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Bass weight

C

chuck norriss

Inactive
Jan 20, 2011
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#1
My jazz bass weighs 10.2 pounds. I have a bad disc in my back so I can't play a long time with it but it's my best bass. I think I can switch out the hardware to make it lighter: badass & fender tuners/w d-tuner, control plate. That would shave about 1-1/2 lbs without violating the essence of the bass wouldn't it?
My squier feels like it's 7 lbs not sure but it feels great. If I could get that without sacrifice sustain--the
jazz in the lightness of my squier pj I'd be pleased
 
#2
Yeah, heavy basses make you put all the effort of playing into the wrong place...just holding the damn thing up!

Balance is a big issue too, i.e. the old neck-heavy thing. I've had heavy basses that were well balanced and were actually more comfortable to gig with than lighter ones that wanted to neck dive.

I would lose the Badass in a heartbeat, they don't add anything BUT weight IME. Then a set of ultralight tuners on the neck, that can't do anything but help. At the very least it will shed some weight and in exactly the right place, and if you have a balance issue it will really help that as well.

Those 2 things could really transform your bass into one you dig playing.
 
#3
Forgot to mention - I can guarantee that some well intentioned soul will chime in shortly telling you to get a wide strap with suede underside to "solve" your problem...it won't. It might feel a little better in the short term, but you're still hanging 10 pounds across your shoulder and the disc in your back is not going to be fooled into thinking otherwise.

The wide strap is still a good idea, every little bit helps, but taking weight off the bass and getting the balance right is what will really make a difference.

Hope it works out for you.
 
#5
Maybe a parts build with a lighter wood is for you? I have shoulder problems, so I threw together a bass with a paulownia body from GFS and it's a blessing for gigs. A little neck heavy, but a leather strap fixed the diving issue for me.

Paulownia wood is very great sounding with good sustain. Much like ash, but VERY light. The box the body was shipped in was probably almost as heavy as the body.
 
#11
Steinbergers are strange but I like them. I'd play that.
Kala u bass--I have to acclimate, get used to the idea.
I suppose I can go acoustic/elec or hollow. Back to gretsch. Damn it I have to go through selling all my ****
 
#12
There are some great ergonomic strap systems out there that distribute the weight to both shoulders and even to your belt so the bass hangs in the "proper" playing position. However, I would only use these if I had some sort of 5+ string exotic bass that was an inseparable part of my sound.

IMO there is just no reason to play a heavy jazz or p-bass. Excellent grades of alder and swamp ash can be had in light weight ranges (4-4.75lbs unfinished) yielding a bass that's no heavier than 8.5 pounds (my p-bass is under 8). Avoid necks with steel reinforcement rods and heavy vintage tuners and you can have an 8lb jazz bass that balances well and will prolong your playing....oh, and a wide comfy strap is never a bad idea.

If you want to build your own jazz bass to spec, top shelf necks and bodies can be ordered from USA Custom Guitars (http://usacustomguitars.com/) and they are great about finding lightweight materials.
 
#13
Steinbergers are a lot lighter than most other basses. That was the first thing I noticed when I played one. Unfortunately it won't help you in the long run. I do have a bad back as well. Just standing for a long time is enough to make it hurt, also without a bass. As long as I can sit I'm ok. A bar stool or a drum stool is all I need.
 
#14
- A good strap Can make a very big difference. It was a life changer to me.

- Basses don't have to be large or heavy to have good tone.

- There are now quality short scales on the market that are lighter and easier to play for longer periods.

- The Kala UBass really is a viable alternative these days. Takes a little getting used to, but many people get addicted. It's a really fun bass to play.
 
#15
chuck norriss said:
My jazz bass weighs 10.2 pounds. I have a bad disc in my back so I can't play a long time with it but it's my best bass. I think I can switch out the hardware to make it lighter: badass & fender tuners/w d-tuner, control plate. That would shave about 1-1/2 lbs without violating the essence of the bass wouldn't it?
My squier feels like it's 7 lbs not sure but it feels great. If I could get that without sacrifice sustain--the
jazz in the lightness of my squier pj I'd be pleased
Click to expand...

Chuck, to my ear those mods would indeed be sound-neutral and worthwhile - if you really like that particular J.

I can tell you that it's an unusually heavy instrument, and I would suggest that you could find a much lighter J that plays well.

You might scan the J bass weights in the spreadsheet I have been maintaining for a while now....check post #362 on the last page of this thread for the spreadsheet...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/time-tell-truth-how-much-does-your-bass-weigh-409213/index19.html
 
#18
SBassman said:
IMHO, anything over 8.5 pounds sucks. When I hear about these people sporting 12 and 14 pound basses, I don't get it. Power to them, I guess. When I see our friends at Rondo with quotes like "weighs only 10 pounds", I have to laugh.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. My limit for a bass is roughly 9 pounds. Any heavier than that and I pass. My heaviest bass is a J that's about 9 pounds, and I use a wide strap with a sheepskin pad on it.

PB070026.jpg
 
#19
I think the shape of a Jazz Bass makes it a pound or more heavier than a P Bass. If you must have a J Bass, you could always ask Warmoth to make you a lightweight body. They even post the body weight on their website. Also, a neck with graphite reinforcement bars will be lighter than steel bars.
 

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