Please recommend me decent lightweight basses

[bassclef29]

Sympathy on the shoulder issue! Hope it gets better soon.

If you're like most people, you're budget conscious, and aware that some instruments cost more than others.
That said, IME, many Elrick basses are light. My 4-string scales in at barely over 7 pounds.

Though only a G&L sounds exactly like a G&L, the right Elrick offers much in the way of versatility (tone choice).

Don't know about the used Elrick market, as I bought mine from a friend. Hope this helps some, though.
--Joe in San Diego

 

[Lobster11]

Obviously, a hollowbody or semi-hollowbody would be a good option. Many of these are short-scale, which you said you didn't want, but the Jack Casady is long scale -- and has awesome tone!

 

[ehque]

Depending on how much you want to spend, but Basslab basses are advertised as being in the 5-6 pound range, with sub-5 versions as their lightest.

 

[ATLbassist]

what lightweight bass (as light as possible) would be a good compromise in terms of versatility & pain minimization?
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 & genres

I'll second the recommendation for the Epiphone Jack Casady. It's pretty light and long-scale, with a very throaty, P-bassish tone. It's also very well-priced - you can find a good one used for around $500 US. However, I highly recommend replacing the tuners for Hipshot Ultralites and getting the widest strap you can. Otherwise, you'll trade back cramps for hand craps as the neck dive can be a problem.

If you want really lightweight, there's always the Hofner and Danelectro short-scales. However, they have tones that might not be right for your preferred styles. Hofner is very thumpy and Danelectro very twangy. (Though you could find a used Danelectro DC bass, which is long scale. Flatwound strings might smooth it out.)

 

[Handyman]

Since you like G&Ls, have you tried to find a solid color L2000? I believe the modern solid color L2000 basses have basswood bodies, which are generally quite a bit lighter than the heavy ash they they use with the fancier finishes.

Fender Precision Lytes are quite light, though they I think they can do with a pickup swap.

 

[blindrabbit]

I'm in the same position - wrecked shoulder. The first solution I'm trying is to get a different and lighter amp rig, having just sold my 100 lb Redhead this past weekend, and looking to get into a 40-ish lb micro rig. Hopefully that will take some stress of the shoulder. I'm also fortunate in that I have a wide leather strap that distributes the pressure and seems to help. All that said, I am doing some research into lighter options. I previously owned (and enjoyed) a P-Lyte, so count me as a +1 into that as a recommendation for you. I'll definitely be following this thread. Good luck with your search, and sorry to hear about the shoulder. It sucks, eh?

 

[LeoP]

You should check Birdsong basses!!! Birdsong - Professional hand built short scale basses
I'm an amateur bass player and a pro sound engineer, and I can tell you that this little basses sound amazing!!
The bass player from the band I've been working for the last 12 years (they've been 32 years on the road now) had a similar shoulder problem and after trying many lightweight basses, finally bought a 6 lb Spanish Cedar "Corto" Bass from Birdsong and he love it!! Has become one of his main basses for the past year an a half, and a few moths ago he got a new one, same size, but totally different sound!! We're now on tour with both of them! And I'm talking about a guy who owns more than 40 basses...
There is a big club of birdsong owners here... check it out!

 

[CrankenStein]

I recently got a squier Vm Jaguar and its suprisingly lightweight plus great sound for the money.

 

[Lesfunk]

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.

I agree with fuzzy little man peach! P bass lyte ees a good choice

 

[darkstorm]

Most small body mahogany and basswood body basses are quite lightweight. Like the Ibanez SR's with these body woods. If you can still find one, the traben array attack was also very light. It used palowania wood for body.

 

[peledog]

Fender Aerodynes are light - about 7 lbs

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My Spector Rebop is under 8 lbs, maybe 7.5 or so. Sting played a Spector NS-2 as well as a P-bass, among many other basses.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Invalid Link Removed

I'm so grateful the Spectors are light enough for 4 hour gigs. Even my 5 string is under 9 pounds.

 

[JohnnyB53]

I have two collapsed discs at the base of my neck, and I suffered a violent shoulder separation when I was not quite 16. So I'm sensitive to bass comfort. I find the L2000 to be a very comfortable, balanced bass even though it's not particularly light, though weight varies by at least a couple of pounds from unit to unit.

What are you using for a strap? I use these:

You also need to look at where you adjust your strap. If you like to sling it low, you will have pain.

Also, having a lightweight body--if it's attached to a standard maple neck--may make the overall weight less, but it will be more prone to neck dive unless the upper horn has been extended to compensate. Good balance trumps poorly distributed lighter weight.

 

[Dave W]

My Sadowsky NYC 5er is the lightest bass I've played, and it's not even one of the newer chambered bodies.

 

[Kaa]

I'll chime in for the P-bass Lyte. I have one and it's a nice weight, well balanced, and a very comfortable neck.

Although many here say the electronics are poor, they sound OK to me. I will swap them in the future, though, simply because I want passive.