Neck Light Instruments

[Hemisaurus]

A lot of Gibson basses, and some Fenders too are neck heavy, unbalanced, where you are required to support the weight on your fretting hand.

I'm wondering if there is a reverse of this, and what is bad about it, a friend of mine is working on a body for me, that will be deliberately heavy, and I'm pairing it with a modern neck, small headstock, lightweight tuners. As I see it, all it means is I'll have a lot of weight on my shoulders, apart from that, it should play fine, right? 

[rayinreverse]

This is the reason I dislike sg's

[Lumpy]

I don't think of Fenders as being neck heavy. To answer your question, you want a balanced instrument so that it stays in place. You don't want it to point up (unless that's a comfortable position for you, which it is for me, actually). Just using a light neck is probably cool, but if your strap post positions are also unbalanced (weird body style) plus other factors (heavy body) you could end up hanging more upright than you want. That should be fixable, so no biggie. But ideally you want a balanced instrument, so the bass stays put where you left it when you let go of it. Still, it's hard to imagine a situation where 'neck climb' is actually a problem, unless you go overboard on everything.

[VOLVO)))]

You want the opposite of this, Neckdive CITY.

[bitter]

Reminds me of a buddy's ibanez xiphos. What a foul design that was. It had horrible neck dive and your picking hand was forced forward, kinda like an explorer, so you had to fight it the whole time just to play/balance. He had to move the strap screws and add lead shot to the electronics cavity. In the end, it was shitty, pointy guitar that was hard to play and had holes in it. Not worth it just to look "cool".

[Jake]

This really doesn't add much to the thread, but I played an old aluminum neck Kramer bass on Saturday and it was easily the heaviest, most neck dive-iest, unbalanced instrument I've ever played. Sure did look cool though.

[VOLVO)))]

This really doesn't add much to the thread, but I played an old aluminum neck Kramer bass on Saturday and it was easily the heaviest, most neck dive-iest, unbalanced instrument I've ever played. Sure did look cool though.

I have one. I agree.

Best bass ever.

[bbottom]

This really doesn't add much to the thread, but I played an old aluminum neck Kramer bass on Saturday and it was easily the heaviest, most neck dive-iest, unbalanced instrument I've ever played. Sure did look cool though.

They are pretty badass looking


I play a MIA Fender P bass and have had zero problems with neck dive. Come to think of it the only basses that I've ever played that have had bad neck dive are the cheaper ones.For instance I used to own a Gibson SB something or other. It was a cool bass but the neck didn't dive even though the strap lock was on the back of the body near the neck.
Now the Epi EB3 that I owned a few years ago was the exact opposite as far as neck dive was concerned even though the strap lock was at the same position as the Gibson.

Just something to think about

[Hemisaurus]

I don't think of Fenders as being neck heavy. To answer your question, you want a balanced instrument so that it stays in place. You don't want it to point up (unless that's a comfortable position for you, which it is for me, actually). Just using a light neck is probably cool, but if your strap post positions are also unbalanced (weird body style) plus other factors (heavy body) you could end up hanging more upright than you want. That should be fixable, so no biggie. But ideally you want a balanced instrument, so the bass stays put where you left it when you let go of it. Still, it's hard to imagine a situation where 'neck climb' is actually a problem, unless you go overboard on everything.

I hadn't either, but a friend of mine bought a new MIA Fender, and it's neck dive city, I think they use a lighter body wood.

The only way I could see it overbalancing and climbing would be if you concentrate the weight below the lower strap lock, and I'd imagine it would want to flip over more than climb.

[RacerX]

I'm wondering if there is a reverse of this, and what is bad about it

My newly acquired Flying V is the opposite, and it does put a little more weight on the left shoulder, but that's it.

Neck dive is worse.

[Chovie D]

Telecaster is a body heavy guitar, no probs with that design. mY 70's strat is the heaviest guitar Ive ever had body wise.
The newer fenders do seem lighter in the body...not my mexi tele tho, still fairly heavy in the body.

My 70's sg is a ridiculous neck diver.
The worst for me is my explorer. Heavy and awkward and always knocking over the mic stand with the tail of the guitar by accident.

[The Shocker]

I've found that a wide suede strap combats neck dive quite well.

[SpaceTrucker]

T40, I'm tellin' you. its neck isn't as fat as a non t40 player would think. So it weighs less and the body is a solid slab. I mean, I barely have to put my thumb on the back of the neck.

[grimniggzy]

T40, I'm tellin' you. its neck isn't as fat as a non t40 player would think. So it weighs less and the body is a solid slab. I mean, I barely have to put my thumb on the back of the neck.

I don't even think I could play mine for a 30 minute set (its sooo heavy), but for some reason I can't sell it.

[grimniggzy]

double post

[apekillman]

my friend had two gibson eb-z basses (not sure of the model number / name).  the newer sg shape.  they were real neck heavy.  so i took the electronics cover and made a stainless steel copy.  surprisingly, that small amount of add on weight was enough to keep it upright and not add so much to break his back.

[Corey Y]

Clearly the answer is a headless bass.


Also, my Kramer is heavy as fuck, but oddly enough it's perfectly balanced. No neck dive whatsoever. You can balance it off your index finger from the front strap button.

[Discö Rice]

T40, I'm tellin' you. its neck isn't as fat as a non t40 player would think. So it weighs less and the body is a solid slab. I mean, I barely have to put my thumb on the back of the neck.

Yet another reason for Hemi to play a T-40 through his all Peavey rig. The body is like 12 lbs. of solid swamp ash, the neck is the remaining 2 lbs. Neck dive will be a distant memory.

Also, even if neck dive is an issue with SG's, they only weigh slightly more than the average cheeseburger. It's not like your fret hand is doing any heavy lifting. My only issue with SG's is when people scoop the mids on those fuckers. Might as well turn your amp off.

[Hemisaurus]

12lb sounds kinda light to me (no joke)

I think my 5'er ways in at 15 or so, and my balanced SG at 14. I use the Planet Waves 3" padded poly straps, they're less than $20 from a local place.

[Discö Rice]

Edited:  12 lbs. is not what I said they weighed. 14 lbs. Play one, then tell me it's too light.  We're also talking about balance here. Super heavy body + light neck = no neck dive. They sound great, too. SG's are about 7 lbs. Total featherweight. I doubt you needed to double the weight to balance it.

[Hemisaurus]

Mine is an Epi SG bass. I've weighed it, but my memory may be a little faulty, but there's also a large amount of lead shot in it to balance it.

[Discö Rice]

Oh haha I thought you meant you had a gibson SG guitar that weighed 14 lbs. Heh. The bass is probably heavier than 7 lbs, then.