Is weight a deal breaker?

[aphantomvaper]

"Next time you come in here, come heavy or don't come at all!"
Corrado Soprano

 

[Tonart]

I'd rather have a guitar that's a bit heavier, as opposed to lighter. With singlecut style guitars, I like it when there's a bit more heft, like 10lbs or more. It just feels cool, like a big machine.

Too light just feels off, like I'm holding something brittle.

Yes it does add to a solid feel of pedigree, which is kinda cool. Case in point, or in this case....uh point in case!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

then I realized that those observations were more about woods than weight... at least that’s been the case with my guitars.

which mirrors what I said earlier in the thread. It seems some heavy wood is resonant, and some isn’t. And the same is true of light wood. It’s all about the wood first, and all the other components in synergy.

The thing that interests me the most in this particular discussion, is the ability to remove wood from any body, and make it lighter AND more resonant. We all know a hollow body can scream like a banshee at low volumes. And, can become uncontrollable with gain. I think experimentation with the various ways to remove wood from the body to lighten and enhance resonance is something that a True Tone seeker and mad scientist would want to endeavor as a next step in guitar advancement.

If we only knew one... PRS has advanced to tuning pickup inductance. Is the next step tuning body resonance?

 

[Geo408]

All of my guitars are between 7 - 8.2ozs. I didn’t do it on purpose, they just all felt “right”weight-wise. I once had a 9 lb strat, and a 10+lb LP...got them in a trade for some PA gear..got rid of them quick! All the other factors have been discussed, but I’ve always leaned toward lighter weight guitars, and have found the 7-8lb weight class to be ideal..for gigging, and and tone. Too light, they feel like toys...too heavy, too midrange-y. Ymmv

 

[veinbuster]

which mirrors what I said earlier in the thread. It seems some heavy wood is resonant, and some isn’t. And the same is true of light wood. It’s all about the wood first, and all the other components in synergy.

I haven’t done the science, but I would bet on consistency in the density of the wood being more important than the absolute density.
Heavy woods probably got characterized as being more resonant because, on average, their density is more consistent.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I haven’t done the science, but I would bet on consistency in the density of the wood being more important than the absolute density.
Heavy woods probably got characterized as being more resonant because, on average, their density is more consistent.

Would this go with what I mentioned earlier in the thread about the grain of the wood? Can't remember where I saw that but if I find it, I'll link it up. He was talking about the relation of grain pattern to resonance.

 

[ESW]

In general, I find lightweight guitars a lot more fun to play as long as they're well-balanced. I had a couple of early 60s SG Specials that were incredibly light weight (6 pounds), but the neck dive made them awkward to play. I really appreciate dealers who list weights (or take a photo of the guitar on a scale).

 

[DogPhishHead]

All of my PRS guitars are 7.8 pounds are less. I will not buy another guitar over 8 pounds. I've had too many Fenders clocking in at 8 to 9 pounds (mostly teles)...that's crazy, no excuse for ash to weigh that much.

 

[banditcosmo]

I have 3 PRS Hollowbody's and a semi-hollow special 22 and love how light they are. My should gets sore after a 3 hour gig with heavier guitars.

 

[shinksma]

I can't say, for certain, if I have a limit I won't or would prefer not to go over.

I certainly appreciate the lighter guitars I have. I picked up my Al D Prism the other day, and then switched to my SC HB II, and immediately noticed the difference, of course, and I remember thinking "I wonder if the Al D is right at the limit f what I would want to wear for a gig?"


Interestingly, I too have a Les Paul Deluxe (1979), and it is quite heavy - heavier than any of my PRSi, I am quite sure. I don't play it much, more because I prefer my PRSi than the weight.

I got curious and grabbed the kitchen scale ( so not as "precise" as a digital scale, but good enough).

The LP Deluxe weighs in at about 10.2 lbs. Yep, it was the heaviest of the selection I weighed.

My CU24 (first PRS ever for me) was 8.3 lbs.

Then the S2 Starla, clocking in at just a smidge under 8 lbs flat.

My P24 was about 7.7 lbs.

Next down, I think, was my Santana Signature, at 7.6 lbs.

305 is 7.5 lbs.

594 semi-hollow (DC) bang on 7 lbs.

SH RL Vela 6.5 lbs.

And probably my lightest, Spruce HB, 5.4 lbs.

I assume the others in my collection all spread somewhere in between.

I will say I really enjoy playing/wearing the lighter weight guitars that are 7lbs or less, though up to about 8 lbs is OK. The CU24 is a little bit too heavy at 8.3 lbs, IMHO, compared to the others I have available. I almost always stand up when playing, so the lighter weight is very nice over the course of a gig or practice.

 

[FunkyFreeman]

Yes I do. I'll pass up anything heavier than 8 lbs (not over 3.8 kg.) for a 594 SC. And for 594 DC it should be lighter than 7.8 lbs.

I've owned an Singlecut 20th Anniversary that weighed in at around 9 lbs and later owned a McCarty 58 which was incredibly light weighing 7.2 lbs. Having owned both heavy and light PRS guitars, I conclude that weight DOES matter. Lighter guitars feel more comfy no matter while seating or standing playing, easier to carry around, easier to sell too. Always choose lighter guitars where you can.

 

[Boogie]

When I was just out of college, I got my dream guitar, a Les Paul Deluxe. At the end of a 3 or 4 set gig, I would have a massive bruise on the front of my hip, and pain to match. It was all light weight for a while, until I got my old CE24. Now I don’t care how much they weigh, just how much they vibrate when I play them.

Hey @dogrocketp, what year is/was your Deluxe? My 79 cranked the scales at 11.2 lbs when I got her (in 79, though date codes on everything state 78). Since then, she’s finally out-gassed and shed a considerable amount of weight (maybe a pound or so), not that my shoulder would notice. We’ve both gotten older.

 

[veinbuster]

Hey @dogrocketp, what year is/was your Deluxe? My 79 cranked the scales at 11.2 lbs when I got her (in 79, though date codes on everything state 78). Since then, she’s finally out-gassed and shed a considerable amount of weight (maybe a pound or so), not that my shoulder would notice. We’ve both gotten older.

Your guitar got lighter must hanging around waiting for something to happen?

 

[dogrocketp]

Hey @dogrocketp, what year is/was your Deluxe? My 79 cranked the scales at 11.2 lbs when I got her (in 79, though date codes on everything state 78). Since then, she’s finally out-gassed and shed a considerable amount of weight (maybe a pound or so), not that my shoulder would notice. We’ve both gotten older.

It was a cherry sunburst 1972. I hated it more than loved it, it never stayed in tune, no matter what I did!

 

[Rockabilly69]

It was a cherry sunburst 1972. I hated it more than loved it, it never stayed in tune, no matter what I did!

I had a Cherry Sunburst Les Paul Deluxe that was a MONSTER guitar. I wished I would have never sold it, but I had completely worn the frets down and I really didn't know any good repairman back then. Somebody offered me a ton of money for it, so being a broke full-time musician, I sold it. Mine was in the low 9 lb range.

Here's me out gigging with it sometime in the 90's...

 

[jcha008]

For me no, as I personally prefer my guitars to be as heavy as possible. I usually don’t like it when my guitars are too light and it took me a while to warm up to the weight of the Hollowbody. But in saying that, I don’t gig anymore and when I did it was as a drummer so I got to sit down. Standing while play a heavy ass guitar can’t be too fun in many ways, especially if you have a shoulder injury like I do.

 

[Chops]

While I don’t think there is any absolute answer here my personal experience is that guitars that weigh in the range of 7.25 to 8.25 pounds will work out best for me.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Your guitar got lighter must hanging around waiting for something to happen?

I think it might be that newfangled “metric system.” It’s always screwing up the numbers.

 

[Boogie]

Your guitar got lighter must hanging around waiting for something to happen?

Was that a fart reference? I think it was.

 

[CVS]

I am old - Weight is definitly a factor for me. Not sure what my threshold is but if it feels heavy to me, it's out, no matter how good it sounds or how easy it plays. I read somewhere that Carl Verheyen said that he likes lighter weight S syle guitars because he thinks they sound better (just some food for thought).....