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Why are people obsessed with weight??

#21
In the '80's when I was young and stupid I played an Ibanez Studio Bass that weighted a ton (or so it felt) plus I played with a long strap so I was playing straight arm style (I thought I was a punk rocker even though I was playing Country LOL ) After a couple of months I developed a muscle disorder (I was playing 5 nights a week, 5 sets a night), the neck/shoulder muscle on my right side, opposite of the strain suddenly cinched up and wouldn't relax..... and it hurt. I remember having to have friends drive me to and from work 'cause I couldn't drive, and at work sitting on a stool. Very embarrassing for the heavy rocker I thought I was. So I switched back to a Fender Jazz, and REALLY shortened my strap (so it hung where it would be if I was sitting in a chair and it was on my lap. The pain went and then the stiffness went and with lighter Basses and shorter straps they have never come back.


Just sayin'
 
#22
mmbongo said:
It's been bothering me and I gotta ask....why are people so obsessed with the weight of a bass? Almost every FS thread I see has somebody inevitably asking "what does it weigh?? what does it weigh??"

Why does it matter? Why the obsession? I never cared about weight as I figured most any bass in in between 8 and 11 pounds, and there are other factors that matter more. I'll take a heavy bass that's properly balanced over a light neck diver any day. Maybe these people are weak and can't hold up a bass? ;)
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How old are you? Do you play many 4-hour gigs?
 
#23
A) how old are you?
B) do you gig? A lot?
C) have you gigged a 14lb bass for 15+ years?

I did. It contributed to screwing my back up and became all around no fun to strap on.
My personal limit is 9lbs now. 8 is better, in the 7lb class is awesome. I won't buy it if it weighs more. That's why I ask.
 
#25
Get over it, I played a 32lb. brass tuba/sousaphone in marching band in highschool marching 5+ grueling miles everyday during class and after school practices in step, and at attention for 20 minutes at a time because of a strict drum major... doing manuevers and dodging horse sh!t and road/field obstacles for 6 years {including jr. high} then did drum corp...so I don't want to hear about how your little 9 lb piece of wood hurt your poor little shoulder for a couple hours a night,standing in one spot onstage a couple times a month! Could I do it as gung-ho now at 30? probably.. ...~rant off~
 
#26
I have 12 Basses Up until 2 yrs ago my favorite 4 string was a Fender Jazz I have modded to KILL ! and I'm sure it weighs 11 or 12 lbs. And when i lived in the Bay Area I worked between 250 and 350 gigs a year many times playing doubles and triples in the same day with no problems but when I turned 50 I injured my back. I recovered from that but it has been a little weaker ever since. Within the last two years I have been getting a lot of pain every time i have to move even my mid sized rig let alone the big one. I am one of the guys you see asking all the time how much does it weigh... sorry. It does matter to me a lot! I am 57 now and I will damn right have a light bass that doesn't kill me to wear for several hours. No I am not in a wheel chair yet, knock wood. LOL and I have been known to jump up on spkr cabs to rock when the mood strikes :bassist: so if you don't like us askin just ignore us.!!! enjoy your fridge! :cool:


Now excuse me I am busy shopping for some light ass cabs. :) peace Capt Kirk
 
#27
TonyFranklinFan said:
Get over it, I played a 32lb. brass tuba/sousaphone in marching band in highschool marching 5+ grueling miles everyday during class and after school practices in step, and at attention for 20 minutes at a time because of a strict drum major... doing manuevers and dodging horse sh!t and road/field obstacles for 6 years {including jr. high} then did drum corp...so I don't want to hear about how your little 9 lb piece of wood hurt your poor little shoulder for a couple hours a night,standing in one spot onstage a couple times a month! Could I do it as gung-ho now at 30? probably.. ...~rant off~
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You get over it. Just because you are masochistic does not mean the rest of us do not have better sense.
 
#28
Eton: That post was slightly in jest, as I am also tired of hearing about weight issues. If you have a back injury, then OBVIOUSLY i understand.But if they are worried their shoulder will be sore after the gig...puhlease! Suck it up! In fact, I tie a brick to the headstock and a bowling ball to the bridge ashtray with heavy grade fishing line lined with steel bobbers all the way down for looks on my P-bass because it's too light...gets rid of neck dive as well.
 
#29
Munjibunga said:
How old are you? Do you play many 4-hour gigs?
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+1

After 4 decades of 4-hour gigs, the pinched nerve that runs across the top of my left shoulder demands that I play a lightweight bass on a Comfort Strapp, sit while playing, or both. Growin' older ain't for sissies, and there's no need to be a masochist, despite the loutish and inflamatory posts we occasionally find on TB.

Anybody else notice that the OP disappeared after his initial post?
 
#30
For me it's about wood quality. IMO, and in my mind heavy bass = poorly selected timber. (exeptions made for customs that use naturaly heavy dense woods by design) Still kind of unacceptable to me though.

There's absolutly no reason an Alder Fender style 4 banger should weigh over 9lbs.0oz. or 10 even for an Ash 4 banger. Even that's REALLY pushing it IMO.

You shouldn't need to chamber a body to get the weight down in that range with Alder or Ash.

Had a Cinder Block of a 78 P bass before I switched to a featherweight 64 P. Sure, I can sling a heavy bass and I'm over 40 , but why should I have to? No reason for in IMO.
 
#32
Alot of people say the like light weight cos they jump about but for me I like heavier basses for precisely that reason. Light basses for me fly about too much to rock out with, with a fairly well weighted and balanced instrument it's not a problem, can't get as high in the air but I play pretty well when I dance about like a tit.

I can see where these guys come from though, I'm playing my 11 poundish ATK and it's just about comfortable with the horrible strap I'm using which is the kinda thing you'd get for free with your first guitar. Since I wear my bass little toward the high side of things it's not too bad, practise begin to get painful after a couple of hours though, but as soon as I can afford it I'm getting the widest most padded strap possible and locking the thing on with a couple of lager bottle seals.
 
#34
I think it's all about being comfortable when you play. If you are distracted because you are feeling pain or fatigue, it stands to reason that your playing will suffer. Some are more sensitive to this than others so to each is/her own.

I used to think that lighter, more resonant woods made a difference but, for me, I have never been able to hear much difference except in an unplugged environment. Case in point:

A good friend of mine that owns a music store let me borrow a Fender CS P bass for a couple of days. Very light (7-8 lbs. max and very resonant). It played and felt great but, when I A-B'ed it to my 2 other Ps that were heavier and less resonant in a recording environment, I really could hear no difference.

Those of you with bat ears may beg to differ but for me, my Ps sounded equally as good.

I am a larger framed person (Weight Watcher afficianados need not comment, please :smug:) and I have done 5 set, 6 night a week gigs with a '74 P Bass that weighed over 12 lbs and it never seemed to bother me. But that's just me and YMMV.

My point, find a bass that talks to you that you can make music with and that includes not busting you or your chops because it is too heavy/too light.

We are all different and, in the end, isn't that what makes the world go 'round??

Cheers
 
#36
Think before you speak kid

I am new to bass, but I do understand the notion of weight and damage it can bring upon the shoulders

I pinched the nerve of my R. Shoulder from weight lifting some odd years ago
While I'm more cautious with weight lifting, it still flares up every so often, restraining me from doing anything physical to the upper body

I have to lug around a ~20+lb computer/notebook-textbook bag daily (work, school, ...) and it does bring pain and toil to my shoulders

While the Rockbass I ordered (still in route - should've UPSd it) is suppsed to be around 8-10lb, I can completely understand the cons of a heavy-wooded bass -especially if being used for serious giggin' and sets

How 'bout you play off a 12+lb bass for hours, standing up, for a few months - hopefully you'll get it
 
#37
TonyFranklinFan said:
In fact, I tie a brick to the headstock and a bowling ball to the bridge ashtray with heavy grade fishing line lined with steel bobbers all the way down for looks on my P-bass because it's too light...gets rid of neck dive as well.
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LOL... thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

You wanna talk about a pain in the back and shoulders, I played various drums (snare, 5th Bass, quints) in marching band, with crappy harnesses but that was in high school. Things change, and I really really doubt you could still do that at 30.

Personally, I use an elastic strap and it makes any bass feel like it weighs 5 lbs, so weights not an issue with me yet.
 
#39
I have a pinched nerve in my neck. It effects my left arm and shoulder. When I wear a heavy bass and play it for a couple of sets I start to get pins and needles going from the bottom of my neck to the tip of my fingers in my left hand. If I were if for 3 sets then the pain starts to kick in. So wieght is a very important factor in the basses I play.
Believe me I love the way a heavy bass sounds. My white spector for example(which is on sale here for cheap dough, cheap plug!) weighs 10lbs. It has to be one of the best sounding basses I have ever owned. But its weight kills me. I also love the sound of late 70's jazz basses with maple necks. But again they weigh too much. Usually 10 plus pounds.

Now I have tried every strap known to bass player kind. And nothing has worked. I also go to physical therapy and a chiropractor on a regular basis. Which helps keep it in check. But with every bass I buy now I have to be very careful about how much it weighs. I just don't have a choice. And I know a lot of musicians that have the same problem. Seems to be our lot in life. Probrably from years of carrying heavy equipment or maybe just getting older and having our bodies not be able to do the same thing a 20 year old can.

So that is why the weight of the bass is so important to me. It makes my performing life a lot easier and more enjoyalbe.
 
#40
p12bassnut said:
Why are people so obsessed with being obsessed about people concerned about weight ???
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