Does a bass being a lightweight indicate a negative?

[TJL]

I never let the weight of a bass dictate whether I want to buy it, but resonance, tone and punch are always the deciding factors. That said, you can get great tone from a light weight bass. I have been playing an 8 lb. bass by John Carruthers made from a single piece of Okume wood. That stuff is ultra light, resonant, and sounds great. My Alembics also sound great, but are in the 11 lb. range. Currently, I am working with Alembic to develop a light weight well balanced bass that uses the Okume for the core, and pays attention to all the factors which add unnecessary weight. More to come on that soon.
The long and short of it is, each bass is as unique as the woods used, so you just need to find "the one".

 

[Gary Stevens]

I am in the "as light as you want as long as no neck dive camp".

I think a lot of lighter basses tend to be basswood or similar and those bodies are often found on less expensive basses, and less expensive basses often have "lesser" pickups, and people confuse the lower pick-up output for "less sound". I have enough knobs between the bass, my pedal board, and my amp to account for most any pickup and make it sound in a way that makes me happy. Yah, my 10-lb custom P-bass sounds better than the Ibanez GTR-50 I bought for $40 on CL, but I can get great sound from my 6.6lb super-short-scale Mikro bass.

So I'd say that if bass comfort is important to you then let that be your guide - if lighter works better ergonomically for you then there is no reason not to go that route (again, avoid instruments that neck dive).

Neck dive is unacceptable to me.I view it as a design flaw, ie Gibson EB-0. None of my basses have neck dive. Love that light weight. Some of the most toneful wood is swamp ash. I have had very good results with Florida Bald Cypress cut and dried from my cypress stand of trees. Tonewise, similar to alder at 30 pounds per cubic foot.

 

[Gary Stevens]

Actually, looking at if from a physics point of view. Lightweight, hard wood would be the most resonant. If the wood is light, less energy has to be applied to get it moving (resonating).

My lightest electric bass is my Kiesel. It has a chambered, Ash body; spalted Maple top; and the neck (and fretboard) are roasted Maple. It's a 7 string bass and it only weighs 8 lbs. It is the most resonant bass I own. I have an 18lbs bass. It's resonant too... but not nearly as dynamic as my Kiesel. I have a 17lbs Conklin. It sounds good too... but it's not nearly as resonant as my Kiesel.

Well said!

 

[Graham Tyler]

I have a Hofner violin bass, which is essentially weightless, and it sounds great. Paul McCartney seems to like the as well, but what does he know?

 

[bogie1519]

Weight has never been a problem. How the bass plays and feels come first. I have a Peavey T40 if that explains it. But I also have a Pbass and a Stingray. I only use wide straps that helps a bunch.

 

[FiveG]

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 have a 7.2 lb Sadowsky that I love playing with a strap standing up. But….the neck is actually heavier than the body so when sitting down I have to hold the neck up to play. It’s a balance issue. My 12 lb PJ bass sits on my leg perfectly by itself when sitting. But….it gets hard on my back with a strap standing for an hour or so. It’s all about what works and sounds best for you of course. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Eric Kjelstrom]

My G&L which weighs 13 lbs. sounds fantastic, but my 7 lbs. Fender Precision sounds great too. At 71, the Fender wins for gigs

 

[H. Bob]

I have a Rob Allen fretless bass with tone chambers. It weighs about 6 Lbs. and there are so many things to like about it. It sounds like an upright bass but the weight saves your back and shoulder from strain. It is so easy to transport. The wood is beautiful and the pick-up is hidden, giving it a sleek, sexy, natural appearance. Bottom line: think about your physical needs and sonic choices over the actual weight of the bass body.

 

[wazzel]

Caring about weight has gotta be some ven diagram of back injuries, gigging frequency, and age. Not sure how many people seek out weight for something other than the sake of weight.

It does. I got a back injury from college rugby that can be aggravated from playing for extended times. Lighter basses help with that.

 

[Groovespace]

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..

Lighter wood is more vibrant, if its from great quality of course. It breathes more, there is more air inside it. The way the tone dies out is different… It’s all about what you connect with best.

 

[Greywoulf]

Old goat with arthritis here... I now always seek out BGs no more than 7 lbs. And I've even replaced machine head tuners with Ultralights to bring a Squier Mustang 7+ pounds down to 6+ pounds. -Don't give a good crap what anyone thinks, I play for my enjoyment! -And don't care much about a little neck dive either as playing sitting I can usually hold an unstrapped BG vertical enough in my lap so that neck dive doesn't matter.
Got me the Mustang, a Mikro, and maybe even an Acinonyx soon. All short scales, all light weight and I love 'em. -You don't? So what! You enjoy playing with your and I'll enjoy mine..........

Also got me a lightweight 2lb TC head and a TC 18lb 2x8 cab. ~~Oh wait, is that another cause for "disrespect"??? -Sheeeeeesh!!

 

[Jabba the bass]

Some basses boutique or bottom shelf are duds.. heavy or light makes no tonal difference. It’s All about woods, grain and what you like to hear.. I’m a old school alder, rosewood board guy who likes a warm sound and less attack that a ash body delivers..

 

[Paul New]

Jazz Labs SaxHolder Pro?

No way, I hate that thing. Gemini.

 

[Number_6]

Ditto regarding neck dive. I have 2 heavy bases that balance well. My '69 Les Paul and a Dan Armstrong plexi.
The Les Paul is the heaviest 4 string I've run across. I recently sold a Guild M-85 that sounded great, due to the Bi-Sonic pickup, but had horrible neck dive. I'm also older with back issues. If you really are concerned about weight get a Kala U*Bass, my current favorite axe ;-)

 

[Paul New]

Neck dive is unacceptable to me.I view it as a design flaw, ie Gibson EB-0. None of my basses have neck dive. Love that light weight. Some of the most toneful wood is swamp ash. I have had very good results with Florida Bald Cypress cut and dried from my cypress stand of trees. Tonewise, similar to alder at 30 pounds per cubic foot.

I bet those are nice. I want a 33 inch scale 5 string, E-C, Gary. PJ setup. You build something like that?

 

[Gary Stevens]

I have a Rob Allen fretless bass with tone chambers. It weighs about 6 Lbs. and there are so many things to like about it. It sounds like an upright bass but the weight saves your back and shoulder from strain. It is so easy to transport. The wood is beautiful and the pick-up is hidden, giving it a sleek, sexy, natural appearance. Bottom line: think about your physical needs and sonic choices over the actual weight of the bass body.

Well said

 

[Gary Stevens]

Old goat with arthritis here... I now always seek out BGs no more than 7 lbs. And I've even replaced machine head tuners with Ultralights to bring a Squier Mustang 7+ pounds down to 6+ pounds. -Don't give a good crap what anyone thinks, I play for my enjoyment! -And don't care much about a little neck dive either as playing sitting I can usually hold an unstrapped BG vertical enough in my lap so that neck dive doesn't matter.
Got me the Mustang, a Mikro, and maybe even an Acinonyx soon. All short scales, all light weight and I love 'em. -You don't? So what! You enjoy playing with your and I'll enjoy mine..........

Also got me a lightweight 2lb TC head and a TC 18lb 2x8 cab. ~~Oh wait, is that another cause for "disrespect"??? -Sheeeeeesh!!

I bet those are nice. I want a 33 inch scale 5 string, E-C, Gary. PJ setup. You build something like that?

 

[Gary Stevens]

Yes I can. I am in north Florida. My cost is $1500 plus parts for most any bass. I use Luthiers Mercantile fretboards, mostly. Gotoh bridge and tuner. I don't do much decorative pearl inlay anymore. Pearl dots are ok. Choices are nearly unlimited. [email protected].

 

[Larry23]

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

 

[Larry23]

I own a 67 Hofner 500/1 and a 77 Yamaha BB1200, both of which I bought new. There could not be more of a difference in weight, and I love them both for different reasons. The Hofner weighs about the same as a baby parakeet, and the Yamaha is equivalent to a 1989 Ford F150. Since I hurt my back I pack a stool anyway so I can lean on it when necessary. (They both laid under my bed for 38 years unused, and are in amazing condition. When I retired I resumed my music career[hobby]).