Some basses are too heavy, but are some too light?

[Watchootognbout]

For me,heavy or light is not the issue.
I can adapt.
What's important to me is balance.

 

[fommof]

Bad back, chronic pain etc. so in my case, the lighter the better.

My 2012 Ibanez SR300 weighs less than 3Kg and I am still trying to find a replacement.

That's 6.56lb...

 

[BassicJazzy]

Bad back, chronic pain etc. so in my case, the lighter the better.

My 2012 Ibanez SR300 weighs less than 3Kg and I am still trying to find a replacement.

That's 6.56lb...

I think this is my lightest bass. I have the fretless version of your bass, the SR370EF, and this one feels lighter to me, though I have not weighed it. Bought it from GC and they don't list weights. Ibanez SR1350B. First pic is it next to the fretless, for comparison purposes. It's slightly shorter.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

The biggest variable when comparing basses of a similar type, say a Fender Jazz is going to be the weight of the body. There is a good range where the balance is great and the weight on the shoulder is manageable. Outside of that range by much and you get a bass that to me is too heavy or too light.

 

[Jim C]

My Sandberg Superlight is under 7 lbs. and balances perfectly.
Lovely passive tone, always in tune, and I believe they use a special lightweight maple for the necks.
I don't play any of my other basses anymore.

 

[DWBass]

Too light???? Never!! Those new lightweight Stingrays are a godsend!! Just can't afford them now!!

 

[Pier_]

Too light???? Never!! Those new lightweight Stingrays are a godsend!! Just can't afford them now!!

I've had issues with "too light" Fenders: for example, I've had an American Vintage '74 Jazz (ash-maple) that weighted 3,5kg (7.7lbs), and it was the most unbalanced neck diving bass I've ever owned, more uncomfortable than a Gibson Thunderbird.

being too light, the headstock with the 70's Fender tuners was too heavy and the neck went down, adding a lot of weight to the left shoulder, not only making it less comfortable for the movement.

compared to this, I prefer an heavier bass that stays firm, like the Aria SB1000, 4,7kg (10.3lbs), but it stays at 45° and don't move.

so IMHO a standard "Fenderish" bass should weight between 3,8kg and 4,1kg to be light and stay balanced.

speaking of "too light" for other instruments, no, there aren't. my Hofner are 2kg, perfectly balanced, and they are a joy to play because you don't even notice having them on the shoulder.
I've had a couple of Ibanez Mikro, a couple of Danelectro Longhorn '58, and also them were extremely comfortable, super light and balanced.

a light Fender is a risk without changing the tuners.

 

[J Wilson]

From my experience, I have learned to separate weight from stiffness. My experience is that stiffness has a far greater impact on tone than simply weight. I'd bet a 9-10 bass with a poplar body and a maple neck would get shamed by a 7 pound bass with an ash body and a rock maple neck with an ebony fingerboard.

 

[Bob_Ross]

But does anyone look at a number and think, "Yeah no, that bass is too light for me"?
…[snip]…
Is there a point where a light bass is too light?

Um… I suppose if someone ever came out with a long scale full-size instrument that was under 2 pounds I might hesitate… Maybe?

Two of my basses are well under 7lbs, and there is *nothing* about playing them that makes me think "ooh, this might be too light!"

In fact, I wish all of my basses were under 7lbs!

 

[BassicJazzy]

Um… I suppose if someone ever came out with a long scale full-size instrument that was under 2 pounds I might hesitate… Maybe?

Two of my basses are well under 7lbs, and there is *nothing* about playing them that makes me think "ooh, this might be too light!"

In fact, I wish all of my basses were under 7lbs!

When I pick up my SR1350B after playing one of my FSOs for awhile it feels like a toy. It's probably right at 7lbs. I think if it only weighed 4 or 5 lbs it would lack the stability I want, would feel like it was moving too much. A little weight is a good thing, for keeping the bass from bouncing around too much.

 

[ClusterFlux]

So how about others? Is there a point where a light bass is too light?

I say no.

I had a 5.7 pound Squier Precision Mini. It was fantastic using such a light instrument.

Light basses can be balanced, heavy basses can be unbalanced. And most of the time, neck dive can be fixed with a grippy and/or wide strap anyway.

 

[Dincrest]

And something I didn't quite think about when I first posted (since I'm primarily a 4-string player; my 2 basses are 4-bangers), it's more difficult to find lighter weight extended range basses.

A "heavy" 4-string might be considered "feather-weight" for a 5 or 6-string player.

I once had a Spector ReBop 5 that was a gorgeous weight (maybe 8.75 pounds) which is pretty light for a 5-string. But the compact body, bridge placement, short upper horn, and 35" scale made the bass balance too horizontally and first position was a miles-away reach. If the neck was less chunky and the nut narrower that might have helped, but... no, its ergonomics were all wrong. I would take a 9.25 pound 5-string with better-suited-to-me ergonomics.

I also once had a Guitar Factory 6-string that was over 12.5 pounds. Its balance was perfect, its neck was perfect, its playability was perfect, its tone was monstrous... it would have been a forever bass were it not so heavy. I couldn't shoulder it for more than 40 minutes. I once tried an ESP/LTD B-206 that was maybe 10ish pounds and it felt great... though the neck was wider than my Guitar Factory's (which was narrow for a 6er).

Both my basses (an LTD and Reverend, both 4-strings) are around the 8.5 pound mark and both feel perfect to me. Not too heavy, not too light.

 

[Geri O]

Makes me wonder if this is what it would sound like if Goldilocks were shopping for a bass….

 

[BassicJazzy]

Makes me wonder if this is what it would sound like if Goldilocks were shopping for a bass….

Probably. "Ellen Plays Bass" seems able to handle basses that weigh twice as much as her? But then again, she doesn't have a 71 year old back with herniated discs to contend with.

 

[BassHole1]

I have a light Squier affinity P bass. It came stripped of its red paint. I tried to stain it but no luck. I painted it gold sparkle then used amber shellac over it. I redid the headstock which turned out perfectly. It has Aguilar PU's and a CTS/switchcraft USA harness, and I aged all the chrome hardware. It turned out great as a 1972 heavy relic tribute and is super light, too, for those 3 hour gigs! Straight rosewood neck and tort PG........oh, man!

 

[JIO]

Light weight, good balance, sounds great, plays great ... no thanks to a heavy bass.