$33 Mystery Body

[Joe Garfield]

The shipping weight is most likely due to a package that’s big but light. Because it takes up a lot of real estate for it’s weight (low density) the freight companies charge based on an equivalent weight - what they would expect a package of that size to weigh. I forget the industry term for this but it’s basically a billing weight.

For example, if you were to ship a gigantic empty box, they would still charge you a lot even though the weight is very low.

The difference between 1300g and 1350g is 50g, or less than 2 ounces, or less than 1/8 lb. That could be the difference in the way somebody is rounding (it might be between 1300g and 1350g), maybe a difference in packing material, or maybe the 1300g ‘package box’ was put inside another 50g ‘shipping box.’

[Joe Garfield]

I’m just curious - what’s the appeal of such a lightweight guitar body?

There is plenty of material that can be removed from that body without a cavity. You can extend the contour of the bevels and also add one near the upper horn to make the body thinner. You just have to watch thickness near the control cavity routing. As long as you don’t make it thinner between the neck pocket and wherever the strings mount, it should be fine structurally.

My most favorite guitar was neck heavy. I loved everything else about that guitar - the sound, the playability, the look, etc. But eventually I just couldn’t take the neck diving and sold it, and I don’t even regret it.

Some options to deal with a neck heavy guitar are: a) ultra-lightweight tuners ($125 usd) to save ~100 grams (this is based on guitar but they make them for bass, and I think the weight is similar because bass tuning machines are heavier), b) adding weight to the guitar body, c) using a harness instead of strap, d) using a grippy strap but ends up pulling your shirt all over the place, e) moving the strap buttons to awkward looking positions (probably the most effective and sensible solution, but also the strangest looking), f) attaching strap to neck instead of button, g) only playing sitting down, f) for just not giving an f.

[Joe Garfield]

The width of a P-bass is ~13 inches at the lower bout. If you take a 13x13x1.25 volume (211.25 in3 or 0.12 lb3) and multiply by the low limit of published density for Poplar (21 lb/ft3) you get a weight of 2.52lbs which is close to the 2.4 lbs they say this guitar body weighs.

I don’t really know what the actual volume of the guitar would be but 13 x 13 x 1.25 seems generous (small). Obviously they say thickness is closer to 1.5 inches and the guitar is longer than 13 inches but I tried to be generous with material removed for the bevels, control cavity, and around the horns and neck and stuff.

Using their dimensions you get 4.83 ft3 which would be 4.83 lbs if a solid block of lightweight Poplar. If somehow 50% of that solid block was removed to shape the guitar, then you’ve got the 2.4lbs advertised weight (assuming it’s Poplar).

I’m an engineer who just had a giant energy drink on the way to do some vehicle testing, and found out the vehicle is down for maintenance. I needed to burn off some of that engineering energy

[fender3x]

I have never seen one that was in two halves. Mostly the way i have seen them is hogged out with a forstner bit or a router until either the top or the bottom looks sort of like Russ Ballard's (I am listening to Hold your Head Up as I write this). Then it is covered with thin wood. I could conceivably do this with some 1/8" ply that I have around here somewhere. I have seen a few without the skin as well...hmmm. Something to consider if it shows up. Still trying to cancel the order. so far they are blowing me off. Not answering my mail to them. Not cancelling. FedEx still hasn't picked it up. Not good signs.

I needed both headphones to hear the strat over that B3 organ ;-)

[king casey]

I can't fathom why you'd want it that light.

The Squier Bronco body weighs 2 kilo and with normal tuners it's a neck diving pain.

When you type 'P bass body weight' into Google, the first answer is '8.5 to 9.5lbs' 3.9 to 4.3 kilos.

cheers, Mark.

[fender3x]

KC, The main reason that I want it light is to take strain off my back. I have a Jazz with P+J pups that I really like, but it's close to 9.5 lbs, and after a while my back starts to hurt. Neck dive could be an issue in a light bass, but I figured I might be able to use a sticky strap and light tuners and a relatively small headstock. Perhaps I have gone overboard on the weight thing?

JG, my wife is an engineer. Usually when she starts doing calculations it means I am going to have work to do...I think your calculations might not be far off if poplar weighs 21lbs per cubic ft. If it were that light, it would be fantastic, but I think it would be close to the weight of heavy paulownia. The wood database has poplar at 29 lbs per cubic ft. I have a poplar strat body blank, which weighs in at about 4.5 lbs. If you can believe GFS they say their paulownia bodies weigh in at about 3.5 lbs, and the wood database has paulownia at 18 lbs per cubic ft. I actually like poplar a lot, and if that's what it turns out to be...particularly if it's light, maybe I'll keep it. I am also intrigued by the idea of shaving parts of it to make it thinner. maybe sort of like an unbound Fender Aerodyne...

What worries me is that the package weight that the seller reported to FedEx is 8.3 lbs. Hard to imagine that there is a 3lb bass body with 5 lbs of packing material in that package...

Right now my favorite bass is my hybrid, which weighs around 7.5 lbs. That seems close to the Goldilocks weight. I was sort of hoping to get a p-bass around that weight or a little lower. The hybrid has no neck dive, but that could be partly the different geometry (it's an ES type) and the fact that it has Hipsot ultralight tuners.

[king casey]

If the weight is such a critical issue, have you considered a 30"?

The Bronco bass isn't much heavier than a guitar.

These are out of stock at the moment but I'm sure you could request a weight test when they are?

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...-kit-30-scale/


cheers, Mark.

[Simon Barden]

A light body is certainly a case for a thinner jazz-style neck, lightweight tuners and a cut-down headstock shape. Fender once did something along those lines with their Aerodyne basses.

Don't forget that the body weight will be added to by the bridge, pickups and electrics. A heavy brass bridge would help to provide some balancing weight.

[fender3x]

If the weight is such a critical issue, have you considered a 30"?

Well, I have this 34" scale Jazz neck already...

Looks like they did not stop the shipment in New Jersey. The body should be making its way south down Interstate 95 to Miami...

[Simon Barden]

Rocketing along, if it is as light as they say.