Inexpensive scale for weighing a bass...

[TH63]

I have a digital fish weighing scale that goes to fifty lbs. and is very accurate and very portable. Works really well for weighing a bass. I've taken it to stores with me.

I made a up a loop. The way I made it , it won't damage a bass and goes on and off in no time at all.

It's a fish scale, or course it won't damage a bass, or a perch. That's what it's made for.

 

[Old P Bass Guy]

I

And you'd be wrong. Been using that method for years. It's cool for approximate weight.

This is better. And I only measure once.


Talkbass delivers as usual. This was a suggestion for people who might like to have something to weigh instruments with. I'm not trying to convince the rest of you that it beats driving somewhere to weigh a bass or using the bathroom scale method or a sundial or whatever... knock yourselves out.


These scales seem to have a good reputation, they already have a loop to hang instruments on, have two decimal places for lbs./kgs and does temperature for no apparent reason.

Have a stupid question. Why is it important to weigh your Bass?

 

[TH63]

I was curious just how light my Modulus is (answer- Really light). I have a dealer in my family, so I asked if I could borrow a scale. He answered- You weighin' pounds or O..Zee's? I said basses. He said 'That's cool too!' He still thinks of Cheech and Chong as role models, and is probably wondering how I'm going to smoke a bass.

I think smoked salmon is much better than smoked bass. Ok, I'll stop.

 

[TH63]

People just doesn't want to do maths. Placing yourself on top of the bathroom scale WITH the bass, and then stepping off, and step on once again WITHOUT the bass and do the deduction*. People think the scale just shows wrong. I have a digital scale that's within 250 grams. Not "half kilos". BTW it won't tell you anything about neck dive, or balance. On the bass that is.


* I sure bet there are people reading this and thinks "oh eureka, why didn't I think of that!!!".

I agree, I weigh most things that way.

 

[TH63]

Soon headless bass..
View attachment 2829915

And it comes with it's own scale (s).

 

[Honch]

 

[mikebarbarian1]

I guess you don't own a bathroom scale then?

Yes it's that easy. Without your bass, with your bass.

 

[hombass]

I just picked up this very affordable luggage scale off of ebay, makes weighing instruments very easy:

Portable Digital Scales Hanging LCD Electronic Scale Postal Weighing Luggage | eBay

It takes a CR2032 battery which is not included. I recently bought a sheet of them for my D'Addario tuners so I was set.

Edit: Just noticed this auction says it ships from China. Mine came from Staten Island, NY in 3 days. Not sure why the auction changed. I paid $4.79 for mine including shipping.

Why do you need to weigh a bass? Play the heaviest one you can lift. Tone and sustain is always better with more mass.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

No, that's a myth!

 

[DavesnothereCA]

No, that's a myth!

~
I certainly HOPE that it's a myth !

I'm currently beating the bushes to see what there is at about 6 pounds or less (and a short or medium scale), to try instead of my ~9 pound longtime partner Franken-Ric 4001.

Maybe something from Hofner ?

Regardless, soon I'll be snapping up something lighter, and will report back here what I think of it, including a sustain evaluation.
~

 

[fermata]

My Hofner HCT 500/1 is around 6.6 lbs (and not lacking tonally in any way--so much for the 1970's mass myth); a Hofner Ignition or German (which are fully hollow) will be well under 6 lbs.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Why do you need to weigh a bass? Play the heaviest one you can lift. Tone and sustain is always better with more mass.

Do you actually believe that?

 

[DavesnothereCA]

hombass said: ↑

Why do you need to weigh a bass? Play the heaviest one you can lift. Tone and sustain is always better with more mass.

Do you actually believe that?

~
And I suppose that SIZE matters too....
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

My Hofner HCT 500/1 is around 6.6 lbs (and not lacking tonally in any way--so much for the 1970's mass myth); a Hofner Ignition or German (which are fully hollow) will be well under 6 lbs.

~
Yes, the numbers which I have been gathering (and recently posted in other TB topics) place Hofners (including their Club shaped models, which I'm considering) pretty much as you said, and even occasionally slightly below 5 pounds.
~

 

[hombass]

Do you actually believe that?

I know it. I build my own basses, ive heard and felt the difference. This is why headstock weights like the fatfinger work.

 

[hombass]

I know it. I build my own basses, ive heard and felt the difference. This is why headstock weights like the fatfinger work.

And also why heavier mass brass bridges work causing more sustain. I made the bridge plates for my basses from 3/8" thick brass. Instant tone improvement you can hear quite well. A heavy bridge can even recenter the point where the string vibrates the most.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I know it. I build my own basses, ive heard and felt the difference. This is why headstock weights like the fatfinger work.

While that may be true for the basses you build, you didn't limit it to that.

"Why do you need to weigh a bass? Play the heaviest one you can lift. Tone and sustain is always better with more mass".

Umm... no.


I prefer heavy basses. And I've played heavy basses that weren't better than lighter ones as far as tone and sustain. It happens.

 

[CGremlin]

Easiest method for checking a T-40:

 

[tpaul]

No, that's a myth!

A what?

 

[TH63]

I

Have a stupid question. Why is it important to weigh your Bass?

This is a heavy topic. Has anyone weighed in on it lately?