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Need suggestions for lightweight bass.
- Thread starter slaphappywoman
- Start date
I've never held a lighter solid body bass than my Lace Helix. Its made of Mahogany.
A close second in weight would be my Yamaha RBX4-A2.
both sound really good, though I think the Lace seems like its much easier to shape the tone to your needs, whereas the Yamaha doesn't seem to ever get too far from its sound. Also, I've never played a Motion B, but from what I have heard on Youtube, the RBX4-A2 seems to have a similar sound character as the dual soapbar Motion B, a certain clearness.
As a produciton bass, I have no real complaints with the quality of the Lace. I love how it feels to play. Though it does have some neck dive. I don't know if the dual pickup version fixes this or not.
Ed Freidland reviewed the RBX4-A2 and seemed to like it well enough. I like it as well. Unique feel on the neck and the best production fret work that I have seen. It has some nice design queues that give it a feeling of higher quaility, even though its a production bass that I got on blowout pricing.
I have a Jaguar. While I'm sure there are some basses out there with a couple more pounds, the Jaguar is not light. Very punchy and aggressive though. Especially with a set of rotos.
I also have the shortscale SX Jag from rondo. With its stock pickups, It doesn't sound anything like the fender Jaguar. Weight is pretty low. Their quality is sporadic. Mine plays really well and has some very level frets. But it doesn't scream quality to look at. particularly the machining rash on parts of the fretboard. Pickups are fine, but boring.
A close second in weight would be my Yamaha RBX4-A2.
both sound really good, though I think the Lace seems like its much easier to shape the tone to your needs, whereas the Yamaha doesn't seem to ever get too far from its sound. Also, I've never played a Motion B, but from what I have heard on Youtube, the RBX4-A2 seems to have a similar sound character as the dual soapbar Motion B, a certain clearness.
As a produciton bass, I have no real complaints with the quality of the Lace. I love how it feels to play. Though it does have some neck dive. I don't know if the dual pickup version fixes this or not.
Ed Freidland reviewed the RBX4-A2 and seemed to like it well enough. I like it as well. Unique feel on the neck and the best production fret work that I have seen. It has some nice design queues that give it a feeling of higher quaility, even though its a production bass that I got on blowout pricing.
I have a Jaguar. While I'm sure there are some basses out there with a couple more pounds, the Jaguar is not light. Very punchy and aggressive though. Especially with a set of rotos.
I also have the shortscale SX Jag from rondo. With its stock pickups, It doesn't sound anything like the fender Jaguar. Weight is pretty low. Their quality is sporadic. Mine plays really well and has some very level frets. But it doesn't scream quality to look at. particularly the machining rash on parts of the fretboard. Pickups are fine, but boring.
The pickup is located right were I put my thumb to slap at. So this one won't work.
My Hofner Club is 5.5 lbs with 30" scale neck. The lightest bass I've ver played.
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About $300 overpriced but a nice looker. You should be able to pick up a German Hofner for about $1400.
Sorry. I missed your comment about slapping. The Birdsong Cbass are a little pricey but a fellow at my church has one and it sounds real nice.
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90's model Peavey Foundations or Furys are typically very light, well build basses. I love my Foundations which have a tone somewhere between Jazz and Precision and are very flexible. The Furys are Peavey's interpretation of the P-Bass with a split pickup and Jazz neck contour. If you can find a Foundation 2000 it will have a longer upper horn and will feel like it has a shorter neck, but it still is a 34 inch scale.
Be aware that the earlier Peaveys(80's) tend to be much heavier .
Be aware that the earlier Peaveys(80's) tend to be much heavier .
I'm watching a few on Ebay. One is an 87. Foundation USA Made.
It has the P J configuration and all of the others have soap box style p ups. What do you think the difference is in sound?
If I can pick one up cheap I'm just going to get one and take a chance.
It has the P J configuration and all of the others have soap box style p ups. What do you think the difference is in sound?
If I can pick one up cheap I'm just going to get one and take a chance.
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I've played several PVs of the type in those auctions and I didn't find any of them to be particularly light in weight.
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The seller says the white one (the fury) weighs 8 pounds and is the lightest bass he ever played.
If ture that's not too bad for a production bass, IME.
I've played lighter but they're my DIYs of just under 6 lbs for an SCPB and just over 6 lbs for a J.
Has anyone mentioned the Aria Pro II Magna model? This is NOT the SB series that are Fender clones, but a cut down bass specifically (so they said) designed for metal guys who jump around a lot or play velcroed to the walls. They are VERY light. And mine had the most sustain of any bass I have ever owned! It was my first 5 string and I think they come in 4s too.
I won't kid you. Stock pickups on it were terrible. Tone was terrible. Mine had single coil Js that hummed like mad. I changed the pickups to EMGs and STILL hated it. So I traded it in on a G&L tribute. Never looked back. But I wasn't concerned about weight.
And they so seem to come in a variety of pickups and there are plenty used ones out there for sale dirt cheap. (local guitar shop has 4 or 5 of them hanging on the wall...even mine was there for a while!).
Just a thought. Is a pretty light bass. And with the right pickups has potential.
Warmoth is now making a 32" scale neck and body.
Pick a light body off the showcase and have one of the fine builders here on TB build one up for you.
Pick a light body off the showcase and have one of the fine builders here on TB build one up for you.
Yup, great idea.
Also modding a Carvin AC40/50 may work. I just weighed my AC50. A mere 6.4 pounds! I forgot just how great that bass is! Still needs a magnetic neck pickup though.
Maybe one could route out a Warmouth body top lighten it. I've seen people who did that.
The 87 will probably be in the 9 1/2 to 11 lb range. The other two will probably be in the 7 1/2 -8 1/2 lb range. Both are mid nineties (92 - 94). My thought is the fury will be slightly lighter as it has the earlier smaller headstock. If you like the sound and simplisity of a P-Bass go with the fury. If you like to blend in the bridge for some treble bite go with the Foundation.
Side note, the Foundation is an uncommon version. It has pickups similar to the earlier Superferites which are highly desireable, but there is some confusion as to whether they are the same thing without the labeling. I have both and can hear no discernable difference. The bass is either a 93 or an early 94 because those pickups were replaced with VFL style soapbar pickups which have a bit less aggressive and warmer character. However, even though they are uncommon this version garners no more value on the used market.
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