Help choosing a bass - "Light" vs Heavy

[PrecisionPedro]

I've had back surgery (herniated disc - the repair worked great in my case). Still......if you're gonna complain about how much "more" the lighter bass costs, add the cost of back surgery on to the cost of the heavier one, and see which one is now cheaper.

What would I actually do? I play 5'ers, I build my own (Warmoth wood, aluminum Hipshot hardware, etc), and all of them are 7.75 pounds or lighter.

That´s a lot of money hahaha. Nah I know man, your way is cool, building your own is definately a good path.

I have decided to buy the Fender, I have the money and the shop has a discount so I´ll take that! I still can play on my feet and I workout so I can stand it for a while. This would be my first good bass and also lighter than the Charvel 3B that I also have. Thank you all for the great helping. This forum is awesome.

 

[Egg250]

I have lower back issues with prolonged standing, not an issue as long as I can move around and adjust position. Heavier instruments do aggravate my left shoulder, around the 2 hour playing mark. Go with the lightest instrument that suits your needs.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I see you have made your choice and I believe it is the right one. Weight is weight, and no matter how you position the bass or wide a strap you get, if it is a problem with your back and discs, your body has to support it so going with the lightest possible instrument is a good idea.

 

[_B_E_A_D_G_]

If the weight of the bass gives you pain, common sense should be telling you you have limited options, and buying a heavy bass isn't one of them.

[...]

In my case, pain is good at focusing my attention. I also have a herniated disc and I'm currently finding it difficult to gig my 9 3/4lb Jazz bass, so I'm looking at a 6lb Sandberg California 2 TT5 Superlight. The last thing I would be considering is an 11lb bass.

If you can find one, you should also consider the Yamaha rbx a-2. The 5 strings versions are under 8lbs (and the 4 strings under 7lbs), and if it was good enough for Prince it is good enough for me

 

[lomo]

8.5 lbs is my absolute upper limit for a FIVE string. I won't even look at a bass over 8.5 lbs, and like 'em closer to 8.0. Since there are plenty of light options and absolutely zero correlation between weight and tone, I can't think of a good reason to wear a bass that's heavier than it needs to be in order to balance well. There are no extra style or sonic point for discomfort.

 

[amper]

Hello guys!,

I want to buy a new bass and I have two options, a new Fender American Performer PJ - MIA (around 8,8lbs / 4kg) or a cheap Lakland Skyline 44-64 PJ custom (around 11 lbs / 4,9Kg) that a guy sells.

The thing is I have an herniated disc and the weight will be compromised. I have 80s Charvel and the weight is 4,5kg and after a short time it starts to hurting my back. Don´t know if it is the strap or something... I would love to have the Lakland but that weight is...agh.

I don´t know if anyone has an alternative, if has a good strap or something to get the Lakland or just focus on the new Fender.

Thanks!!

Between a USA Fender and an Indonesian "Lakland", there's no contest. If it were a USA Lakland v. a USA Fender, that would be different.

I owned the StingRay in my profile pic for about 15 years before I ever thought to weigh it. Turns out, it's 9.4 lbs. I've never thought of it as "heavy", and I've never chosen an instrument based on weight, even among examples of the same model. If an instrument doesn't feel right in my hands, my body will tell me all I need to know without stepping on a scale.

 

[InhumanResource]

Hello guys!,

I want to buy a new bass and I have two options, a new Fender American Performer PJ - MIA (around 8,8lbs / 4kg) or a cheap Lakland Skyline 44-64 PJ custom (around 11 lbs / 4,9Kg) that a guy sells.

The thing is I have an herniated disc and the weight will be compromised. I have 80s Charvel and the weight is 4,5kg and after a short time it starts to hurting my back. Don´t know if it is the strap or something... I would love to have the Lakland but that weight is...agh.

I don´t know if anyone has an alternative, if has a good strap or something to get the Lakland or just focus on the new Fender.

Thanks!!

Personally I would go for the lighter of these two, but maybe you want to audition some more and see what speaks to you.

 

[Akiyama]

Hello guys!,

I want to buy a new bass and I have two options, a new Fender American Performer PJ - MIA (around 8,8lbs / 4kg) or a cheap Lakland Skyline 44-64 PJ custom (around 11 lbs / 4,9Kg) that a guy sells.

The thing is I have an herniated disc and the weight will be compromised. I have 80s Charvel and the weight is 4,5kg and after a short time it starts to hurting my back. Don´t know if it is the strap or something... I would love to have the Lakland but that weight is...agh.

I don´t know if anyone has an alternative, if has a good strap or something to get the Lakland or just focus on the new Fender.

Thanks!!

Does sitting aggravate your herniated disc or is standing worse or your back just hurts no matter what you do? If sitting aggravates it, try playing while standing with one foot on a slight elevation like a stool. See if that helps. If standing is worse for pain, play sitting with proper posture. Always stop playing before pain comes on. If both standing and sitting hurt, then you should avoid playing until your back is better. And also, tell your doctor and/or physical therapist so they can address your playing posture and give tips.

 

[Standalone]

My lightest bass has the hugest tone. Weight does not necessarily equal tone.

 

[Herrick]

That´s a lot of money hahaha. Nah I know man, your way is cool, building your own is definately a good path.

I have decided to buy the Fender, I have the money and the shop has a discount so I´ll take that! I still can play on my feet and I workout so I can stand it for a while. This would be my first good bass and also lighter than the Charvel 3B that I also have. Thank you all for the great helping. This forum is awesome.

Nice! If you get a chance, post some pictures of it when you get it.

 

[Mastermold]

I'd go for something even lighter.

Yeah I was going to suggest a Danelectro. They are decent instruments and weigh in at only around 5 lbs.

 

[swarfrat]

I've seen enough people with jumping through hoops to accommodate disability that I'm just going to say every time now:

Korg Wavestate Wave Sequencing Synthesizer

 

[Durham52]

Seams like the OP has made his decision and is going with the lighter Fender, can't blame him, depending on which part of a spine is injured, straps won't necessarily do anything to help. For almost anyone with significant lower back damage, a better strap is not a viable option, weight is weight and a strap doesn't make anything weigh less.

I partially crushed my L4,5 and 6 discs (lower back) in a fall at age 38, I'm seventy now and have managed a fairly normal life by daily exercise to build core muscle strength to support my back, but it still goes on me from time to time and I had to give up some activities, including some of my favorite sports. (distance running, dirt bikes, surfing, squash and tennis) I build my own basses and weight is always a factor if I want to be able to play standing up for any length of time.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

Good choice, OP. I chanced on a G&L with empress - it's so light, I won't go back (pun intended). Zero reason.

 

[themickster]

Hello guys!,

I want to buy a new bass and I have two options, a new Fender American Performer PJ - MIA (around 8,8lbs / 4kg) or a cheap Lakland Skyline 44-64 PJ custom (around 11 lbs / 4,9Kg) that a guy sells.

The thing is I have an herniated disc and the weight will be compromised. I have 80s Charvel and the weight is 4,5kg and after a short time it starts to hurting my back. Don´t know if it is the strap or something... I would love to have the Lakland but that weight is...agh.

I don´t know if anyone has an alternative, if has a good strap or something to get the Lakland or just focus on the new Fender.

Thanks!!

Ibanez SR basses are even lighter. My SR300EB is 6lbs.

 

[Speakz]

You might also consider searching out a lighter Lakland in that model? I had to search for my 44-01 and 44-02 and also eventually found a 55-02 (didn't buy it) all under 9 pounds. Reverb has a bunch and then you can go to the individual shops websites where they list the weights. I also emailed/messaged the seller to verify the weight before I bought them. It took me a couple months of searching to get the weight and finish I wanted. Like others have shared I keep the weight no more than 8.5 pounds.

 

[Whale guy]

I have never met anyone with a genuine P bass that isn't at least somewhat bonded with it, myself included.

 

[Wfrance3]

My avatar bass is almost 11 but my LP guitar is 12.

 

[JACKSON JS1XM]

The lighter bass guitar, the bass tone and heaviness is going to come from the pickups, amp & cab.

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

According to an article in Wired Magazine, a body could be worth up to $45 million — calculated by selling the bone marrow, DNA, lungs, kidneys, heart, etc as components.

So; taking good care of a $45M asset should have a higher priority than the nuances between two basses. Just get the lightest bass possible.

With todays technology, any regular bass can fit into a mix and used as a proper tool for musical story telling, don't worry.