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Please recommend me decent lightweight basses

M

mashup

Jan 6, 2008
64
0
#1
Hi TalkBassers,

having really bad back & shoulder problems at the moment & am having to regretably consider selling my beloved G & L L2000 & move on to a lighter bass or 2! there wont be anything else out there as versatile as my L2000, but what lightweight bass (as light as possible) would be a good compromise in terms of versatility & pain minimization? Please recommend me as many as possible, from cheap to expensive. I want to know what my options are. Im gutted that im having to do this but my problem is just getting worse over time & i have some very important gigs coming up. It has gotten so bad that muscles in my upper shoulder/back have been spasming continually for the last 25 hours.

I play Alternative Indie Rock - Think Police/U2/Coldplay so the bass needs to be able to produce the tones that are fitting to my style of play & genre

Please help,

Thanks
 
#2
I also have a bad shoulder and have done a bit of research into lightweight basses.

I don't think there is anything viable under 4 pounds. The Ministar Basstar travel bass is right at 4 lbs. They have a great sound but being a travel bass, they look pretty unconventional. There's an old thread about them on TB:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/sick-basstar-travel-bass-only-9-99-a-678134/

I think most of the "Beatle" violin basses as sold by Hofner, Jay Turser, etc., are usually in the 5 to 5.5 lb range. They're semi-hollowbody basses and might not be your cup of tea, tone-wise.

A few companies make P-bass copies that use smaller, lighter Stratocaster bodies with lighter headstocks. They weigh 5.5 to 6 lbs. The Samick/Greg Bennett Corsair is one example.

Most people are saying the new Squier Jaguar Special Short Scale models weigh right at 6.5 lbs.

Anything heavier than that is probably too heavy if your shoulder is as bad as it sounds.
 
#4
Look for a TBC of some sort? I have a G&L Trib L2500 and a TBC AP500M (five-string) and the TBC is considerably lighter.

Mostly available used, but you might try contacting Jack at TBC to order one. Last I heard he was still in business.
 
#7
Aren't Lull basses light weight? Never played one but hear great things about them. I have some shoulder sorness as well and have benefited by purchasing a wide strap and as crazy as it sounds being more aware of my posture when I play. Good Luck
 
#8
mashup said:
Hi TalkBassers,

having really bad back & shoulder problems at the moment & am having to regretably consider selling my beloved G & L L2000 & move on to a lighter bass or 2! there wont be anything else out there as versatile as my L2000, but what lightweight bass (as light as possible) would be a good compromise in terms of versatility & pain minimization? Please recommend me as many as possible, from cheap to expensive. I want to know what my options are. Im gutted that im having to do this but my problem is just getting worse over time & i have some very important gigs coming up. It has gotten so bad that muscles in my upper shoulder/back have been spasming continually for the last 25 hours.

I play Alternative Indie Rock - Think Police/U2/Coldplay so the bass needs to be able to produce the tones that are fitting to my style of play & genre

Please help,

Thanks
Click to expand...

Due to similar issues and the lack of relief using lighter instruments, I wound up mounting several of my basses on a Steinberger EUB stand using a mounting block I developed so there's no permanent mod to the instrument.

Using them as an EUB started out as a temporary remedy but I haven't gone back to wearing a bass since.
 
#9
I just picked up a Fender Precision Lyte Deluxe a couple days ago. My band usually practices for 6+ hours and my epi thunderbird just gets too damn heavy after awhile. Awesome little bass for sure.

If you want p bass tone... I highly recommend them.
 
#10
Yamaha RBX4-A2. These typically run in the low 7 lb / high 6 lbs range. The electronics are punchy as hell, but benefit from a little bass boost imo. Also one of the most playable necks I've ever come across. *Very* cheap when you find them.

/rick
 
#13
Lightest bass I ever owned was a Ibanez SR500. The Yamaha RBX4-A2, as Rick mentioned, would probably be a very good choice. Jackson had a line of basses called the Antigravity series, models AG4Q and AG5Q, that were supposed to be about 5 pounds! Never actually saw one in person though.
 
#14
Olde Axeman said:
I also have a bad shoulder and have done a bit of research into lightweight basses.

I don't think there is anything viable under 4 pounds. The Ministar Basstar travel bass is right at 4 lbs. They have a great sound but being a travel bass, they look pretty unconventional. There's an old thread about them on TB:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/sick-basstar-travel-bass-only-9-99-a-678134/

I think most of the "Beatle" violin basses as sold by Hofner, Jay Turser, etc., are usually in the 5 to 5.5 lb range. They're semi-hollowbody basses and might not be your cup of tea, tone-wise.

A few companies make P-bass copies that use smaller, lighter Stratocaster bodies with lighter headstocks. They weigh 5.5 to 6 lbs. The Samick/Greg Bennett Corsair is one example.

Most people are saying the new Squier Jaguar Special Short Scale models weigh right at 6.5 lbs.

Anything heavier than that is probably too heavy if your shoulder is as bad as it sounds.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. Im really looking for something as light as possible, but still with great tone & i know that im probably limited somewhat.

I might have to check that Jaguar out although i really dont want a short scale bass
 
#18
I've got an Ibanez SR800 that's got a basswood body. Really light bass, especially after using my Stingray. Good tone out of it too, and it's a fairly flexible active P-J bass. They don't make the 800 anymore, but a lot of the other soundgear range should be fairly light too.
 
#20
For the shoulder problems you could get you a bottle of MSM capsules. Available where vitamins etc are sold. 2000 mgs a day helps with shoulder joint pain and lower back pain by lubricating the bone. Really fast acting stuff and non addictive. Its also the active ingredient in Blue Emu cream which works well . I had such bad lower back issues that when I stood up I was hunched over. Started taking the caps and rarely have a problem now
 

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