So, then the next silly inquiry from me would be, "How much does a bassist make for these 4-hour gigs?"
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Bass weight?
- Thread starter Maku021
- Start date
So, then the next silly inquiry from me would be, "How much does a bassist make for these 4-hour gigs?"
That all depends on the venue and the band manager!
$250, split 5 ways.
So, then, $50 a night? That's about $12.50 an hour. Min wage in some areas. No thank you.
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I meant that dollar amount as a joke, but I am sure there are bookers and venue owners that will absolutely try to book a band for a 4-hour gig for $250. Any band that can play a coherent 4-hour set deserves more than that!
Wow. And he actually broke his strings playing. That's a "REAL" bassist!
You definitely should NOT attempt a "Back to School" Triple-Lindy....
I have a Guild Starfire II arriving next week and they say it is 8.75, which I was a bit disappointed by for a semi hollow body.
I couldn't imagine playing a 4-hour gig now and I'm not even 50 yet (hit it this year though). I don't care what the weight of the bass is. My own body issues would be a factor. 
Recently someone bought an instrument that turned out to be almost half a pound heavier than the seller claimed & they took to the forums to complain about it.
The mocking has gotten harder & faster as the week rolls on.
I guess there is something in male DNA that makes them want to prove they can lift heavy things.
The mocking has gotten harder & faster as the week rolls on.
I guess there is something in male DNA that makes them want to prove they can lift heavy things.
It's a shame we don't have a trophy emoji. Triple Lindy is the winner!!!
I found & purchased a ‘78 Jazz in a music store about 25 years ago. It had the look, pearloid block inlays in rosewood, sunburst body, etc. It was back when I owned one bass that I would guess to weigh about 8 lbs. The ‘78 Jazz weighed just shy of 13 lbs. I didn’t even notice when I bought the bass. I was on the road when I bought it, so when I got it home, I cleaned it up, changed strings, did a set up, and was itching for the next gig. When the next gig came, I was loving the tone, the action was so good, and it fit perfectly in the mix of the all-blues band I was playing in at the time. 2nd break, my shoulder is a little tired, but I love this thing. 3rd break; my shoulder is getting sore, but this bass plays like a Telecaster with .008’s. End of night; my shoulder is really sore & was for a couple days. No big deal, I’ll get used to it. Six months later; bought a new Edenhaus body on EBay that weighed about 4 lbs. bought some Seymour Duncan pups, then transferred the bridge and neck off the ‘78 to the light body. Sounded and played great, looked different.
Then it hit me. I have a $900 bass (at the time) in scattered parts that I don’t play because it’s too heavy. I put it all back together and sold it for $1200. I bought a 1962 reissue Jazz neck & tuners for the Edenhaus body and I still have that 8 lb bass today.
Then it hit me. I have a $900 bass (at the time) in scattered parts that I don’t play because it’s too heavy. I put it all back together and sold it for $1200. I bought a 1962 reissue Jazz neck & tuners for the Edenhaus body and I still have that 8 lb bass today.
I have a pretty nice leather strap that I use on all my basses and it's eliminated any weight problems for me.
my homemade red bass is heavy, but having one of the Groove Gear double straps really helps. FWIW I am 74 and have had some lower back issues over the years. I do see a chiropractor ever month or so and love to get massages every once in a while as well.
My lightest bass (Ibanez Talman) is 8 lbs. Heaviest bass (G&L Tribute JB) is 12 lbs. The rest are in between 8-12 lbs.
4 hour gigs ouch! around here a typical restaurant/bar gig is 3 sets (45min per with 15 break) at most. my main working band now we rarely play more than 2 hours.
In MD, we charged $500 per 4 hour gig and split it evenly 5 ways. That reference is from a decade ago. Weddings were similarly priced, but usually half or less of the time involved. No one ever argued.
