Is it just me or are lightweight basses overrated?

[Crackle]

I get why people love lightweight basses, especially for long gigs, but sometimes I feel like a bit of weight actually adds to the feel and tone.


Every super light bass I've tried sounded good, but didn't quite have that same solidity or punch.


Anyone else prefer a bit of heft, or am I in the minority here?

I enjoy a good lightweight bass. My Mike Lull P4 weighs just over 7 lbs and is outstanding in every way. That said, heavier basses do have some differences in sound. Case in point is Steve Harris, who has used the same circa 1970 Fender Precision bass since the later 1970s. He says that bass can't be beat for tone and feel and that it is heavy. Some of the Fenders of that era were made with maple bodies and his bass is one of them. The current production Fender Steve Harris signature basses have maple bodies and they usually weigh 12 - 13+ pounds.

I own three basses with solid maple bodies: A Spector Euro4, Rickenbacker 4003, and a Fender Steve Harris Precision bass. All three of those basses have a brighter, deeper tone and longer sustain than any of my other basses. It is apparent whether plugged in or unplugged.

 

[johnh89]

Is it just me or are lightweight basses overrated?​

i'd say it's "just you."

i don't know who's doing the ratings, but those of us who appreciate a lightweight instrument are likely to rate them highly.



that could be a 'real' thing, or it could be your imagination. none of my lightweights lack "solidity or punch" --- that could be a real thing, or just my imagination.

Its not just him .

 

[Medicine Man]

I have a great sounding L2500 that weighs 11 lbs. It likes to live at home.

 

[RedGrange]

Not only lighter, but smaller. Over the last few years I have almost completely gravitated over to uke sized basses. They are all light, sound great and are tons of fun to play.

View attachment 7455311

what are the two on the right

 

[Tim Skaggs]

sure, IMO holding a ten pound object on a shoulder strap for a couple hours isnt some form of cruel and unusual punishment and is actually less physically demanding than doing household chores

If you play long enough, that's an opinion that is guaranteed to change…

I once played bass at an indoor festival / 4th of July party where multiple local musicians in various ensembles got on stage and played a few songs or a set.

My band played first, starting at 5:00 PM. We played a nonstop set for about two hours.

The next group needed a bassist so I stayed on stage. The third group also wanted me to play. That went on until about 11:15 PM that evening, at which time I visited the beer recycling room and returned to the stage for a 30 min set with my band. The bass I was playing at the time was a little over 8 lbs.

So, I managed to stand with an 8.25 lb weight on a strap over my shoulder for 6.75 hours in a 7 hour period. That was 27 or 28 years ago.

I seriously doubt I could do that today, but I have managed to play 10 gigs and two benefit shows this year so far, currently have 27 bookings for the rest of the year, & expect that number to increase.

The truth is that everyone who plays long enough will have a problem with heavy basses, and then light basses, and then just standing in one place for 2.5 hours. It's a part of aging that affects 100% of all humans unless:

1) you stop standing & playing bass.
2) expire.

Oh yeah, the expire thing affects 100% of all humans even if you stop playing bass….

To me, the weight of a bass means the ability to keep gigging. I don't have any super light basses, but I'm always looking….

 

[carsonchilders]

None of it probably matters and light basses have ergonomics I enjoy more than heavy basses

 

[pingvuiini]

what are the two on the right

Ken Bebensee Shmuke uke bass.

Ken Bebensee Baruke uke bass.

 

[JamesGrant]

Type, 'brand', gauge and newness of strings, pickup height, pickup position, pickups, fingers, scale length. These are the variables which can be combined to make an amazing sounding bass, or a craptastic sounding bass.

Everything else is for feel, looks and comfort. Any other factors are fun and quirky and are what you can convince yourself makes your bass 'your bass'.

Heavier basses do tend to weigh more - I'll agree to that.

 

[Paul New]

I get why people love lightweight basses, especially for long gigs, but sometimes I feel like a bit of weight actually adds to the feel and tone.


Every super light bass I've tried sounded good, but didn't quite have that same solidity or punch.


Anyone else prefer a bit of heft, or am I in the minority here?

Plenty of other people are wrong too.

 

[wysiwyg248]

 

[SC Bassboy]

I get why people love lightweight basses, especially for long gigs, but sometimes I feel like a bit of weight actually adds to the feel and tone.


Every super light bass I've tried sounded good, but didn't quite have that same solidity or punch.


Anyone else prefer a bit of heft, or am I in the minority here?

I honestly think it does depend on the tone you are after. Lighter woods/basses do seem to have more sustain and sound more lively. Heavier, more dense woods like you would find on a Warwick (bubinga) aren't as lively but they have this inherent compression quality to them. Half of my basses are Warwicks, but none of them are fretless because of the natural compression.

 

[rmayer]

Nah, it's just you.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

Idk what my Basses weigh.

 

[micguy]

This is, by definition, a troll post - starting with a provocative position, not to genuinely ask, but to stir up controversy.

People like what they like, and I have basses that are very light (7 and a half pound full scale 5's) and that are every bit as "solid" as the 12 pound boat anchors I played in my youth. - actually they sound quite a bit better in many respects. Feel free to have a different opinion.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

When I was in my teens and 20's, I thought that a heavier instrument felt more substantial. Now in my 50's, my shoulder absolutely prefers a lighter instrument for 3 hours on a gig night.

I do not find that light weight diminishes the tone. At least, not significant enough to matter.

 

[pbass2]

"Overrated"? Only if they're neck divers. Far worse for you ergonomically than a heavier bass that hangs nice and stays where you put it - you're tensing parts of your body supporting the neck, and therefore, it compromises your playing.

 

[JRA]

sure, IMO holding a ten pound object on a shoulder strap for a couple hours isnt some form of cruel and unusual punishment and is actually less physically demanding than doing household chores. I carry a gallon or a half gallon of water on a shoulder strap pretty much everywhere I go and I'm not some superhuman

i don't think it's a form of "cruel and unusual punishment" either.

per your "household chores" comparison: i don't know how easy you have it (i'd rather play your "ten pound" bass than do the things on my 'honey do' list!).

as far as carrying a gallon of water, "pretty much everywhere i go" = i've been fortunate (lucky?) by just planning ahead....or settling for whatever cold beverages were set out in the green rooms (pro musician).

your avatar suggests to me that you're not old enough to know about the challenges of playing music (any instrument) for 60 years, mostly: full-time.
i would posit that when you are 76yo = you'll look for easier ways to get the job done!

Its not just him .

i think he'd be glad to know that --- but you'll have to tell him yourself. sorry that i didn't consider your POV a priori in my post.

 

[Swerve]

Many bassists here are just closet guitar players. They want the smallest most lightweight 5/6 string bass with the lightest gauge strings you can find.

I'm kidding. But it does seem that way sometimes. Lol

 

[lowfreqgeek]

It's funny how nobody can ever put their finger on exactly what makes an objectively physically heavier instrument have subjectively "weightier" tone.

I say it's nonsense.

FWIW, I have basses between about 8lb and 10.5+lb. About 15 of them. IME, there is little to no correlation categorically between physical weight and the tonal properties of my instruments.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Transient Ischemic Attack?

Yeah, I suppose that can happen when reading some of the ignorant posts that come up in threads like this.

TIA is a Trans-Impedance Amplifier. It's a configuration that turns a low-impedance current input into a voltage output.

I thought everyone knew that...