Is a 9 pound bass too heavy?

[tink9975]

9 is just about my limit these days, my main players are 8 and 8.5 lbs.
neck injuries suck

 

[EricMordus]

I play a 10 pound Musicman, it's not too heavy

 

[Grizz33]

My daughter weighs 24lbs. I love carrying her around. Just not for 4-5 hours straight! So I guess I could play a 24lb bass for a few 10 minute sets!

Yeah, that's a good point. Okay, how about this...someone handing you a 9 pound baby, saying it's yours, even though you've never seen it before?

I guess that's a 'nother thread...

 

[DwaynieAD]

Are you sure it is 14.5lbs? That is about as heavy as I have ever seen a single necked bass in my 30+ years of playing. The very odd 70's Fender or early 80's Peavey would be over 12lbs and 13 was considered a boat anchor.

Almost all new basses you pick up in a music store are under 10lbs these days.

yeah, I've checked multiple times because I couldn't believe it myself, it definitely seems like I'm wrong. I mean it's bathroom scale weight so obviously there is some leeway, but it makes my 11lb MM feel like a featherweight in comparison. She's definitely a heavyweight contender.

 

[JimmyM]

Yeah, that's a good point. Okay, how about this...someone handing you a 9 pound baby, saying it's yours, even though you've never seen it before?

I guess that's a 'nother thread...

I'm still going to hold the baby, as I totally love babies. Then I'd deal with the gal later after the baby and I play for a little while.

And there is no contest...I would MUCH rather hold a baby. That's how it is when you're Gampy

 

[Kragnorak]

I'm curious how much this weighs:

 

[troy mcclure]

My alembic felt like 12 lbs... I never gigged it. I have a P lyte which is nice and light but don't sound that great. My main players are Fender Special Deluxe P's and they weigh almost 10 lbs, they are fine with a comfort strap and I play mostly 4 hr gigs.

 

[Korladis]

+1. I sure would love the luxury of a couple of roadies carrying around a mother of an Ampeg SVT and fridge rig, but for me (and probably the majority of folk on here) this is not the case, so I cut my cloth to fit. Remember with a bit of luck we all get older and ageing brings with it change and new challenges for all, hence my shoulder being screwed up from years of playing. Anything over 7.5 lb now is a no no for me so I use a Sadowsky NYC and Duo strap.
Thankfully the introduction of micro amps and neo speakers has kept me in the game.

The rig isn't a big deal for me. Moving it takes up way less time than playing. I suspect I'll be playing out of big rigs long after I've switched to light basses. And even when the 2000S cab is too much for me, there are some very light tube heads out right now and there's the Greenboy Dually cab, which is big, but looks to be pretty light, so I'll be okay.

You can always think of this way...

Would you rather hold a 9 pound bass or a 9 pound baby? Bass all day.

Bass. No contest.

Not bad when you're in your 20's, maybe even your 30's. But my 40's is when everything went to crap in my body

Yeah. My answer to this thread will be different in a decade or so, I'm guessing. I can gig with an 11 pound bass now, and enjoy it, but heavy basses seem to be a privilege of younger players. Same as I'm having long hair while I can, because I know I'm going to start going bald in a couple years.

I used a beautiful Jaydee roadie 11 boutique bass throughout my 20's and early thirties. It weighed around 11.5 pounds. A beautiful bass, with the best neck I ever wrapped my hand around and a real looker. I got older, it got too heavy, but I persevered until I done damage to my shoulder. It is long since sold. My only regret is that I did not retire the beast earlier and get something lighter. My body would thank me now.
Kinda the same deal with my hearing. Rocked out for many years, with little consideration for my hearing. Then developed tinnitus and for the past 8 years have been using custom ACS ear protectors. If I could rewind the clock, I would have protected my ears from the off. Guess hindsight is 20/20 vision.
Enjoy those heavy basses.

I will, while I can. I don't plan on selling my 4001, but it'll probably be relegated to studio duty only, and maybe the very occasional short show, or even just song, when I'm 40.

I've been wearing ear plugs for years, though.

 

[Baird6869]

I'm curious how much this weighs:

Be friggin hilarious if it came in at 6.9lbs or something super light.

 

[Staccato]

At the moment, 86 percent don't mind a bass that weights 9 lbs.

 

[leroy diamond]

The rig isn't a big deal for me. Moving it takes up way less time than playing. I suspect I'll be playing out of big rigs long after I've switched to light basses. And even when the 2000S cab is too much for me, there are some very light tube heads out right now and there's the Greenboy Dually cab, which is big, but looks to be pretty light, so I'll be okay.


Bass. No contest.


Yeah. My answer to this thread will be different in a decade or so, I'm guessing. I can gig with an 11 pound bass now, and enjoy it, but heavy basses seem to be a privilege of younger players. Same as I'm having long hair while I can, because I know I'm going to start going bald in a couple years.


I will, while I can. I don't plan on selling my 4001, but it'll probably be relegated to studio duty only, and maybe the very occasional short show, or even just song, when I'm 40.

I've been wearing ear plugs for years, though.

Really wise move with the earplugs. I used to laugh at the odd guy that I would see wearing them 20 years ago. I ain't laughing now

 

[leroy diamond]

At the moment, 86 percent don't mind a bass that weights 9 lbs.

Wow!. 14% on here are made up of girly bass players!

 

[kurosawa]

I had 2 identical SQ-series Ps, 8 lb even and 8 lb 8 oz. Both sounded great, but the heavier one sounded distinctly soggy played side by side with the lighter one. For a while, I played a '62 AVRI and a '57 AVRI. The '57 was lighter and sounded louder and clearer. It's true that whoever's listening to you hears only one bass. There's no side-by-side comparison in the real world, so yes, there is a difference, and no, it doesn't much matter. First purchase post divorce will be an alder P bass. No doubt I'll be playing my way through piles and piles to find the right one. When I take it home, I'm guessing it'll weigh in at 8 or under. Another wood I love is hard ash in the '68 Tele Bass, talk about a shoulder crusher. There I have no idea if heavier sounds better. It might. Every wood species has its own quirks. But near as I can tell, with alder, the lighter it is, the clearer and louder it sounds, and the harder hitting the attack is.

 

[RickC]

Wow!. 14% on here are made up of girly bass players!

Cut that out or I'll hit you with my purse

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

At the moment, 86 percent don't mind a bass that weights 9 lbs.

I think those results would change drastically if the question was "Is a 10 lb bass too heavy?". I know my answer would change.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I had 2 identical SQ-series Ps, 8 lb even and 8 lb 8 oz. Both sounded great, but the heavier one sounded distinctly soggy played side by side with the lighter one. For a while, I played a '62 AVRI and a '57 AVRI. The '57 was lighter and sounded louder and clearer. It's true that whoever's listening to you hears only one bass. There's no side-by-side comparison in the real world, so yes, there is a difference, and no, it doesn't much matter. First purchase post divorce will be an alder P bass. No doubt I'll be playing my way through piles and piles to find the right one. When I take it home, I'm guessing it'll weigh in at 8 or under. Another wood I love is hard ash in the '68 Tele Bass, talk about a shoulder crusher. There I have no idea if heavier sounds better. It might. Every wood species has its own quirks. But near as I can tell, with alder, the lighter it is, the clearer and louder it sounds, and the harder hitting the attack is.

It would be interesting to know if there is a significant difference between the tone of light weight solid bodied basses and light chambered basses where the material may not be as light.

 

[Korladis]

I think those results would change drastically if the question was "Is a 10 lb bass too heavy?". I know my answer would change.

Mine wouldn't, but I can't speak for anyone else. A ten pound bass would still be lighter than my main.

It would be interesting to know if there is a significant difference between the tone of light weight solid bodied basses and light chambered basses where the material may not be as light.

That is an interesting question, and something I've wondered about myself.

 

[Steve S]

I played a 15 pound bass for over 18 years. Now that I'm 65, I use a 7.5 pound Lull.

 

[hsech]

The real question is..... Do YOU think it's too heavy? I don't think so if the weight is distributed by a wide strap.

 

[leroy diamond]

The real question is..... Do YOU think it's too heavy? I don't think so if the weight is distributed by a wide strap.

A wider strap made only a slight difference in my case. The law of gravity still applies. Currently persevering with the Gruvgear Duostrap (with my 7 pound Sadowsky NYC). Initially I did not like it. Having a strap on the right shoulder just feels alien. In fairness this thing feels more like a harness than a strap. But after 3 consecutive 3 hour gigs last weekend my shoulder feels so much better when compared with the usual one strap set up.