What is the function of these metal weights?

[ZachM]

So I was looking around at some stuff last night and came across these beautiful Stenback basses which have a feature I've personally never seen before, an interchangeable weight inside the back control cavity which they start showing around 3:36 in the video:



I've never had the opportunity to play a Stenback bass nor have I seen this on another bass. Can somebody explain the theory behind these weights, and what they accomplish? They don't make the bass sound much different at all to me, perhaps its more of a feel thing for the player?

 

[Jebberz]

Probably to counteract for neck diving.

 

[Axstar]

I think the onus is on Tom Stenbeck to explain the weights, yet his website is thin on any sort of information. The cynic in me says the weights are there simply to give Stenbeck a unique selling point, by appealing to the ingrained paranoia and fuzzy science that comes with custom instrument building and its customers. In the video the fretted and fretless basses both sound like common Jazz basses, so I'm not hearing anything unusual going on. Stenbeck is just another guy rolling boo-teek Jazz bass copies, and has to have some sort of edge to drive his products along.

Guys on other forums indicated that you are meant to be able to hand tune the mass of the bass body by changing out these weights.

That whole video has a whiff of insufferable cork sniffing to it.

 

[ZachM]

Yeah he may intentionally be somewhat vague about that, if it's a "proprietary" thing he's come up with. It is very hard to tell whether it makes a difference by sound alone, almost impossible really. That video is a little cork-sniffer in tone, to be sure. And yeah, the guy is yet another Jazz bass maker to be sure, although I really like the look of this one, a lot

I wonder if it's maybe an attempt to counteract dead spots. Maybe something like an integrated Fat Finger headstock clamp or the like.

 

[JIO]

He is a craftsman - very nice basses. Who knows if the weights do anything but they do such a nice job of it.

 

[loveandbass]

Damn that guy can play

 

[Rôckhewer]

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Nice basses, I've come to believe everything has some effect on tone, but all infinitesimal compared to the pickups, strings and electronics. I highly doubt moving weights around has any effect but balance, a worthy goal, I guess. If you really want to sniff some corks, read the descriptions of the tonewood "recipes" on the Alembic site, you'll come off smelling amusing notes of lavender with a chocolatey finish. Hilariously pretentious stuff. Hey, you gotta hype something, right?
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Rôckhewer]

read the descriptions of the tonewood "recipes" on the Alembic site,

Aww c'mon....All true. 100% indisputable.

@Gilmourisgod ... you do realize you may have derailed an innocent little eyebrow raiser of a thread... and turned it into another "tonewood" debate...-noooo.
I hope you're happy!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Tonewood!

Everybody just twitched a little....

 

[s_wood]

Here we go...popcorn, a beer and feet up to watch the show.

 

[Scoops]

Aww c'mon....All true. 100% indisputable.

@Gilmourisgod ... you do realize you may have derailed an innocent little eyebrow raiser of a thread... and turned it into another "tonewood" debate...-noooo.
I hope you're happy!

Wha cha hitting Gilly for? You stared the monkey pile with your eyebrow raiser! How else should he respond?

I'd like to pile on, but I have a secret varnish I'm working on.

 

[mongo2]

Later in the video they switch out different weights but, if there is any tonal difference, it's either beyond my capability of my system to reproduce it or beyond the ability of my aging ears to discern it.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

You simply lack that the requisite auditory sensitivity of the true artiste.....

I got a huge kick out of the scandal a few years ago, when all the wine critics raved about the Riunite or Gallo some huckster put in antique bottles and passed off as high dollar vintage. Funny how a price tag makes some things taste, or sound, better to people who have shelled out the money to get them.

 

[Rôckhewer]

In an effort to stay ...''on topic"
We must consider the new debate topic of "Tone Metal"
...and the relative weights thereof...
Aluminium Vs Brass? ...nay, I proclaim GOLD as the supreme tonemetal needed!

I would even go so far as to pose the query...
"What's the best ToneWeightMetal....for Metal?"

 

[rocmonster]

So I was looking around at some stuff last night and came across these beautiful Stenback basses which have a feature I've personally never seen before, an interchangeable weight inside the back control cavity which they start showing around 3:36 in the video:



I've never had the opportunity to play a Stenback bass nor have I seen this on another bass. Can somebody explain the theory behind these weights, and what they accomplish? They don't make the bass sound much different at all to me, perhaps its more of a feel thing for the player?

Weights in= YANNY
Weights out= LAUREL

 

[ddnidd1]

For a serious improvement in tone he should load in these.

Brilliant Pebbles Advanced Audio Video Tweak

 

[Rôckhewer]

Funny how a price tag makes some things taste, or sound, better to people who have shelled out the money to get them

Ahh yes...
The "Veblen effect"
"Positional goods"
"Conspicuous consumption"

Fascinating

 

[mongo2]

For a serious improvement in tone he should load in these.

Brilliant Pebbles Advanced Audio Video Tweak

LOL, that's a hoax, right? Or does somebody actually believe taping a plastic bag with pebbles in it to a connector has an effect?

 

[Rôckhewer]

POWER TO THE PEBBLE!

....damn... I've found my new shtick.
Right in my wheelhouse