What is your ideal bass weight?

[Smooth_bass88]

In 30+ years of playing bass I've never ever (not even once) put my bass on a scale. If it's a bit heavy, oh well. It doesn't bother me.

 

[madjazzbass]

I'd say you are about right. Although, I think it's difficult for a 5 string to fall into that range. Larger pickups, bridge, extra tuner, big fat and heavy B string, more wood for the wider neck and frets.

IMHO, for a 4 string Fender type P Bass..........8.5 lbs and under.

I am fortunate to have a Warmoth + Allparts P Bass that weighs 7 lbs 3 oz. It's so light that it feels broken!

Music Man Stingrays are a "bear" with most of them pushing close to 10 lbs.

I took my Stingray and did all that I could to get the weight down. Dropped 10 oz off of it and it still weight 9 lbs 2 oz.

I'm curious as to what were some of the things you did to "shave" some weight off your Bass. Did you have chambers carved out? Did it affect the tone of the Bass? if so, in what way? Good, bad or the same just lighter weight? Sorry for all the questions; didn't mean to "hijack" the thread

 

[madjazzbass]

This should have been a poll

Huh Huh, He said POLL

 

[satjhmo]

I didn't either (apart from having to weigh it and its hard case before having it shipped to Chicago from the UK in the mid-90s). In fact I didn't think a 70s Precision was heavy, having no frame of reference, until many years later I started playing more modern versions, and realised something that size didn't need to weigh that much. I expected more modern basses like Warwick and Ibanez SRs to weigh less because theyre physically smaller.

A friend's Jazz weighs probably 25% less, and even his 80s Music Man is lighter.

 

[baileyboy]

4 string - 8.25-8.5 lbs

Jackpot!

My 1998 CIJ Fender Geddy Lee bass weighs close to 10 lbs.! It's a heavy bastard. I'm not getting any younger.

I was lucky to snatch a USA Geddy that weighs 8 lbs 14 oz on a Black Friday. After discount applied, I paid $1330 new!

Deal breaker is anything over 9 lbs.

Same. Won't even try it out. If I can't gig with it comfortably I don't care how it sounds.

 

[madjazzbass]

I (currently) own 7 Basses and I don't know the weight of ANY of them; all I really do know is my Warmoth Jazz build is the heaviest of them all; I'm GUESSING 10.5 - 11 Lbs. ... now I'm curious

 

[Kipp Harrington]

For me:

4 string - 8.25-8.5 lbs
5 string - 8.5-8.75 lbs

Allowances added for awesomeness.

Assume balanced ergonomics. We know that a well balanced 9 pounder can feel lighter than a neck heavy 8 pounder.

Under 9 is preferable but I can tolerate 9.5. Anything close to 10 and Father Time reminds me to consider a different/lighter bass.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

10+. Light basses feel cheap to me.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I like staying right around 210... anymore than that and I might as well be playing pedal steel.

210 ounces? Thats a smidgen over 13 ilds. I'm impressed!

 

[Eric Swaim]

Under 10 lbs, however these two are almost at 10lbs. I am 6'5" and can handle the battle axes better than some. Until my back tells me differently.

 

[Biggbass]

178
that give me the perfect physicality to capture the best on stage photos with my bass

 

[gpTron]

I'll take a well balanced 20 lb bass over a 5 lb bass that neck dives like a mofo any day. I own a Warwick Thumb BO 5er so unfortunately I have the worst of both worlds.

 

[Vodyanoi]

It doesn't really bother me since i always play while seated. That said, while my SR600 feels like a feather in comparison to my B-10, which feels like a menhir, there are times when i enjoy holding the menhir more. Go figure...

 

[mikecd1]

The "old" me was okay with the weights listed, but its now 7.5 - 8lbs for the 4 and 8.5 for the 5. I will say that a well balanced bass could adjust those numbers somewhat as I have a 7.75 neck diver that causes extreme fatigue during the 1st hour of play even with a wide strap so ergonomics are very important.

 

[Winton]

My Nash PB63 is 8.3lbs. It feels so light and comfortable for me and it's well-balanced as well!

 

[mongo2]

0

When I use my Hofner on an NS upright stand.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

In 30+ years of playing bass I've never ever (not even once) put my bass on a scale. If it's a bit heavy, oh well. It doesn't bother me.

SOLD - US Lakland 44-64/Bob Glaub w/Lakland case, EMG-GZR, 1.5" nut

 

[ClusterFlux]

I'll take a well balanced 20 lb bass over a 5 lb bass that neck dives like a mofo any day.

It's pretty easy to deal with a light bass that has neck dive.

A wide and grippy strap usually does the job. You can also move the location of the strap button. Normally you could use lighter tuners, but on a 5 lb bass that might not be a spot for weight savings. And, as a last resort, put a small weight on the lower end of the body.

 

[skortch]

My fives range from 9lb 4oz - 10 lbs.
My fours are 7lb 4oz - 8lb.

I mostly play fives but really appreciate the lighter weight of the fours every once in a while. Much easier to move and jump around the stage with a lighter bass and the back and shoulder feels much better at the end of the second or third set.

Ideal weight? Hmmm. As long as the tone, balance, and ergonomics are there I figure lighter is better. I'll say 6 lbs - why not? (Realistic weight for a light fiver might be a pound or two heavier.) I've been in search of a much lighter five string for a while now.

 

[Holdsg]

my preference is 8-9
the range in the current stable is probably 7.5-9.5
My lightest is my Acinonyx, the heaviest is my L-2500 but it's light for a G&L fiver at about 9.5.

those G&Ls are tricky, they have a well-earned reputation as boat anchors