neilp Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 Do people really worry about this stuff? I have 2 Aria SB1000's, a Wal and a Thunderbird. The Tbird is the lightest, but I've never been sufficiently bothered to weigh any of them, although the Arias are as heavy as anything I've ever played. The answer is almost always a wide, well-padded strap and try not to worry. It's another of those things some people use to justify endless swapping of gear - think of all those ads saying "fantastic bass, sounds amazing and plays like butter, but I need something lighter/heavier/passive/active/thicker neck/thinner nek/5 string/4 string/more like a P/more like a J/pointier/less pointy/cheaper......" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDC484950 Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 It’s all about balance to me. I got rid of my Ibanez Sr1605 and 3006 Because they both had terrible neck dive. The 1605 only weighed about 9lbs but it felt much heavier. All of my basses are over 9lbs, with the Ibanez BTB676 topping out at 10.7lbs. I don’t play standing up very often anymore so not bothered too much by weight. I have put Hipshots on my Sterling and am thinking about putting Gotoh Resolites on my BTB just to tip the headstock back up a touch. When I did play professionally I did a 2.5 hour function with a Wal Mkiii 6 string that weighed around 13-14lbs. I sold it not long after that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyP Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 25 minutes ago, neilp said: Do people really worry about this stuff? I have 2 Aria SB1000's, a Wal and a Thunderbird. The Tbird is the lightest, but I've never been sufficiently bothered to weigh any of them, although the Arias are as heavy as anything I've ever played. The answer is almost always a wide, well-padded strap and try not to worry. It's another of those things some people use to justify endless swapping of gear - think of all those ads saying "fantastic bass, sounds amazing and plays like butter, but I need something lighter/heavier/passive/active/thicker neck/thinner nek/5 string/4 string/more like a P/more like a J/pointier/less pointy/cheaper......" I don't worry about it, I just don't like being in pain and possibly causing more damage to my spine. There are genuine reasons for wanting a lighter bass and they have nothing to do with GAS. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 I've never really considered the weight of my basses and only ever find out what they weigh when I put them up for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 1 hour ago, pete.young said: I used to have a tenor banjo that weighed 12 Kg. Balance wasn't an issue. You sir win the award for quoting weight metric. Even though I’m in my late 50s I went metric some years ago and lbs and ozs now mean little to me. So maybe if we all used both metric and imperial measures, everyone would understand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 2 hours ago, neilp said: Do people really worry about this stuff? And repeat the previous 2 pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted March 5, 2020 Share Posted March 5, 2020 3 hours ago, pete.young said: I used to have a tenor banjo that weighed 12 Kg. Balance wasn't an issue. Blimey, that’s nearly 26 old style lbs! Don’t tell me, it didn’t have a thick strap either? 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 11 hours ago, Krysbass said: You sir win the award for quoting weight metric. Even though I’m in my late 50s I went metric some years ago and lbs and ozs now mean little to me. So maybe if we all used both metric and imperial measures, everyone would understand? Been GASsing for a new bass of late, so I was having a look at specs on websites. When it's given, weight is almost always expressed in pounds, while nut width and string spacing at the bridge are always in millimetres. Fingerboard radius and scale are usually expressed in inches, unless you're Thomann, in which case it's mm again. Pretty damn confusing, whether you grew up metric - as I did - or Imperial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 9 hours ago, casapete said: Blimey, that’s nearly 26 old style lbs! Don’t tell me, it didn’t have a thick strap either? 😆 Aircell. They really do work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 1 minute ago, Silvia Bluejay said: Been GASsing for a new bass of late, so I was having a look at specs on websites. When it's given, weight is almost always expressed in pounds, while nut width and string spacing at the bridge are always in millimetres. Fingerboard radius and scale are usually expressed in inches, unless you're Thomann, in which case it's mm again. Pretty damn confusing, whether you grew up metric - as I did - or Imperial. Being a couple of years older than @Krysbass I grew up with both systems and then worked as an engineer for a while where both systems were still in frequent use. Timber yards are the best. "I want some 4"x2" please" "No problem, 1.5 metre or 2.0 metre lengths? "I was hoping for 8 foot lengths "No problem, we can do some 100mm x 50mm!" The real bugger is not being able to buy Mint Imperials any more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 I'm bilingual 🙂 Metal sales are even more confusing than timber. It's one thing having to buy 6.35mm rod, but getting 10mm when you asked for 3/8" (or vice-versa) is a PITA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 13 hours ago, pete.young said: I used to have a tenor banjo that weighed 12 Kg. Balance wasn't an issue. Back surgery, hip and knee replacements were however, a right PITA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 1 hour ago, pete.young said: Being a couple of years older than @Krysbass I grew up with both systems and then worked as an engineer for a while where both systems were still in frequent use. Timber yards are the best. "I want some 4"x2" please" "No problem, 1.5 metre or 2.0 metre lengths? "I was hoping for 8 foot lengths "No problem, we can do some 100mm x 50mm!" The real bugger is not being able to buy Mint Imperials any more. I guess I am of a similar age - learnt both imperial and metric at different stage of school - so my brain is all over the place. I can visualise length and distance in either. Weight is strange - I can visualise in one or the other but not easily switch, I need to convert. Volume also. Temperature is really odd - I can effortlessly switch between F and C above freezing but below freezing can only think in C. Why are our road distances still measured in miles? and why are babies born in lbs? This doesn't help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 6 minutes ago, Paul S said: I guess I am of a similar age - learnt both imperial and metric at different stage of school - so my brain is all over the place. I can visualise length and distance in either. Weight is strange - I can visualise in one or the other but not easily switch, I need to convert. Volume also. Temperature is really odd - I can effortlessly switch between F and C above freezing but below freezing can only think in C. Why are our road distances still measured in miles? and why are babies born in lbs? This doesn't help. Also fuel sold in litres but car manufacturers still give economy figures in MPG? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 2 minutes ago, casapete said: Also fuel sold in litres but car manufacturers still give economy figures in MPG? It's no wonder folk of our age are confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedmanzie Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 I joined Basschat* to sell an Ibanez bass that I bought from my mate as an ‘experiment’! Lived under the bed for years - can’t remember what it was called but Phil Lynot played one apparently- some kind of 70s Ibanez that must have weighed 15lbs! (or near...) Heaviest bass by miles I’ve ever picked up. The guy that bought it worked with granite for a living - perfect! *many years later I have not only taken up the bass because of this great place, but bought and sold about 10 basses before settling on my one P-bass, and have also met many very nice bass players. Often in car parks off the M25... cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Why miles per gallon and litres per kilometre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 3 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Why miles per gallon and litres per kilometre? I have the other way round, I have the car set to kilometres per litre. I would prefer miles per litre, but sadly it doesn't do that (spanish I guess, don't care about us). Actually I would prefer the roads to be in kilometers, but that is never going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 On 06/03/2020 at 09:23, Silvia Bluejay said: Been GASsing for a new bass of late, so I was having a look at specs on websites. When it's given, weight is almost always expressed in pounds, while nut width and string spacing at the bridge are always in millimetres. Fingerboard radius and scale are usually expressed in inches, unless you're Thomann, in which case it's mm again. Pretty damn confusing, whether you grew up metric - as I did - or Imperial. Are you thinking a new Warwick Bluejay?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 I always think of scale length in inches, but nut width in mm. 🤪 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 7 minutes ago, funkypenguin said: Are you thinking a new Warwick Bluejay?? Nah. After visiting NAMM, I've developed a bit of GAS for an Ibanez SR 305 - much cheaper than even the most lowly Rockbass. Ibanez has always been my second favourite guitar maker. The SR line of 5-string basses has the same specs as my Warwicks - 45mm nut width, thin comfortable neck, 34" scale, 16.5mm string spacing at the bridge, a NON-Fendery body shape, a much nicer headstock than Warwick's but still with 3-2 as opposed to 4-1 machine heads, and slightly lighter in weight (although that's not difficult, considering that Warwicks are boat anchors). Except that, erm, there are no lefty models. That being the original reason why I got an entire collection of 5-string Warwicks, but haven't been able to widen my horizon to other 5-string basses. I'm not keen on a custom build, regardless of price. This is my unattainable favourite model, although I would settle for black, or white, or natural if they existed in lefty. Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Why miles per gallon and litres per kilometre? litres per *100* kilometres, unless you drive a tank 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 On 05/03/2020 at 23:04, Krysbass said: So maybe if we all used both metric and imperial measures, everyone would understand? I'm neutral, given my location..............but how long until this gravitates to the "B" word!!😭 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Silvia Bluejay said: Nah. After visiting NAMM, I've developed a bit of GAS for an Ibanez SR 305 - .... Except that, erm, there are no lefty models. No? https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/ibanez-sr305-left-handed-bass-guitar-weathered-black Ahh - I see none of the 305s left handed are current - you have to go up the model range for that Edited March 7, 2020 by Woodinblack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 How about a 375, almost the same: https://reverb.com/item/23877519-ibanez-sr375el-awb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.