years.

That's pretty awesome actually- sorry to hear about the injury.

[samroon]

Originally Posted by --Vissinger --

I played a prototype Bill Conklin made, I believe for Rocco Prestia, made of swamp ash. It was super light -- maybe about 6-7 lbs -- and sounded great.

Maybe Bill can find something for you.

I've never had a chance to play a Conklin- Definitely one to add to the list, thanks for the heads up!

[exidor]

I have 4 herniated discs in my neck C2-C5 & also lower back L4 is herniated I've been dealing with it for six years eventually I will need surgery I feel your pain, I'm in it every day all day I take lots of pain pills,do spine decompression's,and as much exercise as I can.
bottom line is it sucks! If I don't do them daily I'll get my pink & ring fingers on both hands will go numb with coursing pain going up and down my arms.I really hope you can get some relief.But as for a lighter bass my main bass was a Warwick corvette standard 11lbs loved it but it brought the pain.a couple of weeks ago I picked up a Fender Am Sp I love it plays & sounds killer at 7.5lbs light bass I own my GL jazz is 8.75lbs.I hope you find something that works for you.

[smcd]

A Decent Light Weight Bass


Light weight bass?


Lightest weight reasonally priced 5 string

Light weight basses?

Lightweight, Jazz Style, 5-string, cheap!! Suggestions??


Please recommend me decent lightweight basses


Need suggestions for lightweight bass.

[jlepre]

Here's a nice thread with an excel spreadsheet listing tons of basses and their weights.
Time to tell the truth: how much does your bass weigh?

[joebar]

Originally Posted by DiabolusInMusic

My Dingwall ABZ is so light it feels like a toy, lighter than most guitars.

beat me to it-
my dingwall AB1 is 8 pounds and sounds killer
as a side note-

i played my DW super p the other nite at rehearsal and it is 8 pounds; after 6 hours and the next day, my upper back was all knotted up. cant imagine what would happen if i play my thumb6 for that long...

[Erich Bruning]

Thanks for the topic Samroon, and thanks for the extra links guys,

I'm interested in this thread as well, as last year I herniated C4-C7, and lost feeling to my left thumb, index, and middle fingers for a while (still numb, but most feeling is back). Like the OP, I'm seriously trying to find something lighter that I can play for longer periods of time. Have been looking at hollow body basses, but if some of the Sadowsky's and other 'solid' body basses can do it, I'll keep an eye out.

Erich

[hsech]

After two heart attacks, bypass surgery and stents, a heavey bass is hard on me also. I get numbness and tingling in my hand. One thing I would recommend would be the widest strap you can find to help distribute the weight a bit. One of my basses is a Gibson SG/EB3. It's short scale and nice and light. The short scale helps. I have a Carvin Icon (IC6) that weighs a ton. I don't play it out. I sit when I play it.

[mixamatchi]

I haven't seen a "cheap" recommendation yet. All of the above are very nice, and I wish I owned one of them. For those on the cheap, I very much like the Schecter Stiletto basses. I don't care for the neck thru version, but I own 2 of the bolt on 5s. They weigh 8.5# each. I don't like heavy basses for gigging. Cool for studio use.

[JoeWPgh]

Way back in the day, I developed neck/upper back problems from a boat anchor Ibanez. I would have to hang the strap over the 'wrong shoulder' for a few songs each set just to get though the night. I'd get strange looks, as if I was trying to look cool, but failing. But it made a huge difference to my physical comfort.
As for light weight Fender-y bodies? Sadowsky chambers all of his NYC basses to keep weight down. For an upcharge, Warmoth and USACG will cut a body that way for you.

[bootsox]

put together a bass with a paulownia GFS body. I've got a paulownia-bodied jazz that weighed in at around 5.5 lbs last I checked, though I've added some heft to it in the bridge and electronics cavity since then

[Fishheadjoe]

I highly recommend reading this:
http://www.spine-health.com/treatmen...-spine-surgery

I had the procedure done in the 90's, walking around 4 hours after the surgery, home the next day and back to workin four days. It's very much worth looking into...

As far as basses are concerned, talk to Gard at Roscoe, I'm sure they could help you out! My Roscoe LG comes in around 8lbs and they will build it, if you come!
Fishheadjoe

[lomo]

My Basslab Soul 5 weighs 5 lbs and sounds thick'n'meaty. It's made of composite, and hollow from bridge to nut.

[Chef]

sweeet!