Making my bass lighter

[Chad Michael]

Now that the body is stripped, how about running it's back side through a planing mill? Shed 1/4 or so of thickness from the whole body....

You will likely breach the control cavity, simply make a plastic cover plate similar to what's on the front.

Also - the neck bolts will now be too long, they will need to be shortened so they don't erupt onto the fingerboard.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Exactly, no need to mess up a bass or buy a new body, buy a $150 strap that distributes the weight across both shoulders.

I might need to consider this for my 11 and 1/4 lbs Alembic. I use a wide strap and it is pretty decent but I would like it to feel a little lighter.

Worked for me. There is also a less expensive model that isn't leather.

 

[JIO]

How much does hardware weigh? I can't imagine it's light on an 80's G&L.

I think a new body is in order, I would hate to cut up an original and it still not be light(due to heavy wood). Maybe something light like basswood, chambered with a nice figured top? Or painted a solid color for that 80's appropriate look? My 2 cents.

-Jake

Edit: I believe that @JIO did a jazz that was rear routed/drilled for weight relief and then made into a feature. I'll see if I can find it.

! Sorry - this isn't the one you meant (but it came first and is included earlier on this thread) - the one you speak of is here; black & blond P makeover (etc)

Alder body (top-side) was planed 3/4" deep, the body filled with forstner-bit holes within 1/4" of the back, a 1/2" maple top was also filled with the same location holes 1/4" from top-side, and glued together with binding hiding the seam. A brass bridge anchor was embedded between the layers which the countersunk bridge is machine-bolted to. Marty Bell provided the sparkle/tobacco brown finish. 9lbs/8oz so not super light but lighter than it started and sonically very flavorful. Dimarzio model J Pu's.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Alder body (top-side) was planed 3/4" deep, the body filled with forstner-bit holes within 1/4" of the back, a 1/2" maple top was also filled with the same location holes 1/4" from top-side, and glued together with binding hiding the seam. A brass bridge anchor was embedded between the layers which the countersunk bridge is machine-bolted to. Marty Bell provided the sparkle/tobacco brown finish. 9lbs/8oz so not super light but lighter than it started and sonically very flavorful. Dimarzio model J Pu's.
View attachment 3423616

There was this one, but I also seem to remember a red jazz with a smoked plate over the back, and forstner holes with disco-tactic foil circles in them. That was you, right?

 

[JIO]

There was this one, but I also seem to remember a red jazz with a smoked plate over the back, and forstner holes with disco-tactic foil circles in them. That was you, right?

Yes (but the red one was yet another project!) I just updated the post above with a link to the bass in question.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Yes (but the red one was yet another project!) I just updated the post above with a link to the bass in question.

Must be mashing them together(maybe wishing the fiesta red bass got the same treatment?). I couldn't think of anyone else here to associate such a project with

 

[JIO]

Must be mashing them together(maybe wishing the fiesta red bass got the same treatment?). I couldn't think of anyone else here to associate such a project with

View attachment 3423702

View attachment 3423703

The Fiesta Red J was a 3-pu project and I did remove quite a bit of wood from that one also. (all "under the hood") It and the Dark Sparkle P (the one you posted) have sold - the Dark Sparkle more recently. It was an art-piece but also sounded amazing! Huge sounding -

 

[EatS1stBassist]

! Sorry - this isn't the one you meant (but it came first and is included earlier on this thread) - the one you speak of is here; black & blond P makeover (etc)

Alder body (top-side) was planed 3/4" deep, the body filled with forstner-bit holes within 1/4" of the back, a 1/2" maple top was also filled with the same location holes 1/4" from top-side, and glued together with binding hiding the seam. A brass bridge anchor was embedded between the layers which the countersunk bridge is machine-bolted to. Marty Bell provided the sparkle/tobacco brown finish. 9lbs/8oz so not super light but lighter than it started and sonically very flavorful. Dimarzio model J Pu's.
View attachment 3423616

What a beautiful bass!

 

[JIO]

What a beautiful bass!

Thank you! I named it Glam P/J (helps when referring to it)

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Thank you! I named it Glam P/J (helps when referring to it)

View attachment 3423747

Super Sweet!!

 

[rojo412]

Not to belabor a point too much here, but I have an 89 SB1 neck that I'm working with and the tuners on it... ARE THE HEAVIEST TUNERS EVER. I seriously have never felt a heavier headstock.
The easiest and most reversible mod that would do the least amount to change the sound (as in, 0%) and the most amount to reduce weight is to change the tuners.

 

[jbybj]

Body weighs in at 5lbs 6.8 oz
Whole bass at 10lbs 9.3 oz

I bought a poplar board 4 ft x 7.5 inches x 1.75 inches. Using the original body as my template I’m going to shrink the outline a little bit and route some chambers. We shall see.

 

[Remoman]

Body weighs in at 5lbs 6.8 oz
Whole bass at 10lbs 9.3 oz
...
I bought a poplar board 4 ft x 7.5 inches x 1.75 inches. Using the original body as my template I’m going to shrink the outline a little bit and route some chambers. We shall see.
...

I dig that you're going to make another body, so much you can do there and would love to see what you come up with. But I gotta say, something on the weight seems wonky (no not L1000) to me. I'm no expert at all, but with those weights that leaves just under half (5.15lbs) of the weight to the hardware and neck. If so then I'm with @rojo412 on the tuners. G&L ultralite bass tuners are available in the store, that and some other small changes might get you under 10lbs, and that with a comfortable strap I would think is workable.
Tuning Key - G&L USA Ultralite Bass Reversible

Also, to amend my previous post, I do believe that G&L has extra necks, probably b-stock, probably in various stages of finish. I don't think would be out of the question to contact them to get another neck. And voila, you have 2 basses going...

 

[jbybj]

I dig that you're going to make another body, so much you can do there and would love to see what you come up with. But I gotta say, something on the weight seems wonky (no not L1000) to me. I'm no expert at all, but with those weights that leaves just under half (5.15lbs) of the weight to the hardware and neck. If so then I'm with @rojo412 on the tuners. G&L ultralite bass tuners are available in the store, that and some other small changes might get you under 10lbs, and that with a comfortable strap I would think is workable.
Tuning Key - G&L USA Ultralite Bass Reversible

Also, to amend my previous post, I do believe that G&L has extra necks, probably b-stock, probably in various stages of finish. I don't think would be out of the question to contact them to get another neck. And voila, you have 2 basses going...

Body hardware 2lbs 10.9 oz
Neck with tuners 2lbs 7.8 oz

Goal weight < 8 lbs
My current thinking, (and it seems to change by the hour)
First the body, chambered, reduced outline, lose the plates - control cavity and battery cover.
Next the tuners, swap for ultralights.
Lastly the bridge, Hipshot Aluminum most likely.

I will be surprised if that doesn’t take 3 lbs off this bass.
There is one cut I need to make that I don’t have the tool for. I hope to find someone to make this cut for less than House of Hardwood wanted. Once that happens I’m off and running. My first body.

 

[JIO]

Body hardware 2lbs 10.9 oz
Neck with tuners 2lbs 7.8 oz

View attachment 3424494 View attachment 3424495

Goal weight < 8 lbs
My current thinking, (and it seems to change by the hour)
First the body, chambered, reduced outline, lose the plates - control cavity and battery cover.
Next the tuners, swap for ultralights.
Lastly the bridge, Hipshot Aluminum most likely.

I will be surprised if that doesn’t take 3 lbs off this bass.
There is one cut I need to make that I don’t have the tool for. I hope to find someone to make this cut for less than House of Hardwood wanted. Once that happens I’m off and running. My first body.

Be aware that it will change the sonic character of the bass - if you are familiar with it you will hear the difference. Not saying qualitatively different - but different. That's part of the process - and we will all be interested in hearing about that difference beyond obvious weight loss.

 

[ixlramp]

i have a G&L parts bass. An SB-2 neck on an L2000 body. They are from 1986 and 1989, but I don’t remember which is which. I love everything about this bass but the weight,

With a new body it won't be the same bass, so it will no longer be the bass you love, so there seems to be no point, it will be like losing the bass you love and buying a lighter one.
I suggest playing sitting down, using a hip strap and/or double shoulder strap or using a bass stand. So, insead of reducing the weight, make the weight a non-problem.

Reducing body weight may result in neck dive, or perfect balance. Currently it is quite butt heavy.

It's very probably neck heavy, like every Fender P or J design and 99% of all basses.

If the bass balances on your leg either horizontally or angled neck-up, which seems extremely likely, then the centre of mass (COM) is horizontally closer to the horn button than the rear button, making it want to rotate the neck downwards when on a strap.
So reducing body weight will create a very neck-heavy bass, which is uncomfortable in other ways.

With the bass balanced on your leg, the COM is vertically above your leg and on the centreline of the instrument, so you can work out where it is.
Next, at playing angle on a strap, see how the COM is horizontally positioned relative to the strap buttons, if the COM is horizontally closer to the horn button (which it will be) the bass is neck-heavy.

(I'm a qualified physicist and have analysed the forces and torques of a bass on a strap, to understand what causes imbalance and how to create perfect balance.)

If someone wants a lightweight bass that balances, it will have to be a very unconventional design and probably headless. Bassists cannot keep their retro design basses and have light weight and perfect balance.

 

[jbybj]

With a new body it won't be the same bass, so it will no longer be the bass you love, so there seems to be no point, it will be like losing the bass you love and buying a lighter one.
I suggest playing sitting down or using a hip strap or double shoulder strap.

It's not butt-heavy, it's neck heavy, like every Fender P or J design and 99% of all basses.

If the bass balances on your leg either horizontally or above horizontal, which seems extremely likely, then the centre of mass (COM) is horizontally closer to the horn button than the rear button, making it want to rotate the neck downwards when on a strap.
So reducing body weight will create a very neck-heavy bass, which is uncomfortable in other ways.

With the bass balanced on your leg, the COM is vertically above your leg and on the centreline of the instrument, so you can work out where it is.
Next, at playing angle on a strap, see how the COM is horizontally positioned relative to the strap buttons, if the COM is horizontally closer to the horn button (which it will be) the bass is neck-heavy.

(I'm a qualified physicist and have analysed the forces and torques of a bass on a strap, to understand what causes imbalance and how to create perfect balance.)

If someone wants a lightweight bass that balances, it will have to be a very unconventional design and probably headless. Bassists cannot keep their retro design basses and have light weight and perfect balance, they have to realise that retro bass designs are bad designs in some ways.

I have three headless basses, I love them.
You have put way too much thought into this. I prefer to forge ahead, not blinded, but obscured, and hope for the best. I am making a simple bet, that most of what I love about this bass will be retained in the neck and electronics.
I was taught as a young child, that you never make a bet that you are not prepared to lose.

Board is getting cut in a day or two. Then I start with glue, jigsaw, and router. Scary good times.

 

[jbybj]

Getting the board cut took more like a week, but it was cut to my needs and costs very little, so I’ll take it.

The front and the back are of equal thickness. Going to dry clamp them, jigsaw cut a rough outline, route chambers in both halves, then make a glue sandwich.

I’m in talks with an eBay seller to make me a template. A single template that has the neck pocket and both pups, properly spaced.

It occurred to me recently that what I really wanted to do was see if I could make a viable bass body. A successful application for my G&L would be icing on the cake.

I’ve already gained some insight about choosing wood, maybe I’ll make another one someday.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Well, come on, if you've stepped this far into the Luthier pool, dive on in and make up your own router templates. It really isn't that hard to do. Get some 3/4" MDF rectangles from Home Depot and get out your pencil and layout tools.

By the way, before you glue the halves of the top and back together, be sure you get the orientation of the rings symmetrical and opposing. That's really important to keep the body from warping.

 

[jbybj]

Well, come on, if you've stepped this far into the Luthier pool, dive on in and make up your own router templates. It really isn't that hard to do. Get some 3/4" MDF rectangles from Home Depot and get out your pencil and layout tools.

By the way, before you glue the halves of the top and back together, be sure you get the orientation of the rings symmetrical and opposing. That's really important to keep the body from warping.

While I can make precise pencil outlines, I don’t know how I could make precise cuts. All my power tools are handheld.

Yes, splitting the board down the middle lengthwise yielded a subtle bowing. I plan to join the halves with opposing bows.