Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: jazzyvee on March 23, 2009, 09:37:07 AM

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: jazzyvee on March 23, 2009, 09:37:07 AM

I have always found my Europa 5 with Bocate top to be a heavy bass. I don't have a problem with it at all just it's heavy.  
 
So today after practicing i decided to weigh it and I was quite surprised to find that it weighs in at 12.5 pounds, with the flight case as well it weights 44 pounds ... yes that's right 44pounds. .
 
I've heard members here expressing back problems with heavy series basses. I;'ve read that some of the series basses are solid and some newer ones have a hollow core, so I just wondered what these series basses weigh and what year did they start to be made with a hollow core.
 
Jazzyvee
 
Jazzyvee

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: keavin on March 23, 2009, 03:51:12 PM

My case weighs in at 20.5 pounds, the bass weighs in at 11.5 & power supply/25 ft cable comes at around 2.5?..........so im lugging around 33 to 35 pounds of Bass/Case.actually ive never had any back problems from years of playing but i do have wrist pain from years  carrying such a load for long distances.  (http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/62872.jpg)

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: flaxattack on March 23, 2009, 03:52:53 PM

wolf weighs in at 9, scarlet weighs 12. app

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: dannobasso on March 23, 2009, 05:22:42 PM

Spoiler 7 fretless 13.6
Spoiler wide 6 12.6  Who knew?

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: keith_h on March 23, 2009, 05:35:06 PM

My question is why do you want to know the weight of the bass? For me it would only become something to obsess over every time I feel a twinge in my shoulder. Personally I'd rather be oblivious to how much weight is hanging on me. :-)  
 
Keith

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: kungfusheriff on March 23, 2009, 08:12:49 PM

Ignorance may be bliss, but only until the adrenaline wears off. ;)
My S2 sixer weighs 14 pounds, according to the store I bought it from. Playing it slung on a normal strap is torture. Something at least 4 wide and made of supple leather (hint: an Alembic/Moody strap)makes the experience tolerable.

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: Bradley Young on March 23, 2009, 08:58:15 PM

SII Six is 13.5 lbs (on the bathroom scale), and the case + bass is 36 or somesuch.
 
4 strap isn't optional.

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: blackelan on March 23, 2009, 09:12:43 PM

I found my Breaking point so to speak was around 10-10.5 pounds for guitars and I can tolerate about 11 pounds on a bass. In fact I was considering asking if Alembic could find the lightest pieces of wood for my custom Elan. I have seen great varietion in wood density among Mahogony for example. No two pieces of wood weigh the same.
 
ETA by Breaking point I mean that if its heavier than this I can maybe play comfortabley for an hour without getting sore anything under this weight I can play hours on end standing up.
 
(Message edited by BlackElan on March 23, 2009)
 
(Message edited by BlackElan on March 23, 2009)

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: terryc on March 24, 2009, 04:44:33 AM

Yep weight is the problem with my MK..14 pounds UK(1 stone).
Comfortstrapp to prevent vertebral overload but still causes aches after a long gig.
The Signsature series are all solid as opposed to the SI & SII's which have hollows plus they have more wood removed for the electronics etc.
Anyone who picks it up are surprised at the weight.
The case(which I call the coffin) adds more, mine is getting shabby and when it does I am getting one of those aluminium flight cases made for it as my MK is medium scale and the case is for a standard long scale..more weight!!!!

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on March 24, 2009, 06:10:41 AM

Do any of you with back pain exercise to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles?

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: 811952 on March 24, 2009, 06:21:01 AM

I injured my back badly while shooting video of a subsistence whale hunt North of Barrow some 20 years ago.  Rock climbing, lots of walking and playing in the woods (lots of hills) have really made a difference in the daily persistent level of pain for me.  Trying to maintain good posture is very important (and gets easier).  Managing your body weight makes a very tangible difference in what stresses your back must endure as well.  Just about any activity is going to help your back long-term.  It's important to start slow if you're a couch-potato or otherwise not very active already..
 
John

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: white_cloud on March 24, 2009, 11:11:04 AM

I had a bad back injury last summer followed by a nasty left shoulder injury last October - even with a very high pain threshold Alembics are now way way out of my comfort zone.
 
I have also had to completely stop using my Prometeus fretted live for the same reason
 
John.

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: gtrguy on March 24, 2009, 11:55:04 AM

Interestingly enough, your stomach muscles have a whole lot to do with keeping your back aligned, and the better tone they have, the less trouble you will have with your back.
 
How about a thread showing guitar and bass cases to see who's has the most stickers and mojo?
 
Bye,
Dave

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: benson_murrensun on March 24, 2009, 03:04:17 PM

I was in a car crash 23 years ago, got bad whiplash, and my back has not been the same since. I find that exercise most definitely helps manage the pain. I do push-ups and weight training with medium-weight dumbells. I really should do aerobic stuff, too, but I don't... Use of a wide bass strap helps alot, as well.

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: keurosix on March 24, 2009, 07:13:07 PM

I started a post like this one a while back. It didn't take off, but here's a link to it.
 
http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/34438.html (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=3727)
 
Kris

Title: Heavy bass
Post by: peoplechipper on March 24, 2009, 11:05:48 PM

Gtrguy, I'll go with that idea, but I haven't had my Distillate long enough to come anywhwere close to winning and the original owner of my bass was a studio guy...
 
As for the bass's effect on me, thankfully I stretch a lot  and try to keep it strong; I fractured two vertebrae and split my tailbone in a fall on new year's 87 and got smeared by a car at high speed 2 years later...I'm just thankfull that I walk and my stubborn Scottish birth keeps it that way...funny how my brother who's a blackbelt in Taekwondo and a yoga instructor says I probably have the best overall posture in the family...because I have to...Tony.