"How much does it weigh?"

[Tommygunn]

I can't understand why people wouldn't be interested in weight, unless you're just sitting in your bedroom with it in your lap? If you're playing gigs with it, who wants to be standing for hours with heavy bass on your shoulder if you don't have to? Its like bicyclists using the lightest weight bike they can to save on weight. They don't need to ride a heavy bike, and we don't need to wear and play a heavy bass. There are so many nice, lightweight instruments out there nowdays that nobody really needs to drag around a two ton boat anchor anymore. The "heavy is better" attitude should have gone out with the 70's.

IMO Heavy isn't necessarily better. I like heavy basses, they seem more solid to me. I'm pretty rough on my basses, and whether its studier or not, heavier basses give me better piece of mind. I have 2 heavy and 2 not. I'd actually like my steinberger to be lighter, it's only like 7lbs but its frickin tiny. My dirnt is like 6lbs. And my sterling is 9 while my first is 14lbs. Just my 2 cents.

No of course not, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make.

I personally haven't found heavier basses to sound better than lighter basses. Sorry to hear that in your case that they are. I would much rather play something lightweight if I have a choice.

 

[EagleMoon]

Actually there is something silly about it. No offense.

If you're holding the bass you should be able to determine whether or not it's too heavy. If you are then told the actual weight and it changes your opinion based on holding it... that could be seen as at least a bit silly.

Silly is in the mind of the observer. To me, it's not at all silly.

Now this...

...is just generally silly. And in no way pertains to the weighing of a bass.

 

[EagleMoon]

Why in the world would you be sorry? I'm not. I did three sets last night with a 10+ lb bass and didn't even notice the weight. As usual.

You manly man you.

Well you've got me beat in that department for sure.

 

[Tommygunn]

See weight sometimes makes a difference to me. I'd rather ask to borrow a strap (most like the one I normally use) and strap it on and test balance and how it feels, because regardless of weight, if it doesn't feel good on my soldiers... I'm not getting it.

 

[jongor]

Exactly!

People always want to see pics.....I can't see why, I don't care what a bass looks like.....

Here's a better question. Why don't more for sale ads just post that info in the first place, instead of making me ask for it
/rick

 

[3wavylines]

If you can't, in person with a bass in your hands, determine whether or not a bass is too heavy, then a scale won't help you. I'm not sure anything will.

I suppose if I played 3 sets standing up in the store with the bass, then that would tell me everything I need to know. Otherwise, weighing it on a scale is a nice shortcut.

One of these is pretty handy for weighing basses:

Berkley 50 lb. Digital Fish Scale

 

[Eskimo Spy]

If you can't, in person with a bass in your hands, determine whether or not a bass is too heavy, then a scale won't help you. I'm not sure anything will.

That's your opinion on the matter. It's not applicable to everyone.

Really, what does the number tell you that your hands (or shoulders) won't? Is it really possible that you'll strap on a bass and think "hey, this feels great!" only to change your mind once you throw it on a scale?

Yes. 10 minutes in a store might not tell you 100% if the bass will feel heavy after 3 hours onstage. However, if your experience is that a 10 lb. bass will make your back hurt after a long show, then knowing the weight is important. This would be especially true when you're buying an instrument online.

Do you really judge weight and comfort with your eyes? Are you going to take the scale with you to a gig to confirm throughout the night that the weight is still light enough to be comfortable? Ridiculous.

This point is pure internet hyperbole.

Posts like this confirm the theory that some other posters had above; some people want to know weight just to know weight.

And if they do, so what? What harm does it do to anyone to answer the question? So, if it's not important to you, then no one else should care about it? Now that's a ridiculous position to take.

I spent 4 hours playing a heavy Stingray Classic last night. A good, heavy, padded leather strap and good posture kept me comfortable all night. Gosh, if I had weighed that bass I would have known to be miserable instead.......

Just because you can play a heavy bass for hours doesn't mean everyone can. Again, do we all have to use your worldview as our measuring stick? What about people with back problems? Or, what about smaller bass players? What about female bassists? I guess we should all just ignore our own realities because you think it's a silly question to ask?

So, in your opinion, there are no valid reasons to ask about the weight of an instrument? None?

It's truly amazing the mental gymnastics people will sometimes perform to try and be right...

 

[guy n. cognito]

I suppose if I played 3 sets standing up in the store with the bass, then that would tell me everything I need to know. Otherwise, weighing it on a scale is a nice shortcut.

One of these is pretty handy for weighing basses:

Berkley 50 lb. Digital Fish Scale

The looks you must get carrying your fish scale into a music store......

I must be magic. I can spend about 15 minutes with a bass and determine whether or not the weight will be an issue. Actually, I must run in a circle of magic musicians, because I honestly don't know a single one that must measure an instrument with a scale to determine how comfortable it will be.

I can understand why one would ask about weight when buying sight unseen. But questioning the weight of a bass that is IN HAND and available for an extended test session is......silly.

 

[Eskimo Spy]

But questioning the weight of a bass that is IN HAND and available for an extended test session is......silly.

If I have access to the instrument, on my strap, for an extended period of time, then yes, the weight question becomes moot. But you didn't make this specific point until now...

 

[3wavylines]

I can understand why one would ask about weight when buying sight unseen. But questioning the weight of a bass that is IN HAND and available for an extended test session is......silly.

Yes, and speedometers, thermometers, tire gauges, measuring cups, rulers, and electronic tuners are silly as well because they don't tell you anything that you shouldn't already be able to figure out with your five senses....

 

[guy n. cognito]

If I have access to the instrument, on my strap, for an extended period of time, then yes, the weight question becomes moot. But you didn't make this specific point until now...

Actually, I didn't specify any testing conditions. If I have to tell you that you CAN walk into a bricks-and-mortar store and spend an extended period of time, especially if your sensitive to weight, then I just can't help you.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Yes, and speedometers, thermometers, tire gauges, measuring cups, rulers, and electronic tuners are silly as well because they don't tell you anything that you shouldn't already be able to figure out with your five senses....

I didn't say the measurement devices were silly, merely the application of one specific measurement device in one particular situation. Your comparisons are mostly inapplicable, but I'll just leave that alone for now.

 

[big0bassdude]

Come back when you've played 2 3 hour sets with a Stingray/P-bass/T-40

Exactly. Long sets are murder on your back with a heavy axe plus the weight OF CARRYING THE ENTIRE BAND ALL NIGHT!

 

[Eskimo Spy]

Actually, I didn't specify any testing conditions. If I have to tell you that you CAN walk into a bricks-and-mortar store and spend an extended period of time, especially if your sensitive to weight, then I just can't help you.

Do you have a consistent argument to make here, or are you just going to keep changing your argument until you're right?

First, you said that weight shouldn't be an issue. Then, when confronted with several valid reasons for being concerned about the weight of a bass, you revised your argument. Now, you're trying to make some ridiculous point about me not understanding that I can walk into a store and test an instrument for hours...

Let me ask you; wouldn't it just be simpler to simply ask how much the thing weighs, if the weight of the instrument is an issue to a buyer? Oh, but of course you're right, it's better to waste hours in Guitar Center Hell to determine whether or not it's too heavy. Yeah, that makes perfect sense.

As I said earlier, some people just have to be right on teh interwebs. Kudos to you for proving my point.

 

[fretno]

I wish it was like buying meat or fish , say 100 bucks per lbs. though used meat would be cheaper of course , I mean bass used bass

 

[jnammy]

When you're at a store and you're holding a bass you've been lusting after, you're going to have a tough time gauging how heavy that bass really is. When the honeymoon stage is over, then you'll start noticing it's flaws, we've all experienced this, right? I've never taken a scale to a store, but I did once bring a ruler to a GC to measure the nut widths of some basses that I couldn't find the info about online. I was looking for a backup bass with the same 1.875" nut as all of my other basses.

 

[Korladis]

Why is this always the first question asked about any bass posted on here? I've never seen a more weight-obsessed group of people.

Is it just because you guys are careful about your backs, or is there something else that I don't know about? I don't think I've ever cared about the weight of an instrument except when I'm hauling it off to UPS. Are you guys sizing them up for shipping awaiting the day when the bass inevitably ends up in the classifieds?

Because there are tons of old guys here with back problems and bony shoulders. They get tired, easily, too.

As for me, give me those heavy basses.

 

[mongo2]

The looks you must get carrying your fish scale into a music store......

I have that exact scale and I get no "looks" in the store when I use it. In fact several people have asked me to borrow it when they saw it and told me they thought it was a great idea.

 

[Dark Horse]

Here is a picture of the back of my neck. I crushed 3 bones and tore every ligament. I was paralyzed, and when I was lucky enough to get feeling and movement back, I went through a long period of extensive physical therapy.

Now, do any of you REALLY want to tell me that the weight of a bass "doesn't matter" ?

Well, it may not matter to "you", but it sure as hell matters to "me". I personally don't enjoy the migraines that I get after playing a heavy bass for more than 30 minutes or so.

Besides - since when is it a crime for a potential buyer to want to know information about a product ?

Seriously - YOUR opinion is not the ONLY valid opinion. People have different things that are important to THEM. For someone else to tell then that their opinion isn't "valid" is ridiculous.

Sellers - if someone wants to know what a bass weighs, just tell them.... or if you don't, don't b*tch and moan if your bass doesn't sell quickly. A buyer shouldn't have to "jump through hoops" or "explain his/her every question" when shopping for something....the seller should simply answer the question to the best of their ability.

Is it really so difficult to answer a simple question for a prospective buyer on something that costs hundreds (to possibly thousands) of dollars ?

 

[bass4worship]

Here's a better question. Why don't more for sale ads just post that info in the first place, instead of making me ask for it

/rick

Because most of us don't know how much it weight at post time and we more about getting pic's up first.