Bass guitar weights

Good morning. I haven't posted for a while but check in daily to see what is going on.

Can anyone help me? I am wondering what weight the various Westone bass guitars are. I have picked up a persistent lower back problem which means I have had to ditch my heavier basses, sadly, including my beloved Thunder 1A. I did have a Thunder Jet bass but, in a rather rash move, sold it a while back as (at the time) I preferred my Thunder 1A. But it was a good deal lighter. I believe Spectrum basses are also lighter then Thunders?

So, could anyone who owns either/or both a Thunder Jet bass and Spectrum bass please weigh them? Are there any other lighter weight models as well?

As to other models.......

'82 Concorde I = 8 lb. 9 oz.

'86 Pantera x775 = 7 lb. 15 oz.

Now you need to get Warrn to measure up that 12-String WMD he wields. My back is in very good shape but begins to ache just thinking about that beast.

Go for a bass with an alder body, it is a light wood. The Thunder jet bass body is made from alder which explains why it was lighter than your Black Thunder 1A (maple body + brass hardware = heavy)
My Spectrum GT bass is slightly lighter than my black Thunder 1A bass but not a big difference, they both have maple bodies
I guess Concord basses will be light 'cos they are made from alder but I've never played one.

Thanks for that.

Some actual weights would be helpful, if anyone can manage it. Ta.

Hindsight is a pointless thing, really, but I *really* wish I hadn't got rid of the Thunder Jet I owned. It wasn't in bad nick, played well once set up and was probably light enough to warrant keeping - although that bit is hard to judge without wearing it. Around 7lbs seems to be my ideal bass weight, which isn't a lot. T-Jets don't seem to crop up that often, either.

As an aside I wonder if anyone has tried to transplant the active innards of a Thunder 1A into a Thunder Jet?

I have a Superheadless for sale which is at least a headstock lighter

It's actually a good deal lighter than a Thunder - I'll weigh it over the weekend.

Obviously though, you need to get a Rail....

It was really the Thunder Jet I was interested in mainly - I like the style of it. I have a Hohner B2A cricket bat plus a couple of other lightweight basses - I just find the Jet appealing. Thought I was doing the right thing at the time getting rid of it - assuming they are light enough it will probably be a while before I see another one as they don't appear that often. I'm on the track of the one I sold (which has been moved on at least once more) to see.

Also vaguely curious about the Pantera bass, which appears to have a smaller and contoured body, so possibly lighter.

The lightest Pantera bass would be the x790 then. Unfortunately also apt to be the most expensive as well.

Since it is carved (contoured) and bayoneted at the neck join in the same manner as an x390 I am sure besides being less weight you would also gain the most comfortable player.

That X790 is a beauty, for sure. I've just re-read the spec on it and it actually sounds perfect - I prefer active basses - as long as it is light enough. And it is black - another important consideration.... If I found another Jet (and it was light enough) I would probably stick an on-board pre-amp into it.

Anyone on here have the Pantera X790 bass in their collection to weigh?

To have a conversation with myself here, the more I look at these X790 basses and read about them the more appealing they are.

Has anyone any idea of the chances of actually finding one? They seem pretty rare. Does anyone on here actually own one, in fact? I saw some ancient history from here when google searching but nothing recent and nothing UK based I don't think.

Purely a guess here but...

If the production mimicked the Deluxe guitar models (x390 and the even rarer x350) I would suppose you are looking at a long wait on one. I personally have not run across a listing for an x790 yet, even an expired or archived one. The x750 I have seen up maybe a half-dozen times in the last year and at usually very reasonable prices. One example is at the Music Go Round site right now for $250 all in.

I have seen one x775 on ebay a few months back but well overpriced. I was lucky enough to get it in the end after the seller had not relisted it a 5th time and was finally "awake & smelling the coffee" as far as market interest goes, so he was more agreeable to my offer.

An x790 however, well... it seems those who have rarely get to a place where they don't want to have. I get that economic reality can bite from time to time and no one is truly ever immune to that, but I do know for a stone cold fact the x390 in my home will NEVER be sold. I am pretty sure I'm safe in saying others will agree with me on how difficult, no... near impossible it would be to part with theirs.

That being said I sincerely hope your opportunity to get one occurs tomorrow already!!! Any of the instruments at the higher end of the Westone lines (Panteras, Rainbows, Prestige, Session II, etc) are all at the apex of the craft at their times, and today we all wish they had made many many more at that extremely high level of craftsmanship. Hope you can realize your desire on this one.

Just registering my interest...

I'm looking at Thunder 1s to satisfy my GAS but might give it a miss if too heavy.

Iceman - I appreciate your input, guesses or not. Sounds about right - I have done searches on Basschat and Talkbass forums and the info on there is scant let alone for sale postings. Still - in a way it is nice to not always be able to get want you want immediately. I will no doubt appreciate it all the more when it finally arrives (as it surely will).

Muttley - I can only recommend you try one as you might find it is ok. If you can deal with the weight they are about the best value for money basses out there (along with NGC Nanyo Bass Collection) - I have got an injury that isn't going away so need to change my habits and gear.

Yep I gotta agree the Pantera X790 is one amazing bass, it certainly ticks all my boxes to be the perfect Westone bass.. 2 magnabass pickups, active circuit, heelless neck, classic Thunder style headstock and it's black. I've never seen one anywhere and I've been a habitual ebay, gumtree etc searcher for nearly 2 years. Good luck in finding one PaulS I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

There was one on eBay USA two summers ago. I missed it thanks to eBay deciding to log me out before I could snipe bid. Ended up with my Electra Phoenix X640 instead, which oddly cost quite a bit more then the Pantera would have... but I love the Phoenix, so meh.

I was sniping a guitar a few months ago - just after I had changed my eBay username. I didn't realise I had to tell snipe as well and was actually sitting there watching my bid not appear in real time...

Just weighed some I had to hand.
Spectrum GT,, 9lbs.
Thunder IA,, 8.5lbs.

Westbone wrote:Just weighed some I had to hand.
Spectrum GT,, 9lbs.
Thunder IA,, 8.5lbs.

That's good to know as I own both of those basses, i'm sure my GT feels a tad lighter than my 1A, must be my imagination, I gotta get some scales.

All depends on the timber.

I've another Thunder IA somewhere that weighs a ton or feels like it does, have to dig it out.

PaulS.
get yourself a Rail or a Quatum, wouldn't even know your holding a guitar.

Westbone wrote:

I've another Thunder IA somewhere that weighs a ton or feels like it does, have to dig it out

Proof that you have too many Westones and need to pass some on to a worthy charity....me

Yes fine, I occasionally work for a charity, like tomorrow, have to fix a postbox on a wall.

I'll send you a few but the postage is seriously expensive..........

There's a Quantum on the 'bay at the mo, item 330579206651, looks awful light.

Ermm, did I mean looks awful?

Make yer own mind up! According to the seller, the bass (or does he mean this model?) was the first bass on Boy George's "do you really want to hurt me." Strangely that fact doesn't get my bidding finger twitching!

Thanks for those weights Westbone. My old Thunder 1A was, I think, nearer to 10lbs so they much vary quite a bit.

Not keen on Rails or Quantums, really. I have a Hohner cricket bat for those 'emergency bad back' times but prefer 'proper' bass shaped basses. My SGC Nanyo Bass Collection - with a head (nearly), wings an'all - weighs in at under 7lbs, for example which is actually not much more than the cricket bat. I'm still curious about the Thunder Jet Bass, in case anyone has one, as I am more likely to find one of those than a X790 I think.