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"How much does it weigh?"

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#161
Joe Nerve said:
I just quickly browsed through this thread... caught the post about asking weight being the "in" thing to do. I think there's a lot of validity to that.

People asking weight is a definite peeve of mine. While I'm sure it happens, I've yet to see someone who questioned the weight on any bass in the classified section ever actually buy one of the basses they questioned.

Random thoughts regarding this: Unless it's a custom bass, if you want to know the weight go to the company website and look it up yourself. I don't own a scale. I'm not going to run out and buy one for someone who's not going to purchase a bass I'm selling anyhow. The only bass I ever owned that was a "backbreaker" was a bubinga corvette, and in all honesty it wasn't all that bad. I've played Stingrays for 2 1/2 hour sets. If you think that's heavy or there's a problem with it, then I'd suggest getting into shape.

If weight really is a big problem for someone then I'm going to guess you already know what the featherweights are. Danos, Ibanezes, etc... and if you want something boutiquish then I'm sure you already researched it. When someone is concerned over a few ounces however on a traditional bass with a possible ounce and a half of mods or whatever makes someone think it's going to make a world of weight difference - sorry but to me you're just being obnoxious. and neurotic. not that there's anything wrong with being neurotic :) . Just don't bother me with your neurosis. I never bother anyone with mine. Like being peaved by all the people who ask, "what's the weight on that?"
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No offense but isn't this post about you being peeved by weight questions? What happened to don't bother me with your neurosis, I never bother anyone with mine?
;)


I don't have the same experience. I've had people ask the weight of a bass that I was selling and upon being told and having any other questions promptly answered, bought the bass.

The idea that if people are asking about weight they want featherweights is obviously flawed. Maybe they simply don't want a boat anchor. There is a middle ground... right?

IME manufacturer sites usually don't list weights... for obvious reasons. I'm not sure what the idea that they do is based on.
:cool:
 
#162
IPA said:
Aside from a few very heavy basses, and a few very light ones, what is the fluctuation in weights? From about 9lb to about 11lb? Doesn't really seem like a range that should be the basis of making a purchase or passing.
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Honestly, what difference does that make? Here's the gigantic gaping flaw in this logic:

Are you buying an average bass or a particular one? Should you assume you're buying something in your average "range"?

That's a recipe for trouble if you're dealing with an unknown. Particularly on custom basses where you simply have no idea of the weight of a bass. And I've played basses over the years that ran between 7 and 15 lb. Some people simply don't want to deal with a heavier than average bass.

Hasn't happened in a while now but I used to regularly tell me that Bribakers are heavy. This was usually gleaned from talking to someone who had checked out my heavy Northern Ash Xtreme 5 (just as I ordered it). With a smile I would agree saying "Yes, they are heavy... except for the lighter ones".

For the life of me I don't understand why someone would assume that because one bass weighs X, another of the same brand will weigh X too. Weights can vary and if they matter to you, it's pretty dumb not to ask.

Hope that's not too blunt but that's what it is. Dumb.
 
#164
Joe Nerve said:
I really don't have a bad attitude. Ask anyone around. Fer some reason the attitudes you guys have here get me going though.

I actually thought about this a bit. If weight is a concern to you, you absolutely have every right to ask how much a bass weighs. Don't buy from people who don't know, or won't tell you. To be completely honest though, I really would rather not sell to someone who's all that concerned as I said in my last post. You're making differences in stock wood weight a deal maker or breaker and that's a bit much for me to want to deal with.
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I've never gotten pushback on weight after a sale. And I have on occassion not been in a position to give an accurate weight. In which case I will overestimate becuase as I said, I haven't seen anyone complain that a bass was too light from me.

And again, not sure where simple concern (just asking the question) becomes overly concerned in mind of a seller?
 
#165
stflbn said:
I view buying things on talkbass no different than buying something at a mom and pops or mass merchant. If I walk in and am looking at a cabinet and ask them how much it weighs... I expect them to care enough to find out 'if they wish to sell it "to me"'. I see asking the same about basses no differently... 'if they wish to sell it "to me"'

I find it hard to believe that some of the guys here making a case for not providing the weight of a bass would find it 'ok' for someone to dismiss a question of theirs a frivilous or unimportant if 'they' have a question when they're willing to plop down money on something. I bet somehow their question would suddenly become important and have valid reasons why it needs answered.

.
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That truly is the funniest thing about this. If I wanted to, I could trivialize ANY question about anything I was selling. Of course I'm smarter than that. Instead of spending time wondering why something might be important to a buyer (or decide it really shouldn't be ;)) I can just consider that it is and respond intelligently.
:hyper:
 
#166
guy n. cognito said:
Really, I've never been in a bricks-and-mortar music store that had a scale for such a purpose.
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I'm a little bit surprised at this comment from you, since your posts are usually very logical, but this one is a bit silly. At a brick-and-mortar store, you can pick up an instrument or cabinet and judge the weight for yourself. You don't have that opportunity when purchasing an instrument over the internet.

I have never asked the weight of an instrument before purchasing online, but as someone who has suffered through some brutal gigs with a herniated disk in my neck, I can certainly understand how it can be a useful metric for some.
 
#168
I reread my first post and agree that it was lacking in sensitivity to those who have an issue with weight. My apologies. I may have been wr... rrroo.... wrroo...

Reading through all of this has geniunely changed the way I feel about the whole weight thing. It's not an issue for me, so as many others, I expect the rest of the world to feel as I do. :) I'm open enough to accept that ya'll don't. But I will still hold onto my opinion that if 1/2 a lb is going to make or break you, you really need to start exercising.

My only defense regarding my 'tude' in this thread is that I tried to make light of my first post after someone responded... but then you got me hooked and going.

I will NOT buy a scale just to please the few who need to know the weight fo a bass I'm selling, but if I were selling more than the occasional bass I would now absolutely consider it. You've won me over. Not only do you have every right to ask the weight of a bass that someone is selling, you SHOULD ask the weight if it's someghing that concerns you.
 
#169
Joe Nerve said:
Reading through all of this has geniunely changed the way I feel about the whole weight thing. It's not an issue for me, so as many others, I expect the rest of the world to feel as I do. :) I'm open enough to accept that ya'll don't. But I will still hold onto my opinion that if 1/2 a lb is going to make or break you, you really need to start exercising.
Click to expand...

So there IS the heart of a sensitive man beating beneath that heretofore-perceived gruff exterior! As they say, it takes a big man to admit they may be wr... rrroo.... wrroo... ;)

Regarding the 1/2 lb. issue, you do have a good point. I think that, for most of us who have issues with the weight of a bass, the cutoff is somewhat arbitrary. I know I had trouble with a 10.5 lb. bass, but the issue might've been due to several factors: the weight of the bass, the girth of the neck (in my case, it was the chunkiest neck I'd ever played), my general health (overweight, aging, generally cranky). I also shy away from overly chunky necks these days, just in case.

Consider a bass I'm currently lusting for: a GC LE Stingray HH Slo Special. No concerns about a chunky neck, but hefting the bass I thought to myself that it seemed a tad heavy. Asked the GC salesperson if they could weigh it for me and the answer was YES, using a UPS scale they had (really!!) He came back with the bass and sheepishly reported it weighed 10.2 lbs., two tenths of a pound over my self-imposed limit!!

Now have I completely written off that bass? Of course not. In fact, I've gone back, played it, and began to rationalize that it didn't really seem THAT heavy. Problem is, if I buy it and decide later that it really is heavier than I would like, I'll take a substantial loss when I sell it. Of course, I may simply tire of the tone, or find something else that strikes my fancy, or...

At some point you may have to draw a line but there are times that line gets a bit fuzzy. There's absolutely no way I'll consider a 10.5 lb. and up bass, 9.5-10.5 is a grey area depending on the tone and other factors, anything less than 9.5 is fair game. When I ask about a bass, it's because I know that that line of basses have their boat anchors and I want to quickly eliminate those from consideration.
 
#170
Joe, the only thing I would really take exception too in your post is the checking with the manufacture's website aspect. I know we both love Musicman, but they list 9.5 lbs (varies slightly) and I've picked up more than a few 11 lb Stingrays. As much as I don't doubt the quality of the build on any Musicman, I would never buy one without knowing the weight.

The first generation of Big Al's with the alder bodies had quite a few anchors in them. I got fortunate that mine only weighed 9.5, but the first one I picked up at a GC was an 11 pounder.
 
#171
Joe Nerve said:
Reading through all of this has geniunely changed the way I feel about the whole weight thing. It's not an issue for me, so as many others, I expect the rest of the world to feel as I do. :) I'm open enough to accept that ya'll don't. But I will still hold onto my opinion that if 1/2 a lb is going to make or break you, you really need to start exercising.
.
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This issue in this thread is how important one's own feeling about a subject pertains to EVERYONE ELSE. Even the op, it's completely fine if weight doesn't bother you, or if you think people just need to buff up. But having an opinion like that and then realzing this has absolutely no bearing to anyone else and tons of people regard this as a serious issue are two different things.

Regarding half a pound, 8.5 is my preference, 9.5 and I really don't want to do it. So that makes 9 lbs a 'maybe' if its good enough, but that doesn't make 9.5 only a 1/2 lb more than a 'maybe', if that makes sense.

I've had a lot of basses and maybe a quarter were in the weight range that I really like, but they are out there and I feel no need to settle when I know I have the resources to really get what I want. Why would I settle? Why would anyone suggest I settle? That's is some pretty amazing stuff out there when you hear a bunch of people say suck it up and just deal with it. What makes you think I care enough about your opinion to make it change my opinion in the slightest?

In reality, I do like to hear opinions, but I form my own based on my experience, and really nothing about what I just said surprises me, I think people do it all the time. And rarely do our own opinions change, only questions get answered. Anyways, I like lighter basses, and I'll ditch anything that is less than 19mm spacing at the bridge. And I'll never own a minivan. That is how I roll.
 
#172
Yeah it does. You try to manipulate people to do what you want by complaining about them in a forum. I for one don't really care what you think or want. And it really makes no difference in my life if you think I can read or not. My life goes on as usual. :D

guy n. cognito said:
You can't read. It doesn't upset me. I simply don't offer an answer to the question, for the reasons I stated before.
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#174
guy n. cognito said:
Do you know JD down at Corner Music? Walk in their sometime and ask him to weigh a bass cabinet for you. I bet you get an interesting look, and even more interesting commentary.


I'm cheating a bit. I actually heard a guy ask him the weight of a bass once. He said he didn't know, and the guy asked again. His final answer was " I don't know. It's a bass. It's heavy."

Really, I've never been in a bricks-and-mortar music store that had a scale for such a purpose.
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In a store the buyer can actually feel the weight of the bass. Online he can't.
 
#175
Joe Nerve said:
I reread my first post and agree that it was lacking in sensitivity to those who have an issue with weight. My apologies. I may have been wr... rrroo.... wrroo...

Reading through all of this has geniunely changed the way I feel about the whole weight thing. It's not an issue for me, so as many others, I expect the rest of the world to feel as I do. :) I'm open enough to accept that ya'll don't. But I will still hold onto my opinion that if 1/2 a lb is going to make or break you, you really need to start exercising.

My only defense regarding my 'tude' in this thread is that I tried to make light of my first post after someone responded... but then you got me hooked and going.

I will NOT buy a scale just to please the few who need to know the weight fo a bass I'm selling, but if I were selling more than the occasional bass I would now absolutely consider it. You've won me over. Not only do you have every right to ask the weight of a bass that someone is selling, you SHOULD ask the weight if it's someghing that concerns you.
Click to expand...

Joe, the funny thing is... i don't typically care about weight (but I do understand that many people do care). I play some pretty hefty instruments along with others. If it sounds great, it almost magically makes it lighter to me;).

Not sure I can prove that with a graft.
:cool:
 
#177
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.
 
#179
EagleMoon said:
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.
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The heavy is sometimes better attitude is pretty prevalent with me. If someone made lightweight basses that sounded like my main ones, I'd be on that bandwagon. Hasn't happened yet.
;)

Besides, most bikes aren't built for tone.
:)
 
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