Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: toddharris on September 07, 2024, 09:59:42 AM
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With recently diagnosed disc problems in my back and finding that playing any bass weighing 9 lbs or more at gigs caused significant pain, I spoke with Mica about options to reduce the weight of my two beloved Stanley Clarke basses, a 2004 SCBB and a 2007 cocobolo signature deluxe with LEDs. She suggested changing the tuners (I found and installed Gotoh direct replacements that cut 1/4 lb), replacing the brass block under the brass bridge with a matching wood block (Alembic made and sent me a pair) which cut roughly 1/2 a lb on each. Finally, Alembic would make me carbon fiber back-plates for each, the Deluxe had two brass backplates - the second for the LED batteries. The control cavity brass backplate on each weighed just over 7 ounces. I wound up buying carbon fiber and cutting the plates myself - used an RF blocking paint spray and they weight under 1 ounce each. Here is a video about the SCBB. Will post another before and after of the Deluxe. The Brown Bass weighed 9 lbs 2 ounces and now is just 7 lbs 14 ounces now and sounds amazing as always. Mission accomplished! At 64, my body is thanking me!
https://youtu.be/A0-oX-9Myt8 (https://youtu.be/A0-oX-9Myt8)
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The weight loss allowing you to keep playing is awesome!
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I hope it works out well. I think if I ever was in the situation where my basses were too heavy to hang on a strap. i'd sit and play or get one of these walk up guitar stands. I have seen them used live by Carlos Santana for playing an acoustic guitar but not a bass guitar but I guess they may work.
https://vikingguitarstands.com