Heavier vs lighter basses

[Mlazarus]

So, i took my 82"series 1 to a music store in Northhampton, MA. They have a nice 77' series 1. We test played both. Without going i to detail yet, i noticed th 77' fely heavier. So we weighed both. The 77'weighed in at 10lbs 13onces. The 82' was 10lbs 3 onces. A 10 ounce difference! Is there a typical sound difference between weights and why is the 77' almost 1lb heavier?. I know the woods are different.

[JimmyJ]

Hey Michael,

I think your last sentence answers the question of why the two instruments have such different total weights.  Wood density and weight varies widely so it all depends on what combination was used.  Those neck laminate pieces are almost 4-ft long chunks of wood!

It's pretty rare to be able to A-B a couple Series basses so you should tell us what you perceived to be the differences in sound.  We'd love to hear what you thought.  Was the sustain different?  Did one have a deeper sound than the other?  Do tell.

Jimmy J

[Mlazarus]

The Luthier at Mill River Music in Northampton, MA played both. To him, he thought the 77 was punchier and my 82' has a smoother tone, but they were close. I also noticed the 77' had deader strings, but the action was a little lower. That 77' also had a nice neck feel.

[Mlazarus]

Were there any Alembics made that weigh  up to 14-15lbs?

[mica]

Even heavier!

[hieronymous]

My '75 doubleneck is a little over 16 pounds! But it's not a "normal" Alembic.

[mica]

There were a couple of real boat anchors in the mid-late seventies. I don't think we have a weight on "The Albatross" bass (a large symmetrical Scorpion), but the top and back were made from a 4-square checkerboard of Ebony and Lignum Vitae (the heaviest commercial wood).

Rami had a 6-string bass made from all Ebony and Purpleheart, with 1/8" brass backplates. My recollection is that it might have been around 17 pounds. But it was made intentionally to be extremely massive.

[garyhead]

Classico 6-String is 25lbs.

[adriaan]

My 6 string is about 6 kgs and a bit, which I think translates to around the 14 pounds mark

[Mlazarus]

Of course im mainly talking about the weight of the 4 string basses only. My 82" is 10lbs 3 ounces but sounds great. Mica, were the 80s series 1s made lighter?

[mica]

There isn't an era where basses were generally heavier or lighter - the woods have always been the densities they are, so it's more of a materials choice situation for the differences in weight. I suppose there are times when certain woods were more favored.

To give you an idea about what a difference the wood makes, let's look at my personal Essence bass. It's make with a Cherry body, 7-piece Maple and Purpleheart neck, Kingwood (a type of Rosewood) top. It weights 10.75 pounds. A standard all Maple Essence bass is typically 8.5 pounds.

Series I and II basses are actually much lighter now, but that's because we don't use brass plates anymore. The continuous wood plates weight much less (and look a bit nicer IMO).

[rv_bass]

My 70s era basses range from 9.2 to 11.2 pounds

[Mlazarus]

What is commonly considered the lightest series 1 models?

[lbpesq]

Alembics are each unique.    There is no general type or vintage of Series instrument that is the "lightest".    As noted above, the most influential variable when it comes to weight is the type of woods from which an instrument is constructed.  Some Alembic body types are typically lighter than others based on their mass, but many of these are too thin to accept Series electronics.  Also, shorter scale instruments may weigh less than longer scale, again due to mass.. 

Bill, tgo   

[Mlazarus]

Ok, all clear.