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What do you consider a "heavy" bass?
- Thread starter smcd
- Start date
Any Bass over 8 1/2 lbs is heavy. (to me) I have really wanted some Rays that I really liked but @ 10 1/2 + lbs! No freaking way!! The weight of Stingrays is EBMM only downfall. (to me)
I played a conklin 9 string and it felt about as heavy as my sterling, which sits at about 10lbs. So yeahh... lol I don't know what coklins you're playing!
EBMM's do tend to be heavy, that's for sure. I'd also tend to like more Lakland Skylines and Sadowsky Metros if they were lighter as well.
In regards to the Groove Tools import line, weight can vary with the given lumber.
With the custom shop, weight is all dependent on what the customer wants. My 6 is well within the weights of a lot of Fender 4 strings and lighter than a few EBMM 5ers I played a while back.
My drummer's old Kay P bass copy. Don't have a scale, but it weighs, near as makes no difference, an elephant that's eaten two cadillacs.
Try 4 sets of GB band work at the Ramada Inn with 13 lb bass=pinched nerve city.
My formula is this:
Bassist > 40 years old + bass > 10 lbs = pain.
(bassist greater than 40 years old plus bass greater than 10 lbs equals pain).
Heavy basses sound great due to more wood. I can't however justify spending all my gig money at the chiropractor!
My formula is this:
Bassist > 40 years old + bass > 10 lbs = pain.
(bassist greater than 40 years old plus bass greater than 10 lbs equals pain).
Heavy basses sound great due to more wood. I can't however justify spending all my gig money at the chiropractor!
I agree that 10 lbs and up is too heavy (for me). I have a fretless Jazz at 12-3/4 lbs. and I can't stand playing it on a gig for more than 1 song at a time.
13.6 Lbs.My Wolf WTHB-7W.Solid walnut body wings. The low B sounds like the B on a piano.
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I won't play anything over 11lbs, and that's pushing it. So, heavy = 11lbs, comfortable = 5 to 8lbs
Normally I would say that anything above 8,5lbs is heavy.... 2h gig, 8,5lbs that's really fine! BUT the concept is (IMO)... how does the bass sounds, compared to its weight? For instance a Fodera Imperial is around 11,44lbs... but c'mon... wouldn't you be happy to take it on your shoulders? 
I could go along with this.
But I have two light basses, and two guitars that weigh more than those basses.
The heaviest of which is about 10 pounds (guitar--not bass)
Anything over 9.5 lbs is more than I want to deal with for any real length of time. I have too many other great options without having to deal with a (perceived) heavy bass. It's not so much that it's too heavy to handle, but more a case of not wanting to be distracted while playing because I'm thinking about my lower back aching or thinking "Dang, this bass is heavy."
Simply put, I have 4 or 5 basses around 8.5 lbs that sound fantastic, and a few others that hover between 9-9.5. They all sound great or I wouldn't still have them, but I end up playing the lighter ones most days (on gigs.) Sitting around at home, they're all fine.
Simply put, I have 4 or 5 basses around 8.5 lbs that sound fantastic, and a few others that hover between 9-9.5. They all sound great or I wouldn't still have them, but I end up playing the lighter ones most days (on gigs.) Sitting around at home, they're all fine.
My Warwick Thumb BO6 and Peavey Grind 6 weigh about the same. Both have a really deep, rich tone (the Peavey is getting a pickup upgrade any day now) so I have this weird idea in my mind about dark, dense woods = weight = tone. I don't know how real or imagined it is.
Chef
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