Author Topic: The heaviest instruments you ever played (Read 253 times)

blazer · « **on:** June 27, 2007, 02:22:25 AM »

Let's talk about the boatanchors out there, the guitars and basses that are a Chyropractor's dream. The heaviest guitar I owned was an early eighties Ibanez artist.

This one was only playable for a short amount of time before my shoulder really started to ache, I eventually sold it because it just wasn't possible for me to use that thing for performances. What basses are concerned I guess the heaviest bass I ever had in my hands was a Warwick Jack Bruce Cream Reunion bass, that one actually was heavier than that Ibanez I mentioned earlier. I played it seated at the Warwick stand a couple of years ago at the Frankfurt music fair and afterwards I couldn't even feel my leg anymore. The heaviest Bass I owned was an Aria Pro2 SB series bass, which sounded really good but really made my shoulder ache badly.

tbrannon · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2007, 02:50:21 AM »

Peavey T-40 basses. I've owned several and they were all incredibly heavy.

Something about that book sized diecast bridge I guess =)

bigbadbill · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2007, 05:17:36 AM »

Ho! My favourite subject! (anyone who has read my threads know I have pretty bad back problems). The heaviest bass I ever played was probably a recent cocobolo Alembic Series 2, or possibly that 6 string maple Series 2 that was in the Bass Gallery and now belongs to a Forumite. The heaviest bass I've ever picked up (I didn't play it)was probably a Warwick Buzzard Ltd at UK Bass Day. It weighed a ton. I can't begin to imagine how anyone could play it for an entire set, and I used to be pretty strong before my back problems started. Other notables are Aria SB (as above), a Travis Bean I played which felt like 2 Les Pauls bolted together, A Warwick Thumb 6 and Streamer Stage 2 5 (in fact Warwicks as a breed are not the lightest instruments, unless you go for a Streamer Stage 1 or ash-bodied Corvette), a Wal with Wenge facings which felt like the Titanic, my old ESP Jazz which must have weighed in excess of 13 lbs, my original Jaydee which was like having a dining table round your neck (they do vary a lot but mine was HEAVY)....there have been quite a few I guess! Oh, and an old '70s Series 1 which honestly felt like Dracula's coffin with Dracula still in it (ironically I also once played an old '70s Series 1 that was really quite light and comfortable). Guitar wise I''d say Yamaha SGs, much as I love 'em. These days anything over 10lbs is just too heavy for me, and something around 7 or 8 pounds is preferred.

trekster · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2007, 05:18:18 AM »

Yup yup yup...I put my T-40 on the scale once; it came in at 15.4 pounds. My Aria SB900 wasn't too light either.

--T

flaxattack · « **Reply #4 on:** June 27, 2007, 06:15:14 AM »

had a hagstrom les paul bass once
my god i thought it weighed a gazillion pounds
until i strapped on an upright bass....lol

rami · « **Reply #5 on:** June 27, 2007, 06:28:41 AM »

With all due respect guys, my custom Alembics, Dark Prince and Black Byrd were specifically designed for weight. Those Ebony and Purpleheart bodies may weigh a ton, but they pay HUGE dividends in sound and sustain. They weigh around 15lbs each.

Rami

lbpesq · « **Reply #6 on:** June 27, 2007, 06:32:21 AM »

The heaviest instrument I ever played? Grand piano.

Bill, tgo

dannobasso · « **Reply #7 on:** June 27, 2007, 06:37:55 AM »

My wide 6 string Elan, wide 6 string Spoiler, wide 7 string Spoiler. After those, all the others feel rather light. My 83 Spoiler 4 feels like a toy after a noodling session with the big basses.

811952 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 27, 2007, 07:04:00 AM »

Heaviest was likely an Alembic SII long-scale 8-string, back around '81. Ironically, one of the lightest was Geoff Gould's 18-string bass, which seemed to weigh less than a P-bass, this also around '81. For a brief while, Modulus made a headless bass that was so light it was almost unplayable. Jack Casady plays one in a video Hot Tuna put out in '81 or '82. My lightest bass is a Hofner..

John

adriaan · « **Reply #9 on:** June 27, 2007, 07:23:43 AM »

My upright piano. Fortunately one does not have to wear the piano around one's neck.

.... aarrrgh ...... Bill TGO beat me too it.

(Message edited by adriaan on June 27, 2007)

willgunn · « **Reply #10 on:** June 27, 2007, 01:39:26 PM »

In the early '70's, I had a 1970 Gibson Les Paul Recording Bass (all mahogany neck & body w/o any tummy cut), and the only way I could play it was sitting down! I was doing an extended Holiday Inn lounge gig at the time (remember those, all you old-timers?!) so I could get away with sitting on a tall bar stool, but even at that, the darn thing etched a deep notch into my right thigh! Not a bad sounding bass for it's time as I recall, what with low-impedance pickups and all that weight...

alembic_doctor · « **Reply #11 on:** June 27, 2007, 03:17:38 PM »

I had one of those basses sitting on my wall at GC (evil empire)in Houston for years. Lot's of people picked it up because it looked cool.....and then put it right back without even plugging it in. No one could fathom carrying one of those things.

I had a Travis Bean once. It was loaded with DiMarzzio Model P's. What a tone. Cut right through a mix. But alas, that was too heavy for me.

jet_powers · « **Reply #12 on:** June 27, 2007, 03:58:16 PM »

Bill, tgo

Pray tell, did you play this instrument in the marching band?

bluplirst · « **Reply #13 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:08:44 PM »

Plum Pudding
http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_plum.html

bigredbass · « **Reply #14 on:** June 27, 2007, 07:03:44 PM »

Definitely a T40 Peavey. My God, Hartley built those things to last! Wierd was that the body was so massive, yet the neck profile was almost dainty, till you got to the metal nut and tuners.

J o e y