🎸 Bass Guitar Weight Calculator
Estimate total bass guitar weight from body wood, neck, strings & hardware specs
| Component | Light | Standard | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body (wood) | 3.0–3.8 lbs | 4.0–4.8 lbs | 5.0–6.5 lbs |
| Neck | 1.0–1.2 lbs | 1.3–1.5 lbs | 1.6–2.0 lbs |
| Hardware | 0.7–0.9 lbs | 1.0–1.3 lbs | 1.5–2.2 lbs |
| Pickups | 0.08–0.12 lbs | 0.15–0.22 lbs | 0.28–0.40 lbs |
| Electronics | 0.04–0.06 lbs | 0.10–0.14 lbs | 0.18–0.28 lbs |
| Strings (set) | 0.07–0.09 lbs | 0.10–0.13 lbs | 0.14–0.20 lbs |
| Finish | 0.02–0.04 lbs | 0.08–0.12 lbs | 0.12–0.18 lbs |
| TOTAL BASS | 5.5–7.0 lbs | 7.5–9.0 lbs | 9.5–12+ lbs |
| Bass Model | Body Wood | Avg Weight (lbs) | Avg Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fender Precision Bass (USA) | Alder | 8.5 | 3.86 |
| Fender Jazz Bass (USA) | Alder/Ash | 8.8 | 3.99 |
| Gibson Thunderbird | Mahogany | 9.2 | 4.17 |
| Music Man StingRay | Ash | 9.5 | 4.31 |
| Rickenbacker 4003 | Maple | 10.5 | 4.76 |
| Ibanez SR300 | Poplar/Mahogany | 7.5 | 3.40 |
| Warwick Corvette | Swamp Ash | 9.0 | 4.08 |
| Steinberger Headless | Graphite | 5.5 | 2.49 |
| Hofner Violin Bass | Spruce/Maple | 5.0 | 2.27 |
| Spector Euro 4 | Alder/Maple | 8.6 | 3.90 |
| Scale Length | Measurement | Extra Neck Weight | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Scale | 30" (762 mm) | –0.15 lbs vs long | Beginner, vintage |
| Medium Scale | 32" (813 mm) | –0.08 lbs vs long | Versatile gigging |
| Long Scale | 34" (864 mm) | Baseline | Standard modern |
| Extra Long | 35"–36" (889–914 mm) | +0.10–0.18 lbs | 5-string, low-B |
The bass weight commonly comes up in discussions, whether about the fish or about the musical instrument. Each of them has its own interesting sides, that deserve deeper study.
When one fishes largemouth bass outside and wants to guess the bass weight of the catch without using a scale, there is a simple method that many fishers use. The math works like this: one multiplies the length by itself, then by the girth and divides the result by 1 200. Here one works with inches, and the result will be in pounds.
Bass Weight for Fish and Guitars
The girth simply means the distance around the thickest part of the fish.
One also finds length to weight charts, that exist for guessing the weight only based on the length of the fish. The reason is, that those are only rough values. If one hooked a really chunky bass or caught a female before she spawns, there is likely extra weight that one could consider.
The most many folks measure the whole length… From the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Even so, one source that I found uses fork length for basses, which gives a diffrent result.
One also finds something called relative weight, that is useful. One counts it by dividing the real weight of the fish by the expected weight for that size, then multiplying by 100. Say that one catches a 20.5-inch bass that weighs 4.2 pounds on the scale.
A healthy 22-inch bass should weigh near 6.21 pounds. Now, the heaviest largemouth bass ever officially recorded weighed 22.25 pounds, George Perry caught that monster in Montgomery Lake near Valdosta, Georgia, in 1932. For the most many fishers, good bass starts around 3 pounds, but if one wants something that truly excites the heart, one aims for 5 or 6 pounds, especially in the north.
What makes one bass heavier then another at the same length? The diet and the build of the fish both matter. Also the season plays a big role.
The choice of gear for bass guitars regarding bass weight becomes very important for playing comfortably. A typical jazz bass or precision bass weighs around 8 to 9 pounds. Some models weigh more and pass 10 pounds, although that is not very common.
The Hofner Club is in the more lightweight group, only a bit above 5 pounds. The most many musicians find that around 8.5 pounds feels right for playing a whole concert without leaving you tired. If one reaches 9 pounds, the shoulders start to protest.
Up to 11 pounds, and the pain can flare after only 10 minutes.
More lightweight basses have fame because of better balance. Good straps help when one plays heavier versions. Basses with short scale and hollow bodies sometimes suffer because of neck dive…
The body is so lightweight that itweighs toward the head of the neck. The main secret is to find something lightweight that does not sound bad on stage.
