Help a newbie understand the tradeoffs associated with weight

JDelage

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Mar 17, 2014
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All,

I am considering a given model, which I have tried and which I like. However, said model varies in weight from slightly over 6lbs to slightly over 8lbs.

What are the tradeoffs associated witha lower or higher weight?

Thanks,

JD
 
Lower weight <7Lbs, tends to have neck dive when standing and using a strap; especially on 24 fret guitars. Heavier than 9Lbs tends to tire your back if playing standing for long periods of time. As for tone, well, there are lots of opinions on that. None verified scientifically (mostly because there are so many variables).
 
Lower weight <7Lbs, tends to have neck dive when standing and using a strap; especially on 24 fret guitars. Heavier than 9Lbs tends to tire your back if playing standing for long periods of time. As for tone, well, there are lots of opinions on that. None verified scientifically (mostly because there are so many variables).

Very useful, thanks.
 
Heavier guitars are grateful just to have you show them a good time. :)

Haha! Awesome! You know, I know there is no verifiable way to conclude a guitars weight having anything to do with superior tonality, but for me I tend to like the heavy ones. Some of it might be musical superstition, as my first two Les Pauls were bloody heavy....but sounded killer! I know I am one of the few guys who actually PREFER a heavy guitar. Heck, PRS phoned my dealer when I ordered my private stock years ago asking if there was a typo because I had asked for a "heavy mahogany back." They thought it was unusual. I can understand someone thinking a 10+ pound guitar is a little much, especially for gigging, but if you're complaining about 8 or 8.5 pounds and you don't have a medical condition (back or shoulder issue), I think it might be time to hit the gym and rock some deadlifts and hang cleans!
 
Speaking in general, sound waves will propagate through a light, stiff material with less resistance than they will through a heavy, limp one; there is a huge body of research on this subject, and its relation to perceived sound quality. Mahogany, in particular, has higher value as a tone wood if it is lighter and less dense, but much of the quality, light, old-growth timber has been harvested.

A point of reference here is that Stradivarii and Del Gesus (Guarnerii), which are considered among the best-toned of violins, were constructed with light, stiff wood grown during the Maunder Minimum (or "little ice age", in the mid-1600s to the early 1700s). Similarly, swamp ash is considered a good tone wood; it seems that its tonal characteristics depend in large part upon its having grown in conditions which allow it to become very light and yet retain stiffness - the parts which grew under water, IIRC.

That said, I have heard a stone guitar which sounded very good, and it was certainly not light, though it was stiff!

Also, tone is a highly subjective thing; people can have very different -but equally valid- ideas on what constitutes "good tone".
 
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I can only speak about Gibson guitars at this point until my PRS arrives. Also I am an old dog who is still gigging out weekly. With that being said I have always preferred heavier guitars everything else being equal. My Gibson Traditionals both are right at 10 pounds. Playing these through our 4 hour gig isn't a big problem. I do recommend wide straps, however. I have experienced that these guitars sustain is increased in the heavier guitars IMHO. Not making a blanket statement about better/worse just that Gibsons tend to sustain better if they are heavier. I have given up on the heavier amps! Too dern old to be schlepping a 50 pound amp around. hahaha I am awaiting my first PRS a ZM trampas green. I read that the guitar has sustain for days and it is lighter than both my Trads. I'll find out for myself in a few weeks. That's my 2 cents worth.
 
I can only speak about Gibson guitars at this point until my PRS arrives. Also I am an old dog who is still gigging out weekly. With that being said I have always preferred heavier guitars everything else being equal. My Gibson Traditionals both are right at 10 pounds. Playing these through our 4 hour gig isn't a big problem. I do recommend wide straps, however. I have experienced that these guitars sustain is increased in the heavier guitars IMHO. Not making a blanket statement about better/worse just that Gibsons tend to sustain better if they are heavier. I have given up on the heavier amps! Too dern old to be schlepping a 50 pound amp around. hahaha I am awaiting my first PRS a ZM trampas green. I read that the guitar has sustain for days and it is lighter than both my Trads. I'll find out for myself in a few weeks. That's my 2 cents worth.

I'm with you. Always have preferred a heavier guitar, both for feel and (perceived) tone, although my Mira is very much a lightweight at just under 7lbs. and it the best sounding guitar that I own so that has been changing my perceptions a bit.
 
I look for light, resonant bodies. I have three PRSi that are under 7lbs, and all sound amazing. Neck dive isn't much of an issue on any of them (one is a 24 fret Mira). I've also got some heavier ones that also sound awesome. I find I play the lighter ones way more often, and definitely for the longer sets/rehearsals.
 
Generally speaking, for me, solid guitars between 7 and 8.5 Lbs sound the best all around. Lighter than 7 and they start to loose focus and sound splatty Over 8.5 and they start to lose resonance for the most part. (Yes, there are exceptions) Heavier guitars do seem to sustain better some times, but guitars can have to much sustain IMO. It gets in the way and you have to THINK about cutting notes off. Not fun. If you play an archtop a lot and then go to a solid body, you REALLY notice this. Heavier guitars also seem to stay focused better if you play metal or use TONS of gain. For clean sounds and light to medium overdrive, give me a 7-8.5 LB guitar almost every time. In that range, weight is kind of taken out of the equation and the tone of each guitar will come more from other factors. YMMV.
 
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