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Weight of Heritage Guitars


FredZepp

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I work in a calibration laboratory. I can weigh your guitars with microgram accuracy!

 

For example: we can take a sheet of paper, weigh it, then have you sign it, weigh it again, and can tell you how much ink (or graphite or crayon) you used.

 

What's the point of all this? Well, probably nothing...

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A french friend who is a great guitar tech since 25 years told me that : if a guitar is heavy, you have to attack it more to get it well "sounding" (because of the vibration of the wood) and the sound of a heavy guitar will be more aggressive if the weight is important...

 

He told me that the best weight for a LP (Heritage) is around 3,8kg (8,4 lbs)... It is very rare to get this weight for a LP or H150, but....

During 25 years, he had hundred and hundred guitars in hand, from big stars and so can made comparison among them and the last was 4,1kg (LP R9) was the limit for him...

 

I didn't tell you that it is the truth (my LP custom from1982 was 4,4 kg, but I'll try to understand his argument.

 

And sorry for my poor english ....

 

Pierre

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I thought it was color, not weight or density, that determined tone?

everybody knows that red guitars sound the best, Right?

I've been saying that for years! And, the pickguard pattern can also make or break your tone.

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I don't think the science of tone has developed sufficiently to tell all the variables that contribute to it, but here is more anecdotal evidence. Last week I tested 3 guitars for tone. I set up my LoneStar amp to some settings I like and I didn't change them for all 3 tests. I played:

 

2003 H150 Ultra 10.2 Lbs. SD 59's

 

2000 SC 8.8 Lbs. Non-weight relieved PRS #7's

 

2006 SC 7.8 Lbs. Weight relieved PRS #7's

 

All 3 are mahogany with a maple top. All 3 are SingleCut body style. All 3 have the pickups in about the same height. Tone on full, volume at full and at 5. Sustain was about the same for all 3. But tone was audibly different. Now, everybody’s taste is different and all 3 sounded great and I'm lucky to have any one of them. But for me the 8.8 Lb. one had the warmest, sweetest, most pleasing tone. The 10.2 Lb. was next and the 7.8 Lb. was last.

 

If weight was the dominant factor, the 10.2 would have killed it. I think density is a more significant factor. Now weight and density are of course related, but not synonymous. It is interesting how the timing of things works out. This was in yesterday's news.

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701221447.htm

 

 

Thickness was pretty much equal, it was wood density that these guys attribute to Stradivari's instruments producing better "tone" And it wasn't higher or lower density, it was the most consistent density. I think that means consistent ring growth year after year (differences between early and late ring growth). In other words, "Mother Nature" will decide who's guitar has better tone.

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H150CM 10lbs on two different scales. Its too heavy for me now.

I happen to know that the absolute best 150cm weighs 10.5lbs, at least according to my digital batroom scale. :icon_joker:

 

Seriously, I love it but it's hard on the shoulder.

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