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jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 1383
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 8:37 am:   Edit Post

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
keavin
Senior Member
Username: keavin

Post Number: 1586
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 2:51 pm:   Edit Post

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.
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 2214
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 2:52 pm:   Edit Post

wolf weighs in at 9, scarlet weighs 12. app
dannobasso
Senior Member
Username: dannobasso

Post Number: 1001
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 4:22 pm:   Edit Post

Spoiler 7 fretless 13.6
Spoiler wide 6 12.6 Who knew?
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 1250
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 4:35 pm:   Edit Post

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
kungfusheriff
Senior Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 817
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 7:12 pm:   Edit Post

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.
byoung
Senior Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 1197
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 7:58 pm:   Edit Post

SII Six is 13.5 lbs (on the bathroom scale), and the case + bass is 36 or somesuch.

4" strap isn't optional.
blackelan
Member
Username: blackelan

Post Number: 69
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009 - 8:12 pm:   Edit Post

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)
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 744
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 3:44 am:   Edit Post

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!!!!
funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member
Username: funkyjazzjunky

Post Number: 404
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 5:10 am:   Edit Post

Do any of you with back pain exercise to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles?
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 1633
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 5:21 am:   Edit Post

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
white_cloud
Senior Member
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 632
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 10:11 am:   Edit Post

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.
gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 183
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 10:55 am:   Edit Post

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
benson_murrensun
Intermediate Member
Username: benson_murrensun

Post Number: 115
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 2:04 pm:   Edit Post

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.
keurosix
Advanced Member
Username: keurosix

Post Number: 393
Registered: 10-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 6:13 pm:   Edit Post

I started a post like this one a while back. It didn't take off, but here's a link to it.

http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/34438.html

Kris
peoplechipper
Junior
Username: peoplechipper

Post Number: 45
Registered: 2-2009
Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 10:05 pm:   Edit Post

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.

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