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Why all the concerns about weight?

#41
Sparkdog said:
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.
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While I agree with some of the points you made, I have to respectfully disagree about the Comfort Strapp being "just a gimmick". I use them on all my basses, and I believe that they really do help me remain more, well, "comfortable" when playing. Were you using the Guitar Comfort Strapp instead of the Bass Comfort Strapp? The one for guitar is narrower than the bass version. The bass version is 3 1/2 inches wide where it lays on my shoulder.

All that being said, the older I get, the more I appreciate a lighter-weight bass. I had a beautiful sunburst T-40 that I sold strictly because I knew I'd never choose to use it on a long gig. I just don't need that added aggravation anymore...
 
#42
A friend let me strap on her P Bass Lyte and when I was playing it, it just didn't hang right on my chest. Too light for me as a mere move and the bass was wanting to fly away.

I've played them all and weight is of no concern for me (along with string spacing - but don't get me started on that).
 
#43
I've found that solid body basses made with lighter woods generally sound better to me.

Why carry extra weight if a lighter instrument sounds at least as good and, IME, most likely better?

However, I've also found that balance is important from a playability POV and I find neck dive with a lighter body annoying, so I often use Gotoh Res-O-Lite or Hipshot Ultralight tuners which greatly improves balance and the lighter woods sound better to me. Lighter weight, no neck dive, better sound...win-win-win.

My lightest is a 34" scale DIY slab P bass at 5lbs 11oz. It was lighter but I recently substituted Res-O-Lite tuners, the pickup and switched to metal knobs which resulted in a net weight gain in the body and a lighter headstock, adding a few ounces overall but improving balance.
 
#45
RickC said:
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
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I have no hidden agenda.It just seems weird to me. If I had a chance at a particular Bass that I fell in love with I certainly wouldn't not buy it because of a pound or two.Maybe I should have titled the thread different,like,"Would weight keep you from buying a Bass you loved" or something.
 
#46
If you're fine with playing heavier basses and truly believe that they improve your tone, then by all means keep on playing them. I'm referring to the belief system started in the '70s by companies such as Alembec as well as the burgeoning aftermarket part companies which made a ton of money having people believe that every piece of hardware should be Brass for better tone ( :rollno: ) and that in general all basses that are heavier/have more mass generate better tone than lighter/less mass basses, not *one specific bass* that weighs more - I have one bass that's fairly heavy and sounds amazing.

...but for a good deal of players here, we've moved to lighter-weight basses because we believe that they resonate better and thus generate a better tone, or have moved to lighter-weight basses because of a physical issue (or both). I had a non-cancerous tumor removed at 21 from my Spinal Column @ T-7 to T-9 and have roughly half of the original bone there, along with scar tissue, to make up for it. I discovered that I would need a much lighter bass after my first jam session 4 months after my surgery, when after 5 hours playing I was stuck in bed the day after due to back pain and couldn't lift my arm above my shoulder. Add to that that I'm a Person with a Disability from birth in the first place (Cerebral Palsy) and that a lighter bass would be better for me as a general rule, and I:

A) switched to lighter basses in general, and
B) switched to straps that are at least 3" across the shoulder (I think that's a good rule for bassists in general. I also use Neoprene straps as I feel the "give" the material has helps absorb movement and acts as a shock absorber, but that's my personal feeling)

It took me several years to find *my* basses but throughout the process weight was a major factor. I've ended up with Spector ReBop DLX EX & FM 4, 5 & 5 fretless (bolt-ons, Alder w/ Maple top) and Mike Lull Modern 4 & 5s (bolt-ons, Swamp Ash w/ Maple tops) that are all on the lighter side of basses, balance well, and still meet my needs in terms of tone. Along with a few other "specialty" basses (my Taylor AB-2 ABG, Dean Edge Hammer 10x 10-string, and MusicMan S.U.B. Sterling) that also meet my standards, I feel that I currently have as great a tone as I ever have along with basses that put a bare minimum of strain on my back.

As posted before by several others, it's a personal issue related to the personal player. I've never seen a thread starting a "movement" regarding light basses ( :smug: ) and on the other side I don't understand why some people brag that they play a heavy bass. Wowie wow wow to you. :)
 
#48
Weight is a factor for me. I instantly find a bass less appealing if it is too light. Perhaps because of playing a bunch of crappy cheapo basses that happened to be light. Also I think I just like an instrument to feel really solid, I like the wood to feel very dense.

Perhaps in twenty years my opinion will be different.
 
#49
Sparkdog said:
Ever played a 12 pound Sadowsky? I haven't.
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To be fair, some of the early Sadowsky's were pretty heavy! Played one in a studio about 10 years ago and it had to be at least 12lbs or more. But I'm glad he saw the light! I once owned a Fender Marcus Miller that was around 14lbs! Best playing bass I ever owned but I had to get rid of it! I couldn't take the weight!
 
#50
{i haven't read the whole thread}...it's not so much the weight as it is having it distributed unevenly. i carry my bass in my gig bag with all sorts of accessories, sometimes even an amp...when it's distributed across both shoulders, pulling backwards, i'm fine. but with an instrument that hangs off of one shoulder, pulling forwards and sideways, my neck starts reminding me of that car wreck i was in when i was a teenager. it gets on my nerves, literally, and can mess me up for days or even weeks if it's bad.

those straps that distribute weight across both sides of your body put my bass out of playing position. not for me. therefore, bass weight is an issue. i play with a stand or an extremely lightweight bass. later, ron

p.s. one thing that has helped me out quite a bit is a few minutes a week on an inversion table...
 
#53
lawsonman said:
I have no hidden agenda.It just seems weird to me. If I had a chance at a particular Bass that I fell in love with I certainly wouldn't not buy it because of a pound or two.Maybe I should have titled the thread different,like,"Would weight keep you from buying a Bass you loved" or something.
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I wouldn't fall in love with a bass that was a pound or two too heavy, for precisely that reason.

Hey, I get it. You don't care about weight. Lots of people feel that way. Lots of other people do care. Neither position is "weird" imo.

/rick
 
#54
I'm about 126lbs and have some lower back issues. I also have a messed up shoulder, but it's only with my right shoulder.

I tend to draw the line at 11-ish lbs. That's how heavy my Conklin 6 is. I wouldn't want to play it all night, but I'm good for an hour or two. My other main players are Rob Allens and a CB, all of which are under 8lbs. I have changed my focus to road biking and put bass on the back burner at the moment, but I've had many nights jamming for hours and my body felt great on the nights when I was using light gear the whole time.

A bass need not be heavy to sound good, so I really see no point in lugging an anchor.
 
#57
I get the feeling upright-only players are looking at this thread and laughing...

In any case, my Schecter Studio 6 is 10+ lbs for sure, but it doesn't bother me. Granted, I'm 6'0, 200 lbs (mostly muscle) and only 20 years old. I also only play out once a month and don't play sets longer than an hour, so there isn't much damage being done.

There's something to be said about a lighter bass, though. The SR I just picked up weighs nothing, by comparison, and I find it incredibly easy to play and move around with. If I could find a 6-string that felt like that and sounded that good, I'd be all over it in a heartbeat. Weight wont stop me from buying a bass I like though.
 
#58
A few years ago I owned a 13 LB Warwick Thumb 6. I have to say that after wearing it for an hour + it did get pretty uncomfortable on my shoulder and lower back. I'm in better shape than most but still if I have to stand on a gig a 8-10 lbs bass is as heavy as I'm willing to do.
 
#59
Asking why someone wants a lighter bass or plush strap seems analagous to asking why he wants to sit in a comfy chair rather than on a park bench. To each his own.
 
#60
T-MOST said:
I'm not concerened about the weight of a bass either. However, after wearing a 13 LB Warwick Thumb 6 (a few yeras ago) for an hour + it did get pretty uncomfortable. I'm in better shape than most but if I have to stand on a gig a 8-10 lbs bass is as heavy as I'm willing to do.
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Shoulder comfort has nothing whatsoever to do with being in shape. Asymmetrically loading one shoulder, even with a relatively light weight, can be uncomfortable if it's over a long period, especially if it's recurring, even if you're an olympian. I'm very good shape (lift weights and get a good aerobic workjout 4 times per week with a resting HR of 50). I'd still rather play a 6lb bass than a 10 lb bass (assuming the tone is good) and will always choose a wider strap with elasticity over the opposite. Why wouldn't I?

This thread reminds me of the joke about the 2 bulls on the hill, one old and one young. The young bull says-let's charge down the hill and each have sex with one of those females in the pasture. The older one replies-no, lets walk down slowly and mate with all of them (please no flaming for bovine polygamist political correctness).
 

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