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Exactly how much does your Fender bass really weigh?

Fender32

Fender32

Jun 23, 2005
4,945
581
West Sussex, England
#1
I just bought one of these little gadgets today, for weighing parcels mostly, but I also used it to weigh all of my basses and thought that I would seize this opportunity to explore a few myths about Fender bass guitar weights :smug::

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I'm sure that, like me, you've seen posts on TB and ebay listings, concerning Fender P and J Basses, where the weights quoted range anywhere from 8lbs to 15lbs :eek:!

I'd really like to do a "straw poll" with you guys and ask the question, "Exactly how much does your Fender bass really weigh"? :smug:

Now, this is science folks ;), so please, please, please .... only post a figure if you have actually weighed the bass yourself, with some form of properly calibrated weighing device (ideally, with results all in lbs), rather than just posting estimated weights or comments like "mine's not very heavy, actually" etc. :D.

Please also post a picture of your bass, if possible and if not, post some details about the year of manufacture, body wood etc. Maybe this way, we can find out what really constitutes "heavy" in Fender bass terms ;).

Finally, please don't include Fender "copies" in this (unless you clearly specify that it's a copy), as I am trying to discover "the truth behind the Fender myth" and not solve the mystery of "the great Korean poplar shortage of 1985" ;).

OK, I'll go first then, shall I?

Left: 1975 Fender Precision (ash body) - 11.2lbs
Right: 1976 Fender Jazz Bass (ash body) - 11.3lbs
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Over to you :) .................
 
#4
10.8# on a digital bathroom scale but I can't attest to it's accuracy. I'll try to get a proper scale and retry. 81 P Special (sans preamp, battery, brass thumbrest and one gold knob):

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#6
Fender32 said:
Isn't your bass the same model that the new Fender Duff (or is that, "Düff" :hmm:. Simpsons humour ;)) McKagen model is based on?
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Yup .... basically the same thing, but mine is an active bass, not too sure if the Duff version is active as well. Either way, lots of these '80's version Specials crop up on Ebay for super cheap money, great way to get a beauty of a Fender for low coin ..... :cool:
 
#10
'73 Jazz, stock, no covers: 8.9 lbs,
2005 '64 CS jazz, stock, no covers, 9.1lbs.

I've picked up scores of Fenders from almost every period, and I can guess pretty accurately their weights by now.

IME the weights correspond to those generally described, e.g. usually between 7.5 and 9lbs in the '50s, 8 and 9.5lbs from '60 to around '74, and from 8.5 to 12lbs until early '80s.

In general Ps are a few ounces lighter than Js, and there are a lot of exceptions in every era, especially very light ones in the first half of the '60s and very heavy ones in the last half of the '70s.

These are all my guesstimate averages for MIA basses only.
 
#11
Baird6869 said:
Great post.

I need to weigh all 7 of my Fenders as I have never done it. I am guessing they are all between 8 and 12lbs and I will weight them tonight as I really have no idea.

P.S. How much $$$ was the digital scale roughly?
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That'll be interesting to see, Baird6869 :).

The digital scales are all over ebay, BTW, you should get change out of $10, I reckon ;).

Here's a selection of
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#12
One Drop said:
'73 Jazz, stock, no covers: 8.9 lbs,
2005 '64 CS jazz, stock, no covers, 9.1lbs.

I've picked up scores of Fenders from almost every period, and I can guess pretty accurately their weights by now.

IME the weights correspond to those generally described, e.g. usually between 7.5 and 9lbs in the '50s, 8 and 9.5lbs from '60 to around '74, and from 8.5 to 12lbs until early '80s.

In general Ps are a few ounces lighter than Js, and there are a lot of exceptions in every era, especially very light ones in the first half of the '60s and very heavy ones in the last half of the '70s.

These are all my guesstimate averages for MIA basses only.
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Fascinating stuff! It's good to see some numbers going down next some same names, as it were :smug:.

People seem quite prone to excaggeration when they mention weights "off hand" in some of their posts.

At least now I know that reason my shoulder aches after 30 mins, is 11.2/3 lbs of "vintage" Fender. More importantly, I'm discovering that my two may well be at the heavier end of the "heavy scale".

I'm really keen to see some more '70s Fenders, now :hyper:.
 
#13
Fender32 said:
BTW, how much does it weigh without that bridge, out of interest :p?
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LOL I gotta admit I've been thinking of trading it off. I was getting stuff together to get it back to original (except for the pickguard, thinking white pearloid is called for there, and the thumbrest) but have been sidetracked by a Squier that weighs 2 pounds less. I can't say I'm not tempted to replace the hardware with lightweight hardware and possibly a lighter body painted to match. The neck on it is incredible.
 
#14
Webtroll said:
LOL I gotta admit I've been thinking of trading it off. I was getting stuff together to get it back to original (except for the pickguard, thinking white pearloid is called for there, and the thumbrest) but have been sidetracked by a Squier that weighs 2 pounds less. I can't say I'm not tempted to replace the hardware with lightweight hardware and possibly a lighter body painted to match. The neck on it is incredible.
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Easy for me to say, but I'd be tempted to keep it as original as possible. Those P Bass Specials (as I believe they're called :hmm:?) are getting rarer by the day.

Yours is a smart colour too, IMO. Doesn't fade as badly as the blue ones did :scowl:.
 

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