lightest jazz bass

[buldog5151bass]

Depends what you are used to. I played a 70s Fender that was almost 11 pounds. Never realized how heavy it was because it was all I had. When I got my Lull (just under 9), I saw the difference.

 

[999Brent]

I just got B Hefner to make me an ultra light Jazz bass body, they did an amazing job and it is light than my 63 AVRI P

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Don't forget Warmouth. They make both chambered Jazz bodies as well as their "Dinky"Jazz body which is both smaller and lighter. They show the weights of the body so you can figure out assembled weights pretty well. Also if you aren't in a hurry you can just wait and watch the site for a super light body to pop up.

 

[Olde Axeman]

In my limited experience, it's really hard to find to find a light JB. I had one in Olympic White with a tort pg that had been professionally set up and played wonderfully. I loved it but it weighed just shy of 12 pounds on my calibrated scale. I tried to hang with it but it was just toooo heavy. Sold it and bought a 9-lb MIM, which I will sell as soon as I find a 7-lb JB.

I think it's asking too much of the jazz body size combined with alder. As much as I like a jazz, there are just too many other great lightweight basses out there. I have a 7-lb PJ that gets most of my Fender playing time (I'm constantly moving back and forth from Gibson to Fender to Hagstrom as the mood strikes me), but I WOULD like to have a jazz bass that's not a boat anchor. Maybe one with a poplar body, I dunno.

 

[freshbass]

I have a AVRI '57 p-bass that is very light, I love it. I also have a Geddy Lee Jazz bass which is much heavier, and I'm going to have to sell it. Is there a fender jazz bass out there that has a similar lightweight body like my p-bass? which of the fender models is the lightest?
Thanks!

some of the early roadworns are around 8 lbs but its hit or miss. the jazz bass I've found that is consistently light is the Squier VM 77 jazz bass...I own 2 and they are 7.4 and 7.3 lbs. The body is agathis which is a very light type of mahogany. If you can take the time to set them up they play well. Hardware works ok. They do sound great IMO, and they are inexpensive.

 

[hztjtao]

I find the flea jazz bass really light

 

[baileyboy]

... I also have a Geddy Lee Jazz bass which is much heavier...

My Geddy Jazz is 8 lbs 14 oz... It took a lot of searching before I was able to find one under 9 lbs, which is a deal-breaker for me.

 

[superdick2112]

Of my 3 Jazz Basses, my ash-bodied AVRI '75 is by far the lightest.
Most of the ash-bodied Jazz Basses I've played have been as heavy as a boat anchor, but not this one.

 

[DD Gunz]

some of the early roadworns are around 8 lbs but its hit or miss. the jazz bass I've found that is consistently light is the Squier VM 77 jazz bass...I own 2 and they are 7.4 and 7.3 lbs. The body is agathis which is a very light type of mahogany. If you can take the time to set them up they play well. Hardware works ok. They do sound great IMO, and they are inexpensive.

I own one of the first year road worns and it sits a hair over 7lbs with some slight neck dive. It's the lightest bass I own.

 

[bucephylus]

6 yr old OP.

Anyhow... if you cats want to talk Jazz Bass weight, here are my $0.019:

From a tonal perspective, weight matters a LOT. In both directions. Heavier basses tend to have better tonal characteristics for slap and aggressive plectrum work. Lighter basses tend to have better tonal characteristics for pizz and chordal plectrum work.

Taking all that into account, my preferred Jazz Bass weight is in the 8.75 pound to 9.25 pound range. But, some other player leaning towards one or the other timbres as a preference might prefer something else. I just find that range to strike a decent compromise, while being reasonable on the shoulder. YMMV.

 

[mpdd]

84/85 A series squier jazz mij
this bass was so light that i actually thought that the body was made of spray foam