On the fence due to weight....

[Mannyinnewyork]

I'm 72 and the weight of a bass was always an issue. Most of my basses were between 9 to 11 pounds and most gigs were long, long hours. Only when I picked up some SS basses (especially the Hofners) did I realize that I could have saved myself a lot of agro by considering the weight when I picked out a bass. It should have been obvious, but it wasn't.

 

[Jamvan]

I'll be 50 in a little over a month and I've been gigging this 11.5lb Lakland for the past 4 years and I love it despite the shoulder/arm/back pain that never seems to go away anymore…

Get it then get the widest strap you can find and be happy (and sore) until such time you determine you must sell.

 

[stubborne]

It's not the weight, it's all that head banging.

 

[basslifter]

Roughly the same age an in good shape also except....for the left shoulder. Doh! I had a heavy bass that I liked. It balanced well, so that helped. However, in the end, heavy was heavy and I sold it in favor or a lighter bass that also balanced well. Yeah, definitely easier.

 

[CElton]

I'm 57 and I'm a Weight Weenie, there I said it. Found an EBMM Special SR5 at 8lbs, sold one that was 10.5. It just rarely left the house because no matter how great it sounded, it was just too uncomfortable to play for 4 hours. I tried wider straps to no avail. Just too much of a beat down. Now I'm spoiled and won't even consider a bass if its over 9lbs. Just so nice to play. YMMV.

 

[skyline_01]

If she's the one then I say grab 'er!

Put on a thicka$$ comfort strap for gigs, or just relegate it to the studio if it's too much to handle live. And if it's feasible, look into lighter tuners/bridge to save weight.

 

[Jack Butler]

Dooo ett. Flip later if you must

Probably good advice, but keep in mind flipping a 10+ lb bass these days is harder than it used to be, esp. if it's a 4 string. I've been looking for a decent deal on a 70's P bass and I've found a couple at reasonable prices, but then when I find out they are in the 11 lb range I can't imagine how it long it would take if I decided to sell at some point.

 

[Altitude]

I sold an 11 pound Yamaha TRB5 because of the weight. Did the big strap thing but I was still coming home from gigs with a knot in my left shoulder.

I loved the bass but at the end of the day there are lots of others I love too that weigh less.

 

[Ric5]

I have been playing for many years ... many different basses ... I love light basses, but sound trumps weight for me.

The only bass I ever saw that was too heavy for me was a Peavey T-40 ... it seemed like it was made from lead.

What bothers me more than a heavy bass is in my older years is that my ankles and feet hurt ... so the weight I need to lose is in my belly.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I would be skeptical of the screaming deal, but do your due diligence and grab it. If you don't gel with it, flip it later.

 

[lfmn16]

I never considered the weight of a bass until I hit 60. Now it's a consideration. One thing I would say is that it might not be as easy to move as you think. I had a tele that was a real pig and it took almost a year to sell. Most people moved on as soon as I told them how heavy it was.

Maybe just bring a second bass and if this one gets too heavy, switch. A nice wide padded strap will probably help too.

 

[Altitude]

I would be skeptical of the screaming deal, but do your due diligence and grab it. If you don't gel with it, flip it later.

It's actually not an awesome deal, either - $450 shipping!

 

[WI Short Scaler]

My opinion is if you're already thinking about the possibility of unloading it after purchase, then don't purchase it.

In my experience buying is far easier than selling so avoid the headache.

That being said, as a SS player I would never consider an 11 lb bass, but that's just me. Good luck on your decision.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

It's actually not an awesome deal, either - $450 shipping!

I assumed it was local. The original post said "In my area".

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Throw out the first thing that comes to mind. I need to talk this out.

The weight can be reduced if you aren't shy about it.
Use power tools.

I have one that's 10.2 pounds, and "one of these days Alice"!

 

[SleepyShark]

I'm 50 years old, but in good shape. That said, I'm not sure how I would do with a 10 1/2 pound bass around my neck for a gig.

In my area, there's a screaming deal on a bass I REALLY like. I did hundreds of gigs with an 11 pound version several years ago. I recall it felt heavier than my other basses. But I don't recall avoiding it due to weight. Like I said, I did a LOT of gigs with that bass!

I think I could flip it if it winds up being just too heavy.

Spitball with me. Throw out the first thing that comes to mind. I need to talk this out.

Sounds like you have other instruments if this is too heavy, and a viable route to get rid of it.

Doesn't sound like you have much to lose!

 

[TAZ]

For me it isn't the gross weight, it's how heavy is the neck/head. Simply put, Res-o-lites on everything.

 

[bassballs27]

Total weight doesn't necessarily cover the actual experience of the bass.
Maybe it's more neck heavy? Or maybe the body is a boat anchor. You don't know until you experience the bass.

Have you ever tried a decent 4" strap before? Or even a Comfort Strapp?
I bought both from Bass San Diego way back in 2016 when I was lucky enough to visit the shop when I was on vacation in Cali. I won't let go of either these straps because they've both been fantastic.
I bought a 4" Levy's leather padded strap and a Comfort Strapp XL.
Why did I buy them? I was working with a cover band at the time and was playing a 12lbs bass for a few 3 hour rehearsals. The pain I got from having a heavy 12 lbs bass hurt much more AFTER during the night than initially wearing the bass. Sometimes I was still in pain the next day. A535 was my friend, but the straps I just mentioned stopped my neck muscles from being sore entirely. If you feel sore just thinking about slinging a 12 lbs bass over your shoulder and neck...then I'd either question the straps I use. However, if those straps are already great....well....weight is for sure an issue for you.

I own a bass currently that's just over 11 lbs right now and it's completely manageable with the right strap.
A 2" wide unpadded suede or nylon strap absolutely doesn't work for this bass for greater than 15 minutes of playing. Having the strap sized correctly for both sitting and standing works well for me too.

 

[mrjim123]

I'm 70, with a bad back, so I'm all about light weight when it comes to amps.

But, I never quite understood the concern with bass weights. Granted, the heaviest bass I gig is 9.4 lbs., but I've never really felt that the bass weight affected me adversely in any way. I also gig an 8.2 lb. bass, but I don't even give the weight a thought. But, that's just me.

 

[sleddogn]

i'm to the point of not trying to talk someone in or out of bass due to weight. You either want it or not, if not more for everyone else...