• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why all the concerns about weight?

#21
Helbent Revenge said:
As mentioned in the past couple posts, wouldn't a super comfortable strap help aid this?
Click to expand...

Help, yes. Fix, no. I get terrible shoulder and neck pain from wearing a heavy bass or an unbalanced bass. So the best bass for me is light and well balanced. My favorite bass is "a bit heavy" at 9.5 lbs., but it's pretty well balanced and I have a wide padded strap for it, so no complaints. But I had a chance to buy another one like it that weighs 10.5 lbs., and I passed on it. There are so many great lightweight basses out there, why endure any pain at all? At this point I have owned a handful of sub 9 lb. basses that sound(ed) awesome, and a couple of them were even sub 8 lbs. There are several out there that weigh even less, and also ones which are anywhere in that range and superbly balanced. So for me the reason I always ask about the weight is because there is no point to feeling any discomfort due to weight, with so many fantastic lightweight basses available.
 
#27
lawsonman said:
Something here has always baffled me.Why are so many concerned about the weight of a Bass? I mean, I can see it if you have a serious back injury or something but other than that,I don't get it. I'm 56,( an old fart to most here) and the last thing that would keep me from buying a certain Bass would be the weight.And after 30 years of being a mechanic my back isn't the greatest. So help me out because if I really love a certain axe,weight is a non-factor.
Click to expand...

We're about the same age and size, and I'm fairly fit, but the nerve that radiates across my left shoulder will not tolerate a heavy bass or an uncomfortable strap. You don't have to get it, but a little empathy would be appreciated.
 
#29
lawsonman said:
I just really can't tell a hell of a lot of difference between 8 lbs and 10 lbs when I only have it on me 45 minutes or an hour at a time tops.
Click to expand...

It makes a difference to me when you consider that an 8 lb. bass is 20% lighter than a 10 pounder, and the weight (psi) is concentrated in a limited area of the body. Yes, I could tolerate it better in my younger years, but I have never been a fan of heavy instruments (Peavey T-40 comes to mind).

On a side note, I experienced severe "whiplash" after an auto accident in 1983 which required physical therapy for months afterward. My chiropractor came to my gig one weekend and I observed him busily sketching on a pad during one set. At intermission, he brought the sketch of me backstage and said, " No wonder you're taking longer to recuperate! Just look at how you're standing!"
He showed me how I was subconsciously compensating for the bass's weight in my normal playing stance, basically twisting the upper half of my body in an opposite direction from the lower half.

After forty years of playing, I've grown more sensitive to the weight range of various basses, no matter how small. Conversely, I suppose there are those who can tolerate it better than others......

BTW; To this day I have back and neck issues which are directly related to the accident, and the act of stapping on that 8 to 10 pound Fender night after night, year after year, sometimes makes it hard to finish the set!.
 
#33
I'm 5'4'' and female. Not very big at all and certainly not muscle bound.

And yet I've done 9 hour practice sessions (with half hour breaks every 2-3 hours) with my ATK bass, which is considered a pretty hefty bass at, I think it is 11 pounds? and it hasn't bothered me much. Yeah, towards the end of the 9 hours I'm tired and my shoulder is sore, but nothing terrible.

On the other hand, the 13 pound Washburn I had for a while was absolute torture after the same length of practice. For whatever reason the mere 2 pound extra weight was more than I wanted to handle. I guess it all depends on the individual. What's too heavy for some might be ok for others if you factor in a lot of different variants like weight, height, back health, etc.

Nothing wrong with lighter basses at all though ;) I wouldn't at all mind it if my ATK weighed only as much as my SR did :D
 
#35
Here's something that has always baffled *me*. Why are so many concerned about whether or not *I* care about the weight of the basses I buy??? If I like lightweight basses, is there some big mystery in that?

Imo, these threads always seem to be pushing some hidden agenda; no other explanation for it, really.

/rick
 
#36
If someone is happy with a heavy bass, go for it. Recently I discovered mid nineties Peavey Foundations which are featherweights and sound fantastic.(From the same company as the T-40, imagine that) I can't imagine why anyone would put themselves through the pain ,or at least discomfort of playing a heavy bass.

I still pull out my old Jazz and Guild B301 once in a while, and they're not heavyweights (About 9 1/2 to 10 pounds each), but when it comes right down to it I find it far more comfortable to play the Foundations, and just as rewarding.
 
#37
In the interest of muddying the waters even further :) I will offer this:

I just don't see any point in settling for a boat anchor when there are so many great lightweight basses out there. IME the lighter basses generally sound BETTER than the heavy ones. I would guess it's because all else being equal, better quality wood is lighter than the cheap stuff (and I'm not referring to cheap imports made of basswood etc)

Ever played a 12 pound Sadowsky? I haven't. Played plenty of 7-8 pound ones though. Same with US Laklands. Coincidence?

None of this is scientific, just what I've noticed playing tons of basses over the years.

One more thing, about straps. what I've found is that width seems to be more important than what it's made of. Those spongy straps like Comfort Strapps...it's just a gimmick. It gives you the initial impression it's taking weight off your shoulder, but it doesn't, and they're too thin to spread the weight around effectively. It just digs a trench into your shoulder ater a while.

I'm a photographer by trade and we deal with the same thing.

Try a 4" wide leather strap and I think you'll find it makes it much more comfortable because it distributes the weight of the instrument across a broader area, you're using more surface area to support the weight.
 
#38
I have degenerative arthritis, with it affecting a large part of my spine, and hips, as well as both shoulders, but predominately the left one. A wide strap, and a light bass helps me stand a 4 or 5 hr rehearsal, or a long gig. I have 2 straps a wide leather one it's about 3" and a neotech Mega bass strap that's nice and wide. My Fender P is around 8lbs, my Charvel about the same, and for those times when I'm having a flare and having pain I use a Yamaha RBX4A2 that's really light.

So with my issues, weight is a big deal to me. Keeps me playing to have lighter stuff.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back