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70's Fender Jazz weight

#4
My 78' is around 11.5 lbs too and it's the best sounding bass I've had and the heaviest! I've owned a Ken Smith, 2 Foderas, 2 US Laklands and a few 90's fenders in the past, and recently compared it to a friend's Alleva Coppolo LM 5, and it was just obvious that my 78' fender sounded better, of course the alleva was a brand new bass and my jazz is 34 years old (the alleva was lighter too and sounded really good). Having said this there are late 70's jazzes that sound really good and are around 10 pounds.
All this IMHO.
 
#6
Call me crazy but there is something about those heavy fender basses that just sound great... They respond really fast and have a tight sound. Wouldn't want to play a 3 hour, or even 1 hour gig w one but in the studio they're great. I believe Juan Alderate states he prefers the heavier ones too over the light weight 60s models... I like em all:)
 
#7
My '72 Jazz.......as the scale reads, 8.9 lbs!

15.jpg
 
#16
king_biscuit said:
For a non-chambered full size Jazz body 9.2 pounds is lighter than average for any era.
Click to expand...
Oh, don't get me wrong, I certainly was not complaining, but seeing as there are people whose basses measure well under 9, and in the light of the fact that my AmDlx fiver Jazz (ash body, an' all) weighs ~9, I do not consider the '77 to be light... Furthermore, and I guess it needs to be said, I did replace the tuners... I've installed Hipshot Ultra-lights, I'm not really sure how much does that affects the overall weight.
 
#17
from left to right. 1980 S8 serial jazz,1974 four bolt jazz, 78ish body paired with a 1984 mij squier bullet neck. all of them are over 11.5 pounds. all of them are straight beast. all of them sound a little different either because of the nordstrands i put in the 74 or the non original neck on the 78 but all of them are attack filled, quick sounding basses. the mutt is my main player and on tons of 4 hour gigs!
6549622535_75fd8d642d_z.jpg

my buddy has a 77 thats in the high 8 pound/low 9 pound range and i didnt like it nearly as much as any of these. his is the only light late 70's jazz ive come across in all the ones of tried.
 
#18
tojge said:
Oh, don't get me wrong, I certainly was not complaining, but seeing as there are people whose basses measure well under 9, and in the light of the fact that my AmDlx fiver Jazz (ash body, an' all) weighs ~9, I do not consider the '77 to be light... Furthermore, and I guess it needs to be said, I did replace the tuners... I've installed Hipshot Ultra-lights, I'm not really sure how much does that affects the overall weight.
Click to expand...

the ultralights save about a 1/2 lb.

the stock keys weight 105 grams ea (x4=420 grams or 14.84oz). depending on the model, the ultralights weigh 42-46 grams each (x4= 168-184 grams, or 5.9-6.3oz) .
 
#19
johnk_10 said:
the ultralights save about a 1/2 lb.

the stock keys weight 105 grams ea (x4=420 grams or 14.84oz). depending on the model, the ultralights weigh 42-46 grams each (x4= 168-184 grams, or 5.9-6.3oz) .
Click to expand...
And there you have it, JonhK to the rescue :). I thank you, sir, for the information. It is an honor to have someone as knowledgeable as you are to weigh in on the matter.

So, as much as 1/2 a pound. Interesting. I did not think it would be as much.

On a side note, I'd like to point out that I've replaced the original tuners because two of them have been shot to hell when I've received the bass a couple of years ago, weight-relief was not my intention. :)
 

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