Weight of USA G&L guitars?

[JWALKER]

If this has been covered, forgive the rehash. What is the average weight for USA G&L guitars?, I am especially interested in Legacy and ASAT guitars with an Alder vs. Swamp Ash comparison. I have heard 7.5 Lbs for Alder body Legacy guitars, but I am not sure this is an average weight. For ASAT's, I have a Swamp Ash ASAT that weighs much less than that, so it seems, but I never had the chance to actually weigh it. If there is a link to his info, I have missed it, so if anyone knows, this would be great information.

[darwinohm]

I have never seen a link to average weights for wood types. The weight of the wood seems like a luck of the draw to me. I have some swamp ash that are light. I was always under the impression that alder was lighter than ash. My Fender alder bodies are usually light. My recently added Bluesboy is alder and the heaviest G&L that I have owned. Generally an ash Fender is heavier. I don't think that there is a trend with the G&Ls and as some have done, they asked for a lighter body on special orders and some seemed to get them. -- Darwin

[offplanetfilms]

Weight can vary a lot, more with ash then alder bodies. I have a light ash Fullerton Model (Legacy size), thats 7.2 pounds. A heavy ash thats 9.2, and an alder thats 7.6. (Personally, I'm really hooked on the heavy ash sound, but I wouldn't fancy wearing it all night at a gig.)

[offplanetfilms]

The only stats I ever found regarding averages of ash/alder weight was this rough analysis of stratocasters >>
http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?t ... ber=415993

[JWALKER]

Thanks for that thread( offplanetfilms ). It is interesting to me to see the different weights posted on strats and Teles and Legacys and ASATs. Different subject, but it seems that most G&L players prefer Swamp Ash to Alder. I have always heard that Alder is the better overall tone wood. I am no expert and a fairly new player, but Alder seems to sound better for strat type of guitars. I might give the nod to Swamp Ash for Asats though.

[sirmyghin]

There are no better woods, there are certainly prettier woods though. I have a light ash ASAT special, but the one I tested in store must of weighed 10 lbs. Ash is variant, and much better looking than Alder. As far as a 'better overall tonewood' that stuff is always nonsense. The effect of wood is on top of that greatly exagerated with respect to sound of a guitar. Some folks put the difference in fretboards woods in the equation too, and while I don't necessarily agree as more of the vibrating length of the string is going over it by far, as long as it has some thickness it would make more difference than body wood from a dynamics wave propogation/vibration standpoint.

[GentlemanJim]

There are no better woods, there are certainly prettier woods though. I have a light ash ASAT special, but the one I tested in store must of weighed 10 lbs. Ash is variant, and much better looking than Alder. As far as a 'better overall tonewood' that stuff is always nonsense. The effect of wood is on top of that greatly exagerated with respect to sound of a guitar. Some folks put the difference in fretboards woods in the equation too, and while I don't necessarily agree as more of the vibrating length of the string is going over it by far, as long as it has some thickness it would make more difference than body wood from a dynamics wave propogation/vibration standpoint.

What ?

[JWALKER]

Interesting points. If wood does not make a difference, I am wondering if boutique builders like James Trussart are on to something with their metal body guitars with wood necks. I could see myself playing a steel guitar. However, I still love the feel of wood, and one would have to pry my Swamp Ash ASAT from my "Kung-Fu Grip" .

[Craig]

Here is a somewhat related thread that might be of interest to those who posted here on this thread:

ash body more vintage?

Hope this helps.

[sirmyghin]

Interesting points. If wood does not make a difference, I am wondering if boutique builders like James Trussart are on to something with their metal body guitars with wood necks. I could see myself playing a steel guitar. However, I still love the feel of wood, and one would have to pry my Swamp Ash ASAT from my "Kung-Fu Grip" .

Never said it didn't make a difference, just not a whole tonne of one. I think it effects the feel on the guitar on you a lot more than the sound. Carbon fibre guitars (acoustics especially, like Emerald Guitars) are something I am interested in as it is a material you can literally TUNE to the frequencies you want easily. A control you can't even pretend to get from wood (and in acoustic instruments ofcourse material makes a big difference).


As for the large 'what', what about what I said do you not understand, we can go from there if you would like.

[Muleya]

My alder Legacy weighs in at 7.6 lbs and the ash Legacy I just got at 8.6 lbs. But both sound great to me!

That FDP Thread is interesting...means both of my guitars are very close to average!

Before I decided to go with ash, I did a bunch of Google searching and came across a link to a forum where someone had two Suhr strat-bodied guitars. Between those two guitars he had swamp ash body, an alder body, a maple fingerboard and rosewood fingerboard. He made clips of all the possible combination of body woods and fingerboards and recorded them for all 5 pickup positions. I believe he had the same pickups in both guitars. It was a good test, and there were clearly differences...though not huge, the overall tones were definitely more similar than different.

I found the link...here it is: Comparison

[JWALKER]

Thanks (Muleya) , that was a really great thread. Too bad there was no video in the clip, but a great thread at any rate. The differences were very subtle to my ears at least, and I guess I was expecting more pronounced differences between the two woods.

[fendertweed]

I'm not sure you can generalize meaningfully ... I have had a heavier ASAT (c. '97) and some light ones. Bill Crook, a master luthier if there ever was one, told me his finds it harder & harder to find light alder though I have some nice lighter alder guitars (not current mfr.). All in all, I'm not sure any "average" has much meaning given all the variables.

jc

G&L ASAT SH/Bigsby (honeyburst) '01 6.0
G&L ASAT Spec. SH/Bigsby (Orange) '01 6.4
G&L Z-3 SH '01 6.7
G&L GbL LE #17'99 7.1
G&L GbL LE #4 '99 6.9
G&L S-500 '98 8.0
G&L ASAT Special (Orange) '97 8.4

[Muleya]

Thanks (Muleya) , that was a really great thread. Too bad there was no video in the clip, but a great thread at any rate. The differences were very subtle to my ears at least, and I guess I was expecting more pronounced differences between the two woods.

Yeah, very subtle. That helped me feel okay about going with Ash on my new Legacy, even though I'd never really heard/played one before...well, I might have, but was never aware of it.

[Loobster]

My ASAT Special is over 8lbs. Doesn't really bother me though.

[darylb]

Both of my G&L's have been Tribute models. I never weighed my Legacy HB but I thought it was pretty heavy for a "S" style guitar. I am assuming it was alder since it was painted a solid color.

My asat special isnt overly heavy but it is a bit heavier than a tele I used to have. It is ash and it is a really pretty grain so I like it.

I am in the camp that there is too much importance placed on "tonewood". Actually I dont think "tonewood" exists. I think there are too many variables in a guitar to attribute the tone to the wood the body is made from. I believe all of the variables have an affect. If you have 10 guitars, all built well, I believe the most impact in tone comes from the pickups as far as the physical guitar is concerned. Obviously, the most important variable in how a guitar sounds is the player. A lot of guys kick some serious butt with pine bodied telecasters.

I think a skilled builder can use different materials to make guitars sound different but I wouldnt say one is better than another.

[Loobster]

Totally - there is way more involved in a great sounding guitar than the 'right' body weight. Even the best guitars on paper, specs wise, can sound crappy.

[CGT]

My alder-bodied Legacy is the heaviest guitar I own and although I haven't put it on a scale, I would guess it weighs at least eight pounds.

Tone woods certainly do have an effect, but less so on electric guitars than on acoustics. Nevertheless a whole lot of engineering goes into any guitar and there are dozens of build variables that can affect tone and playability. Ultimately, it's what feels/sounds right to you that matters, and that elusive quality is what will draw a player to a specific instrument.

[brianr0131]

My new Legacy is Alder and weighs in at 8.4 lbs I guess that's a little on the heavy side. I think it weighs more than my 1986 ASAT (maple)

[jageya]

wow..are there any tributes that weigh at 7.5 lbs or lighter?

[SouthpawGuy]

wow..are there any tributes that weigh at 7.5 lbs or lighter?

Not Tribute models, but my Legacy Deluxe weighs just over 7lbs. I had expected it to be heavier because of the ash body with maple top


This ash body Legacy on the other hand is a heavy one, 9lbs or so, but it sounds fantastic.

[guitarplayerpr]

My S500, which is a Tribute, I promise, weighs as much as a heavy Les Paul. I was shocked about it

[Fumble fingers]

weight is hit and miss , I have picked up some light weight Tributes in both guitar and Bass ..... there is light and heavy planks of about every kind of wood if you was rooting through the supply bend ..... I have some ASAT's (3) that weigh over 9 lbs ..... I have some S type that weigh as light as 7.5 (97 S500) and as heavy as 9lbs (my 84 Cavalier) and the rest of my S type are right at 8.0 ...... my SC 2 , LE2 and Fallout are all around 7.2 to 7.5 range ........ my lightest solid body is a ASAT Blues Boy in Empress wood , 6.5 lbs with C plus neck and locking tuners , I can't tell any difference between my 9 lbs plus ASAT Classic neck position and my BB 6.5 lbs neck position , if there is a difference I don't hear it ...

[JD0x0]

wow..are there any tributes that weigh at 7.5 lbs or lighter?

ASAT Tribute Deluxe HB. 6.5lbs.

[ShawnP]

Out of pure curiosity I just weighed mine, never thought of it before and here's how it went.

My '85 Superhawk: 8.6 lbs (presumed swamp ash)

My '96 S-500: 7.4 lbs (swamp ash)

My '15 ASAT classic S semi-hollow 8.0 lbs (swamp ash)

[JD0x0]

Jerry Cantrell Tribute (Soft Maple body) ~12lbs
ASAT Tribute Deluxe~6.5lbs
US S-500 Swamp ash (locking tuners) ~8.5lbs
Havent weighed my tribute legacy yet, but it's pretty heavy with its mahogany body prob around 9lbs.

[AireGuitare]

My 1982 G&L S-500 weighs 10.2 Lbs... even though I scalloped the fingerboard (i know- that didn't take any real weight off it) I was told long ago that it is Swamp Ash but what do I know? 34 years later it is still my main axe... second is my EDS1275 the Gibson Custom Shop in 1988.

[KenC]

My 1982 G&L S-500 weighs 10.2 Lbs... even though I scalloped the fingerboard (i know- that didn't take any real weight off it) I was told long ago that it is Swamp Ash but what do I know? 34 years later it is still my main axe... second is my EDS1275 the Gibson Custom Shop in 1988.

Back in those days G&L used a different species of ash, which was typically much heavier than swamp ash. The mahogany was also heavier than what you'll find in current production. IME, it's pretty normal for early '80s G&L guitars to be in the 9-10 pound range and basses to be a pound or two heavier.

Ken