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Bass weight wimpiness?

#21
I think a lot is to do with the positioning of the strap posts. The easiest bass for me to play for any length is my Yamaha RBX which seems to be perfectly balanced. My Burns Marquee reissue on the other hand weighs about a kilo (2.2 pounds) more and the forward strap post is positioned too far back on the body, such that it hangs off my left shoulder and gets me twisted up & achy after 45 mins. I want to put straplocks on it so will put it at the top of the upper "horn" opposite the 12th fret (a' la Fender) rather than replacing the existing one at the back in line with the 14th fret as it sits now.
 
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#25
JimmyM said:
Nobody knows how light or heavy my basses are but me. Who cares? Anyone doesn't like me playing lighter basses? Here, let me show you where the exit is. Otherwise, shut up and sit down.
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Aye, but this thread is really more about individual bassists dealing with the weight of their instrument. Comparing how much weight causes concern or fatigue. Possible solutions. Etc.

I quite agree the audience doesn't know or give two hoots how heavy our basses are. And even if they did, we wouldn't/shouldn't give two hoots what they think.
 
#26
All basses are too heavy for me, especially my five-string basses. I feel it immediately, my shoulder and neck muscles start protesting halfway into the first song. Standing with a bass hanging from my shoulder for a whole gig is out of the question. So in a way the different weights of basses is not an issue for me, they are all too heavy anyway. I solve this partly by sitting down when I have to, and by using a weight lifter type belt that puts most of the weight of the bass on my hips rather than on my shoulder.
 
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#28
I use the Gruvgear duostrap as I find with a regular strap, my 7 pound Sadowssky nyc causes me to experience shoulder pain. Guess 35 years of gigging has caught up with me. The duostrap initially felt very strange, but I persevered and can now do a 3 hour show and no longer have shoulder pain.
 
#29
FretNoMore said:
All basses are too heavy for me, especially my five-string basses. I feel it immediately, my shoulder and neck muscles start protesting halfway into the first song. Standing with a bass hanging from my shoulder for a whole gig is out of the question. So in a way the different weights of basses is not an issue for me, they are all too heavy anyway. I solve this partly by sitting down when I have to, and by using a weight lifter type belt that puts most of the weight of the bass on my hips rather than on my shoulder.
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What you need is a Status Streamline.... Probably the least heavy bass in the world.
 
#32
A wide, padded strap goes a long way for me on heavier basses. If it sounds good, I want to play it. That said, my (lighter) MTD 535 wins over my (heavier) Sadowsky Metro UV5 if I'm on the fence about which one will sound best on a particular gig.

Interesting: In the early 90's I sold off a 70's Jazz, in part because it was heavy. So I know my early 20's self isn't too different from my 40's self in terms of weight tolerance. Point being: Age, health, and the like may not be the main concern for lucky folk like me who have a good back, and motivation and convenience know no age.

I wish I'd kept that 70's bass - it would be worth a bundle now - and I'd love to sand down the paint to find out what kind of über-dense wood (swamp ash?) could make the thing so heavy.
 
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#34
A wider, padded strap is more comfortable and takes care of local pressure, but to me it's not really the solution if it's the actual weight that is the problem. You can distribute it on my whole shoulder from neck to arm and it still doesn't help my neck muscles. Actually, the further out you put the weight the more leverage it has. Sometimes I wish I was twenty again. :)
 
#35
I wear a bass belt that puts 95% of the weight on my hips. It's essentially a weight lifter's belt with a tongue on the front that holds a Dunlop straplock. I have a recessed Dunlop straplock receiver in the lower edge of all my basses that clicks into the belt. Since I also choose the point where the receiver is installed, this allows for perfect balance of any bass, even one that would normally neck dive. I went from having pain after 15 minutes wearing any bass over 7 lbs, to having my fingers tire well before my back or legs on a gig, pretty much regardless of bass weight. I'll try and post a pic pater. A regular strap goes over my shoulder simply to keep the bass up against my body. The audience cannot really see any of this unless I turn around. Problem solved.
 
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#36
Early 50's here, with a herniated c6/c7. I don't believe I've ever asked how heavy a bass was, and I am not sure that I ever will.

But now, I totally understand why people ask that question, lol. And in my situation, its not really the weight of the bass. It seems to be more about neck profile, due to some residual finger numbness.
 
#37
shorty4life said:
I have a short scale 30" bass which weighs as much as both of my 32" medium scale basses. And my 32" scales sound & feel much closer to that of a 34" long scale. If I were strictly choosing a bass based on weight, I would not rule out instruments due to scale length alone. Plenty of light weight 34's and 32's out there to be found...
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I haven't completely ruled out medium scale or long scale but the shorter scale does help ease my symptoms. Balance and ergonomics are also key considerations for me.
 
#38
CaptainWally said:
Cheers. Oh, yes, I'm very comfortable with my weight-weeniness. I'm just trying to figure out if 8.75 is going to be a long-term problem for me or not.

That's a very good point about 9-to-10 being a bigger deal than 8-to-9 (or 8 to 8.75).
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Wimp.. lol try a neo tech neoprene strap I swear it takes 2 lbs off any bass....
 
#39
I used to not care too much about weight; I gigged a 1972 Precision that's about 10.5 for many years.
I played G&L's for a long time that were all in the 10-ish range.
Then I bought a couple of basses I liked that weighed less....
The last Valenti I had built came in at about 7.5. Now anything else feels really heavy and bothersome.

I won't own anything that's over 9lbs anymore.
 
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