wateroftyne Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Hey gang There's a particular bass I'm quite interested in buying, and I spotted that a popular online and bricks-and-mortar retailer (I'm not going to name names. Oh, go on then - guitarguitar) have a couple of examples in stock. So I emailed them and asked if they would mind weighing them, 'cos I'm one of those sticklers for weight. I got a very rapid reply from an apologetic chap who said they have no way of weighing a bass(?). I've asked the question before of other retailers and always got a reply so.. this surprised me. Was I asking too much of them, do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Well, if you don't possess a set of scales (bathroom or otherwise) I imagine it'd be a bit tricky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Do they not need to weigh items when they post them out to customers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1401893505' post='2467951'] Well, if you don't possess a set of scales (bathroom or otherwise) I imagine it'd be a bit tricky... [/quote] That's a fair point. I just assumed a mail order retailer would own a pair of scales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Maybe they havn't taken it out of all the packaging and want to just ship it straight out... mind you this would be pretty lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1401894747' post='2467989'] There must be some way of finding out how much the particular model weighs without them doing it, even if you have to go to the manufacturer. [/quote] It varies from tree to tree... weighing the bass itself is the only answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platypus Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1401893603' post='2467958'] Maybe they havn't taken it out of all the packaging and want to just ship it straight out... mind you this would be pretty lazy. [/quote] Yes, I expect its sitting in a store room in the packaging it arrived in and they don't want to get it out to weigh it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1401893561' post='2467954'] Do they not need to weigh items when they post them out to customers? [/quote] If it's anything like our place then no. The companies we deal with give you the shipping weight of each item which is all you need when posting it back out to someone else. We so sheet music in our place so we have scales for weighing our post but guitarguitar might not have that. Obviously, the shipping weight isn't the weight of the actual instrument. If they were quick to reply and apologetic, they may be genuine. Unless you contacted the web team and they have no way of weighing it there but the store staff could? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1401894855' post='2467993'] It varies from tree to tree [/quote] Maybe he should go to a different branch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 The packaging it arrived at the retailers should have the box weight identified for couriers. Thought that was a requirement for mfrs these days when shipping original kit in boxes. Would it not be on the mfrs website telling you the weight of a bass that you could look up yourself. ? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1401894855' post='2467993'] It varies from tree to tree... weighing the bass itself is the only answer. [/quote] Agreed. I had two basses of the same model recently: one was fretted and weighed 8.5 lbs, while the other was fretless and weighed 9.5lbs. [quote name='Platypus' timestamp='1401895116' post='2467998'] I expect its sitting in a store room in the packaging it arrived in and they don't want to get it out to weigh it. [/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardd Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 T K MAX Luggage scales £2.99 must be one near GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1401895028' post='2467997'] Blimey, you are a stickler, aren't you? [/quote] My back isn't like it used to be, and I just want to know the weight of something I'm going to have hanging off my shoulder for up to 2 hours a time. A stickler, or sensible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Stand on a bathroom scales holding the bass and note the weight A. Put the bass down and weigh yourself without it. Note the weight B. Take B from A and you have the weight of the bass. Alternatively, buy one of these. http://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/18134415226041566479?q=luggage+weigher&hl=en-GB&gbv=2&prmd=ivns&sa=X&ei=0j6PU9itO8KL7AaRvID4Dw&ved=0CCwQ8wIwAg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 As others have said its probably due to the company being box shifters. They buy in from manufacturer, they put new shipping labels on and they send it back out again to the customer. Any faults are then either down to manufacturer or whoever transported it from them to box shifter or from box shifter to customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [size=3]It's not good though is it? A company selling a product, whatever the product, should be able to furnish a potential purchaser with all the specifications.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1401893561' post='2467954'] Do they not need to weigh items when they post them out to customers? [/quote] In most cases, no they don't. They use a contract carrier and the prices for different sizes and weights are pre-agreed within certain parameters, i.e big packages ( a bass, for example) ), very big packages ( a cab) , small packages ( fx pedal) ,ect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1401894732' post='2467988'] There must be some way of finding out how much the particular model weighs without them doing it, even if you have to go to the manufacturer. [/quote] As others have pointed out already, there can be a considerable difference in weight between different individual examples of the same model of bass, quite often as much as a pound or even more.Even two planks from the same log can have drastically different weights. Edited June 4, 2014 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='richardd' timestamp='1401896029' post='2468012'] T K MAX Luggage scales £2.99 must be one near GG [/quote] I've never used that particular scale, but the chances are that it is nowhere near precise enough to get a properly accurate weight for a bass. Most of the inexpensive domestic luggage scales have been up to half a pound out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1401893280' post='2467947'] Hey gang There's a particular bass I'm quite interested in buying, and I spotted that a popular online and bricks-and-mortar retailer (I'm not going to name names. Oh, go on then - guitarguitar) have a couple of examples in stock. [/quote] so wondering what it was I just went on their website and looked for sunburst fenders to find out what it is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1401900303' post='2468081'] so wondering what it was I just went on their website and looked for sunburst fenders to find out what it is.... [/quote] ...and you'd be wrong :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1401900354' post='2468082'] ...and you'd be wrong :-) [/quote] about the sunburst or the fender bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1401896693' post='2468024'] Stand on a bathroom scales holding the bass and note the weight A. Put the bass down and weigh yourself without it. Note the weight B. Take B from A and you have the weight of the bass. Alternatively, buy one of these. [url="http://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/18134415226041566479?q=luggage+weigher&hl=en-GB&gbv=2&prmd=ivns&sa=X&ei=0j6PU9itO8KL7AaRvID4Dw&ved=0CCwQ8wIwAg"]http://www.google.co...ved=0CCwQ8wIwAg[/url] [/quote] The standing on a bathroom scale method is also way too imprecise to be much real use if you seriously want to know what a bass weighs, not least of all because bathroom scales are not calibrated precisely enough for you to see what the difference is . Also, the mechanisms in bathroom scales usually rely on springs and the inertia of holding the bass in your arms has an effect on how the spring reacts , giving an even more unreliable reading. Bare in mind that if the weight of a bass is really important to you, in most instances you need to know the true and accurate weight of the bass to within a couple of ounces in order for it to be properly useful to you . So when you are buying a bass from a shop or from an individual , bear in mind the weight they give you may well be fairly inaccurate, unless they have been lucky or unusually diligent in how they have gone about weighing it. The best thing for weighing a bass is a proper industrial postal scale , but they are expensive to buy . Edited June 5, 2014 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) How about those spring loaded jobs that fishermen use? You wouldn't expect them to be miles out (unless they were sold to provide 'enhanced' weights ) They must use decent ones when they are having proper competitions and the like. You'd think a good size carp would be in the ballpark of a bass (no fish puns please) so they might be in the right range? Edited June 4, 2014 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 imo it is perfectly reasonable for the supplier to inform customers of the weight of the instrument. For me it is essential to know the weight prior to purchase. The bathroom scales method is a bit of a joke to be honest. I have a good quality digital luggage scales and that is pretty accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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