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My Bass Is Too Heavy Now

#61
samroon said:
Two years ago I herniated two disks in the center of my back. Physical Therapy was able to get me to a place that was livable and life went on. Then in June of last year my hand started to go numb. Countless doctors and tests later I was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Anyway, long story short is that my left shoulder is compressing the nerves going into my arm and causing my hand to go numb. All this got me to thinking about the particularly aggressive way that I perform live and how heavy my Warwick is.

As someone who performs a lot, does a fair amount of session work etc, I'm particularly nervous about not being able to use an instrument that has amazing tone. So my question is, are there any bass companies out there with uniquely amazing tone to their instruments, while not weighing a million pounds?
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Sorry for your situation. I have a Mike Lull PJ5 with an Aguilar OBP-2 and passive tone control. It weighs 7.5 lbs. and it sounds awesome! Sadowsky NYCs are also notoriously light weight. I believe most builders would be willing to help you out...for a price. Best of luck to you.
 
#65
I have to say my 1987 Guild Pilot is very light. I put it on my scale and though it is hard to read looks like it comes in at 7 pounds or less. It is one of the solid color poplar bodies and they are known for lightness. The pickups are stock EMGs and I like the quiet nature of them under any conditions.
 
#66
My Gibson SG bass is a real featherweight. It is short scale though.

DSC_0013ck10a_zpseb352405.jpg
 
#68
Another Sadowsky vote here - my NYC is 7.45lbs. Made a huge difference over the MIA Jazz it replaced (over 10lbs) - I've struggled with back problems for years but have gotten past it with rehab now. Played this bass exclusively for 7 years now. Looks, plays and sounds amazing. Will never part with it
 
#69
Don't forget to take weight distribution into account. I've a couple of lighter-weight basses that were perfectly miserable to wear. By far, the most comfortable bass I've owned is a Kubicki Ex Factor (headless)....the Key Factor 5, not so much. Shaving down the body weight without addressing the neck & headstock just doesn't work.

Riis
 
#71
I used to have a Fender P Bass Lyte, which was a Koa body with a P and humbucker pickup at the bridge, active electronics with 3 band eq. VERY light and a great player. On a funny note, I used to play tuba/sousaphone in grade school and high school. A trick we would use with the heavy sousaphones for parades and long performances was womens maxi pads under our uniform!! That adhesive strip would stick the pad right to the inside of our uniform right under where the sousaphone would set on our shoulder. LOL!!!!! They were very absorbant for sweat as well!!! LOL!!!!!
 
#72
Samroon

Kind of in the same boat. I have had surgery on 3 herniated discs. I just had my third surgery 2 weeks ago. Had my first one in 04 at 28. I have numbness in my right hand from spinal stenosis. Sounds like what you have with the nerves being compressed at a different point.

I stay away from performing with my heaviest basses. I use wide straps. I don't jump around. The biggest thing for me is load in. I do what I can and no more. I lay it out with anyone I play with. The chance of me hurting myself carrying PA gear, or amps is too great.

If your PT person gave you stretches or anything stay up with that. Staying as healthy as possible everyday will help the nights you have to play.

If I know I am in trouble I play either my Thunderbird or my Jazz Special.

It is a bummer and a blow to your ego when you have to explain what is going on. I have been lucky that I have never missed a show. There have been a few that were damn hard, but I made it.

If you have any question feel free to PM me.
 
#73
I have a roscoe as well and it's incredibly light and to me is in the ballpark of the warwick sound

also I have a pedulla rapture and find it quite light

glw your back man, been there, this is why I can't do a peavey t40 or stingray5
 
#74
I would suggest playing as many basses as you can until you find a light weight one that speaks to you. I don't think using MEC electronics in a dissimilar bass will give you the "Warwick Tone". IMO its more about construction, pickup placement, and the wood used. I recently came across a Cort B4 in Mahogany/Wenge that sounds pretty close to a Warwick and it weighs under 7.5lbs.
 
#75
mngbass said:
Elricks are a light choice.
Click to expand...

FrenchBassQC said:
I use a Roscoe LG 3005 at 8.6lbs and it has all the tone I can think of.:)
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Keeping in mind that you have a tone you like in the Warwick, I think Elrick and Roscoe will be the closest you'll find for a bass that's light and delivers the tone(s) you like. I've also played a couple Sadowsky basses that are light and deliver great tone, but that tone was further from a "Warwick tone" than the Elricks or Roscoes I've played.

I have a Roscoe LG-3005 fretless that is the lightest bass I own, somewhere under 9 pounds.
 
#76
I am new to playing bass so all the possible tonal nuances are new to me. I have just improved my St. Blues bass with a Warmoth Neck and it got me thinking that possibly the folks at Warmoth may of had to tackle this weight/tone problem before. I imagine they would be a good resource.

I am selling my Guild Pilot and after playing the St. Blues bass for the last few months the Guild felt super light when I went to clean it up for sale.
 
#78
Aside from a pre-Gibson Steinberger (which sound great) the only other lite bass that seriously blew my mind was the Status Hellborg Signature. The body is similar to a guitar, all mahogany, graphite inserts in the neck and a 36V on-board pre. I miss it!..
 
#79
you might also in conjunction with a lighter bass try one of these straps...I have one of each and love them both...though i favor the neotech...

http://comfortstrapp.com/

http://neotechstraps.com/mega-strap.html

also there are many luthiers and bass companies that are currently using Royal Paulownia for bass bodies now...several threads out there on the subject of this wood...it is very light, very resonant, and has the same tonal qualities of ash!

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/nbd-gfs-paulownia-content-961838/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/paulownia-bass-599556/

the average Royal Paulownia bass body weighs about 3.5 lbs...might look into a parts build using your Warwick electronics
 
#80
I have quite a few light basses myself as I get sore pretty easily.
Some that I would recommend, Tobias, Tune, of course the headless basses made by Steinberger and Hohner.

One really light bass that I personally don't own is the Yamaha RBX4 A2. Don't know how it sounds but it has according to the website:
"Alternative Internal Resonance, or AIR. AIR combines lightweight and resonant softwoods between harder tonewoods creating an instrument loaded with sustain and tone while maintaining an ultra lightweight construction."
 

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