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Lightweight bass guitars

P

Paul Bennett

May 19, 2009
1
0
Silverstone UK
#1
Hi,

I currently play a 1986 (ish) Yamaha BB450 bass and I'm thinking about upgrading to a Fender Jazz Bass or equivalent - maybe a Sandberg, Clover or Lakland.

However, the Jazz Basses I've tried all seem a lot heavier than my old Yamaha. Can anyone advise regarding a lightweight alternative?


Thanks!
 
#2
The lightest Jazzes I've come across have all been vintage - esp. the 60's ones, a 66 I play sometimes weighs in around 8 lbs.
The 70's ones get heavier it seems, I think they switched to ash bodies then.
I'm sure there's some custom shop ones you could check, but if you're budget is on the low side, check out MIJ or CIJ Jazzes - my 62 Reissue jazz probably weighs around 8.5 or 9 lbs. My 62 RI P bass is real light, right around 8 lbs, maybe even in the mid-high 7's.
 
#9
Are you kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what kind of sound do you think that you are going to get of of a Bass that you Hack into. And A light weight Bass usualy has horribal tone. I have had some really nice light weight Basses. And they all sounded like i was playing a Bajo.
The more important thing is the kind of wood that the Body and Neck are made out of. Play what sounds and feels good to you. Not what anyone on this site will tell you.
As history has shown, There all those guys who say "I play a 69 Fender P Bass with Original pick up's. PLEASE,,,, All that really means is that the Magenets are old and probably no good and the wireing is Hard and frail. the Neck has a tortion Rod that can no longer be adjusted or turned for that fact. Long story short. If you cant find a Bass that is the one for you. Then Build one that does. Best of luck.
 
#12
I have a lakland DJ and a sadowsky both are light especially the lakland and they both sound awesome! I believe the Lakland is no more then 7 lbs and the sadowsky is around 8. :)
 
#14
arguijot said:
A light weight Bass usualy has horribal tone. I have had some really nice light weight Basses. And they all sounded like i was playing a Bajo.
Click to expand...
Sense: this post makes none.
arguijot said:
As history has shown, There all those guys who say "I play a 69 Fender P Bass with Original pick up's. PLEASE,,,, All that really means is that the Magenets are old and probably no good and the wireing is Hard and frail. the Neck has a tortion Rod that can no longer be adjusted or turned for that fact.
Click to expand...
:confused: And what does that have to do with the OP's question? Hmmm... how about nothing!

To the OP, there are loads of great-sounding lightweight basses out there. In fact there are so many that there's no point to listing them all. But if you let us know your actual budget, whether you are looking at new or used, how many strings you want, what scale length you prefer, and what tones you like, then we can name a few that will suit you well.

If you like J basses, the American Deluxe J is typically in the 8-8.5 lb. range as mentioned previously, and sounds great.
 
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#16
arguijot said:
A light weight Bass usualy has horribal tone.
Click to expand...
This makes as much sense as saying all heavy basses sound great. I've read many interviews with Roger Sadowsky wherein he talks about how the best (acoustically) sounding basses he's heard were almost invariably lighter in weight.

My Wendler is the lightest 5 string I've ever encountered and it has a huge sound...usually have to put a HPF on it because the low end is so massive.
 
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#17
arguijot said:
Are you kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what kind of sound do you think that you are going to get of of a Bass that you Hack into. And A light weight Bass usualy has horribal tone. I have had some really nice light weight Basses. And they all sounded like i was playing a Bajo.
The more important thing is the kind of wood that the Body and Neck are made out of. Play what sounds and feels good to you. Not what anyone on this site will tell you.
As history has shown, There all those guys who say "I play a 69 Fender P Bass with Original pick up's. PLEASE,,,, All that really means is that the Magenets are old and probably no good and the wireing is Hard and frail. the Neck has a tortion Rod that can no longer be adjusted or turned for that fact. Long story short. If you cant find a Bass that is the one for you. Then Build one that does. Best of luck.
Click to expand...


?????? Sadowsky basses are routed/chambered and the NYC Jazzes often weigh less than 8 lbs. One of my Elricks weighs <7.5 lbs. There is no correlation between heavy weight and tone whatsoever. This is a fairy tale.
 
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#18
I have a Gibson Thunderbird IV bass that is very light weight. This past weekend, the bassplayer in another band let me hold his 1964 Rickenbacker 4001, that thing felt like a feather!

I also have a Hofner Icon bass that is hollowbody and is VERY light weight.
 

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