Light weight bass?

[ThinCrappyTone]

This Muckelroy is 5.25 lbs

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Fender Aerodyne. 7 lbs, and you get a P and a J (sort of).

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[dreamadream99]

For really light weight, check out Kala UBasses or Steinbergers.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

Dean uses basswood in their bass guitars. Mine is an Edge-1 5 string and it weighs in at about 7.3 lbs. A 3" Glove Leather Strap also helps with comfort.

 

[micguy]

As far as new basses, Sweetwater has weights listed for new basses, at least for most of them.

They will give you weights....above a certain price.

It is possible to build yourself a light one, too, but it's not a simple process. I have a small herd that I built. All are under 8 pounds. A couple are very close to 7. This one is 6.6:

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

kiesel will build you a lightweight bass to your specs

 

[Ron A]

As previously asked...what's your budget?

Looking around $1.5k or something on Reverb

 

[aproud1]

The only real problem I've found with lightweight basses is sometimes balance. You can fix on many but some are light and neck heavy which still makes them uncomfortable.

For your budget... My favorite a Gibson BAEB4, Tom Clement could make something cool. Maybe a few bills more. A G&L with an Empress body, or surf Sweetwater and find a bass in the weight range you like.

 

[aproud1]

I find around 8.5 lbs perfect for a P or J bass.

Fender American Professional Precision Bass - Olympic White w/ Rosewood Fingerboard

Never played a bad one of these. Not sure how you feel about the whole relic situation. I would swap the tuners to Gotoh Res-O-Lites

Fender Road Worn '50s Precision Bass - 2-Color Sunburst

 

[Stranger Danger]

Hi all... I find now that I’m older and experiencing arthritis in my neck and shoulders I would like to find a good light weight, balanced bass. Wonder if any of you have purchased a light weight bass and what your thoughts are. Would probably be looking at a “ P “ but would not rule out a “ J “ Thanks for the help!

Price range?

 

[mongo2]

RE: Neck Dive with light bodies syndrome

Through experimenting with lighter materials and components I've found that neck dive with a light body and bridge can usually be eliminated by using lightweight tuners and relocating the strap buttons to balance the instrument better. Using those methods I've assembled a slab solid body single coil P bass that weighs just under 6 lbs and a J bass to just over 6 lbs and several other lightweights but they're shortscales such as a Mustang at just under 5 lbs. None of them suffer from neck dive.

 

[Ostie]

For a lightweight standard type of bass that wouldn't dent my wallet to heavily I went with the Hofner Ignition Club Bass. Mine weighs in at 4 lbs 8 oz and is perfectly balanced on the strap with no neck dive.

I have one and they are light, but they do have their own characteristic sound. Great for early Beatles songs, early 60s rock, and acoustic tunes, but def not a P or J sound.

 

[Ostie]

Fender Precision Lyte?

 

[mongo2]

I have one and they are light, but they do have their own characteristic sound. Great for early Beatles songs, early 60s rock, and acoustic tunes, but def not a P or J sound.

I use my Hofner mostly for jazzy stuff now but I've used it instead of a P or J for every genre I've played. I haven't needed to gig my P or J for years.

BTW, I converted the controls on my main Club to V/V/T.

 

[KohanMike]

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but about 4 years ago I bought a SamllGuitars.com mini P-bass, 24.5" scale 31.5" long 4.75 lbs, about $300. It's my go to bass. I only play 21 to 24.5" scale. It now comes with smaller guitar tuners to help with any neck dive.

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I modified mine with flatwound strings and cosmetic changes.

 

[Ostie]

I use Hofner mostly for jazzy stuff now but I've used it instead of a P or J for every genre I've played. I haven't needed to gig my P or J for years.

I stand corrected. I guess its a matter setting the tone controls.

I haven't gigged my J for years. I use my Epi EB-0 or my Club for the acoustic gigs I do. I just picked up an Epi Jack Casady (see avatar) and I think I’ll be using that a lot.

 

[bbh]

I think Sadowsky does chambering which makes them light. I personally don’t know much about it though. Good luck.

 

[Keger Jupit]

Try to find one lighter than this! (I'm sure you could, actually)

Aria Sinsonido, don't judge the looks...it sounds great! Mine is fretless with TI flats, named him Ichabod. VERY comfortable, no neck dive. About 4 lbs

 

[Willicious]

Hi all... I find now that I’m older and experiencing arthritis in my neck and shoulders I would like to find a good light weight, balanced bass. Wonder if any of you have purchased a light weight bass and what your thoughts are. Would probably be looking at a “ P “ but would not rule out a “ J “ Thanks for the help!

+1 for Sweetwater.
Check in weekly. Your patience will be rewarded.
If you're looking for a lightweight (sub 8 lb.) Fender, keep an eye on their ever-changing supply of Fender Player Series, and to a lesser extent, the higher-priced American Professional Series. Squier weights run the gamut, but their Agathis and Basswood bodies can get VERY light.

 

[rmayer]

Looking around $1.5k or something on Reverb

For that price you can almost get into a new G&L LB100 with the Empress wood body. Mine was 7.6 lbs.
I also just had a Maruszczyk build, a Jake L (chambered P bass) for $1450. It came in at just UNDER 7 lbs.