Even at 56 it's a factor. I have a couple of guitars in my collection one of which I built that I had to put seatbelt pads around the straps where they go over the shoulder. Two to three hours with eight or nine pounds pulling on the shoulder and collar bone can be brutal.
For me the amp is a bigger concern weight wise, but the weight of a guitar is more a factor for moving it instead of playing it, but I get that is a factor for many. So there are amps I love the sound of, that I would never buy
I've worked out, heavy, for all of my adult life. Being in that 60 range, my back isn't very good, quite likely exacerbated by my very heavy lifting. I can still easily hoist my 4x12, Lonestar, Super Reverb, etc. I have too much strength for my own good. But, I stubbornly refuse to compromise on my rig. What kills me most is standing with little movement as we do, with a Les Paul as opposed to an SG. I'll bring a Les Paul pretty much every time, but I just can't use it for the entire gig. So I find that mixing it up between a Les Paul, SG, Strat, Tele. My G&L ASAT (with tummy cut) is sooo light, it makes me smile the moment the strap lands on my shoulder, so I definitely think of a guitar's weight. I like my Strats and Teles light, and my Les Pauls on the lighter side of the Les Paul scale, but I'm forgiving of their weight. NOW FOR YOU YOUNG CATS - Lift weights if the weight of your gear bothers you! My weight lifting simply made life easier. I was predisposed to have back problems (degenerative disc disease). Load-in/out? It took me far too long to work smart, but hand trucks are your friend! If it's a money thing, get one from Harbor Freight. They're a lifesaver. Dollies can help too. Casters? I won't roll my amps over bumpy surfaces - rattling the tubes all over the place. The larger, softer wheels of a hand truck minimize that. You can also pull them up stairs.
Me too. The older I get the more I appreciate light weight and balance. Which is why I always tell folks, when buying a new guitar, always play it sitting down AND standing up (with a strap). It does not mean there is anything wrong if you love a heavy guitar, but I would like to see these guys do the same topic 30 years from now. Somehow I suspect "weight has never been a criteria I considered when buying a guitar" mantra may have changed. And while we are on it .... amps .... class D rules!
My favorite thing about your videos is you guys being unafraid to love on each other. When I worked in music retail finding just the right instrument for the player was truly my favorite thing - because almost invariably they'd come back months later and talk about how much they love the guitar or bass or whatever - like it was exactly right for them. You don't always have the luxury of that sort of time on the floor with customers, but when you do, man, it can be super satisfying. :)
I have a 1990 Les Paul that weighs 10 lbs. It's so body heavy that when I play it sitting down it wants to tip in the direction of the body. Instead of just playing the thing I also have to hold it in place. I've discovered that if I rest it on my left leg instead of my right that fixes the tipping problem (but doesn't feel as natural). I also have a 1977 Ibanez Les Paul copy that's much lighter (I think it's probably chambered). It plays about as good as the Gibson, so I find myself playing it more beacause it's more comfortable to play. Conclusion: Weight is an issue as far as comfort, and a 10 lbs. guitar feels like a boat anchor.
The wheelchair comment caught my attention. I’ve been in a wheelchair all my life and I’ve played guitar pretty much all my life. I’ve always been a Les Paul guy.. I’m not sure if weight makes a guitar better. Being a lightweight dude in a chair (lol), I have to kinda be particular when it comes to Les Pauls. In October ‘21, I was fortunate to find a Custom Shop LP at GC Nashville and it’s awesome. It weighs between 8.2 and 8.4 pounds and has great sustain, resonance, etc. 👍🏼
So i live here in Southern Pines and come in your shop every once in awhile. I have purchased two martins and 3 taylors but one of them I traded to upgrade to the first Martin. Anyway this conversation is really one I wanted to add a little thought. Ibrought in a gibson les paul it was the studio version lowest on the for price. I relly wanted it and got it through Google. When I received it and picked it up I just felt right away that it was heavy. Ive always played accustic so really used to not heavy. I kinda feel like when rock legends pick the guitar up to seewhat they think they would notice the weight but in the decision on whether to get or not that weight would matter but it might not register as to be the reason they don't want it. I'm older now so my joints speak to me about weight and I might not even realize it. Thats it, love your channel and i really appreciate you guys bringing your guitar shop here to our beautiful litltle town. May God shine his light on all of you and your family's.
Baxter - Give the kids some Adam West Batman. I loved it as a kid and it didn’t ruin the real, adult dark Batman for me later. Plus Adam West has the best Batmobile.
ding ding ding!!!! the older serials from the 40s weren't very good (and got a little racist, too if I recall). but, the '66 show is the bestest!!! the '89 Batman really isn't that "dark". it's just a hair less campy than the '66 iteration. that was one of my complaints about it then when I saw it. I was hyped to see a 'darker and brooding Batman", but what we got was literally darker because of all the night shoots and Tim Burton's nutty directing style.
I think that balance is way more important than weight. An SG with a lighter body and thick neck with a huge headstock feels way worse to me than an equivalent weight telecaster. For extended stage time or long practices I find it better to bear the weight evenly between the shoulder strap and the neck. Guitars that are unbalanced towards the headstock make my arm tired over time which has an effect on my playing.
I always chuckle at the idea of a 9 lb. guitar being heavy. If you’ve ever carried a 27 lb. M240B, 60 lb. rucksack, plus tripod, spare barrel, linked ammunition, body armor and water for miles and miles up and down hills, it puts the weight of a guitar in a different perspective.
Was going to make the exact same comment about carrying a ruck and a M107 around Astan. This was long enough ago it was still an XM107 in fact. So I'm not young anymore and still love my 10 lbs 60s LP over all my other guitars. Even my 7 lbs Tele.
A heavy gun is a chore to carry, which is why most gun owners avoid them. A leisure activity shouldn't be an ordeal, otherwise it'll be replaced by something more enjoyable.
You guys are about the same age as my kids. They sound like you guys in the way they talk. Not so much about guitars but their memories of growing up over the last 30 yrs. or so. Makes me feel good. Thanks.
I am a guitar collector who also plays live, and I think weight definitely matters. My first guitar was a Fender Mustang, and I've collected them over the years. You can see my collection on UA-cam, but I also have many different guitars, and I can choose to play some really good vintage instruments on stage, but I leave them all in the case and usually play my Japanese Competition Blue Mustang, or the Fender Squier Carbonita Telecaster which sounds great and is super light. I've played my 90's Les Paul on stage purely for the sound I was going for, but it is certainly not very comfortable to wear. It is quite heavy. Rickenbackers are very light and easy to play too. I have a 70's Fender Telecaster that is extremely heavy, I love playing it, but I don't really use it much on stage anymore. Too heavy. My Fender Lead guitar which is custom and has 3 pickups is strangely heavy too. I love the sound, but again, it is on the heavy side, so I don't play it too much. Of course if you are 6 feet tall vs someone who is Prince's size may have a different opinion on the weight of a guitar, and how comfortable it is on stage. Lighter is always better for me, especially if you're playing several long sets. Check out my guitar review & collection videos and music videos on UA-cam. Here's my guitar collection in a video for one of my original songs: ua-cam.com/video/I_5TNyCXRbs/v-deo.html
Steve at Wildwood personally picked my Gibson LG-2. He played the two in stock, gave me a detailed description of them, and told me which one he thought was best. Wildwood is awesome and so is my LG-2. You guys rock too!
I bought a Yamaha SG1500 when I was about 20. Back then it was known as the “Les Paul killer,” due to its rich tone and sustain. I’m 63 now, and refer to it as the “shoulder killer.” It weighs in at 12.5 LB. A few years ago, I dropped it on my foot from about 12 inches, and my big toenail had a black spot for about a year.
Unless I’ve missed it seemingly lost in the conversation was the race, finally, to build stiffer guitars to act as a better platform for the string vibration. Much like Parker and Steinberger with the requisite stiffness some of the weight could be lost realizing it didn’t contribute to sustain. That seem to come into favor in the 70s with all the brass parts that were being made for guitars to add to their sustain. Possibly the weight that came with these brass additions was perceived to be the cause of the increased sustain, when it worked. Just my two cents…
I took up guitar building as a hobby 3 years ago. I've been playing for over 40 years. I build minimalist stick/paddle type electrics. My lightest build to date is 2.25 lbs for a maple neck, spruce body, 24 fret, 25.5" scale length, Strat type single coil at the bridge, tail tuner with non-locking tuners, a six floating saddles bridge, and dual Schaller style strap locks. I'm trying to limit my collection to one of each type of guitar, but I stopped counting at 70 guitars or so. With all those different types of guitars, there is no noticeable pattern of weight vs tone,. sustain, etc. About the only exception is my original Jackson Roswell (no inlays above the 12th) which has more bass than any other guitar I've ever played. But i don't know if its the size, shape, weight, wood, pickup, or some combo thereof that makes it that way. I've been wondering "how little is too little" when it comes to minimal guitars. At 2.25 lbs, i still have yet to reach the "too light" point. I'm down to 20mm thick necks with trapezoid profiles, 40mm wide flat triangular heels, 3/4" thick bodies, and two neck screws with no issues. Its getting to the point that the pickups are taller than the necks are thick.
I don’t have a fixed number but I chose an SG over a Les Paul and weight was one of the deciding factors making it more comfortable to play. I will say that was real world weight, having them in my hands. I’ve got no idea what the actual difference was between them but I’m sure it was a lot more than 0.1lbs!
What I have come to find in the last couple of years is that the lighter guitar is “usually “ louder acoustically and vibrate through the whole guitar. It’s not always like this but, I would say 7 out of 10 times this is true.
What is more important than weight is balance. People go into a music store to try out a guitar and sit on a stool and plug in only to get home and put on a strap to find out the guitar neck dives or it's not comfortable. Bring your strap when trying out a guitar and stand UP when trying it out then sit down. Also, I use a 3 inch strap as it distributes the weight across the upper part of your back instead of all the weight on your shoulder. You can thank me later but I have been there and done that.....
I was a '70s Hard Rock keyboard player that had a Hammond B-3 with 2 Leslie 122's, a Rhodes 73 key Suitcase, a Mini-Moog an an ARP String Ensemble. My band was a house band in AC, New Jersey. We did 3 month contracts because it was a back destroyer to move the gear. I took up guitar in the '90s and ran with a mic'd Fender Deluxe Reverb with my Gibson ES-335 and Fender American Strat. To this day, I don't know how much they weigh and don't care to know.
I sold my Gibson Les Paul Standard 10 - 11lbs replaced with 2010 Les Paul Studio Fireburst 7 lbs 6 oz. Night and day to play sitting or standing. So yes, it does make a difference! Comfort = more play time!
@Frozen Pizza I once did not mind the weight myself. But once you start getting younger your opinion may change. The guitar is much easier to play and sounds as good or better than the Standard I payed 3 times as much for. So, hang that from your nutsack Frozen Pizza!
@Frozen Pizza I don’t think wanting to be comfortable means you are weak. I think people not being active is a problem way beyond musicians. Most of the musicians I’ve met in my area are actually in great shape. To me choosing the lighter guitar of the same model just makes sense. Would you choose the heaviest sword to take into battle? That wouldn’t make sense, what if your enemy had a light katana they could swing faster? Lol
@Frozen Pizza How many times have you actually gone into battle carrying a heavy weapon? The lighter sword cuts the quickest not the heaviest. Heavy weapons slows you down. In battle the fastest wins not the slowest.
As a tennis coach, I can definitively say that swing weight matters. If I’m doing my best Kurt Cobain or Pete Townshend impression on stage, I’d probably need something under 7.5 lbs to get optimal swing speed.
Love the channel fellas! How about an episode where you describe how somebody can "get over" what they want - and have only wanted forever - and be open to something different. Is it just playing a bunch of different guitars? Same with amps. I am 62yo and I had what I called the "Zep setup" (Les Paul / Marshall, Jazz Bass / Ampeg). Went through financial issues, had to sell it all, almost ready to get back into this. All I'm thinking is getting another '50s neck Heritage Cherry Sunburst GIbson LP and a maple necked tobacco-burst American Fender Jazz. Plus the new Marshall and Ampeg vertical 2x12 stacks. Your thoughts??
Honestly, it was used as a "filter" for finding a nice Gibson Les Paul. I attribute this to early 2000s online shopping, inconsistency, and not being able to try it in person. The thought was if it sounds good "acoustically" then it sounds good.
I went to a guitar shop in West Seattle where they had a 1973 (iirc) Telecaster Deluxe. It was beautiful, all original, wonderful aging and wear... but it was just shy of 12 lbs. When I sat down to play it, the guitar even felt heavy in my lap. Unfortunately for my pocketbook, I went home that day with a 7lb Fano JM6.
I agree with the beard. Started in the 70s, then you started seeing Stienberg and Parker start their race in the early 80s. Ken set out for light weight because as a luthier in NY for 20+ years, working on guitars from some of the greatest players of that time...the common complaint was weight (among other things). Which is one of the leading factors as to why he set out to create the Parker Fly (>4.5llbs). Ned Steinberg had the same reasoning. 1993 to 2003 Parker Flys are the most underrated guitars of all time. They last
Sorta, the fretboards suffered a lot of 90's Grunge minded people, thus the fretboards delaminated in many examples, which now Im not sure how would one fix that? Also, I recall something about the pickups as well but what escapes me now... sorry... lol but yeah, proper cared for ones closet examples shall we say, excellent guitars. Fast, so fast.
@Caius Madison That was very rare between 1993 and 2003 when Ken Parker owned the company and they were being manufactured in the NE. Post 2003 when USM bought them, we started seeing that happen quite often. Which is what ruined its name. They moved production and changed a lot to reduce manufacturing costs. I have a 1995 fly deluxe and other than pain scuffs. It looks and plays like it's brand new... and has never had a truss rod adjustment or any adjustments to the bridge/saddles. From 2003 to 2019 (USM and JAM ownership periods) they brought business into it and ruined the name by lowering QC standards.
Fun video, as usual. I love being an acoustic solo guy. I carry about 100lbs of gear in two trips when I gig and my main guitar weighs 4.39lbs (I only know because it was on the paperwork). Weight has never been a factor in choosing guitars for me although with acoustics the lightest guitars I've played sound the best by far.
I recently picked up a 2013 Les Paul Traditional, which was supposedly spec'd out to resemble a '59. Super resonant, articulate, and versatile instrument and without a doubt the first time I've been aware of the weight issue, because it's decidedly heavy -- 10.3 lbs. I sometimes waiver between getting totally lost in the music and remaining oblivious to the weight, to feeling just how cumbersome it really is. But overall, I'm in the camp of he ain't heavy, he's my Les Paul...
I have the exact same guitar and when I pick it up I can’t believe the weight, and it takes a few seconds to forget about it and just play. I have many guitars and this Les Paul can’t be beat for overdrive tone. Worth the weight…
I agree that sound and feel are two big factors as well as how it looks. That said, have you ever picked up a Strat or Tele copy that is made of woods like Pauwlonia? It is so light that it is alarming and neck dive city! I have a few IYV 300 thinline Tele style guitars where I upgraded the hell out of it (bought it as a neck and body and pretty much replace everything else) and I have noticed as you replace cheapo parts with better parts is that the guitar gets into a familiar weight. I have two and both times each guitar gained a pound with regular humbucker sized pickups vs OEM, locking tuners vs OEM, and quality electronics vs stock. So weight has a way of fluctuating if you mod and like most other players I really do not care too much about weight. I have one guitar where weight was a topic, a Ltd Viper 300 which weighs about as much as a P Bass, but looks, feel and tone, it has it in spades. Then I added a Bigsby which isn't too heavy but it did add a bit more weight. At the end of the day pick up and play a bass guitar and then reasses guitar weight. I promise you that weight will be pretty much a nonexistent issue. And if weight is an issue, there are always Danelectros and Rain Song guitars.
As I recall in the late 70's and early 80's we wanted heavier guitars, the idea was that heavy was synonymous with sustain. Today the trend is for lighter and the idea is lighter has more resonance.
When I was still a teenager in the late 70's and reading every issue of Guitar Player magazine as it came out. I thought I should become a luthier and so digested every tidbit of info on what makes the best electric guitar. The general consensus of the day was "heavier is better", "add more brass", "bigger bridges", even sustain blocks I think. The thinking being that the less the guitar vibrated the more vibration would stay in strings. I think many of us bought into that at the time....... but after playing a couple guitars (and a 70's Peavey bass) that were way to heavy to hold standing up for any length of time, and then playing a "light" guitar that sounded great and felt better, I reorganized my thinking, now an average 8.5 lb guitar feels light and just right. Anyone with back issues (or some other physical disability) will for sure take a new instruments weight into consideration.
Once upon a time, a bass player was watching a youtube revue and wrote a comment, "How much the guitar way?" and the content creator went and weighed the guitar for him. After that he put the weight of every guitar he reviewed in the video about it. Others watched his videos and said to themselves, "Whoa, I didn't know the weight mattered... but if youtube guy thinks it's important, I better pay attention to it!" And the world has never recovered.
When I started playing in the '70s, most players I knew said heavy guitars gave better tone and sustain. There was even a degree of bragging rights about having a ridiculously heavy Les Paul. I hated the weight of them, though, and it was a big factor in why I bought a The Paul - it was quite a bit lighter and so easier to strap on for hours at a time (plus, of course, it was affordable for me when I was still at college). But, over the years, I never really thought a great deal about the weight of my guitars until I got my ToneFox Elcaster - it's so light (just over 4lbs), it makes all the others feel like brutes by comparison. I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but the Elcaster is also the most acoustically loud electric I have.
I think Eric Johnson started it. Mick on That Pedal Show popularized it. In the age of buying online and unplayed, buyers need some spec to differentiate between two of the same model hanging on the wall next to each other and weight seems as good as anything. I will say that playing more than a couple songs standing with my LP or Electric XII becomes uncomfortable. I can stand for hours with my SG, Hollowbody 2 or Vela Semi-Hollow. I think there is something to it in both ways. My heavier guitars take more of a beating to get going, but then they sustain more and have "thicker" tone. My lighter guitars can be played with a feather touch at low volume and they just go and have more "jangle"... but they fade out just as easily. Depends on what you're going for. My $0.02 of a devalued US dollar.
I don’t think weight has anything to do with whether a guitar is good or bad. When I was 58 I missed three months of work because of neck and shoulder problems and the physical therapist thought one of the main reasons was my boat anchor of a Les Paul. I missed three months of work. I finally got better and did the stretching and strengthening exercises I was supposed to, but didn’t change any of my guitars. Then the same thing happened the following winter and now all of my guitars are 7 pounds or less except for a PRS that I have, which is a little over 7 1/2 pounds. it scares you when you can’t work or play. I’m sure there are other reasons but I don’t think I’m alone in this being the reason I want light guitars.
Crazy. Never once thought about guitar weight, until I bought a MIM JM years ago. Was my second Fender after my AV 52 Tele. Just so happened that JM resonated more and “felt” alive all around. Not sure the paper weight is important to me but it seems like the lighter it is the more it’s resonates, the bonus is always if it doesn’t weight 10 lbs. Plus, wicked neck and arm issues are easily triggered 😆
Baxter & Jonathan, Great video! Very interesting comments to the topic. For me, I’m an old guy- been playing about 60 years, have had over 100+ guitars. The guitar that has been my main love is an old Alamo single pick up. It weighs 5 lbs. I have lots of guitars….the lighter ones get played. My current favorite guitar is a Peavey Raptor, a telecaster layout in a strat style body that weighs about 5 pounds. Amps are same way, smaller/lighter is the path to “enlightenment.” There are some great small amps made. The Fender Champion 50 comes to mind. Not real heavy, and great tone. Wisdom does come with age! You really don’t have to suffer for your craft. I don’t think you should have to be uncomfortable and hurting yourself, playing should be enjoyable and fun….🎸😂
Ryan Burke's '60-Cycle Hum' show hit on this subject recently and it got me curious so I weighed all my guitars. They range from a 4.7lb Yamaha acoustic to some Squiers and Epi Specials around 6-7lbs and top out with a Les Paul and Schecter at 8.8, for an average of 6.955lbs across nine guitars. I proposed we call that the "Burke's Number." I had an LP Custom Black Beauty that weighed 10.4lbs. I could feel that one in my back and shoulder the day after a long practice or gig.
For me, it’s all about how comfortable it is to have it round your neck for several hours to play a gig. It’s another reason I play Fender over Les Pauls!
I have a friend who played country style music as a semi-professional lead singer for years using a Gretsch CG , and I recently asked why he stopped playing it on stage and he said it just got too heavy. After we learned to play guitar as teens, he used to put down my Fender Tele as not as good as his Gretsch since they were hand made and Fenders were mass produced (I didn't care...I loved the sound my Tele). Well, fast forward to a few years ago, we were playing together again for the first time in years and we switched guitars. Mine being a new MIA Fender Strat. After a couple of hours I asked if he wanted to switch back, and he said NO, the Strat was sooo comfortable! I just laughed and continue playing his Gretsch.
So...I bought a Les Paul that was close to 10lbs. I play sitting down. The guitar played well. It sounded like a Les Paul. Still, I rarely played it and eventually sold it. Since then I prefer light guitars because I have it in my mind that I won't want to pick upand play the guitar if it's heavy.
I love my chambered Gretsch Power Jet better that most Les Pauls that I have played, but the R8 I played last year was pretty sweet. Also, the 1980s Japanese Basswood Strats I thought sounded better than the 1970s US Strats that weighed a ton. I think the mid weight Strats sound the best personally.
I play a 10lbs Gibson 355. And I owned a 10lbs Fender 79 Strat. Loved both when I was sitting down and even. when I played. upright.. but I have. learned a booked a weekend of 4 hr gigs with my 355 is especially felt after two days and 8 hrs of playing. So I def want something slightly lighter now to help with that post gig pain.
I want the lightest body I can have without neck dive. That being said, I have an over 9 pound Les Paul that sits in the strap well and is well balanced that I love it. And I have a crazy light SG that is exhausting…I feel like I have fight to keep it upright enough to play. No right answer. What feels right to you is right.
so far there were two occasions on which i put a guitar on a scale: first was with a very heavy tele. i just wanted to know how much it weightes because the weight was insane. weight would have probably come to around 9.5 pound. second time weighting a guitar was with a SG that was just crazy light. again i just wanted to know how light. came out to be 2.5kg but was not as resonant as my other SG (more heavy) with a wraptail. in the end i dont care for weight. some guitars are too heavy for me though. playing a 60 min set with that 9.5 pound tele was certainly not great for my back.
After years of gigging a heavy ash telecaster I developed nerve damage in my shoulder/neck. And by the end of a multiple gig week it caused so much pain in my neck/shoulder. I'd lose feeling in my finger tips. I don't think it matters tone wise, but for a gigging and standing with a strap purpose it does matter to some peoples body. A 3 inch wide strap made a huge difference, wider weight displacement.
Speaking of SW, my 7lb tele came in at 10lbs! I kept it because the neck body etc are great and seriously how often will you get the chance to say I have a ten pound tele. But even sitting down (balance is great too) when you do get up you know there was 10 pounds resting on your leg. If not a tone thing it is definitely a comfort thing.
If "resonance" is the question, semi-hollows resonate (feedback) far easier than either Strats or LP's. So, if that's applied in reverse to the weight, heavier is not better. But if it's a question of sustain, supposedly heavier guitars provide more sustain. My experience is that the sustain argument is not truly representative of the reality of sustain if measured correctly. Thanks guys! Keep up the great conversations!
I don't remember guitar weight ever being brought up in a conversation about guitars except for within the past 5 years. These days I cannot hear a player talk about a guitar without mentioning weight at least once. It's peaking into an obsession. Saw a couple youtubers hunting for one of them buying their first R9 and they literally had a scale out and were weighing each one at Norm's Rare guitars.
I have a Charvel Jake E Lee strat that is the lightest guitar I've ever encountered and it's a monster. Super loud, great sustain, it's just perfect. I also have a bunch of Les Pauls and my heavy Zakk Wylde bullseye is also awesome. I don't think weight matters at all - some guitars are just great regardless of what they weigh. You just have to play them first and judge based on tone and sustain. I do understand if somebody doesn't want to stand for hours with a Les Paul - that could get pretty tiring. But you might be missing out on the guitar that's perfect for you if you judge them based on weight.
I had a Dean Razorback V and I changed the original block for a tungsten one. Definitely felt like I was holding a les Paul, weight wise.i also had other mods on the guitar so, I can't determine that it helped with tone. Though, if you guys have the chance to try it out, you definitely should.
I used to have a 77 Les Paul custom, I never weighed it but it was SO heavy and I’m a small guy. I only played it live twice. I just would admire at it in the case😂. Traded it for a es175.
Arthritis in my shoulder and neck is why I seek lighter guitars. Weight is so important that I have walked away from some guitars I loved because I couldn't play them for more than a few minutes. There have been a few cases, where the weight was a little too high but I loved it so much that I had to have it. For those, I play sitting down or switch to a padded bass strap.
I have a slight spinal issue, so it’s very important for me. I’ll allow for a Les Paul up to 9lbs max. I never played a super heavy one that sounded any better. I prefer guitars between 6.8 - 7.5lbs but will go up to 8lbs for non LP guitars. I also play several headless that are around 5lbs. I’m gravitating more and more towards the headless.
I have a couple of Paul’s over 10lbs that are my favourite 2 guitars. The weight doesn’t bother me, but I’m a pretty stocky shoulder guy. Not sure if the the weight affects the tone, but I think they make you hold the guitar differently and play with more conviction than a light guitar you can widdle all over the fretboard with. But that’s just a personal opinion.
I have a squire se Stratocaster that I consider pretty heavy at 8 lbs 3 ozs. I find it might be a quieter guitar acoustically then a lighter guitar, but is has loads more low end when plugged in vs. most strats
The only time weight came into play for me was when I bought a Strat Professional II from Sweetwater, where they literally list every individual Strat they are selling with its unique pics and specs. Because each guitars weight was noted, I searched every black/white pickguard Strat for the lightest. I only cared that one time because they offered the data. Had I been looking for a guitar that showed grain, a nice grain pattern would have been more important to me than weight. I sit when I play because I’m currently not performing out. I’ll cross the weight bridge if I ever come to it.
That's what I did when I bought my Pro II. I simply chose the lightest one they had with the color/neck combo I wanted. It just so happens to be an awesome Strat - or I'd have returned it.
@@PaulSter Sweetwater sent mine without a trem bar. It was my first purchase from them and although it was a minor issue, and they did make it right, it’s left me with a bad first impression due to my high expectations that came from their reputation. I look elsewhere for gear first now and haven’t purchased from them since as a result.
@@danwilson9530 that's harsh brother. It's because they go to the trouble to take the guitar out of the case, do a photo shoot of the guitar, weigh it, and give it at least some level of inspection (however I don't buy their "55 point inspection" thing), which is not something the other big stores do. I'd cut them some slack.
@@PaulSter I hear you, and I actually agree that I took it worse than I should have. I spend what to me was a lot of money on a major purchase, so to have it arrive with parts missing was a buzz kill and spoiled the moment to a degree. When I pay full retail list, no discount or deal, I have trouble accepting dropped balls, especially by a seller who promotes that 55 Point Inspection. Some part of me felt like they didn’t care enough to make sure my order was complete and correct even as part of that 55 point inspection process... I mean, how did they not notice a missing trem bar as part of the 55 points? Then I wondered what else they may have forgotten that I would not know to look for as far as case candy, accessories, etc. Why I managed to get somewhat butt-hurt about it, I don’t know. Just did. In fairness they did send me a trem bar and made it right, but I think they should have shipped it overnight rather than ground, and/or perhaps included something like a token $10 gift card for the trouble, or even had a manager call to follow up and apologize. They made it right, but only by the bare minimum. Definitely wasn’t saying I’ll never shop Sweetwater again, just that my disappointment doesn’t make me think of them first, and I’ll look for gear I’m seeking from places I’ve had better experiences with first.
My heaviest guitars, two Les Paul Studios, two Les Paul Standards, one Les Paul Custom and a Carvin Contour 66. Of the two Les Paul standards, one is a 2000 Standard Plus. The Custom, Standard and Carvin are the heaviest. Guessing...the Standard is the heaviest with possibly the Custom to be second heaviest. There's something special about the Standard (96) that just calls you to play it. My guitar tech even pointed that out after working on it. The Standard Plus is the lightest of the six. It was my number one for many years. I bought the Standard with a friend in mind. He bought the guitar from me and had it for many years. I told him that there was something special about it and if he decides to sell it I want first dibs on it. He played his Strat (another guitar I bought with him in mind) more often and decided to sell the Standard. I bought the Standard and it has become my number one. However, the Standard Plus is the "old shoe'. At this point, I play them both regularly. I had my tech take the Standard and Standard plus and do a complete setup on both to make them as close as possible to being identical in their action and feel. Complete meaning....New nut, bridge and saddles (tech slotted the saddles), fret board leveling, new frets (same on both) and same strings. I wanted to be able to pick up either guitar and have it feel as close as possible to the other. It's interesting that one is the heaviest of the six and one is the lightest. Of all the the electrics I own, (there's many more than these including a PRS Special addition Core McCarty) these two have that special something that call me to play them. I don't consider weight when i purchase a guitar but I do like the way a heavier guitar feels. All my guitar straps are at least three inches wide.
weight matters a lot in one way -- I remember having to carry my twin reverb up four flights at 2 in the morning -- but I think the weight of guitars being good for tone thing started from the SRV heavy gauges are better for tone thing. that said, I just bought a 335 from Sweetwater and the guy asked me if I knew I could pick between several with differences of two or three ounces. I told him, yeah, I pretended to care and picked one.
As many guitar players get over 50 years old heavier guitars aren't better. Unless you like playing with one that feels as if you have a boat anchor around your neck. I currently have 3 guitars one 72 Telecaster Thin Line that weighs under 5 pounds, a Music Man Albert Lee that weighs 6 pounds and an ES 339 that weighs 8 1/2 pounds. I like them all, but the ES 339 is not as easy to play as long as the others. The weight is a strain on my neck and shoulder muscles. It makes it uncomfortable to play for 3 to 4 hours.
I love my 79 strat but at one point I had what was probably a gallbladder flare up and another a shoulder injury, during those times my SG Jr saved my life lol , I think the weight overall isn't important as long as the guitar "feels" solid, I think for a lot of people the "weight" is a selling point they can see a point of expertise,, like people who are cork sniffers thinking they can tell the difference in a wine when in reality they probably would rather have a good beer. Side note for Baxter and his kids Batman the animated series is an excellent show.
I did choose my Tele’s because they were light weight; but honestly, my partscaster Black Strat is a heavy bastard and sounds killer and my favorite guitar.
As I get older, I appreciate a lighter weight guitar. So I stay away from guitars that tend to be heavy. I also prefer a smaller guitar, like a 339 style.
Great topic! I personally like teles and strats to be as close as possible to 7 pounds. My 335 is right at 7.5 pounds and it is perfect for me. Around 7 to 7.5 pounds is just a preference for me. Not sure why - possibly because I was acoustic only for so long that it was shocking when I first held electrics. The difference between 7.5 and 7.6 makes is a bit extreme as to that making a difference. I do think that lighter tend to be more resonant, but have no scientific proof of that and I think a lot more goes into it than weight alone.
I think it has more to do with moisture content than actual physical weight. A lot of 70s Fenders seem to be pretty heavy and had a higher moisture content.
From Leo: Most of my guitars are in the 7.2 to 8 pound weight. They all seem to be fine. Slight differences in sustain, but very little. My heaviest guitar is a gibson at a little over 10.5 and it is the most dead, lifeless guitar I own, no matter what strings are on it. I have a 6.6 pound cheapie Sawtooth that is crazy resonant, with great sustain. It looks like it was made from a shipping crate. Sometimes wood has natural qualities that cannot be measured with a scale. Always buy a guitar in person.
As mentioned by others the weight is a significant factor if you’re playing out and are older or have back problems Etc. I played a 4 hr gig with my strat not too long ago and could barely move the next day. I can’t imagine doing that gig with a 70’s Les Paul! In the 70’s it was thought that heavy guitars and brass hardware would significantly increase sustain. Even if that’s true I personally don’t think the difference would be worth the extra weight. Currently I’m looking for the lightest guitar I can find! The Brad Paisley tele or a Walla Walla guitars tele are on my radar largely because they’re in that 6lb range. My back will thank me!
only guitar star i can remember actually mentioning weight is derek trucks in a interview stated he preferred light guitars , he felt they resonated better , can also remember on a gig rundown were the interviewer commented on how light billy gibbons guitars were ....
I bought a few guitars without knowing what was the weight. Then I got a tele I really liked and put it down picked up the one I bought first and went damn it's heavy by 2 1'2 pounds. Still like both but notice the difference when playing the lighter tele and then picking up the other tele.
Jonathan is correct that part of the preference for lighter guitars is the legacy of the ‘69s’70s-especially for guys my age (64). Even a 2 hour set with a heavy guitar wears me down anymore. So, weight is an issue, although not to the extent of measuring in ounces. For me, it’s either “light” or “heavy”-that’s it.
Neck / Spine injuries make guitar weights extremely important… Makes the difference between being able to play or be paralyzed… 8lbs or under is a must and means a lot of my favorites have been put away or sold off…
I had a '73 Telecaster Custom that had to weigh close to 14 pounds. The heaviest guitar most of my friends had ever picked up, even Les Pauls. That said, it sounded fantastic in every way. No other heavy guitars have sounded nearly that good. I prefer light guitars generally.
Was it made of mahogany ? ;) Actually nearly bought a 69 mahogany Tele a coupe, of years ago. Only thing original was the wood and finish and overpriced for it so I passed.
@@IrishBog No, it was a natural finished Northern Ash. The clear finish was really yellowed to an amber color. It was a great sounding boat anchor. Wish I still had it.
Been playin over 50 years and did a stint at a guitar store. Weight did become a factor after playing hundreds of guitars. After a while I just started to notice that certain weights of certain types of guitars seemed more agreeable to me. Personal preference.
Id have to say I dont really count heavy as good, but i like what Fender does now, pairs woods that vibrate similarly so I get that haptic response of great reverberations. That in turn, makes me play best, weight is irrelevent, if that vibration haplens just right.
I buid my own guitars, and the last Strat body I used, - a newer CV in Fiesta Red , - surprisingly weighed over 6 pounds.After some thought , I ended up drilling out every non visable access point as deep as possible. Now it is firmly within the desired weight, and it actually has an unusual resonance not like any of my other Strats.If I had the tools to do it, I would build bodies that were mostly hollow; since some of the best sounding guitars I've played were either pine or pasteboard Danelectro's Ive never put much stock in the weight or tone wood debates. At any rate, the semi hollows really come alive at stage volume through a tube amp.If that's also true with heavy Les Pauls that's great, - but I'm not playing them. Isn't that why they make compressors?
over 55 years I never ever thought about weight until the internet came along in the past year and made it a thing. So I weighed them. 2001 Tele 7.8 lbs. 2019 Les P Studio Trib. 7.8 lbs. Just picked up a 2011 Tele 1952 reissue and it was shockingly only 6.8 lbs when I thought it would be heavier. My lightest. Gibson EB-0 bass 6.6 lbs, heaviest, Epi EB-3 bass at 10 lbs. But yes the key issue is what if feels like and what is sounds like. But I haven't gigged since 1980.
I have a 9.5 lbs Les Paul and it is utter perfection. I have a strat around 7.5 lbs and it’s also great. Maybe it’s relative to your body size (though I’m tiny 5’3”)
I'm 6'5", 250lb, and can't stand picking up a light guitar. I don't even play super hard but they just feel less stable to me. I can see that changing as I get older, but I'm 40 and have always ended up selling my lighter guitars because they didn't feel as comfortable.
When it comes to comfort,, i think balancd and body shape are more important..i think if a strat weighed more than a les paul, it would still be more comfortable because of the contoured body cuts...
I have a Non-weight relieved Les Paul and a strat. If I play the Strat then switch to the Les, my God is that thing heavy! But after a few minutes I don't notice (though I do notice that it hangs completely differently). But if I go from the Les to the Strat it's like going on vacation. It's a good 2lbs lighter, and really noticeable.
My first Strat (which I still have), weighs a ton. Its a 70's with a 3 bolt neck. It weighs more than any Les Paul I've owned. It was my main guitar for 20+ years. I've retired it as its too heavy for me in my older age, lol. I have lighter Strats. I will say it sounds f'n great.
When it comes to playing at home, the weight matters less. But for gigging, a moderately light guitar is preferred. The weight of a guitar is at the bottom of my list when I'm looking to make a purchase.
I remember bragging to my friends about 30ish years ago about how heavy my '89 Epi Les Paul is. I have no idea how much it weighs. but, I was hoping that my friends would think I was more of a man (though I was maybe 18 at the time). BUT, the guitar that I mostly played back then (and still do) is a Hofner Be-attle bass...and those are light as a feather!!!
Back in 2014 I had a local luthier build me a custom made LP copy, It is the best sounding, loudest electronically and longest sustaining guitar I own - i believe it's all because for the unusual wood used for the body- and by far the heaviest, that guitar weights 6.7kg/ 14.7lb. I always play standing up, it just feels more natural to me. The reason it is so heavy? Instead of Mmhogany i had him use Australian red gum, which is an Australian hardwood.
I prefer an electric between 7 and 8lbs, and a bass ideally under 8.5. That said, my Les Paul is just over 8½ and it's killer. As long as it balances well and you have a good strap, weight really isn't that much of an issue for most people. I used to gig an 11lb 6-string Yamaha TRB bass, and it was fine. I didn't run around as much with it, but it balanced really well and was pretty comfortable.
I consider anything under 9 lbs to be light for a solid bodied Les Paul Standard. The majority of the Standards seem to be between 9 and 10 lbs. 11 lb plus are out there but you don't see them frequently. The heaviest one I own is 9.75 lbs. It plays good, sounds good and has a nice top but you do notice the difference picking it up after playing an 8.5 pounder.
@@blegend9351 I had two Traditionals, an 8.6lb and an 8.9lb example. The lighter one played and sounded better, so I sold the other. But yeah, anything under about 9½ isn't too bad for a solid LP.
I am semi convinced a heavier guitar tends to sound brighter. Wood tends to be denser and less resistant and to me that equals being brighter. I have a high quality parts caster with real heavy ash body and it’s extremely bright sounding. The pickups came from an old American Strat I had and they react totally different.
I have replaced both my Epiphone Dot (335) and my Country "Gentleman" Classic with Gretsch Electromatic 5422 series because of the weight. I am now 65 years old and these guitars make more sense for me now. PS They sound VERY MUCH like my Country Classic!
Pickups matter more for sound than weight, although I prefer a lighter guitar for comfort and I feel they do sing longer as my Strandberg weighs 4 lbs 10 ozs and sounds awesome.
I bought my Taylor 214 dx over a 314 and a 414 (back in 2010), I could afford the more expensive models, but the 214 sounded and played SOO much better. I saved over 1k dollars, and I still have and play that guitar today.
At age 68 and still playing live, believe me the weight of everything carried in, and out of a venue can be significant 👍
Even at 56 it's a factor. I have a couple of guitars in my collection one of which I built that I had to put seatbelt pads around the straps where they go over the shoulder. Two to three hours with eight or nine pounds pulling on the shoulder and collar bone can be brutal.
For me the amp is a bigger concern weight wise, but the weight of a guitar is more a factor for moving it instead of playing it, but I get that is a factor for many.
So there are amps I love the sound of, that I would never buy
I've worked out, heavy, for all of my adult life. Being in that 60 range, my back isn't very good, quite likely exacerbated by my very heavy lifting. I can still easily hoist my 4x12, Lonestar, Super Reverb, etc. I have too much strength for my own good. But, I stubbornly refuse to compromise on my rig. What kills me most is standing with little movement as we do, with a Les Paul as opposed to an SG. I'll bring a Les Paul pretty much every time, but I just can't use it for the entire gig. So I find that mixing it up between a Les Paul, SG, Strat, Tele. My G&L ASAT (with tummy cut) is sooo light, it makes me smile the moment the strap lands on my shoulder, so I definitely think of a guitar's weight. I like my Strats and Teles light, and my Les Pauls on the lighter side of the Les Paul scale, but I'm forgiving of their weight.
NOW FOR YOU YOUNG CATS - Lift weights if the weight of your gear bothers you! My weight lifting simply made life easier. I was predisposed to have back problems (degenerative disc disease).
Load-in/out? It took me far too long to work smart, but hand trucks are your friend! If it's a money thing, get one from Harbor Freight. They're a lifesaver. Dollies can help too. Casters? I won't roll my amps over bumpy surfaces - rattling the tubes all over the place. The larger, softer wheels of a hand truck minimize that. You can also pull them up stairs.
Me too. The older I get the more I appreciate light weight and balance. Which is why I always tell folks, when buying a new guitar, always play it sitting down AND standing up (with a strap). It does not mean there is anything wrong if you love a heavy guitar, but I would like to see these guys do the same topic 30 years from now. Somehow I suspect "weight has never been a criteria I considered when buying a guitar" mantra may have changed. And while we are on it .... amps .... class D rules!
I made a point to make everything in my rig as small and light as possible. A Marshall stack is awesome if you have a roadie.
My favorite thing about your videos is you guys being unafraid to love on each other. When I worked in music retail finding just the right instrument for the player was truly my favorite thing - because almost invariably they'd come back months later and talk about how much they love the guitar or bass or whatever - like it was exactly right for them. You don't always have the luxury of that sort of time on the floor with customers, but when you do, man, it can be super satisfying. :)
I have a 1990 Les Paul that weighs 10 lbs. It's so body heavy that when I play it sitting down it wants to tip in the direction of the body. Instead of just playing the thing I also have to hold it in place. I've discovered that if I rest it on my left leg instead of my right that fixes the tipping problem (but doesn't feel as natural). I also have a 1977 Ibanez Les Paul copy that's much lighter (I think it's probably chambered). It plays about as good as the Gibson, so I find myself playing it more beacause it's more comfortable to play. Conclusion: Weight is an issue as far as comfort, and a 10 lbs. guitar feels like a boat anchor.
The less the guitar vibrates, the more the strings keep their vibration.
That’s actually an average weight for a Les Paul
@@StaticInfinity-ts3jk I realize that.
The wheelchair comment caught my attention. I’ve been in a wheelchair all my life and I’ve played guitar pretty much all my life. I’ve always been a Les Paul guy.. I’m not sure if weight makes a guitar better. Being a lightweight dude in a chair (lol), I have to kinda be particular when it comes to Les Pauls. In October ‘21, I was fortunate to find a Custom Shop LP at GC Nashville and it’s awesome. It weighs between 8.2 and 8.4 pounds and has great sustain, resonance, etc. 👍🏼
Perfect weight 👍
Putting the roll in rock n roll, keep it up and enjoy the Les paul dude.
So i live here in Southern Pines and come in your shop every once in awhile. I have purchased two martins and 3 taylors but one of them I traded to upgrade to the first Martin. Anyway this conversation is really one I wanted to add a little thought. Ibrought in a gibson les paul it was the studio version lowest on the for price. I relly wanted it and got it through Google. When I received it and picked it up I just felt right away that it was heavy. Ive always played accustic so really used to not heavy. I kinda feel like when rock legends pick the guitar up to seewhat they think they would notice the weight but in the decision on whether to get or not that weight would matter but it might not register as to be the reason they don't want it. I'm older now so my joints speak to me about weight and I might not even realize it. Thats it, love your channel and i really appreciate you guys bringing your guitar shop here to our beautiful litltle town. May God shine his light on all of you and your family's.
Baxter - Give the kids some Adam West Batman. I loved it as a kid and it didn’t ruin the real, adult dark Batman for me later. Plus Adam West has the best Batmobile.
ding ding ding!!!! the older serials from the 40s weren't very good (and got a little racist, too if I recall). but, the '66 show is the bestest!!! the '89 Batman really isn't that "dark". it's just a hair less campy than the '66 iteration. that was one of my complaints about it then when I saw it. I was hyped to see a 'darker and brooding Batman", but what we got was literally darker because of all the night shoots and Tim Burton's nutty directing style.
I think that balance is way more important than weight. An SG with a lighter body and thick neck with a huge headstock feels way worse to me than an equivalent weight telecaster. For extended stage time or long practices I find it better to bear the weight evenly between the shoulder strap and the neck. Guitars that are unbalanced towards the headstock make my arm tired over time which has an effect on my playing.
I always chuckle at the idea of a 9 lb. guitar being heavy. If you’ve ever carried a 27 lb. M240B, 60 lb. rucksack, plus tripod, spare barrel, linked ammunition, body armor and water for miles and miles up and down hills, it puts the weight of a guitar in a different perspective.
Was going to make the exact same comment about carrying a ruck and a M107 around Astan. This was long enough ago it was still an XM107 in fact. So I'm not young anymore and still love my 10 lbs 60s LP over all my other guitars. Even my 7 lbs Tele.
A heavy gun is a chore to carry, which is why most gun owners avoid them. A leisure activity shouldn't be an ordeal, otherwise it'll be replaced by something more enjoyable.
You guys are about the same age as my kids. They sound like you guys in the way they talk. Not so much about guitars but their memories of growing up over the last 30 yrs. or so. Makes me feel good. Thanks.
Some people like me have back problems so knowing the guitar weight is useful especially when buying on line.
I am a guitar collector who also plays live, and I think weight definitely matters. My first guitar was a Fender Mustang, and I've collected them over the years. You can see my collection on UA-cam, but I also have many different guitars, and I can choose to play some really good vintage instruments on stage, but I leave them all in the case and usually play my Japanese Competition Blue Mustang, or the Fender Squier Carbonita Telecaster which sounds great and is super light. I've played my 90's Les Paul on stage purely for the sound I was going for, but it is certainly not very comfortable to wear. It is quite heavy. Rickenbackers are very light and easy to play too. I have a 70's Fender Telecaster that is extremely heavy, I love playing it, but I don't really use it much on stage anymore. Too heavy. My Fender Lead guitar which is custom and has 3 pickups is strangely heavy too. I love the sound, but again, it is on the heavy side, so I don't play it too much. Of course if you are 6 feet tall vs someone who is Prince's size may have a different opinion on the weight of a guitar, and how comfortable it is on stage. Lighter is always better for me, especially if you're playing several long sets. Check out my guitar review & collection videos and music videos on UA-cam. Here's my guitar collection in a video for one of my original songs: ua-cam.com/video/I_5TNyCXRbs/v-deo.html
Steve at Wildwood personally picked my Gibson LG-2. He played the two in stock, gave me a detailed description of them, and told me which one he thought was best. Wildwood is awesome and so is my LG-2. You guys rock too!
I bought a Yamaha SG1500 when I was about 20. Back then it was known as the “Les Paul killer,” due to its rich tone and sustain. I’m 63 now, and refer to it as the “shoulder killer.” It weighs in at 12.5 LB. A few years ago, I dropped it on my foot from about 12 inches, and my big toenail had a black spot for about a year.
I have a 10 pound Les Paul that I love and I thought it was a bit heavy. 12.5 pounds is crazy!
yeow !
Unless I’ve missed it seemingly lost in the conversation was the race, finally, to build stiffer guitars to act as a better platform for the string vibration. Much like Parker and Steinberger with the requisite stiffness some of the weight could be lost realizing it didn’t contribute to sustain. That seem to come into favor in the 70s with all the brass parts that were being made for guitars to add to their sustain. Possibly the weight that came with these brass additions was perceived to be the cause of the increased sustain, when it worked. Just my two cents…
I took up guitar building as a hobby 3 years ago. I've been playing for over 40 years. I build minimalist stick/paddle type electrics. My lightest build to date is 2.25 lbs for a maple neck, spruce body, 24 fret, 25.5" scale length, Strat type single coil at the bridge, tail tuner with non-locking tuners, a six floating saddles bridge, and dual Schaller style strap locks. I'm trying to limit my collection to one of each type of guitar, but I stopped counting at 70 guitars or so. With all those different types of guitars, there is no noticeable pattern of weight vs tone,. sustain, etc. About the only exception is my original Jackson Roswell (no inlays above the 12th) which has more bass than any other guitar I've ever played. But i don't know if its the size, shape, weight, wood, pickup, or some combo thereof that makes it that way. I've been wondering "how little is too little" when it comes to minimal guitars. At 2.25 lbs, i still have yet to reach the "too light" point. I'm down to 20mm thick necks with trapezoid profiles, 40mm wide flat triangular heels, 3/4" thick bodies, and two neck screws with no issues. Its getting to the point that the pickups are taller than the necks are thick.
I don’t have a fixed number but I chose an SG over a Les Paul and weight was one of the deciding factors making it more comfortable to play. I will say that was real world weight, having them in my hands. I’ve got no idea what the actual difference was between them but I’m sure it was a lot more than 0.1lbs!
I got my first SG a while back and coming from Lea Pauls, that light weight and upper fret access is unreal.
What I have come to find in the last couple of years is that the lighter guitar is “usually “ louder acoustically and vibrate through the whole guitar. It’s not always like this but, I would say 7 out of 10 times this is true.
In a Derek Trucks interview he says he always goes for the lightest SG for this reason
My favorite guitars I own are a Peavey t60 and a molded Jackson DK2, and this bares out precisely as you say. I love them both for different reasons
I used to own an early 1980s Rick 4001S bass which was, to be honest, flimsy, but it made a fabulous noise. Never found one like it.
What is more important than weight is balance. People go into a music store to try out a guitar and sit on a stool and plug in only to get home and put on a strap to find out the guitar neck dives or it's not comfortable. Bring your strap when trying out a guitar and stand UP when trying it out then sit down. Also, I use a 3 inch strap as it distributes the weight across the upper part of your back instead of all the weight on your shoulder. You can thank me later but I have been there and done that.....
The problem with super light guitars (Thinline Teles and SGs for instance) is neck dive.
This
I was a '70s Hard Rock keyboard player that had a Hammond B-3 with 2 Leslie 122's, a Rhodes 73 key Suitcase, a Mini-Moog an an ARP String Ensemble. My band was a house band in AC, New Jersey. We did 3 month contracts because it was a back destroyer to move the gear. I took up guitar in the '90s and ran with a mic'd Fender Deluxe Reverb with my Gibson ES-335 and Fender American Strat. To this day, I don't know how much they weigh and don't care to know.
I have a weight relieved les paul and I like the fact its a lot lighter than a regular one, its a ton more comfortable to play
I sold my Gibson Les Paul Standard 10 - 11lbs replaced with 2010 Les Paul Studio Fireburst 7 lbs 6 oz. Night and day to play sitting or standing. So yes, it does make a difference! Comfort = more play time!
@Frozen Pizza I once did not mind the weight myself. But once you start getting younger your opinion may change. The guitar is much easier to play and sounds as good or better than the Standard I payed 3 times as much for. So, hang that from your nutsack Frozen Pizza!
@Frozen Pizza I don’t think wanting to be comfortable means you are weak. I think people not being active is a problem way beyond musicians. Most of the musicians I’ve met in my area are actually in great shape. To me choosing the lighter guitar of the same model just makes sense. Would you choose the heaviest sword to take into battle? That wouldn’t make sense, what if your enemy had a light katana they could swing faster? Lol
@Frozen Pizza How many times have you actually gone into battle carrying a heavy weapon? The lighter sword cuts the quickest not the heaviest. Heavy weapons slows you down. In battle the fastest wins not the slowest.
@Frozen Pizza ha! I just posted the same thing about working out up above. Makes LIFE easier overall!
As a tennis coach, I can definitively say that swing weight matters. If I’m doing my best Kurt Cobain or Pete Townshend impression on stage, I’d probably need something under 7.5 lbs to get optimal swing speed.
Lol👍👍
Love the channel fellas! How about an episode where you describe how somebody can "get over" what they want - and have only wanted forever - and be open to something different. Is it just playing a bunch of different guitars? Same with amps. I am 62yo and I had what I called the "Zep setup" (Les Paul / Marshall, Jazz Bass / Ampeg). Went through financial issues, had to sell it all, almost ready to get back into this. All I'm thinking is getting another '50s neck Heritage Cherry Sunburst GIbson LP and a maple necked tobacco-burst American Fender Jazz. Plus the new Marshall and Ampeg vertical 2x12 stacks. Your thoughts??
Honestly, it was used as a "filter" for finding a nice Gibson Les Paul. I attribute this to early 2000s online shopping, inconsistency, and not being able to try it in person.
The thought was if it sounds good "acoustically" then it sounds good.
I went to a guitar shop in West Seattle where they had a 1973 (iirc) Telecaster Deluxe. It was beautiful, all original, wonderful aging and wear... but it was just shy of 12 lbs. When I sat down to play it, the guitar even felt heavy in my lap. Unfortunately for my pocketbook, I went home that day with a 7lb Fano JM6.
I agree with the beard. Started in the 70s, then you started seeing Stienberg and Parker start their race in the early 80s. Ken set out for light weight because as a luthier in NY for 20+ years, working on guitars from some of the greatest players of that time...the common complaint was weight (among other things). Which is one of the leading factors as to why he set out to create the Parker Fly (>4.5llbs). Ned Steinberg had the same reasoning. 1993 to 2003 Parker Flys are the most underrated guitars of all time. They last
Sorta, the fretboards suffered a lot of 90's Grunge minded people, thus the fretboards delaminated in many examples, which now Im not sure how would one fix that? Also, I recall something about the pickups as well but what escapes me now... sorry... lol but yeah, proper cared for ones closet examples shall we say, excellent guitars. Fast, so fast.
@Caius Madison That was very rare between 1993 and 2003 when Ken Parker owned the company and they were being manufactured in the NE. Post 2003 when USM bought them, we started seeing that happen quite often. Which is what ruined its name. They moved production and changed a lot to reduce manufacturing costs. I have a 1995 fly deluxe and other than pain scuffs. It looks and plays like it's brand new... and has never had a truss rod adjustment or any adjustments to the bridge/saddles. From 2003 to 2019 (USM and JAM ownership periods) they brought business into it and ruined the name by lowering QC standards.
Fun video, as usual. I love being an acoustic solo guy. I carry about 100lbs of gear in two trips when I gig and my main guitar weighs 4.39lbs (I only know because it was on the paperwork). Weight has never been a factor in choosing guitars for me although with acoustics the lightest guitars I've played sound the best by far.
Guitar strap width helps compensate for weight. 3" straps feel nice on the shoulder/neck on heavier rigs. I also personaly do not play long gigs.
It could also slide off your shoulder at gigs when youre moving around. Ive tried that.
@@Airhead348 slide off? Wow!
I favor wide padded straps on most of my guitars, but no need with my Martin, SG, Dano, etc.
I recently picked up a 2013 Les Paul Traditional, which was supposedly spec'd out to resemble a '59. Super resonant, articulate, and versatile instrument and without a doubt the first time I've been aware of the weight issue, because it's decidedly heavy -- 10.3 lbs. I sometimes waiver between getting totally lost in the music and remaining oblivious to the weight, to feeling just how cumbersome it really is. But overall, I'm in the camp of he ain't heavy, he's my Les Paul...
I have the exact same guitar and when I pick it up I can’t believe the weight, and it takes a few seconds to forget about it and just play. I have many guitars and this Les Paul can’t be beat for overdrive tone. Worth the weight…
I agree that sound and feel are two big factors as well as how it looks. That said, have you ever picked up a Strat or Tele copy that is made of woods like Pauwlonia? It is so light that it is alarming and neck dive city!
I have a few IYV 300 thinline Tele style guitars where I upgraded the hell out of it (bought it as a neck and body and pretty much replace everything else) and I have noticed as you replace cheapo parts with better parts is that the guitar gets into a familiar weight. I have two and both times each guitar gained a pound with regular humbucker sized pickups vs OEM, locking tuners vs OEM, and quality electronics vs stock. So weight has a way of fluctuating if you mod and like most other players I really do not care too much about weight. I have one guitar where weight was a topic, a Ltd Viper 300 which weighs about as much as a P Bass, but looks, feel and tone, it has it in spades. Then I added a Bigsby which isn't too heavy but it did add a bit more weight.
At the end of the day pick up and play a bass guitar and then reasses guitar weight. I promise you that weight will be pretty much a nonexistent issue. And if weight is an issue, there are always Danelectros and Rain Song guitars.
You guys are great. Keep up the good work
As I recall in the late 70's and early 80's we wanted heavier guitars, the idea was that heavy was synonymous with sustain. Today the trend is for lighter and the idea is lighter has more resonance.
i have a 90s mim strat that is so boat anchor heavy, and the whole thing vibrates and resonates and is amazing,
When I was still a teenager in the late 70's and reading every issue of Guitar Player magazine as it came out. I thought I should become a luthier and so digested every tidbit of info on what makes the best electric guitar. The general consensus of the day was "heavier is better", "add more brass", "bigger bridges", even sustain blocks I think. The thinking being that the less the guitar vibrated the more vibration would stay in strings. I think many of us bought into that at the time....... but after playing a couple guitars (and a 70's Peavey bass) that were way to heavy to hold standing up for any length of time, and then playing a "light" guitar that sounded great and felt better, I reorganized my thinking, now an average 8.5 lb guitar feels light and just right. Anyone with back issues (or some other physical disability) will for sure take a new instruments weight into consideration.
Once upon a time, a bass player was watching a youtube revue and wrote a comment, "How much the guitar way?" and the content creator went and weighed the guitar for him. After that he put the weight of every guitar he reviewed in the video about it. Others watched his videos and said to themselves, "Whoa, I didn't know the weight mattered... but if youtube guy thinks it's important, I better pay attention to it!"
And the world has never recovered.
When I started playing in the '70s, most players I knew said heavy guitars gave better tone and sustain. There was even a degree of bragging rights about having a ridiculously heavy Les Paul. I hated the weight of them, though, and it was a big factor in why I bought a The Paul - it was quite a bit lighter and so easier to strap on for hours at a time (plus, of course, it was affordable for me when I was still at college). But, over the years, I never really thought a great deal about the weight of my guitars until I got my ToneFox Elcaster - it's so light (just over 4lbs), it makes all the others feel like brutes by comparison. I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but the Elcaster is also the most acoustically loud electric I have.
I think Eric Johnson started it. Mick on That Pedal Show popularized it. In the age of buying online and unplayed, buyers need some spec to differentiate between two of the same model hanging on the wall next to each other and weight seems as good as anything.
I will say that playing more than a couple songs standing with my LP or Electric XII becomes uncomfortable. I can stand for hours with my SG, Hollowbody 2 or Vela Semi-Hollow.
I think there is something to it in both ways. My heavier guitars take more of a beating to get going, but then they sustain more and have "thicker" tone. My lighter guitars can be played with a feather touch at low volume and they just go and have more "jangle"... but they fade out just as easily. Depends on what you're going for.
My $0.02 of a devalued US dollar.
I don’t think weight has anything to do with whether a guitar is good or bad. When I was 58 I missed three months of work because of neck and shoulder problems and the physical therapist thought one of the main reasons was my boat anchor of a Les Paul. I missed three months of work. I finally got better and did the stretching and strengthening exercises I was supposed to, but didn’t change any of my guitars. Then the same thing happened the following winter and now all of my guitars are 7 pounds or less except for a PRS that I have, which is a little over 7 1/2 pounds. it scares you when you can’t work or play. I’m sure there are other reasons but I don’t think I’m alone in this being the reason I want light guitars.
It started with the first Les Paul gold top, on a Thursday.
Crazy. Never once thought about guitar weight, until I bought a MIM JM years ago. Was my second Fender after my AV 52 Tele. Just so happened that JM resonated more and “felt” alive all around. Not sure the paper weight is important to me but it seems like the lighter it is the more it’s resonates, the bonus is always if it doesn’t weight 10 lbs. Plus, wicked neck and arm issues are easily triggered 😆
Baxter & Jonathan, Great video!
Very interesting comments to the topic. For me, I’m an old guy- been playing about 60 years, have had over 100+ guitars. The guitar that has been my main love is an old Alamo single pick up. It weighs 5 lbs. I have lots of guitars….the lighter ones get played. My current favorite guitar is a Peavey Raptor, a telecaster layout in a strat style body that weighs about 5 pounds.
Amps are same way, smaller/lighter is the path to “enlightenment.” There are some great small amps made. The Fender Champion 50 comes to mind. Not real heavy, and great tone. Wisdom does come with age! You really don’t have to suffer for your craft. I don’t think you should have to be uncomfortable and hurting yourself, playing should be enjoyable and fun….🎸😂
Paulo- what’s up?l you asked me to contact you?
@@stanleyeisel8883 You're absolutely right, the lighter ones get played and the brutes stay snug in their cases.
Ryan Burke's '60-Cycle Hum' show hit on this subject recently and it got me curious so I weighed all my guitars. They range from a 4.7lb Yamaha acoustic to some Squiers and Epi Specials around 6-7lbs and top out with a Les Paul and Schecter at 8.8, for an average of 6.955lbs across nine guitars. I proposed we call that the "Burke's Number." I had an LP Custom Black Beauty that weighed 10.4lbs. I could feel that one in my back and shoulder the day after a long practice or gig.
Glad you shouted out the Taylor AD series, i absolutely love mine, and would choose it over more expensive guitars everey time
For me, it’s all about how comfortable it is to have it round your neck for several hours to play a gig. It’s another reason I play Fender over Les Pauls!
I have a friend who played country style music as a semi-professional lead singer for years using a Gretsch CG , and I recently asked why he stopped playing it on stage and he said it just got too heavy. After we learned to play guitar as teens, he used to put down my Fender Tele as not as good as his Gretsch since they were hand made and Fenders were mass produced (I didn't care...I loved the sound my Tele). Well, fast forward to a few years ago, we were playing together again for the first time in years and we switched guitars. Mine being a new MIA Fender Strat. After a couple of hours I asked if he wanted to switch back, and he said NO, the Strat was sooo comfortable! I just laughed and continue playing his Gretsch.
Absolutely.. Good balance,, a good body cut and the right strap can make the overall weight irrelevant..
So...I bought a Les Paul that was close to 10lbs. I play sitting down. The guitar played well. It sounded like a Les Paul. Still, I rarely played it and eventually sold it. Since then I prefer light guitars because I have it in my mind that I won't want to pick upand play the guitar if it's heavy.
I love my chambered Gretsch Power Jet better that most Les Pauls that I have played, but the R8 I played last year was pretty sweet. Also, the 1980s Japanese Basswood Strats I thought sounded better than the 1970s US Strats that weighed a ton. I think the mid weight Strats sound the best personally.
I play a 10lbs Gibson 355. And I owned a 10lbs Fender 79 Strat. Loved both when I was sitting down and even. when I played. upright.. but I have. learned a booked a weekend of 4 hr gigs with my 355 is especially felt after two days and 8 hrs of playing. So I def want something slightly lighter now to help with that post gig pain.
I want the lightest body I can have without neck dive.
That being said, I have an over 9 pound Les Paul that sits in the strap well and is well balanced that I love it. And I have a crazy light SG that is exhausting…I feel like I have fight to keep it upright enough to play.
No right answer. What feels right to you is right.
so far there were two occasions on which i put a guitar on a scale: first was with a very heavy tele. i just wanted to know how much it weightes because the weight was insane. weight would have probably come to around 9.5 pound. second time weighting a guitar was with a SG that was just crazy light. again i just wanted to know how light. came out to be 2.5kg but was not as resonant as my other SG (more heavy) with a wraptail.
in the end i dont care for weight. some guitars are too heavy for me though. playing a 60 min set with that 9.5 pound tele was certainly not great for my back.
I played a gig last week using a Les Paul (10.5#) for the first time in years (Im 71) and my back reminded me why.
My 1980 Les Paul Custom is full figured but is perfect in my eyes!
After years of gigging a heavy ash telecaster I developed nerve damage in my shoulder/neck. And by the end of a multiple gig week it caused so much pain in my neck/shoulder. I'd lose feeling in my finger tips. I don't think it matters tone wise, but for a gigging and standing with a strap purpose it does matter to some peoples body. A 3 inch wide strap made a huge difference, wider weight displacement.
Speaking of SW, my 7lb tele came in at 10lbs! I kept it because the neck body etc are great and seriously how often will you get the chance to say I have a ten pound tele. But even sitting down (balance is great too) when you do get up you know there was 10 pounds resting on your leg. If not a tone thing it is definitely a comfort thing.
If "resonance" is the question, semi-hollows resonate (feedback) far easier than either Strats or LP's. So, if that's applied in reverse to the weight, heavier is not better. But if it's a question of sustain, supposedly heavier guitars provide more sustain. My experience is that the sustain argument is not truly representative of the reality of sustain if measured correctly. Thanks guys! Keep up the great conversations!
I don't remember guitar weight ever being brought up in a conversation about guitars except for within the past 5 years. These days I cannot hear a player talk about a guitar without mentioning weight at least once. It's peaking into an obsession. Saw a couple youtubers hunting for one of them buying their first R9 and they literally had a scale out and were weighing each one at Norm's Rare guitars.
I have a Charvel Jake E Lee strat that is the lightest guitar I've ever encountered and it's a monster. Super loud, great sustain, it's just perfect. I also have a bunch of Les Pauls and my heavy Zakk Wylde bullseye is also awesome. I don't think weight matters at all - some guitars are just great regardless of what they weigh. You just have to play them first and judge based on tone and sustain. I do understand if somebody doesn't want to stand for hours with a Les Paul - that could get pretty tiring. But you might be missing out on the guitar that's perfect for you if you judge them based on weight.
I had a Dean Razorback V and I changed the original block for a tungsten one. Definitely felt like I was holding a les Paul, weight wise.i also had other mods on the guitar so, I can't determine that it helped with tone. Though, if you guys have the chance to try it out, you definitely should.
Heck yeah dude, razorbacks own.
I love my 4.5lb Parker Fly. No shoulder ache on long gigs!
I used to have a 77 Les Paul custom, I never weighed it but it was SO heavy and I’m a small guy. I only played it live twice. I just would admire at it in the case😂. Traded it for a es175.
Arthritis in my shoulder and neck is why I seek lighter guitars. Weight is so important that I have walked away from some guitars I loved because I couldn't play them for more than a few minutes. There have been a few cases, where the weight was a little too high but I loved it so much that I had to have it. For those, I play sitting down or switch to a padded bass strap.
I have a slight spinal issue, so it’s very important for me. I’ll allow for a Les Paul up to 9lbs max. I never played a super heavy one that sounded any better. I prefer guitars between 6.8 - 7.5lbs but will go up to 8lbs for non LP guitars. I also play several headless that are around 5lbs. I’m gravitating more and more towards the headless.
I have a couple of Paul’s over 10lbs that are my favourite 2 guitars. The weight doesn’t bother me, but I’m a pretty stocky shoulder guy. Not sure if the the weight affects the tone, but I think they make you hold the guitar differently and play with more conviction than a light guitar you can widdle all over the fretboard with. But that’s just a personal opinion.
I have a squire se Stratocaster that I consider pretty heavy at 8 lbs 3 ozs. I find it might be a quieter guitar acoustically then a lighter guitar, but is has loads more low end when plugged in vs. most strats
The only time weight came into play for me was when I bought a Strat Professional II from Sweetwater, where they literally list every individual Strat they are selling with its unique pics and specs. Because each guitars weight was noted, I searched every black/white pickguard Strat for the lightest. I only cared that one time because they offered the data. Had I been looking for a guitar that showed grain, a nice grain pattern would have been more important to me than weight. I sit when I play because I’m currently not performing out. I’ll cross the weight bridge if I ever come to it.
That's what I did when I bought my Pro II. I simply chose the lightest one they had with the color/neck combo I wanted. It just so happens to be an awesome Strat - or I'd have returned it.
@@PaulSter Sweetwater sent mine without a trem bar. It was my first purchase from them and although it was a minor issue, and they did make it right, it’s left me with a bad first impression due to my high expectations that came from their reputation. I look elsewhere for gear first now and haven’t purchased from them since as a result.
@@danwilson9530 that's harsh brother. It's because they go to the trouble to take the guitar out of the case, do a photo shoot of the guitar, weigh it, and give it at least some level of inspection (however I don't buy their "55 point inspection" thing), which is not something the other big stores do. I'd cut them some slack.
@@PaulSter I hear you, and I actually agree that I took it worse than I should have. I spend what to me was a lot of money on a major purchase, so to have it arrive with parts missing was a buzz kill and spoiled the moment to a degree. When I pay full retail list, no discount or deal, I have trouble accepting dropped balls, especially by a seller who promotes that 55 Point Inspection. Some part of me felt like they didn’t care enough to make sure my order was complete and correct even as part of that 55 point inspection process... I mean, how did they not notice a missing trem bar as part of the 55 points? Then I wondered what else they may have forgotten that I would not know to look for as far as case candy, accessories, etc. Why I managed to get somewhat butt-hurt about it, I don’t know. Just did. In fairness they did send me a trem bar and made it right, but I think they should have shipped it overnight rather than ground, and/or perhaps included something like a token $10 gift card for the trouble, or even had a manager call to follow up and apologize. They made it right, but only by the bare minimum. Definitely wasn’t saying I’ll never shop Sweetwater again, just that my disappointment doesn’t make me think of them first, and I’ll look for gear I’m seeking from places I’ve had better experiences with first.
My heaviest guitars, two Les Paul Studios, two Les Paul Standards, one Les Paul Custom and a Carvin Contour 66. Of the two Les Paul standards, one is a 2000 Standard Plus.
The Custom, Standard and Carvin are the heaviest. Guessing...the Standard is the heaviest with possibly the Custom to be second heaviest. There's something special about the Standard (96) that just calls you to play it. My guitar tech even pointed that out after working on it. The Standard Plus is the lightest of the six. It was my number one for many years. I bought the Standard with a friend in mind. He bought the guitar from me and had it for many years. I told him that there was something special about it and if he decides to sell it I want first dibs on it. He played his Strat (another guitar I bought with him in mind) more often and decided to sell the Standard. I bought the Standard and it has become my number one. However, the Standard Plus is the "old shoe'. At this point, I play them both regularly. I had my tech take the Standard and Standard plus and do a complete setup on both to make them as close as possible to being identical in their action and feel. Complete meaning....New nut, bridge and saddles (tech slotted the saddles), fret board leveling, new frets (same on both) and same strings. I wanted to be able to pick up either guitar and have it feel as close as possible to the other. It's interesting that one is the heaviest of the six and one is the lightest. Of all the the electrics I own, (there's many more than these including a PRS Special addition Core McCarty)
these two have that special something that call me to play them. I don't consider weight when i purchase a guitar but I do like the way a heavier guitar feels. All my guitar straps are at least three inches wide.
No way the fender custom shop would give a heavy guitar to one if their tier one signature artists like Clapton
weight matters a lot in one way -- I remember having to carry my twin reverb up four flights at 2 in the morning -- but I think the weight of guitars being good for tone thing started from the SRV heavy gauges are better for tone thing. that said, I just bought a 335 from Sweetwater and the guy asked me if I knew I could pick between several with differences of two or three ounces. I told him, yeah, I pretended to care and picked one.
As many guitar players get over 50 years old heavier guitars aren't better. Unless you like playing with one that feels as if you have a boat anchor around your neck. I currently have 3 guitars one 72 Telecaster Thin Line that weighs under 5 pounds, a Music Man Albert Lee that weighs 6 pounds and an ES 339 that weighs 8 1/2 pounds. I like them all, but the ES 339 is not as easy to play as long as the others. The weight is a strain on my neck and shoulder muscles. It makes it uncomfortable to play for 3 to 4 hours.
Dont you think the fascination with weight stems from a world in which we buy guitars online having never had the opportunity to pick them up?
I love my 79 strat but at one point I had what was probably a gallbladder flare up and another a shoulder injury, during those times my SG Jr saved my life lol , I think the weight overall isn't important as long as the guitar "feels" solid, I think for a lot of people the "weight" is a selling point they can see a point of expertise,, like people who are cork sniffers thinking they can tell the difference in a wine when in reality they probably would rather have a good beer. Side note for Baxter and his kids Batman the animated series is an excellent show.
I did choose my Tele’s because they were light weight; but honestly, my partscaster Black Strat is a heavy bastard and sounds killer and my favorite guitar.
As I get older, I appreciate a lighter weight guitar. So I stay away from guitars that tend to be heavy. I also prefer a smaller guitar, like a 339 style.
Great topic! I personally like teles and strats to be as close as possible to 7 pounds. My 335 is right at 7.5 pounds and it is perfect for me. Around 7 to 7.5 pounds is just a preference for me. Not sure why - possibly because I was acoustic only for so long that it was shocking when I first held electrics. The difference between 7.5 and 7.6 makes is a bit extreme as to that making a difference. I do think that lighter tend to be more resonant, but have no scientific proof of that and I think a lot more goes into it than weight alone.
I think it has more to do with moisture content than actual physical weight. A lot of 70s Fenders seem to be pretty heavy and had a higher moisture content.
From Leo: Most of my guitars are in the 7.2 to 8 pound weight. They all seem to be fine. Slight differences in sustain, but very little. My heaviest guitar is a gibson at a little over 10.5 and it is the most dead, lifeless guitar I own, no matter what strings are on it. I have a 6.6 pound cheapie Sawtooth that is crazy resonant, with great sustain. It looks like it was made from a shipping crate. Sometimes wood has natural qualities that cannot be measured with a scale. Always buy a guitar in person.
As mentioned by others the weight is a significant factor if you’re playing out and are older or have back problems Etc. I played a 4 hr gig with my strat not too long ago and could barely move the next day. I can’t imagine doing that gig with a 70’s Les Paul! In the 70’s it was thought that heavy guitars and brass hardware would significantly increase sustain. Even if that’s true I personally don’t think the difference would be worth the extra weight. Currently I’m looking for the lightest guitar I can find! The Brad Paisley tele or a Walla Walla guitars tele are on my radar largely because they’re in that 6lb range. My back will thank me!
only guitar star i can remember actually mentioning weight is derek trucks in a interview stated he preferred light guitars , he felt they resonated better , can also remember on a gig rundown were the interviewer commented on how light billy gibbons guitars were ....
I bought a few guitars without knowing what was the weight. Then I got a tele I really liked and put it down picked up the one I bought first and went damn it's heavy by 2 1'2 pounds. Still like both but notice the difference when playing the lighter tele and then picking up the other tele.
Jonathan is correct that part of the preference for lighter guitars is the legacy of the ‘69s’70s-especially for guys my age (64). Even a 2 hour set with a heavy guitar wears me down anymore. So, weight is an issue, although not to the extent of measuring in ounces. For me, it’s either “light” or “heavy”-that’s it.
A wise old timer once told me.. "if you ever feel like less of a man in life just remember. Some dudes complain that Les Pauls weigh 9 lbs".. 🤷🤣🤣
Neck / Spine injuries make guitar weights extremely important… Makes the difference between being able to play or be paralyzed…
8lbs or under is a must and means a lot of my favorites have been put away or sold off…
I had a '73 Telecaster Custom that had to weigh close to 14 pounds. The heaviest guitar most of my friends had ever picked up, even Les Pauls. That said, it sounded fantastic in every way. No other heavy guitars have sounded nearly that good. I prefer light guitars generally.
My 74 Tele is the heaviest guitar I ever played!!! But it sounds awesome!!!
Was it made of mahogany ? ;)
Actually nearly bought a 69 mahogany Tele a coupe, of years ago. Only thing original was the wood and finish and overpriced for it so I passed.
@@IrishBog No, it was a natural finished Northern Ash. The clear finish was really yellowed to an amber color. It was a great sounding boat anchor. Wish I still had it.
Been playin over 50 years and did a stint at a guitar store. Weight did become a factor after playing hundreds of guitars. After a while I just started to notice that certain weights of certain types of guitars seemed more agreeable to me. Personal preference.
Id have to say I dont really count heavy as good, but i like what Fender does now, pairs woods that vibrate similarly so I get that haptic response of great reverberations. That in turn, makes me play best, weight is irrelevent, if that vibration haplens just right.
I buid my own guitars, and the last Strat body I used, - a newer CV in Fiesta Red , - surprisingly weighed over 6 pounds.After some thought , I ended up drilling out every non visable access point as deep as possible. Now it is firmly within the desired weight, and it actually has an unusual resonance not like any of my other Strats.If I had the tools to do it, I would build bodies that were mostly hollow; since some of the best sounding guitars I've played were either pine or pasteboard Danelectro's Ive never put much stock in the weight or tone wood debates.
At any rate, the semi hollows really come alive at stage volume through a tube amp.If that's also true with heavy Les Pauls that's great, - but I'm not playing them.
Isn't that why they make compressors?
over 55 years I never ever thought about weight until the internet came along in the past year and made it a thing. So I weighed them. 2001 Tele 7.8 lbs. 2019 Les P Studio Trib. 7.8 lbs. Just picked up a 2011 Tele 1952 reissue and it was shockingly only 6.8 lbs when I thought it would be heavier. My lightest. Gibson EB-0 bass 6.6 lbs, heaviest, Epi EB-3 bass at 10 lbs. But yes the key issue is what if feels like and what is sounds like. But I haven't gigged since 1980.
I have a 9.5 lbs Les Paul and it is utter perfection. I have a strat around 7.5 lbs and it’s also great. Maybe it’s relative to your body size (though I’m tiny 5’3”)
I'm 6'5", 250lb, and can't stand picking up a light guitar. I don't even play super hard but they just feel less stable to me. I can see that changing as I get older, but I'm 40 and have always ended up selling my lighter guitars because they didn't feel as comfortable.
Great video guys! Do wood flame matter? What is this obsession with the 'flame'? Maybe you guys know better!
When it comes to comfort,, i think balancd and body shape are more important..i think if a strat weighed more than a les paul, it would still be more comfortable because of the contoured body cuts...
I have a Non-weight relieved Les Paul and a strat. If I play the Strat then switch to the Les, my God is that thing heavy! But after a few minutes I don't notice (though I do notice that it hangs completely differently). But if I go from the Les to the Strat it's like going on vacation. It's a good 2lbs lighter, and really noticeable.
My first Strat (which I still have), weighs a ton. Its a 70's with a 3 bolt neck. It weighs more than any Les Paul I've owned. It was my main guitar for 20+ years. I've retired it as its too heavy for me in my older age, lol. I have lighter Strats. I will say it sounds f'n great.
When it comes to playing at home, the weight matters less. But for gigging, a moderately light guitar is preferred. The weight of a guitar is at the bottom of my list when I'm looking to make a purchase.
I remember bragging to my friends about 30ish years ago about how heavy my '89 Epi Les Paul is. I have no idea how much it weighs. but, I was hoping that my friends would think I was more of a man (though I was maybe 18 at the time). BUT, the guitar that I mostly played back then (and still do) is a Hofner Be-attle bass...and those are light as a feather!!!
Back in 2014 I had a local luthier build me a custom made LP copy, It is the best sounding, loudest electronically and longest sustaining guitar I own - i believe it's all because for the unusual wood used for the body- and by far the heaviest, that guitar weights 6.7kg/ 14.7lb. I always play standing up, it just feels more natural to me. The reason it is so heavy? Instead of Mmhogany i had him use Australian red gum, which is an Australian hardwood.
I prefer an electric between 7 and 8lbs, and a bass ideally under 8.5. That said, my Les Paul is just over 8½ and it's killer. As long as it balances well and you have a good strap, weight really isn't that much of an issue for most people. I used to gig an 11lb 6-string Yamaha TRB bass, and it was fine. I didn't run around as much with it, but it balanced really well and was pretty comfortable.
I consider anything under 9 lbs to be light for a solid bodied Les Paul Standard.
The majority of the Standards seem to be between 9 and 10 lbs. 11 lb plus are out there but you don't see them frequently.
The heaviest one I own is 9.75 lbs. It plays good, sounds good and has a nice top but you do notice the difference picking it up after playing an 8.5 pounder.
@@blegend9351 I had two Traditionals, an 8.6lb and an 8.9lb example. The lighter one played and sounded better, so I sold the other. But yeah, anything under about 9½ isn't too bad for a solid LP.
I am semi convinced a heavier guitar tends to sound brighter. Wood tends to be denser and less resistant and to me that equals being brighter. I have a high quality parts caster with real heavy ash body and it’s extremely bright sounding. The pickups came from an old American Strat I had and they react totally different.
I have replaced both my Epiphone Dot (335) and my Country "Gentleman" Classic with Gretsch Electromatic 5422 series because of the weight. I am now 65 years old and these guitars make more sense for me now. PS They sound VERY MUCH like my Country Classic!
My Les Paul is 9.5. Blew a pick-up one night and had to play my double neck for nearly 3 hours. Now that was heavy!
✌️😡🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶
Pickups matter more for sound than weight, although I prefer a lighter guitar for comfort and I feel they do sing longer as my Strandberg weighs 4 lbs 10 ozs and sounds awesome.
I have a 12lbs ibanez artist, i cant imagine a 4lbs guitar it must just feel like a weightless instrument
I bought my Taylor 214 dx over a 314 and a 414 (back in 2010), I could afford the more expensive models, but the 214 sounded and played SOO much better. I saved over 1k dollars, and I still have and play that guitar today.