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It doesn’t matter why I like lightweight basses !

#121
I grew up playing on a 70lb RD in a band where the last kid quit because the bass weighed more than him... as I get older and play more shows, I get it. And I can now see why folks migrate towards lighter instruments - why it makes sense.

I like to think that I am bright (normal?) enough know and understand that many of my fellow players DO care about weight, and for good reason. I bought a $15-20 digital 50lb Max kitchen scale off Amazon. It’s a cheap investment and makes life easier for ALL parties when selling anything.

Much love Darkhorse, ask away on my friend... and anyone who wants to sell their instrument shouldn’t have a problem answering, or trying to get you a weight. Heck man, folks can even take the instrument to a FedEx/UPS store and get a weigh for free if they don’t wanna buy a scale.
 
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#122
MattZilla said:
How dare you ask a seller questions about basic info which they maybe should've posted in the first place?! Just be grateful that they were so generous as to post a picture and tell you the make and model!



This is my idea of a classified post:
Red Bass

$1,299.95

It has strings and frets. The paint is mint. There is finger space between the strings. The width at the nut is right.
Click to expand...
- Needs tuning.
 
#124
Inara said:
Amen and +1000. But prepare yourself for the storm of guys replying about how soft everyone has gotten and how back in the day you had to walk two miles to gigs uphill both ways carrying an SVT on your back and then play 4 hours with a 16 pound 70's Fender on your shoulder ...
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That is nothing but sideband noise and easily ignored.

I don't mind heavy basses and that has nothing to do with anyone else's preference. Duh.
 
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#127
Dark Horse said:
It doesn’t matter why I like lightweight basses. Yeah, I have a medical condition which is my main reason for it. But what if I like the tone of a lightweight bass ? What if I just don’t want to have to stand there every single night, or at least 200 nights a year with a big heavy bass on my shoulder? What if I want to save shipping money on sending it later in the future if I sell it? Who cares why the reason I like a lightweight bass is ?

If I ask you how much your bass weighs and I’m looking to purchase it, Just answer the question. Don’t give me a hard time about it, don’t try and give me an excuse, just answer the question.

Rant over.


:)
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That’s fine. Unless you’re replying to an add for a Wal MKI. If you have to ask, it’s too heavy.
 
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#128
chris_b said:
There are a lot of people who understand exactly where Dark Horse is coming from.
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Oh, I do too.
I am just way past the place where I thought people cared if I play a light, a heavy a whatever instrument or where I felt I needed to impress them with my choices.
People don't care, usually. That is not to say that some are not trying to provoke a reaction through comments.
I ignore these comments most of the time.
 
#131
Sweetwater lists the weights of their basses, it's very helpful. All retailers should, and builders. So does Roger Sadowsky, that and other obvious reasons are why I own two of his basses. They're both just under 7.5 pounds. I also have a Maruszczyk Jake L (for light chambered) on order. That should be in the 7 pound range too. That's the weight range I like, I'd probably go up to low 8s, but I don't have to. There are too many basses in that range that are available. The downside is I've been unable to find a Fender for years now, the reason for the Maruszczyk and numerous G&L Empress basses. So, I've tried to go home to Fender but their weight and limited colors, neck specs has stopped me.
 
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#132
And I said:
Weight wasn't a concern for me until my L5-S1 disc had a massive bilateral herniation. Now I prefer lightweight basses as well. The Yamaha TRBX505 I am playing while my Brute is in the shop for a fret job is 8.5lbs. The Brute is 10 even. Let me tell you, the 15% weight reduction is definitely noticeable after rehearsals and gigs. I will still bring a stool and sit for a song or two if we are playing 2 sets...
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I've seen the 505 listed at 9.3lb on a site, but I've also heard 8.5lbs, and the TRBX605 is supposedly almost a pound lighter which sounds like good news to me!!
 
#135
Only read through the first four pages of this, and have not seen my question addressed, so here goes. I have a digital bathroom scale and have found the readings to vary wildly even on successive weighings of the same bass, so it is not a reliable indicator. I do not have a postal scale or equivalent.

But I do have a digital suspension scale, sort of like one fish are weighed with. How reliable is that, with a bass hanging from it? Does it give an accurate enough reading for the purposes discussed here?
 
#136
GretschWretch said:
Only read through the first four pages of this, and have not seen my question addressed, so here goes. I have a digital bathroom scale and have found the readings to vary wildly even on successive weighings of the same bass, so it is not a reliable indicator. I do not have a postal scale or equivalent.

But I do have a digital suspension scale, sort of like one fish are weighed with. How reliable is that, with a bass hanging from it? Does it give an accurate enough reading for the purposes discussed here?
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It should get you within a quarter pound at least, probably better. Some people may obsess over an ounce or two, so there's that.
 
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#137
Killed_by_Death said:
I'm not comfortable with that much one way or the other, unless the way I'm getting is lighter.
My bathroom scales were off by about 500 Grams.

Recently I asked the friendly folks at GC to weigh one for me & I made the order right away, thinking I'd really scored!
Turns out it was also 500 Grams off, & in the wrong way.

Cost me three hours of driving to return it.
Not to mention the pulling my hair out with the various ways they screwed up the order, necessitating too many calls to the store.
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Well now I’ve got to ask - how did you weigh the bass? What scale did you use specifically?

I never provide “exact” weights because everybody’s scale is different. I could take it to the post office to do it and someone will say it wasn’t quite accurate. True story in fact.
 
#138
I’m a compulsive bass buyer sometimes if not always and I will change like the wind on whatever crazy ideas I have about an instrument at that moment . If i have the cash at the click of a mouse I’m in. Weight is very important to me. Its in the top 5 questions I ask perhaps it's 2nd after do you still have it :D. If it wasn’t I would have a herd of boat anchors :) For me a 10 lbs + will be uncomfortable after an hour maybe annoyingly uncomfortable depending on the instrument . IME a neck diver can be uncomfortable at any weight as well as a few other oddities that pop up on instruments . A 8 lbs or less though is like not even there all night long and much more body friendly thing around your neck. It’s entirely a personal preference though. In my experience weight has no other perceived affect on an instrument other than comfort. there are all the desirable qualities or problematic qualities in all weight classes. I have a preference for the feather weights if it is I’m much more prone to throwing monies your way for your light bass :)
 
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#139
Doctor J said:
If they’re not consistent then how can they be attributed to one definite thing?
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Is something black or white?
;)

It's sounds like what you'd accept is "All heavy basses are X, all light basses are Y". It's been a common goal here on TB for years... people want to see a set of rules to simplify making choices.

If you play ten Ash jazz basses and ten Alder jazz basses and don't notice a commonality with the different woods, cool. I usually hear a difference, particularly slapping, which can highlight the attack and decay of the instrument among other things.

Except just like life, it's usually not that simple. Weight is only one component of wood. So is that the only thing that can affect tone? IME no. Yet folks here often set up ground rules based on one measurement while ignoring any other relevant ones.

Weight is a great one. I've seen people state that they can't wear a bass over a tenth of a pound over their limit. If basses were weights that might make sense. But they're musical instruments that you have to wear so I'd think at some point ergonomics factors in. But they don't.

Scale length is another. I had a 34" bass that had a much longer reach to the nut than another 34" scale bass... because the bridge was close to the middle of the body vs. near the edge. But they were both 34" scale so how could they be different when they're the same? Heck, there are still folks who think that the number of frets factors into scale length.
:meh:

I've owned a lot of custom basses and played even more. I tend to prefer woods that happen to be relatively heavy yet very resonant. I don't have a problem with a lighter bass that sounds great but those in the same vein as my preferred basses are extremely rare. All heavy wood is not the same, neither is all light wood. It took time to figure out what I like and now, if I place an order and I don't experiment with a "next great thing" component it's rare that I won't be very happy with the results. Because I know what I like and how to get there.
:D
 
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