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Does balance matter more than weight sometimes?

#43
Balance is good, lighter is good, lighter and balanced is best.

I have several basses that weigh between 9.6lbs and 10.0lbs; they all balance perfectly on a strap. But the 10lb fretless starts to become tiresome after a bit. I also have a 5-string that weights 8.6 and balances. I am noticeably less fatigued after a 4-hour gig with it.

I also have a beautiful 35" scale 5er that weighs 9.5lbs, and because of the neck dive it 'feels' much heavier on my shoulder than any of my other basses. I personally do not buy into the idea that a wide and/or grippy strap solve neck dive - IME it just pulls on your shoulder/shirt more and causes a different kind of fatigue. So if I had to pick between 9lbs+ and balanced or sub-9lbs with neck dive, I'd pick the balanced one. But as many have pointed out, you don't have to pick one or the other...
 
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#44
I agree that it *can* matter but also that it depends on the particular bass. I've got two -an Esh Serious Bass 5 and a Kawai F2B- that are on the heavy side (see my thread asking about light-weight 5s) and interestingly, both of their upper horns only reach the 15th fret, but each is only slightly neck-heavy rather than true dive, not enough to bother me. The other thing they have in common design-wise is that they are both neck-through but that's where the similarities end.
 
#45
It's kind of like asking is a flat tire better on the bottom or top of the tire. A heavy bass is heavy, no matter how well balanced it is. Yes unbalanced AND heavy is the worst, but with tens of thousands of basses for sale, you don't need to settle on one or the other.
 
#46
darwin-bass said:
Not me. If the choice is between 11 lbs that balances and 8 lbs with neck dive, I'll pass on both.

For me a bass must balance well and be under 8.5 lbs. Life is to short to play uncomfortable instruments.
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I have one of those too.
8.38 lbs and no neck dive.
But in all fairness,the EHB is chambered.
IMG_1030.jpegIMG_8976.jpeg
 
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#47
Cleezmo said:
Balance is good, lighter is good, lighter and balanced is best.

I have several basses that weigh between 9.6lbs and 10.0lbs; they all balance perfectly on a strap. But the 10lb fretless starts to become tiresome after a bit. I also have a 5-string that weights 8.6 and balances. I am noticeably less fatigued after a 4-hour gig with it.

I also have a beautiful 35" scale 5er that weighs 9.5lbs, and because of the neck dive it 'feels' much heavier on my shoulder than any of my other basses. I personally do not buy into the idea that a wide and/or grippy strap solve neck dive - IME it just pulls on your shoulder/shirt more and causes a different kind of fatigue. So if I had to pick between 9lbs+ and balanced or sub-9lbs with neck dive, I'd pick the balanced one. But as many have pointed out, you don't have to pick one or the other...
Click to expand...
As someone who uses a Levy's MSS24, which is 4.5" wide and has non grippy leather with padding, it's possible that you might find it a best of both worlds strap. Or you may hate it :) It doesn't balance a neck diver, and it's not a replacement for lightening up on the weight, but I find it does help a good bit.
 
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#48
No.. balance is more important than weight ALL OF THE TIME. If I have neck dive I'm spending effort and thought on holding the neck up. I'm distracted and my playing ability has been impacted as I have to share muscles meant to play notes with the burden of holding the neck up. If I have a balanced bass I can go as heavy as 10lbs. (Nothing will help a bass weighing more than that).
 
#49
DrBnz said:
No.. balance is more important than weight ALL OF THE TIME. If I have neck dive I'm spending effort and thought on holding the neck up. I'm distracted and my playing ability has been impacted as I have to share muscles meant to play notes with the burden of holding the neck up. If I have a balanced bass I can go as heavy as 10lbs. (Nothing will help a bass weighing more than that).
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Well then weight is just as important to you all of the time, too. You just have a higher tolerance for it than I do.
 
#51
first thing i go to is wide suede strap (2.5" min) and a non-slippery shirt, that'll counter a lot of neck dive and weight probs. Then, Hipshot ultralites, the cheap imported ones on ebay work fine but you see all those ugly holes in headstock...,

and then i start searching Talkbass for lots of creative advice.
 
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