When did weight become the top priority in a bass?

[Bassheart365]

My first gigging bass was a 1981 G&L L2000. It weighed over 11 lbs. I thought nothing of it and it was my main bass for 25 years. But it became too much in my 50, when weight became a consideration, especially on 4 hour casino gigs.

 

[DJ Bebop]

When did weight become the top priority in a bass?​

When I got old

 

[groove pump]

I started on a Peavey T-40 back in 1978. Weighed as much as my car. I'm not overly concerned about weight.

Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding!!!

I'm just a week beyond b-day #60 and it was about 25 years ago that I picked up a T-40 from Daddy's Junky Music... and returned it a couple days later. That was when I learned that weight wasn't irrelevant

 

[J Wilson]

For me, after about 10 pounds it's starting to be a little much, but over my time, how it balances on a strap, just how well it 'rides' has become far more important. Over my time while I've never had any that were neck-heavy enough you didn't dare let go of the neck, I have had some that needed a little help staying where they needed to be, and I'm no longer willing to put up with that.

So, regardless of weight, it has to ride right on the strap or in my lap, or I'm just not interested at all.

Two HEAVY ones that I had over the years:

Gibson RD Artist, all maple, all the time. 13 lbs plus. It was heavy, but I was in my 20's and while the weight was noticeable, that body shape had no upper horn, so it was awkward and neck heavy, and I could never just play it as I was always holding it up.

I traded it in for a LIGHTER Peavey T40 (10 lbs plus), but T40's always felt awkward in that they had that massive body and bridge with a little broomstick neck, it just always felt funny, but NO WAY it was ever going to be neck heavy.

Don't miss either one at all.

 

[gr8avocado]

When I got into my 50's and my knees and back decided to quit on me. Before that weight didn't really matter.
I'm guessing it's the same for a lot of us old dudes.

 

[bootstrap]

 

[Jazzdogg]

TLDR, but I think bass weight consideration has a direct correlation to when one ceases to jump around in performance.

I played a 10lb. 5’er for years but wil not drag it to a 3 set gig anymore.

That's a good point: A bass isn't a static load unless you're perfectly still while playing; most of the time, it's a dynamic load, which means the weight shown on a scale is its minimum weight.

 

[Pickebass]

As many have said.. as I got older. Also, there weren’t many options. As technology became better, we can get more at a comfortable weight.

I equate it to cars. At one point you only had a model T and that was it. As tech got better, you have more options

The P bass is our Model T. How many variations can you get for a P bass? Fender alone has many options not to mention all of the other companies

 

[WWilliam]

I think Im going to have a heavy bass fire sale cause I don't play them . What is more important to me is weight ,over tone. Maybe it should not be that way but I can't help it, I just won't gig with the heavy weights. My fenders, ding walls are between 7.14 to 8.20 lbs that I gig with.

 

[tekhna]

Honestly I think weight became a bigger concern as instruments started getting uniformly good. Playability used to be the main criteria. But now that $200 basses out of Indonesia are totally playable, other criteria became more important.

 

[gt96g]

As others have said, it's balance more than it's weight. I've had instruments that were 8.5 lbs, and the center of gravity on them was either too much towards the neck (shoulder pain) or too much towards the body (back pain). On the flip side, I had an older F Bass VF5 with an ash body that was almost 10 lbs even, and was perfectly balanced, so it was not an issue to have on a strap.

 

[chris_b]

Do all you weight cynics ask how many strings?

Why do you worry about a little detail that?