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The ultimate lightweight bass thread!

#142
Groove Doctor said:
@Joe Nerve -
I'm keen to know the advice given & exercises prescribed by your PT that helped you the most. PM me if you'd prefer.
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I was given 8 exercises that are a little tough to explain without the diagrams. What seems to target the area best is a crunch where I focus differently than I always have, sort of bringing my navel down to the floor. The PT showed me a different way to target my muscles.

I'm not thrilled though about the care I was getting from this place. They never gave me clear directions on how often I should do the exercises, and when I went in for a session they did nothing other than put heat on my back for 10 minutes, have me do a stationary bike for 15, then go through the exercises. I don't need to drop a $30 co-payment to go do that in front of them. I can do it at home or at my gym. I may go one more time and tell them I need them to up their game - or I might just go somewhere else.
 
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#143
Joe Nerve said:
@Honch , thanks for the thoughtfulness in your posts. Thanks everyone, actually - lots of great suggestions here. I agree that the bass isn't the issue. Truth be told, I think I'm just looking to justify yet another bass purchase. I already own several basses that are lighter than some of the basses suggested in this thread. Was hoping someone was going to post a bass I never saw before, loved, had to have, that weighed 4 lbs :). I also have a 20% off coupon that's burning a hole through my email pocket....

Believe it or not @Honch , I have those sneakers! Bought them a while back when another company (Sketchers?) was putting out an identical product. Ultimately, they looked too ridiculous for me to continue wearing. I was literally getting laughed at, no joke, and while I didn't care terribly I thought maybe it wasn't the greatest idea. The band also is image conscious, so sitting, strange straps, and strange looking basses really isn't going to cut it.

All the other stuff is completely on the money. My back isn't hurting because of my bass playing, but 6 - 12 hours a week jumping around with a bass on certainly isn't helping. I'm sure it's the things I've been doing in the gym. I've pin-pointed a few of them (calf machines definitely being one), and adjusted my workouts accordingly. I went for physical therapy a few times, but need to find a place that will be more helpful. I learned a bunch of core training exercises that zero in where my back hurts. They know what's wrong, and that makes me happy as there is definitely room for recovery. Just need to find the time to do what I need to do, and stay committed to it.

Thanks again to everyone. This thread got much better response than I thought it would.
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An interesting thing in my health history is that I had bad shoulder pain with a catch in it. Rheumatologist sent me for PT. Weeks later, no diff. Another doc suggested I get a shot of cortisone in it, I have not had even a whimper from it since. So PT/exercise isn't always the answer.

My interest in lightweight basses is that I just feel better with one on, I move better with fewer pounds on my shoulder, and play better when I feel better. A small body with a light weight is the bass for me. Pedulla Rapture comes to mind...
 
#144
Joe Nerve said:
I was given 8 exercises that are a little tough to explain without the diagrams. What seems to target the area best is a crunch where I focus differently than I always have, sort of bringing my navel down to the floor. The PT showed me a different way to target my muscles.

I'm not thrilled though about the care I was getting from this place. They never gave me clear directions on how often I should do the exercises, and when I went in for a session they did nothing other than put heat on my back for 10 minutes, have me do a stationary bike for 15, then go through the exercises. I don't need to drop a $30 co-payment to go do that in front of them. I can do it at home or at my gym. I may go one more time and tell them I need them to up their game - or I might just go somewhere else.
Click to expand...
My wife experienced the same issue. If you are going in on an insurance claim and are co-paying, you should be getting one on one training. After all, these trainers are there for your needs. My wife went a couple times to a physical therapy and after trying to follow a page of instructions written in pencil on the back of a piece of used paper, she quit. We did our studying and found that using a Tens unit will help her small of the back. If you go to the 'bay and search for Tens 3000 you'll find the unit she uses when her back bothers her.

Also, bear in mind, that if you don't have proper diagnosis, you could actually be doing damage to your back doing exercises. Please be careful. How I studied the issue for my wife was I googled "what causes lower back pain." I learned a lot more than even the doctor shared with us in one afternoon.

Good luck.
 
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#149
alaskaleftybass said:
It seems like all the slappers have the same tone no matter what bass or amp. And the slap solo, which is unavoidable, is always in E. I'm not trying to pick a fight, but it would also be nice if some of these players played along with an actual song, instead of the long E bass solos that all seem to sound the same. Real world results work best for me.

The bass is nice looking and I guess sounds great though... :thumbsup:
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Oh no . . .
 
#151
My lightest basses:

- Epiphone EA-260...6.5 lbs. Might be hard to find a good one, but nice if you do...
- Danelectro DC 59 Pro...6.1 lbs. My favorite neck of them all.. so I have 2...
- Starfire Violin bass...5.4 lbs. Generic Chinese Beatle bass, but mine's pretty nice...
- Rogue VB-100 violin bass...6.25 lbs. Mine's Korean, and very well made. A little heavier than a new Chinese one, though...:thumbsup:
 
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#152
I'm seeing alot of instruments that don't quite meet your weight requests, but I've got a 35" scale bass that is less than 6 pounds!

I can't speak highly enough about my Wendler. It comes in at about 5.8 lbs and mine is even a touch heavier than most because I specifically requested a longer body to balance out my requested 35" neck.

Heres a thread about mine. Compared to a MIM standard P.

20170606_093733-jpg.jpg


It's superlightweight because the top is arched...
20170606_093911-jpg.jpg

...and the back is carved out resulting in a very thin body.
20170606_094000-jpg.jpg

It also sounds great and plays like butter. The electronics are simply volume and a blend between the magnetic an piezo elements. The sounds range from P-bass to upright.

His standard price for a 4 string 34" fretless starts at $1200. IIRC, with the sunburst finish, 35" scale and elongated body mine came to around $1450 shipped.
Instruments | Guitar Repair Kansas City | Luthier Acoustic Electric Guitar

As for your personal requirements, a Y-style detuner is an easy addition and I'm pretty sure he'll make a fretted version if you wish.
 
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#153
saltydude said:
View attachment 1188203 May I suggest a Yamaha Motion B.
It's my go to ultra lightweight bass.
32" scale. Demure. Powerful little passive hum buckers. Can be found used for $300-$400. Don't let the price fool you. It's a great, easy good sounding player. I've since fixed the broken knob. Sorry no link.
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Been looking for a fretless on this one for years. Miss two bids in 5 or 6 years
I can find them in Japan but thy want $150 shipping
 
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#155
I don't know it's exact weight but the lightest I recall playing was a YAMAHA RBX4 A2. It's a full 34" and I remember liking the way it sounded.
The New RBX4 A2 Electric Bass Guitar: Light as A.I.R., Deep as The Ocean

A Rick Turner Renaissance is also featherweight but pricy. They sound a bit more "earthy" than most EBGs.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

If you like the look and sound but don't have the scratch, Michael Kelly licensed production of Rick Turner's bass.
Rick Turner B4 Bass
 
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#156
GIBrat51 said:
My lightest basses:

- Epiphone EA-260...6.5 lbs. Might be hard to find a good one, but nice if you do...
- Danelectro DC 59 Pro...6.1 lbs. My favorite neck of them all.. so I have 2...
- Starfire Violin bass...5.4 lbs. Generic Chinese Beatle bass, but mine's pretty nice...
- Rogue VB-100 violin bass...6.25 lbs. Mine's Korean, and very well made. A little heavier than a new Chinese one, though...:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Those are some seriously light basses!
 
#157
I also have a bad back.

They only made these for about 2 years, but the Ibanez MC888 'Bean' basses are awesome. 34" scale. Balance perfectly and sound great. Neck though construction, so great sustain and punch. I've built some different pickups for the black one (prototypes in the photo). The stock pickups are quite hot and the neck pickup sounds huge. I prefer a bit less meat, but they are more than usable as they are. The black one weighs 3.6kg (never weighed the brown. I think it's slightly lighter).

I have a Danelectro Longhorn as well (which is 2.7kg), but much prefer a solid body for general gigging.

100_5579.jpg
 
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#158
For short-scales I think Dean Evo XM & Squier Bronco are a bit under 6 lbs, Ibanez Mikro & Squier VM Jaguar are slightly more (though it's based on internet info & I haven't weighted them by myself).

With fret-dressing, proper setup, upgraded electronics & hardware they will be good work-horses for not too much money.

Also, some bass pickups (like Gibson's Mudbuckers) can weight a lot on their own. Replacing them with something like Lace Alumitone can help a little bit with weight reduction.
 
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#159
I can't add anything to the many great suggestions for light bass options, but in addition to targeted PT-type exercises, consider yoga. I started doing Bikram (hot) yoga more than 20 years ago. Haven't been to a class in probably three or four years (started doing martial arts to keep in shape) but I'm 54 and more flexible than most of the 20 and 30-somethings I take classes with. I have also struggled with occasional lower back issues over the years, but yoga or any sort of dedicated stretching program will take care of that. It's not a quick fix, but it works.
 
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#160
I find all those vids on YT with Yamaha basses so light, but you can detect when they're handling them, that they are more prone to serious neck dive. And that does it for me. Any bass, or guitar can be lightweights as much as they like, but if they neck dive, all the lightweight thing is quite stupid really, and totally counterproductive. I'd take any headless that's a bit heavier any day, with no neck dive.
 
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