Putting a dollar amount to how much weight matters, if it does.

[beaglesandbass]

So let's say I have three options for three different models same bass. The price I'm giving is including shipping and after any negotiating. All three are new and come with warranty.

Option A: $719 / 11.5 lbs
Option B: $849 / 10.3 lbs
Option C: $875 / 9.4 lbs

Everything else being equal, the only difference is the weight. How important is lightweight to you?

 

[Bass Man Dan]

It's $100 per pound, so the lightest option on your list is the best buy.

Also, I just made that up!

But two pounds lighter for less than $200 more would be worth it for me and my soon-to-be 45 year old back doing 3 full sets. YMMV.

 

[mdogs]

Less weight is worth more every day.

 

[beaglesandbass]

It's $100 per pound, so the lightest option on your list is the best buy.

Also, I just made that up!

But two pounds lighter for less than $200 more would be worth it for me and my soon-to-be 45 year old back doing 3 full sets. YMMV.

I 100% agree. I'm 34 going on 55, so pounds matter! And if I can justify that $130 is worth shaving 1.2 pounds, then $26 is certainly worth it to shave another .9, imo.

 

[FirewalZ]

In my 20’s, the heavier the better...didn’t matter. Now nearly 50, I can’t have a boat anchor on my shoulder all night...without hurting my back and knees somewhat. Single set shows not and issue, but all nighters, the lighter the better. I have a 77 Jazz with a set of 80’s Bartolini’s, sounds and plays fantastic....but 12-ish lbs, it mostly stays home My 86 MIJ Jazz is like 8-ish lbs

 

[Hank Scorpio]

How light can I get for $1k?

Seriously, weight does matter to me. For studio use? Fine, any weight is good, go nuts. 20-30 minute live set? Give me a T40, I can cope. 3 or 4 hour practice? Ah.. yeah, Im happy to pay the extra for a lighter bass.

I know a better strap helps, I know lighter tuners and improved balance helps, I know my back isn't going to crumble with an extra pound or two strapped on. But the fact is, I'm going to enjoy playing an 8-8.5lb bass a lot more than the same model at 9.5-10lb. The money is worth it to me - same as I'd pay extra for a preferred pickup/pup configuration, or for Ultralites & a Hipshot bridge, or for a roasted maple neck, or for one of my favourite finishes, or...

I don't buy a lot of basses, so I want the ones I do buy to be right.

 

[dave64o]

Given that everything else is equal, I have no problem spending the extra $156 for a bass that weighs two pounds less. I'm 56 now and would love to keep playing as long as possible. Having two pounds less bass hanging on me for four hours would probably help me play those gigs for even longer.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Option A: $719 / 11.5 lbs
Option B: $849 / 10.3 lbs
Option C: $875 / 9.4 lbs

9.4 lbs is the *light* option?

 

[Beej]

Yes, I'm old and secure enough to afford a few bucks to make it easier on this frame. That said those are all way too heavy for me. Anything over 8.5lbs is a deal breaker. 11lbs? I'd be modifying it if it was worth keeping...

 

[buldog5151bass]

Depends on your back and your gigs. When I was 20, I didn't care. At 55 (and with the fact I keep my instruments for decades), I would pay extra for exactly what I want.

 

[Inara]

As @Beej has said, the lightest option listed is heavier than I will buy. About 8.5 is the most I want to deal with, and since there are a ton of great instruments around that weight or less, that's my max.

 

[N4860]

I'm 31 now and I can appreciate a light weight instrument even if I can still handle something a bit heavier. Now that I have a 6.8 lb. Stingray, I think it will be harder for me to enjoy something that is heavier than 9 lbs. unless it is a truly spectacular instrument. I have a Bongo 6 that's got to be over 10 lbs. and it's feeling a bit like an anchor compared to my Ray.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I'm 31 now and I can appreciate a light weight instrument even if I can still handle something a bit heavier. Now that I have a 6.8 lb. Stingray, I think it will be harder for me to enjoy something that is heavier than 9 lbs. unless it is a truly spectacular instrument. I have a Bongo 6 that's got to be over 10 lbs. and it's feeling a bit like an anchor compared to my Ray.

Wow, 6.8 lbs, both of my Rays are 10+!

 

[Zooberwerx]

So let's say I have three options for three different models same bass. The price I'm giving is including shipping and after any negotiating. All three are new and come with warranty.

Option A: $719 / 11.5 lbs
Option B: $849 / 10.3 lbs
Option C: $875 / 9.4 lbs

Everything else being equal, the only difference is the weight. How important is lightweight to you?

I don't consider 9.4 to be lightweight so assigning value is difficult. In my limited universe, all 3 are non-contenders.

Riis

 

[N4860]

Wow, 6.8 lbs, both of my Rays are 10+!

The new Stingray Specials are much lighter. I have 2 that are about 6.8 lbs (1 fretted, 1 fretless), and 2 others that are right around 8 lbs. My older SR5 is definitely closer to 10 lbs. though.

 

[B-Mac]

discount for neck dive.....

 

[Bassclef46]

So let's say I have three options for three different models same bass. The price I'm giving is including shipping and after any negotiating. All three are new and come with warranty.

Option A: $719 / 11.5 lbs
Option B: $849 / 10.3 lbs
Option C: $875 / 9.4 lbs

Everything else being equal, the only difference is the weight. How important is lightweight to you?

After thinking about this very interesting question I decided I would not buy any of them and here is why.

B is automatically out because the $26 up charge for the lighter C is worth paying.

However, C is $156 more than A and that is way to much of a difference for 2 pounds. And no way I would ever buy one that weighs 11 pounds unless it was vintage fender.

at the end of the day I wouldn’t feel I was getting value for C so that’s why I wouldn’t get any of them.

 

[SLPimp]

A carrot because I don't buy basses over 7lbs.

 

[electricGstring]

I guess it really shows how new I am to this thing but I would have thought that a heavier bass (up to a point, of course) would be preferable, sound wise to a lighter bass.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I guess it really shows how new I am to this thing but I would have thought that a heavier bass (up to a point, of course) would be preferable, sound wise to a lighter bass.

If so, why are Sadowsky and other high end companies putting out light weight instruments, and why do some retailers (i.e. Sweetwater) post weights on their better individual instruments? At best, opinion is mixed.