• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Heft = good strong sound?

acmeseed

acmeseed

Jun 15, 2009
243
205
Mission Viejo, CA
#1
Picked up a 1997 Squier P-Bass for $75 at GC, the thing sounded and played great, but after playing out with it 2 times I realized the thing was a heavy beast, I put it on a scale and it came in at 13 pounds, so it is going back Monday.

I am wondering, do you think heft=good solid sound? This thing sounded almost as good or better than my American P-Bass and Jazz Bass. I don't mind the weight of those 2, but my shoulder said no way to the Squier.

Thanks,

Mike.
 
#2
It can add to the sound, but it's not a necessary ingredient for a particular sound. There are plenty of boat anchors that sound lousy. The neck and body construction, fret job and the electronics all play an important role.
 
#3
fourstringdrums said:
It can add to the sound, but it's not a necessary ingredient for a particular sound. There are plenty of boat anchors that sound lousy. The neck and body construction, fret job and the electronics all play an important role.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yes, this thing had apparently been setup by someone that knew how, the string height at the nut was just right, the action quite low but not too low, I checked the frets for leveling and did not have to do anything to them. The pickups looked stock and so was the bridge. That all might have something to do with it.
 
#4
I don't think weight directly correlates to great tone. Some of the best sounding basses I have heard were featherweights. I think the idea that weight = good tone came about in the 80's when everybody was putting heavy brass hardware on their basses and guitars. I think the brass looked cool (and it was definitely heavy!) but a lot of those boat anchors sounded lousy and needed work to be decent sounding/playable instruments.

I prefer a light weight bass for gigging, and so does my back!

-Ron
 
  • Like
Reactions: GregC
#5
I prefer a heavier bass. I don't think it's a direct correlative to "better" sound (subjective) but of all the basses I've owned over the years, I've always preferred the tone of the heavier ones. ESPECIALLY for recording.
 
#6
no, I don't believe weight adds much to the sound of a bass. I have a light bass, an Ibanez SR800 that sounds better than a lot of heavy basses I have or have tried. Better than my heavier Fender P and Jazz basses. My light Fender JP-90 also sounds more robust than either of these basses as well. Whatever advantage (whether perceived or not) the additional weight may provide has been compensated by good pickups and electronics.
One of the more robust sounding basses I've had, the Ergodyne EDC700 is light - big booming bass sound doesn't come from the wood - in fact, the body isn't even made out of wood.
A "heavy" bridge (aka high mass bridge) does affect tone and sustain though.
 
#7
My Warwick NT is by far my nicest sounding bass. It seems to have more resonance while at the same time punchiness even when it's not plugged in. I think that its considerable heft (12.5 lbs.) has a lot to do with it, maybe it's the NT:

DSCN0606_zps1ee7ae58.jpg


I'm having a 6 NT fretless built using alder/maple/mahogany. The body was cut out last week. I was over there and was pleasantly (I think ) surprised by how light it is, feels like it's under 10lbs.:

IMG_20140926_221731_zps503cc8d3.jpg


Fretboard, headstock, pups, and other hardware are going to add some weight, but I'm still expecting this to be substantially lighter than the Wick. Until I plug that in and compare the 2, I'm of the heft = good, strong sound, plugged and unplugged opinion.
 
#8
weight hasn't got a thing to do with tone. I'm sure the trolls will have all kinds tone per pound formulas, but that's crap. Some of the nastier sounding basses I've owned we heavy as anchors. The best sounding basses- (which I bought because of sound AND light weight) are the MTD kingstons.....8-9 pounds and ozzing tone goodness. Another point that people miss is, lighter is more comfortable, and the more comfortable you are, the better you will play & sound. I played a 14-15 pound warwick thumb for years, yeah sounded great, but I was spending way to much time at the chiropractors office. Never again!
 
#11
I hope not, because I simply can't play a heavy instrument anymore. The years of playing heavy guitars and basses have done my neck in, plus I fell on the ice awhile ago and really did it in. I go for feather weights now.

I don't think weight makes a bass sound better. Density of the wood may help transmit vibrations better, but it have a very light Pbass that I think sounds great and it doesn't kill my neck.
 
#12
There is neither reason nor evidence that a heavier bass sounds "better", or even consistently, predictably different in any audible way from a lighter one. A man believes what he wants to believe, and disregards the rest.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back