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Am I the only player that prefers heavy basses?

#61
I used to think the denser the wood and the heavier the bass, the better it would sound. Loved one piece sold ash bodies. I have typically played Fender and Music Man basses in the 10 - 11 pound range and had a fretless Ibanez that weighed in at 13.3 pounds. I used them all on stage and in the studio with no stamina problem. And they all sounded great.

Then last year at age 61, I had a heart attack and in my cardio rehab found I needed to find something lighter to prolong my stage career. I found a custom builder who makes designs I really like and they fit me like a glove egonomically. Most of his product weighed in at between 8 and 9 pounds. Best of all, they are the best sounding and best playing basses I've ever had my hands on in a playing career that began in 1963.

Bottom line is if you can find something that is well engineered, built with quality craftsmanship and has the right electronics for your preferences, you don't have to sacrifice anything with sound to go lighter weight.

Koog
 
#64
metron said:
I agree that the voice of the instrument unplugged comes through when amplified but how does that relate to weight? I dont think it does directly. Anecdotal evidence might suggest there is a positive correlation but its far from rule. Yesterday i got a new jazz thats light and unplugged resonates much more clearly than my old g&l which is heavier. Anecdotal evidence can also suggest the converse.

Im confused as to what is being demonstrated with pressing the neck against a door. It seems to increase in volume because either it is transferring energy to the door which then audibly vibrates or the bass is actually vibrating against the door which can be heard. Much like a cell phone vibrating on a table. Unrelated to actual weight imo. I suppose one could argue that coupling the two makes a bigger heavier bass but they arent coupled.
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All i am pointing out is that basses resonate in their own ways, i am not saying it heavier basses are louder or better, just saying there is a difference in sound/tone. I would say that a bass that is very resonant would create problems when the electronics are fitted as the vibration would in interfere will a vibrating string........

So i would then assume a solid dense wood body would be better for electronics to be fitted to as it will conduct less vibration so less interference in the sound. Its almost like the body dampens the sound because the wood is dense. As i said if a timber is dense then as a rule it will be heavier. This is of course if the timber is all of the same species and dried to the same moisture content. I am sure there are other factors a luthier will consider and it is their experience as craftsmen that would answer the question on weight and tone.

I agree with Koog, a custom built instrument to your playing characteristics and specs is definely the way to go.:)
 
#67
I started my playing career at the height of the "brass nut" era, so to me, a heavier bass is what I prefer. They just seem more "focused" in sound to me, which I like.

Of course, there have been many exceptions to the rule, but in general, my heavier basses get more playtime. My heaviest one is the one I record with.

I'm 55, only play one night per week and record, so endurance and back problems are not an issue to me. I have no excuse to save up for a Rob Allen.

Still want one, though.
 
#70
What is heavy? 10lbs, 12lbs? Or is the OT dealing with 17-20lbs?
Balance and a comfortable strap make a world of difference.
Making a decent wide strap is not an earth shaking agenda. It's actually very simple if you've worked w/ leather or even rock-climbing gear. There are many techniques to making a really comfortable one and it won't cost fifty or more bucks.
 
#72
Thunder Pulse said:
There might be some truth in that. For those who have had back surgeries, then sure, they've got a legitimate concern, but the others.... well, they might just be sissies. ;)

A friend of mine who weighs about 120-125 lbs regularly goes on 3-5 mile hikes with a 20 lb backpack. She's climbing hills and moving over rough terrain, not standing still or walking around on a level surface like a musician would be. There are a couple other women her size in the group she does this with, and they've been doing it for years.

120 lb women with 20 lb backpacks > grown men with 10 lb basses.
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There's some truth to this, for sure. Some people act like it's IMPOSSIBLE to hold up a heavy bass and that's just absurd.

HOWEVER, if I may play devil's advocate, a backpack is balanced across both shoulders and uses a wide, heavily padded strap. If people did the same with their bass, these whiny "too heavy" problems would disappear. Nobody's going to, though, because musicians have preposterous notions of what's allowed to look "cool" and would rather use a single skinny leather strap that digs into their shoulder, concentrating all pressure on one small focus point, because IT'S COOL, DOOD.
 
#73
Well, i had custom MM copy, solid mahagony block, heavy bridge etc, bit over 5kg - thats over 11lbs, right?

I played 99% sitting down, and while it was good for my back, after about a year of playing (at least couple of hours per day), my right leg started to feel cold, bad circulation, cramps and so on.

Too heavy a bass does no good for you.

As far as backpacking, the study say that wearing backpack and standing fairly still, kills your back, while in movement, the body/back can withstand way more pressure on discs...
 
#75
I suspect you are in the minority, for sure.

Local shop has a beautiful St. Blues gold top bass that has been hanging on the wall for at least 4 years. The thing sounds great, plays beautifully and weighs a ridiculous amount. I've seen lot of lesser basses sell out of there, but that one remains.
 
#76
I double between elec and Azola Bug II elec upright in the folk rock band I'm in, and weight is certainly of impact to my stage life since on many occasions I use both in the same song.

My Azola is mounted to a customized cymbal stand base, so it's always in playing position when I need it. On songs where I use both basses I need to lean in to play the Azola without scratching my elec. On occasions where I've played my +13# Stingray, I'm good for about one set before my lower back starts aggressively reminding me of a back injury I suffered in my early 20's. On the contrary, when I play my 8.5# M-Series 5er I can make it thru multiple sets without any issues


I used to love me a stupidly heavy bass, and have two custom 6's that top 14 pounds and several other 5's that top 13 pounds. I loved how they were so solidly fixed to my side due to their weight. Unfortunately I can no longer play these live due to their weight


I'll also note that I've only had a couple customers who could have cared less about weight, and only one who requested a heavier bass if it was at all possible. Most of my clients are very specific about final weight

All the best,

R
 
#77
I never thought about weight until I started reading about it here on nearly every bass for sale. I'm 60, avergae hight and weight, and never gave it a thought even on long gigs; lately, however, I have noticed that my basses seem lighter since I've started a fitness program involving some upper-body exercises. As for sound, I think ash basses sound more focused but do tend to weigh more.
 
#78
Koog said:
I used to think the denser the wood and the heavier the bass, the better it would sound. Loved one piece sold ash bodies. I have typically played Fender and Music Man basses in the 10 - 11 pound range and had a fretless Ibanez that weighed in at 13.3 pounds. I used them all on stage and in the studio with no stamina problem. And they all sounded great.

Then last year at age 61, I had a heart attack and in my cardio rehab found I needed to find something lighter to prolong my stage career. I found a custom builder who makes designs I really like and they fit me like a glove egonomically. Most of his product weighed in at between 8 and 9 pounds. Best of all, they are the best sounding and best playing basses I've ever had my hands on in a playing career that began in 1963.

Bottom line is if you can find something that is well engineered, built with quality craftsmanship and has the right electronics for your preferences, you don't have to sacrifice anything with sound to go lighter weight.

Koog
Click to expand...

Best misspelling of the week - egonomically !! Great term for TB !!
 
#79
Just few replies for "Ergonomic guitar strap" on GOOGLE.

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As a healthcare practitioner who deals with a lot of bad backs, I have to say that for the average person - there is no average. The health of your spine and the particulars of your soft tissue have everything to do with whether you can strap on only 6 pounds or 13. a big guy with upper back issues wouldn't do as well as a younger small framed person with a healthy back, and so on. Your mileage - quite literally - will vary.

* Certainly though distributing the weight to two shoulders can help.

* Back braces are also an option where low back problems occur.

* Using a stool is another option where you can rest some of the weight of the bass on your lap.

I play as a sideman frequently in a pit, or backstage where I am expected to sit still and not detract form the front person, so these all work for me but I understand some of you work as fronts for a band and need to move around. Different strokes I suppose.
 

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