Weight advice

[lefty_major]

I have a lefty ASAT in Swamp Ash (solid body). I'm thinking about getting a new guitar and I'd like another G&L but weight concerns me. Aside from getting a semi-hollow, any advice on a lighter lefty G&L guitar? Are the solid body ASATs all similar in weight?

[darwinohm]

Lefty-major, I have 9 Asats and here is what they weigh, weights in Lbs, Oz . The hollow bodies are 6 2, 6 9, 6 11, 6 14, and 7 7. The solid bodies are 7 1, 7 11, 7 13, and 7 15. You can never predict what they are going to weigh but if you order from a dealer, I would ask for a lighter body. The heaviest Asat I have owned was an Alder body and usually people consider Alder to be lighter.-- Darwin

[meowmix]

I have seen Mahogany heavy and I have seen Mahogany light. There is no guarantee one wood would be lighter than another. Though you can bet a maple body always being the heaviest. Between Alder and Ash. I just don't know.

Don't forget most people on the internet like 11/16 nut not 5/8.

[louis cyfer]

I have seen Mahogany heavy and I have seen Mahogany light. There is no guarantee one wood would be lighter than another. Though you can bet a maple body always being the heaviest. Between Alder and Ash. I just don't know.

Don't forget most people on the internet like 11/16 nut not 5/8.

i'll take that bet. how much?

[Fumble fingers]

how much weight does the rear contour and arm contour save on a ASAT ??

[louis cyfer]

how much weight does the rear contour and arm contour save on a ASAT ??

not that much. if you really want a light guitar, get a semi hollow without an f-hole.

[meowmix]

how much weight does the rear contour and arm contour save on a ASAT ??

You would want that even if it added weight.

Also the metal flake paint will weigh the most. SS over nickel. Locking tuners over non-locking. Plastic pg over metal. And on and on it goes.

[lefty_major]

I'm shying aware from semi-hollow because of price. The reason I'm asking was that I played around with a American Fender Tele in a music store and I was surprised at the lightness of it compared to my ASAT. That was the only thing it I liked better about it compared to what I currently play. I wonder what the wood is and if it compromises the sound.


Is Alder lighter than Swamp Ash, or about the same?

So I could ask my dealer to ask G&L to ask for a lighter piece of wood?

Understood on the nut request, neck type, arm and back contour, etc. Thanks for the heads-up though.

[meowmix]

I'm shying aware from semi-hollow because of price. The reason I'm asking was that I played around with a American Fender Tele in a music store and I was surprised at the lightness of it compared to my ASAT. That was the only thing it I liked better about it compared to what I currently play. I wonder what the wood is and if it compromises the sound.


Is Alder lighter than Swamp Ash, or about the same?

So I could ask my dealer to ask G&L to ask for a lighter piece of wood?

Understood on the nut request, neck type, arm and back contour, etc. Thanks for the heads-up though.

Darwin gave the best advice here.
Good thing you came and asked. Where else would you find someone with that many ASATs with the weights of each one?

Ask. Tell the dealer to put it down on the order sheet. It will then become a request.

Swamp Ash or Alder. I don't know. I don't think anyone here knows that for sure.

[louis cyfer]

how much weight does the rear contour and arm contour save on a ASAT ??

You would want that even if it added weight.

Also the metal flake paint will weigh the most. SS over nickel. Locking tuners over non-locking. Plastic pg over metal. And on and on it goes.

plastic pg weighs more than a metal one?

[meowmix]

plastic pg weighs more than a metal one?

Can you even get a metal pg?

ASATs 2013 come in 2 type of body woods. Ash and Alder. Either with or without maple top.
Darwins lightest ASAT is Mahogany body.
Lefty_major should "request" a mahogany body first. It might work. It has been done before.
If that fails, go for Ash. Or request for "pine".

In Darwins weights, the maple tops were at the heavy end of the scale. If you want something light, stay away from maple body.

[louis cyfer]

plastic pg weighs more than a metal one?

Can you even get a metal pg?

ASATs 2013 come in 2 type of body woods. Ash and Alder. Either with or without maple top.
Darwins lightest ASAT is Mahogany body.
Lefty_major should "request" a mahogany body first. It might work. It has been done before.
If that fails, go for Ash. Or request for "pine".

In Darwins weights, the maple tops were at the heavy end of the scale. If you want something light, stay away from maple body.

i am sure you can get a metal pg, but you said the plastic pg is lighter than a metal one? i am curious.
as far as darwin's weights, it is not a significant enough sample size to draw any conclusions other than those are what his guitars weigh. anything else is a fallacy based on those. all the woods vary greatly in weight, including maple, ash and alder and mahogany. i still want to take you up on your assertion that you can bet that maple will always be the heaviest. $1000?

[meowmix]

i am sure you can get a metal pg, but you said the plastic pg is lighter than a metal one? i am curious.
as far as darwin's weights, it is not a significant enough sample size to draw any conclusions other than those are what his guitars weigh. anything else is a fallacy based on those. all the woods vary greatly in weight, including maple, ash and alder and mahogany. i still want to take you up on your assertion that you can bet that maple will always be the heaviest. $1000?

Lefty_major has no absolutes when it comes to which body wood is heavy, heavier, and heaviest. He will make the gamble as to what is lightest. If he chooses Mahogany, it can be the lightest, then again, I have seen it where it anything but. Which will he gamble on?

Here is my quote

There is no guarantee one wood would be lighter than another.

Then later on I said

Though you can bet a maple body always being the heaviest.

Sounds like a contradiction. It isn't. One needs to take it in context.
ASATs come in 2 different woods. Neither being all maple.
Adding a maple top will only make the guitar heavier. If he chooses, he can gamble against the odds and pick a maple top, I don't care. ( I still think asking for an all Mahogany body will be the best bet for the lightest body)

Louis I understand English was not your first language. If you read what I said, I was speaking to Lefty_major, not Louis. The you is referring to Left_major. In case you didn't notice. I'm trying to help this guy out. If there is anything unclear, he can ask.

Lefty_major, understand 11/16th neck will only add more weight. But I think it is a good idea. Do an internet search on 5/8 vs. 11/16, and you will see what I mean.

[lefty_major]

Thanks, guys. I will talk to the dealer re: lighter weight request and mention mahogany as an option.

I prefer the 11/16 so there is no question there. I know the neck I like. If I save my bucks, maybe I will go semi-hollow.... Now I'm going to go play around on that "guitar builder"


I forgot to ask: Wood aside, is the much weight difference in an ASAT vs. a S-500?

[ChinoGee]

The weight on my 1993 ASAT is the only little drawback I see. It's an swamp ash bosy, and the weight is 8 lbs 14,5oz (around 4 Kgs if I'm correct).

It gives a full sound, with a great sustain but I had to buy a strap with a big padded garment. Ths ASAT is much heavier than my CS Strat, but it's a fantastic guitar though.

[Miles Smiles]

(around 4 Kgs if I'm correct).

Still light weight,

for a man.

[lefty_major]

I use a bass strap on my ASAT but I'm still a man. In fact I think it looks manly!

I played around with that guitar builder. I didn't find that much price difference with a semi-hollow vs. a solid body with the back and front contours. Maybe I will do the semi-hollow.

My current ASAT doesn't have the contours. I kind of wish it did. I wonder how I could get that done?

[Elwood]

My current ASAT doesn't have the contours. I kind of wish it did. I wonder how I could get that done?

fast forward to around 1:40 for inspiration

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XViK4laMGwk[/video]

[astutzmann]

Have a look at my avatar. The bluesboy is semi hollow with F hole. If I were to do it again, I'd do without F hole, like Louis suggested. Nice weight, easy playing guitar.

Asat special deluxe is solid mahogany with maple cap. Heavy as hell. Solid guitar, great tones, bright with the cap, ebony board and SS frets, but heavy at 9lb 4 oz.

I'm sure a solid bluesboy would sound different that a semi, but the semi sounds fantastic, can't go wrong.

[Miles Smiles]

I use a bass strap on my ASAT but I'm still a man. In fact I think it looks manly!

A bass strap doesn't make the guitar having less weight, so that's OK anyway.

I wonder how I could get that done?

You mean contour and semi? I didn't have one in hands, but I guess even a Legacy or Comanche semi do not have contour bodies?

OK, when I look to the pictures, they have it though.

The guitar builder may not be flawless, so maybe it's possible for the ASAT too.

[Boogie Bill]

If weight is an issue I would advise getting a SH, with or without f-hole. I don't think the sans f-hole sounds significantly different than a solid.

My ASAT Deluxe is my heaviest guitar...heavier than any of my Les Pauls at 9.6 lbs. It has the DF Vibrato, so there's a lot of wood gone from that body.

And I totally take exception that most people prefer 1-11/16" fingerboards. There are a lot of people buying the 1-5/8", necks. I play both wide Gibsons and narrow G&Ls and the G&L is the most comfortable for me.

I think it's good that we have that option...but G&L should stay with the #1 neck.

Bill

[louis cyfer]

I use a bass strap on my ASAT but I'm still a man. In fact I think it looks manly!

A bass strap doesn't make the guitar having less weight, so that's OK anyway.

I wonder how I could get that done?

You mean contour and semi? I didn't have one in hands, but I guess even a Legacy or Comanche semi do not have contour bodies?

OK, when I look to the pictures, they have it though.

The guitar builder may not be flawless, so maybe it's possible for the ASAT too.

no contour in semi hollow.

[lefty_major]

Elwood, thank you for the video. Maybe I should show up at G&L's door and they would do this for me

Why the advice for, or against an f hole? Sound?

I remember seeing some G&L without an f hole that blew up. The wood cracked, I think due to humidity. So I figure best to have the hole.


An earlier question: Are the weights between a ASAT and S-500 close. I'm just talking "in general".

[Fumble fingers]

my 1998 ASAT Classic weighs 8.6 pounds with blonde finish

[darwinohm]

Lefty, I own both F hole and hollow with no f hole. I play a lot unplugged for practice and much prefer the F hole as it is louder. -- Darwin

[Miles Smiles]

This are the weight values of my electric guitars, it's all in kg, sorry for that.

Code: Select all

Epiphone Riviera:   3.8 
Gibson LP Special:  3.8   
Gibson LP Studio:   4.16 
Gibson Nighthawk:   3.3   
G&L ASAT DeLuxe:    3.4  
G&L S-500           4.6      
G&L F-100 E         4.14      
G&L SC-2            3.4      
G&L F-100:          3.5     
G&L Legacy:         3.7     
G&L ASAT Special    3.6       
G&L ASAT Bluesboy   3.8     
G&L Trib. Comanche  4.04     
Fender Telecaster   3.5       
Epiphone LP Custom  4.0      
Hohner ST-59        3.8       
Ibanez RG470        3.6     
EKO Manta           2.5     
Parts Strat         3.52      
Squier CV           3.34      

[lefty_major]

Interesting data, Miles. Thanks for posting. I see your S-500 is heavier than your ASATs. I wouldn't have guessed that.

[Miles Smiles]

Interesting data, Miles. Thanks for posting. I see your S-500 is heavier than your ASATs. I wouldn't have guessed that.

Your welcome.

That S-500 body is from 1984 the neck from 1985, they were built different than the current ones. As a recent S-500 is basically the same as a Legacy, they would have similar weight, it depends just on the tree, they are made of.

[TMO]

My neck/shoulder was sore for weeks after I got my ASAT. I got Swamp Ash. God I love it.

It's heavy. My ears convinced my neck that it wasn't a big problem though. Never going back either.