Guitar Weight & it's relation to tone

[Kuz]

I've got a 2004 Limited Brazilian McCarty (indian rw neck, brazilian board) and I feel it's heavy at 8lbs 10oz. I am a big guy so the strap weight is no big deal, but we have been ingrained lately that lighter guitars "sound" better. Any thoughts on this? I was possibly thinking of trading it in on a lighter (7lb 10oz) McCarty Artist package, but if there is little to no effect on a lighter guitar and tone, I'll just keep mine. Mine's probably rarer and sounds good (maybe a little muddy)
Thanks for the advice

[Serious_Poo]

It's less of a weight issue and more of a resonance issue to me. I've had some light guitars that resonated wonderfully and others that didn't. Same with heavy ones. For example, my ME trem is pretty friggen heavy, but it's the most insanely resonant thing I've ever played. It all depends on the individual instrument I guess.

[Kuz]

Do ME & Private stock tend to be lighter? You would think if weight & tone were a realtion then PRS would make these higher priced models as light as possible. Like I said I really like the sound of my guitar, but everyone and their brother are posting the weights of guitars. It wasn't so long ago (mid '80s) that I was told a guitar (mostly LPs) needed to be reasonably heavy to have a good sustain. Is everyone (e.g. Dealers) making too big a deal on the weight of an individual guitar? Like I said earliar, weight on my shoulder is not an issue, but tone always is.

[VHTStark]

W/ the private stock you choose if you want heavy woods or not

[MatZen]

My IRW McTrem I have up in the Swap right now weighs in at 8 lbs. 9 ozs. and is an extremely resonant guitar. In comparison, I also have a 1990 CU24 semi hollow Cedar top, which weighs 7 lbs. 6 ozs. and is just as resonant as the McTrem. I believe it is a combination of all things working together rather than an attribute to weight alone.

[Serious_Poo]

Don't let the hype of the masses dissuade you from what you hear with your own ears. If you think your guitar sounds good, that is ALL that matters. Just because people feel like posting the weight of their guitars doesn't make them sound any better. ;)

[Kuz]

Don't let the hype of the masses dissuade you from what you hear with your own ears. If you think your guitar sounds good, that is ALL that matters. Just because people feel like posting the weight of their guitars doesn't make them sound any better. ;)I agree. I'm just curious what all the posting weight of guitars is about unless it has some relationship to tone?!

[Serious_Poo]

I agree. I'm just curious what all the posting weight of guitars is about unless it has some relationship to tone?!I can think of a few reasons, tone being the least of them. Personally I think the whole weight thing is very overhyped as far as tone goes. Playability is another story, though. I'd much rather play a lighter guitar on stage. ;)

[Valtiel]

Ive always preferred heavier instruments. Light guitars can of course be very resonant, but ive always enjoyed the sort of feedback you get from a heavier guitar. Not amplifier feedback, just the feeling of the guitar itself. Plus, if lighter is better, everything would be made of Balsa wood. :p

[PaulO]

I can think of a few reasons, tone being the least of them. Personally I think the whole weight thing is very overhyped as far as tone goes. Playability is another story, though. I'd much rather play a lighter guitar on stage. ;)
I had heard that as a guitar ages the sap dries out of the wood and leaves micro pockets behind, which can act as sort of resonator chambers. And they are lighter as well.

I also heard that Stradivarius made his violins out of wood that had been under water for several years, which leeched out the sap. There is a company out of Michigan who has found oak that has been under water for a long time, left over from the logging days .. and is selling the wood to furniture and music instrument makers. These are the logs that sunk in the rivers and lakes and did not make it to the saw mills. The grain quality is fantastic. I saw this on I htink it was Discover channel.

I happen to like light guitars because they are easier on the shoulders.

Paul

[JMintzer]

I can think of a few reasons, tone being the least of them. Personally I think the whole weight thing is very overhyped as far as tone goes. Playability is another story, though. I'd much rather play a lighter guitar on stage. ;)
+1!

I personally like lighter guitars fir their comfort value. A 10 lb anchor around my neck will cause an immediate flair-up of my disc problem in my neck.

AFA tone goes, it all depends on a particular instrument. I've played light dogs and I've played heavy dogs...


Jamie

[trisonic]

I too prefer lighter instruments for physical reasons; having said that my Les Paul which has been my second favourite ever (the first was a plain jane real '59 that slipped thru my fingers about 1970) weighs in at 11.5lbs but is exceedingly resonant - it sounds just like Mick Taylors from "Crusade" thru a JTM45 type amp.

On Strats I prefer the weight to be between 6 and 7 lbs. I have found that anything lighter lacks authority tonewise. My two favs, both by Bill Chapin clock in at a tad over 6lbs (one piece Swamp Ash, one piece Maple Neck) the other is about 6lbs 12ozs but feels lighter because it is extremely well balance being Mahogany Body, Korina Neck and Braz RWD board and true Gibson scale.

Best, Pete.

[Aldwyn]

I have always thought the other way around... weight=tone. All of my better sounding guitars have been on the heavy side.

[George Johnson]

NOTE: The following is a generalization... there are exceptions to everything. :)

In my experience, heavier guitars tend to emphasise the fundamental note more and the lighter ones
seem to introduce a scenario where harmonics are competing for dominance with that fundamental.

I prefer the latter, but they're all good. :cool:

[VHTStark]

I have always thought the other way around... weight=tone. All of my better sounding guitars have been on the heavy side.
Ditto.

[FrankiePRS]

I dunno if there's any correllation at all... Some of my best-sounding LPs have been heavy, but my '60 Junior LP is a tone monster too, and it's super-light. I think it's gotten lighter over the years though...

[Dan Desy]

It's the wood, not the weight.

I much prefer lighter guitars (as long as they're well balanced), and I've played heavy guitars as well as light ones that sounded dead.

Right now, both my Soloway Swans and my Muthacaster (all semi-hollow) are 7 lbs or less and sound incredible. My SCT is closer to 9 lbs and sounds great as well.

[Flanagan]

It's the wood, not the weight.

I much prefer lighter guitars (as long as they're well balanced), and I've played heavy guitars as well as light ones that sounded dead.




+1 Tru Dat....My McCarty weighs less than 8lbs,and sounds great...My Singlecut is starting to leave a welt on on my shoulder,and sounds great.

[aleclee]

Just because people feel like posting the weight of their guitars doesn't make them sound any better.Of course it does. The next thing we know, you'll be telling people that pretty guitars don't necessarily sound better. :rolleyes:

[Peter]

I do know for sure that when I know the exact weight of my guitar I play it better.

[FrankiePRS]

I do know for sure that when I know the exact weight of my guitar I play it better.Well, that goes without saying. Thanks,Captain Obvious.

[GSVBagpuss]

I do know for sure that when I know the exact weight of my guitar I play it better.
lol, nice. Need to clean coffee from my keyboad now!

[Brian D]

I agree. I'm just curious what all the posting weight of guitars is about unless it has some relationship to tone?!While I'm sure that the weight of a guitar affects the tone somehow, I've always assumed that posting the weight was just adding another bit of info like "It's Whale Blue" or "It has old-style locking tuners". It seems that there are as many people who care about the weight for playing comfort as there are who care about it for any tonal properties it may or may not add.

One of the reasons that I bought my McCarty was because it felt very resonant when I played it, and it happens to be pretty light for a McCarty. But I attribute the resonance more to the beautiful "ribbon" mahogany used on the back of the guitar than to the actual weight, although they are likely related of course.

The main thing is that I enjoy not having my shoulder hurt after playing for an hour!

[Crunchyriff]

Some say "lighter is better"- others, including Neal Schon, will say the heavier ones sound better.

Put it this way- if a guitar has a great sound, that's all that metters to my ears. If it's lighter my back & shoulders will be happy, but aside from that...

great tone is just that- great tone.