The extra weight gives them better sustain, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 are Carvin Basses sooooo HEAVY?
- Thread starter Mike Sorr
- Start date
I have a swamp ash B4 that is so light it feels like a toy. Tons of tone though.
My Carvin is 7 lbs. and some change. I was shocked. I thought I'd never find a bass as light as my Lakland 44-02 that still sounded good, but here she is.
I don't know.. my 5 string Warwick Dolphin Pro 1 neck through. . Ovangkol, and wenge with the giant brass bridge, only weighs 10 lbs..
I had an all-koa LB75 fretless for a while. It was so light that it might have floated away if I didn't tie it down.
Actually, not having some more solid tonewood in the body probably made that bass sound muddier than it might have otherwise. I should have ordered a maple neck.
Actually, not having some more solid tonewood in the body probably made that bass sound muddier than it might have otherwise. I should have ordered a maple neck.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I think they're making trees heavier this one was so heavy it just fell over.
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
I don't think bling has anything to do with it. This ash/maple passive j is pretty basic at 11.3 lbs.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
There are some light ones in the wild but it's a crap shoot when you order.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
There are some light ones in the wild but it's a crap shoot when you order.
i have back and nerve damage and 3 to 4 hour gigs. yes, 9 pounds can be done, but it causes pain for the next several days. 7 pounds is a tipping point for me.
My sb5001 is 8.4lbs.... I want a jb-5.... But everyone on the sight is crazy weight ! Even the chambered ones are heavy ... I was going to order a chambered jb-5 but they told me there is no garuntee that it would weight 9lbs or under ... So I said thanks anyways ... Maybe mine was a lucky piece to get ... They are selling a 12lb JB-5 keisel for 3,000 .... Yeah 3k for a carvin jazz bass that rocks the scales at 12lbs.... That'll be there for a looooong time ...
Doug Parent
Supporting Member
I ordered a PB5 earlier this year and paid $40 extra for them to make it as light as possible. I was really hoping for 8.5 to 8.75 pounds. It ended up being 9.4lbs. I ended up returning it. Not solely because of the weight, but weight was one of the reasons. After looking at other PB5s, this thread, etc. apparently that was fairly light or a PB5, but still too heavy for me.
The trans red and rosewood JB5 with abalone blocks on their in stock site that comes in at 11.5 lbs was one I had custom ordered. I went over it with one of their sales guys to try to make sure it came in as light as possible. Unfortunately when it arrived it was one of the heaviest basses I've ever strapped on. I didn't even bother to plug it in. If it was the greatest sounding bass ever it wouldn't have made a difference. For my back and shoulders 11.5 is just too much. It is an absolutely gorgeous bass and I was sorry to have to send it back. I wound up going with an MTD Z5 that came in at 8.5 pounds. I wish it was a 34" scale as is my preference, but the lighter weight makes up for it. If Carvin can bring the weight of their stuff down, I'd love to own something by them again. I especially like the B40 and B50 line.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Could it be that some Carvin basses are simply more sensitive to gravity?
M. M.
M. M.
Isn't the stock page full of instruments that were ordered and made but 1) not paid for or 2) returned? Perhaps the average of instruments on that page is skewed by instruments that were returned due to being heavier than expected?
It depends. I can hold heavier basses and one of my favorite basses ever was 12lbs. It was a 70s Fender P with a J pickup. All my basses currently hover around the 8lb mark.
Lighter basses are generally pretty comfortable, at least to most people. I grab something that I can stand a 4-5 hour rehearsal in. When it's time to gig I'm not going to grab the heavier bass because I've spent all my time playing something lighter. If a bass doesn't get used it gets sold.
