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Heavy or light bass?

#101
tjh said:
I am insistent that my basses be light … and I can't understand why that would even begin to be an issue for anyone else that might prefer them heavy …

But, if it is any consolation, I do prefer my women heavy (and curvy) rather than light (and thin), although I am sure that would mystify some as well …

I also drive Dodge mini-vans (rather than cars or trucks), own a flip phone, have never sent a text in my life … I pick fallen items up off the floor and put back on store shelves, stop in traffic to let a pedestrian across the street, and I identify myself every time I answer the phone …

.. there you go .. pick one (or a few) and add to your disgust with this ol'coot … ;)
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You sound like a square. You probably signal when turning, pulling away from the curb or passing.
 
#103
nilorius said:
I own good sounding and specific basses - lighter ang heavier. I can handle both.
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Yea.
I happen to have a pretty solid frame so a heavier bass isn’t a problem. What’s more important to me is the overall weight distribution and how the bass “sits” or hangs. I’d rather have a heavy bass that’s rides well rather than a lightweight bass I have to tussle with all night.
 
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#106
mongo2 said:
That makes me curious, I've had very heavy basses and I'm not seeing how a heavier bass would be inherently faster. How's that work?
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this explains it better than i can
65053DD7-FC6B-4C80-ABD4-98D52B1A8A94.jpeg
 
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#109
My Warwick is a hair under 11lbs but I guess because it’s a short scale it balances beautifully and I have no problem doing 2-3 hour shows with it. But I have tried other basses in the same weight range and it feels like my shoulders are gonna snap. Generally I prefer light basses but the Warwick is an anomaly I guess
 
#110
jonnybass1 said:
My Warwick is a hair under 11lbs but I guess because it’s a short scale it balances beautifully and I have no problem doing 2-3 hour shows with it. But I have tried other basses in the same weight range and it feels like my shoulders are gonna snap. Generally I prefer light basses but the Warwick is an anomaly I guess
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I find the balance of an instrument to be very important for playing comfort.
 
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#112
Do people not know there are weight reducing straps available? Comfort Strapp makes some amazing space aged design stuff that I really like. Levy’s makes a really nice wide strap that helps distribute weight. Also, Moody made nice stuff if you can find them used. I don’t think they’re in business anymore.

I prefer heavy basses myself.
Especially when it comes to basses made with ash bodies. Light ash can turn out to be very thin sounding. That’s just my experience.
 
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#113
In my experience, both light and heavy basses may sound great or bad. They do have different flavor, lighter basses tend to be more "open" sounding, while heavy basses may have more compression to the sound and thicker low-end.
It also depends on the type of wood used, neck-joint construction, material and mass of the bridge, etc.
As for alder-bodied basses, I found that those, which are lighter, are more resonant than heavy-bodied, but it also greatly depends on how the wood has been dried, finished... For example, I remember some mid '60-early '70 Fenders which were lightweight, but sounded pretty dull.
As for ash, I do like the tone of medium-heavy bodies (around 10 lbs). Very light basses with ash body tend to have great solo timbre but have a tendency to lack the thickness in the bass region (not enough acoustic low-end), while very heavy ash-bodied basses do cut through any busy mix, but usually have more compression acoustically, and so are less dynamic.
I would consider mid '50s Fender P-Basses to be an exeption. Leo really knew how to make the guitar SOUND GREAT!
I have 5 different basses. My favorites are the '72 Precision (alder/rosewood, original lightweight bridge, 9 lbs) and the '01 Alembic Rogue 5 (mahogany, neck-through, brass bridge and nut, 11 lbs). They do sound completely different, but they are both very fine instruments!
And another factor is how hard the bass has been played. When buying a used bass I look at its condition. And I highly appreciate instruments in "player's condition".
These are my observations...
 
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#117
bassballs27 said:
Do people not know there are weight reducing straps available? Comfort Strapp makes some amazing space aged design stuff that I really like. Levy’s makes a really nice wide strap that helps distribute weight. Also, Moody made nice stuff if you can find them used. I don’t think they’re in business anymore.

I prefer heavy basses myself.
Especially when it comes to basses made with ash bodies. Light ash can turn out to be very thin sounding. That’s just my experience.
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Yes!
The Comfort Strapp.
I use them exclusively.
And this is why a 10.5 lb six stringer is acceptable.Comfort.jpg
Snapshot_20171201_1.JPG
 
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