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What's the bid deal with WEIGHT ?

#144
Being in or out of shape has nothing to do with arthritis pain. If I hadn't been extremely fit and an adrenaline junky athlete all my life I probably wouldn't have ever been in a position to have sustained the injuries that make a light bass essential.
 
#146
Granted, I get a little tight and sore after a loooong gig with a suit on

But, frankly, I simply cannot imagine not buying a bass because of weight.. I mean, whats the largest swing in weight youve seen, an 8 pound range??

If the additional weight of a large purse or a tiny cat is too much then maybe the extra money for a dream lightbass should go to physical therapy or some small weights ..

This is coming from a guy whos shoulder is wrecked after a bad judo accident
 
#147
mcm said:
most men are fat and out of shape. sorry boys, it had to be said
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I'm thin. I work out 6 days a week. I run/walk 3.5 miles a day, do push ups, sit ups, pull ups, etc. But I'm also 51 years old and have rheumatoid arthritis. My back and shoulder need a light bass. I don't appreciate your generalizations. They are insulting to many, and just plain wrong.

Sorry, it had to be said.
 
#148
mcm said:
most men are fat and out of shape. sorry boys, it had to be said
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MCM. I was an athlete from 5th grade to my sophomore year in college. I also spent 13 years in the Army working out 5 days a week to include running 8 miles every Friday. after leaving service I still continued to work out. An injury is an injury period. You must be young or never had anything happen to you. You can be out of shape and still gig a bass with no problem but when you have issues that are muscle and or nerve centered no amount of fitnesss will fix a pinched nerve etc.
 
#151
Like others have said above....It's all a matter of preference. They all sound different,better etc...One heavey Stingray may sound great,then the next a little weak and flat. One light 97' Fender P may sound 'better' than the heavier 2007 P-Bass. Go with what your ear tells ya...And your back/spine/shoulder allows. ~Peace
 
#152
People feel weight different ways and deal with it in different ways. My first bass was a BC Rich US made ST (bought used for $300) that easily weighed 9lbs, so I'm used to needing to use a big, well padded strap. I tend to prefer heavier basses tonally, even if my lower back isn't always thrilled with that decision. I don't know if its just in my head, but the idea of a "lighter bass" means lighter tone, so I don't actively seek light basses.

If someone is a working musician that is playing 3-5 times a week for hours at a time, having 7 or 8 pounds strapped to you awkwardly can be rough. Some really good stretches to limber up before playing, regardless of style or stage activity is always a good idea. Getting a massage or adjusted once in a while isn't a bad idea either.
 
#154
it depends
if i know it is a bass i wont gig with,then i don't mind if it is a little heavy
my gigging basses are lighter for sure
also, some baases are inherently heavier than others (warwick)
 
#155
As a 4-night-a-week player, I can attest to the benefits of a lightweight bass. I used to play a 9.5 lb Fender Jazz, but after a car wreck I could no longer tolerate playing it on a gig for more than an hour. Now I gig with short-scale basses in the 7-8 lb range and have no issues going 4 sets. I'm 5'6", 140 lbs in great physical health and not getting any younger. Playing bass is my life and sometimes I have to adapt my tools to my body's changes to keep up my career.
 
#157
I have twp 10+ lbs. basses that I gig regularly (Stingray 5 and 70's Jazz). My back feels tight and tired at the end of the night, when I use them for the entire 4 hour gig. I still do full gigs with them. I once owned a 12+ lbs. bass. It sounded incredible, but I got rid of it because even with a great strap it killed me. Felt like I had a load of bricks on my shoulder. I think the heaviest I'll go is about 10.5 lbs.
 
#158
bongomania said:
Macho posturing is stupid. "Man up, get in shape, grow a set" is just monkey-like gibbering from people whose brain cells got stunted sometime around high school.
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+1 and I own a bass that weighs 10.9 lbs. That sucker is heavy, I love playing it, love the tone but to date I have not gigged with it. I'll sit and play it every day :-)
 
#160
I found a strap made by Levys that is stretchy like a wide flat bungee cord. It definitely makes the bass feel lighter; much more so than a 4" wide padded leather strap. A broken collarbone from my Ice Hockey days really had me hurting after about 15 minutes. My Schecter Stiletto Extreme 5 is by far the lightest bass I own, and it's got great tone as well. With a light bass and my stretchy strap, I can play as long as I wish in comfort. I'm 6'0", in good shape, but 48 years takes it's toll.
 

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