The Great Weight Debate!

[Smooth_bass88]

In my opinion,a basses body should be heavy enough to counteract any neck dive.What ever the neck may weigh.Just a bit heavier than it's neck.

True this. My US Lakland JO 4 string (alder/rosewood/passive) does not seem overly heavy, buy it's not really a lightweight either. It does however, balance perfectly.

 

[cnltb]

I don't debate... but simply won't use an instrument over 4kg. My main basses weigh in at 3.8kg (8.37756596 lbs) including strap.

 

[Iridescentone]

I was at GC today and handled an insanely heavy vintage Gibson les Paul bass. One of the workers told me it weighs 24lbs. I thought he was joking but he says they weighed it.

That's why I avoid GC, just so I never have to talk to people who work there. lol

 

[JimmyM]

+1. There are some people with back or shoulder problems and some without. Some people play long gigs and some do not. Some find a heavier bass uncomfortable and some don't. What puzzles me is when people can't understand how anyone could be different than they are.

That is the truth! Bass players are especially guilty. Very annoying.

 

[Tom Howland]

The make and style of bass also comes into play with weight. Scale, wood, body shape, number of strings. Will all effect weight.
For Fender style basses, 7.5 pounds to 8.5 pounds all tend to sound great in this weight range. A heavier bass will have more sustain, but can lack warmth.
A bass to light, can be less focused. In the end there is a certain amount of voodoo, or luck involved. Because some basses sound great regardless of weight.

 

[Liam Wald]

A 9 pound bass that is terribly unbalanced is heavier than a 10 pound bass that is just right.

 

[JimmyM]

A 9 pound bass that is terribly unbalanced is heavier than a 10 pound bass that is just right.

With one caveat...the 10 lb bass is still going to be 10 lbs, and 10 lbs is 10 lbs hanging off your shoulder no matter what. My solution is finding basses that weigh less and are still balanced

 

[davy4575]

Its a simple matter of weight ratio, a five ounce bird cant carry a one pound coconut

 

[jazzyvee]

I've just weighed the bass I've had round my neck today and it's 11lbs and the one I was using yesterday is 12.5lbs.
They both balance great. Having wide straps do spread the weight a bit but they still feel heavy though I don't find that uncomfortable at the moment.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I just bought this Wolf WTHB-7W.It weighs in at 13.6 lbs.

The end of the fret board is four inches wide!!

 

[Bent77]

Nice looking bass, get to gig it much?

 

[Mark4]

I'd like to weigh my new-to-me maple Carvin, but my old digital scale died and I replaced it with one that changes weights if you look at it. Have any of you tried the kind of hanging scale used to weigh fish? If they work for bass, they might work for bass.