Does a bass being a lightweight indicate a negative?

[FishDub]

I ask this because I have read many threads on two different views of this, particularly in the classifieds. The first is that a nice, heavy, thick slab of wood in excess of 10-12 pounds accounts for unmatched, resonate tone quality(IE-Vintage Fenders/Musicmans). The other is the ongoing question of "weight?"...Weight isnt really a deal-breaker for me personally if I like the tone and balance, but I dont gig for hours either. So do most ask the weight because they want a heavy, resonant slab of wood OR do they ask because they want a super lightweight, or a bit of both? My Fender P/J is on the heavier side of 9.5-10 lbs but I love the tone. But, my 80s Japan Tune maniac is a featherweight at 7.5 lbs and that thing kills. Been curious about this..

 

[Gbass75]

Seems to me that most folks ask about the weight because they hope to avoid an aching back after standing up at a gig for two hours with your bass strapped on. Ouch!

 

[ajkula66]

I've never paid attention to weight and couldn't tell you how much any of my guitars and basses weigh.

Sure, some are heavier than the others but that's where my observations end for the most part.

I will admit that I enjoy looking at the slab of Honduran Mahagony that the body of my '70 Les Paul Bass was made from - gorgeous IMO - but that's not the reason why I bought it.

My $0.02 only...

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I regularly play 3 set gigs of over an hour each. A bass that will hurt my shoulder and back matters.

I have heard both views concerning weight. Heavy having more sustain and focus and light being more resonant. I think it probably comes down to each individual instrument. My favourite bass comes in between what most would consider heavy and light (at a well balanced 9.2 lbs).

 

[FishDub]

Seems to me that most folks ask about the weight because they hope to avoid an aching back after standing up at a gig for two hours with your bass strapped on. Ouch!

I hear that..I had a 73 boat anchor jazz years ago and that thing sounded insane, shouldnt have sold that. When I got a bit "shoulder tender" I just sat down with it

 

[rwkeating]

The only way I think a "lightweight" bass would be a negative is if the lack of body weight causes neck dive.

When picking the lightest of a particular style of bass, it is the body that is usually responsible for the bass being light and the neck usually weighs the same. This can cause neck dive.

If the bass was designed to be light, then I see no issue with that.

 

[Afc70]

My Dingwall Abz is a very comfortable 8.2lbs... (light to me)
& it’s a tone monster ! Lots of Dingwall bases tend to be on the light side, they definitely don’t lack tone !

 

[jd56hawk]

The one on the right is 7.3 lbs.
The one on the left is 10 pounds plus.
The blonde sounds every bit as good, if not better, than the silver metal-flake one...the only thing heavy about it is the tone.
People can argue tone wood, pickup and pickup placement, maple, rosewood or ebony, active vs passive, and strings all they want, but the "heavy is superior to light when it comes to tone" argument isn't even worth laughing about.

 

[AGCurry]

Belief that weight affects the tone of a solid-bodied instrument is fuzzy thinking.

The body will affect sustain (sustain is increased when the body reflects string vibrations rather than absorbing them) and timbre (which frequencies are reflected and which are absorbed). Weight can correlate with certain qualities but it doesn't cause them.

 

[pcake]

i always ask the weight of any bass because i have a permanent shoulder injury, and even sitting can be difficult for me with a heavy bass. the lighter, the better! that's why i often buy from sweetwater even though i could get a discount elsewhere - they usually show the weight of each individual bass for most basses $299 or over.

 

[buldog5151bass]

When I was 21, it never wasa factor. At a beat up 56, it can make a big difference.

My Lull P4 is about 8 pounds. My 70s J (with P neck) is over 11. Both are great basses.

 

[TrevorG]

Another sensitive shoulder here. My P is 8.10lbs which is merciful. My J is 9.2lbs but too good not to pick up. My Spector is over 11lbs and, while still a great bass, tends to just sit there and watch me play the other two. Don't want neck dive but don't want the bass waving about as I'm playing either. Too light feels insubstantial to me. Too heavy is a deal breaker.

 

[yodedude2]

... Weight can correlate with certain qualities but it doesn't cause them.

what he said.

 

[JimmyM]

I don’t care what anyone thinks…I want a light bass.

 

[punchdrunk]

Not sure it truly maters. I gig a 70’s p that weight a ton but sounds and plays fantastic… I also used to gig a extremely lightweight p bass and also sounded and played fantastic.

 

[themickster]

You don't need heavy at all. The Ibanez SR range are 6 to 7.5 lbs and are great to play.

 

[Grinderman]

I ask this because I have read many threads on two different views of this, particularly in the classifieds. The first is that a nice, heavy, thick slab of wood in excess of 10-12 pounds accounts for unmatched, resonate tone quality(IE-Vintage Fenders/Musicmans). The other is the ongoing question of "weight?"...Weight isnt really a deal-breaker for me personally if I like the tone and balance, but I dont gig for hours either. So do most ask the weight because they want a heavy, resonant slab of wood OR do they ask because they want a super lightweight, or a bit of both? My Fender P/J is on the heavier side of 9.5-10 lbs but I love the tone. But, my 80s Japan Tune maniac is a featherweight at 7.5 lbs and that thing kills. Been curious about this..

I think it depends on whether you're <25 y/o or >45 y/o

 

[2112]

Does it make you happy? If so, there's no negative.

 

[ETJ]

I think weight can move dead spots around, but without much predictability. I prefer light over heavy. I’m fortunate to have a 73 P that is only 8.25 lbs.

 

[micguy]

I have a few basses that I have built with roasted swamp ash bodies and roasted maple necks. The wood was selected for light weight, and the roasting process further reduces the weight. The roasting process also makes the wood "ring" more - it has less damping. We had a thread here recently where someone compared a walnut bodied bass with a swamp ash one (the walnut was considerably heavier). The Swamp ash one had more sustain - this was a measured result, not an opinion.

On a stage with a decent PA (and a FOH person thats not afraid to put me in the mix at a decent level), with my light, resonant instruments, you can literally feel the thing come alive - that never happened with any of the heavy basses I've had. I like light basses for the whole issue of weight on the shoulder, but the improved playing experience is also a nice benefit.