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What is your ideal bass weight?
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
I'm fine with anything under about 9.5 pounds, and most of mine are about 9.3. But I strongly prefer to go lighter than that, like my empress-bodied G&L JB-5 that's around 8.0. It's fantastic. Years ago, I had a 1999 Fender Am. Deluxe Precision with a downsized ash body, which was about 7.6 pounds. That was awesome. I could play for three hours and barely notice it, even with the lame straps I used back then.
So, I'd say fours would ideally be 7.5-8.0 pounds, with fives up to about 8.5. I'd avoid anything over 9.0, except maybe a five that blew my mind otherwise.
So, I'd say fours would ideally be 7.5-8.0 pounds, with fives up to about 8.5. I'd avoid anything over 9.0, except maybe a five that blew my mind otherwise.
Related question: I'm looking to build a frankenfender...what weight unloaded body would I need for the final product to be under 8.5 about? It is a P body and J neck.
4 string under 7 lbs.
With light weight basses being more and more popular, I expect to see lighter basses across the board. Sandberg has their SLs down to 5.5lbs for some.
I think a balanced 9 lbs is just right. Just enough mass to have a solid, quality feel. Not heavy enough to stress you out.
My Birdsong cBass weighs 6.7 lbs. My Squier 5 string weighs 12 lbs. (I have yet to use it through an entire set). I've never weighed my 32" Fender Japan jazz and Skyline 44-64 P/J custom, but they're probably around 9 lbs. When I'm playing somewhere for the first time, I always bring the Birdsong. My security blanket. I take either the Jazz or the Skyline whenever I'm in familiar territory. The 5...let's just say it's probably for the best that I have no gigs scheduled for 2021. I need to spend a lot more time 'shedding on it.
High 7s to low 8s. If I get to 8.5lbs it had better be an absolutely magical bass otherwise I'm not keeping it. If it gets to 9lbs I don't care how magical it is, I'm not keeping it.
Can't make a bass light enough for me. 2 ounces? I'm there!
I thought I was good at 35" and under ten pounds, but then I played a perfectly-balanced, 8.5lb 34" bass and my magnetic poles shifted.
Dammit.
Dammit.
This should have been a poll
I know, but the answer doesn't really lend itself to A, B, C or D answers like you need for a poll. If I made categories of weight, then it would be too narrow for some or too broad for others. So, I went with freeform answers.
To me:
8 lb. and under feels uncomfortably light, but it's OK on a short necked bass.
8.5 to 9.5 lb. is in the normal, and ideal range for me. I'd say 9 lb. is the "just right" sweet spot.
Starts getting "heavy," but not that uncomfortable, for maybe a pound or so above that.
Then it gets uncomfortably heavy...like my old Music Man B00 bass. It has to be at least 10 lb., maybe heavier. Puts my leg to sleep when playing it sitting.
8 lb. and under feels uncomfortably light, but it's OK on a short necked bass.
8.5 to 9.5 lb. is in the normal, and ideal range for me. I'd say 9 lb. is the "just right" sweet spot.
Starts getting "heavy," but not that uncomfortable, for maybe a pound or so above that.
Then it gets uncomfortably heavy...like my old Music Man B00 bass. It has to be at least 10 lb., maybe heavier. Puts my leg to sleep when playing it sitting.
