Do you prefer a heavy or a light guitar?

[Rex_Rocker]

Which one is it for you?

I'm mostly indifferent.

I don't play many shows, so I don't mind a heavy guitar. Even if I did, I doubt I'd play 3-hour sets any time sooon. I've never had one of those Norlin 11-pound guitars, but I've played them, and I had a burst LTD EC-400VF that I liked a lot which was pretty heavy.

That being said, I do feel that most of my best-sounding guitars have leaned towards the lighter side of things. My LP Modern Lite, the black EC-400 in my avatar, and my old Ibby Prestige RGA come to mind. Even my Tribute leans towards light for being a Les Paul. But I don't actively look for a lighter guitar. Maybe I should?

So what do you feel sounds/feels better?

 

[jeremy]

whats light? whats heavy? i prefer 8.5 lbs or less

 

[Rex_Rocker]

whats light? whats heavy? i prefer 8.5 lbs or less

Yeah, hard to say. My Tribute is probably around 8-8.5-ish pounds. Light for a Les Paul, but kinda heavy compared to, say, an SG, right? If you had an SG that's 8.5-9 pounds, that would be kinda like a boat anchor as far as SG's go.

I suppose you decide what's heavy and light to you. Personally, I guess I'm willing to tolerate a bit more because I like Les Paul-style singlecuts, and they tend to lean towards heavy.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I prefer light, but I can deal with heavy-ish, though I won't go 10 lbs. or heavier.

 

[weepingminotaur]

But I don't actively look for a lighter guitar. Maybe I should?

Seems like you already were/are!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

I have both. Unless it's stupidly heavy ...I'm fine with anything.

My fav axes are Ibanez Sabre's which actually are'nt as light as you would imagine. Most of mine are in the 6 - 7lb range.. a couple as high as 10lbs

 

[Mincer]

Light. While I have heavier guitars, the ones I play most are all under 7lbs.

 

[Sam SG]

Depends. Its more just overall how it feels to hold and play.
Dont like um stupid heavy though.

 

[Securb]

I lean towards the heavier size not for weight more for the tone and features that those guitars offer. Even my light guitars, Les Paul Lite, SG, Omen would be considered heavy by some.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I guess it does depend on what constitutes "light" and what constitutes "heavy." My Charvel DK24 is the lightest guitar I own. Not sure what the weight is but it can't be more than 6 lbs. Feels effortlessly to lift with a single hand, no upper-body strain when it's strapped.

 

[Bill Dennis]

I would say balanced with good ergonomics. I don't want a boat anchor, but if its well balanced with well executed cuts and bevels so it its naturally and comfortably, an extra pound here or there is usually not a big deal

 

[elelpe]

Light, no more than 7.1lbs.

 

[GuitarStv]

I like the feel of lighter guitars when standing for a couple hours. My jazzmaster is the lightest guitar I've got at about 7 lbs. For that, the lightest possible is great. I've found though that I tend to prefer the sound of guitars a little on the heavier side - about 8-9 lbs for a strat and 9-10 lbs for a les paul.

 

[uOpt]

So far guitars that I have or had that I think sounded great tend to be on the heavier side.

 

[beaubrummels]

I prefer great sounding, first
I prefer light, if possible, after that.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I used to think heavy guitar equals fat tone, but out of the two Les Pauls that I have, the lighter one is the fatter-sounding of the two. So go figure.

But yeah, I prefer great sounding first too.

 

[Chistopher]

Either a guitar is light enough I can play it without a strap, heavy enough it hurts my back after a while, or some 3rd thing

 

[ehdwuld]

All.my strats are around 7.5 lbs

My headless Ehdwuld branded guitars are around 4.5 lbs

My Gibson LP is about 8.5 lbs

My heaviest is the Dean Shire semihollow LP at 9.5lbs

We ain't counting basses right ? Some of those are made with rocks

 

[Snake Aces]

I prefer light guitars. Weight doesn't equal fat tone, having a great neck is where that comes from.

For example, any Strat player can swap out their maple neck for a wenge or rosewood neck to get fat tone. I know. I did it in 2007 (wenge, 59 roundback, ziricote fretboard) and it taught me that the neck wood and neck thickness absolutely impacts tone in a huge way. 100%

Nothing else changed on that old Strat of mine except the neck. Huge change in tone.

It's what made me switch to Warmoth singlecuts. Once I discovered the truth, there was no looking back.

My fattest tone comes from my lightest two guitars because they have 59 roundback Indian Rosewood necks even though they have chambered bodies.

My brightest tone comes from a heavier solid body with a roasted maple 59 roundback.

Necks. It's all about necks for tone, bodies are more about responsiveness and dynamics.

Anyone who says neck wood, thickness, and scale doesn't impact tone doesn't have much experience on the subject at all.

 

[Sam SG]

I prefer light guitars. Weight doesn't equal fat tone, having a great neck is where that comes from.

For example, any Strat player can swap out their maple neck for a wenge or rosewood neck to get fat tone. I know. I did it in 2007 (wenge, 59 roundback, ziricote fretboard) and it taught me that the neck wood and neck thickness absolutely impacts tone in a huge way. 100%

Nothing else changed on that old Strat of mine except the neck. Huge change in tone.

It's what made me switch to Warmoth singlecuts. Once I discovered the truth, there was no looking back.

My fattest tone comes from my lightest two guitars because they have 59 roundback Indian Rosewood necks even though they have chambered bodies.

My brightest tone comes from a heavier solid body with a roasted maple 59 roundback.

Necks. It's all about necks for tone, bodies are more about responsiveness and dynamics.

Anyone who says neck wood, thickness, and scale doesn't impact tone doesn't have much experience on the subject at all.

I agree. Ive found the same on strats. Swap the neck and it comes allive or vise/ verse.
Also the trem springs believe it or not.