Guitar weight- can you feel the difference ?

[electricfactory]

Here's the scenario; two identical Strats [ or Teles or whatever], one weighs 7.2lbs, the other identical guitar weighs 7.4lbs.
Would you be able to feel the weight difference, which guitar was heavier of the two, all other things being equal ? Or is this difference negligible ?

 

[Brian N]

2 oz? Nope. I probably wouldn't feel it until about 8 oz.

 

[peskypesky]

Here's the scenario; two identical Strats [ or Teles or whatever], one weighs 7.2lbs, the other identical guitar weighs 7.4lbs.
Would you be able to feel the weight difference, which guitar was heavier of the two, all other things being equal ? Or is 2 oz difference, negligible ?

the difference is actually 3.2 ounces.

i would not be able to tell the difference.

 

[electricfactory]

Thanks peskypesky, will adjust, I guess the point was at what point does weight difference between two identical guitars become apparent ?

the difference is actually 3.2 ounces.

i would not be able to tell the difference.

 

[Polynitro]

I can tell a 1/2lbs difference with a tele easily.

My bother doesnt even play guitar picked up one of my teles and said,
"wow this is as light as my shotgun!"
It weighs 7lbs, same as his shotgun.

when I bought my cabronita tele I said to the salesguy, "i bet this weighs 7.5lbs"
he said 'I bet its 6.5 lbs"
so he weighed it and it was 7.25lbs.

 

[Tim Plains]

Maybe not in the 7 lb range but I definitely can with my 9+ lb Les Pauls. I can play them all day with a 2.5" strap as long as they're 9.3 lbs and below. 9.4 lbs, my Les Paul Custom, is where I feel it and need a wider strap. Yes, that 0.1 lbs is the straw that breaks the camel's back.

 

[K-Line]

I think at about 1/2 to 3/4lbs it starts to feel different.

 

[Multicellular]

Anything from 2 to 200 pounds, I can't tell, since I'm such a beast.

 

[Astronaut FX]

http://apps.usd.edu/coglab/WebersLaw.html

http://www.cis.rit.edu/people/faculty/montag/vandplite/pages/chap_3/ch3p1.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-noticeable_difference

 

[electricfactory]

Ha, at last, a true and righteous He-Man !
I'm as guilty as anyone of seeking lightweight guitars, not for sparing my shoulder[ Les Pauls excepted]but more for the tonal attributes of a lightweight guitar.
Yesterday I found two T-type guitars [ on-line, at different locations] identically priced and appointed, the only difference being the aforementioned weights.
It got me thinking, wondered how far you guys take it while seeking out lightweight S-types/ T-types.

Edit: Astronaut FX appears to have found the exact calculation. Well done.

Anything from 2 to 200 pounds, I can't tell, since I'm such a beast.

 

[aussie_owner]

In general, there needs to be roughly a 10% difference in weight between two objects to be able to judge which is the heavier of the two. For a 7 lb guitar that works out to around 11 oz, so being able to distinguish a 1/2 lb difference falls in line with that. I can definitely tell the difference in weights of my guitars. My heaviest is my 8 lb, 2 oz LP and my lightest is my PRS SE Singlecut Korina at 6 lb, 8 oz.

 

[Average Joe]

Probably not.

On a more general note, I think i notice weight distribution as much as the actual weight. I had a semi that weighed 8 lbs even, same as my strat. yet that semi always felt heavier, partially I think, because more of the weight was further away from the body

 

[JBid]

I don't notice a couple of ounces. I have two 2003 SG Specials with an almost 8 oz. weight difference. I can't tel them apart if I don't look. Like others, 9 lb.s is geting to my "sensitivity" level, so my Les Paul Custom (10 lb. 2 oz.) feels heavy to me and the Standard (9 lb.s 5 oz.)feels just a little less so. BTW, if you knew the weight of your #1 when you bought it and it is more than 5 years old, weigh it now and you might be surprised to find it's accumulated weight. (Dead skin cells and oils.)

 

[mikealpine]

I think at about 1/2 to 3/4lbs it starts to feel different.

I'm in this area too. Maybe if I sat and concentrated on it I "might" notice, but if I'm just grabbing a guitar to play, then put it down and pick up another in the same relative weight range, nope.

 

[jads57]

Being 58 I CAN, LOL! The funniest was a few years back I had a lovely PRS SC 245. On the 3rd gig w/ it, we had a lousey drummer. Man that thing instantly gained 10 pounds,LOL!

 

[Tone_Terrific]

So many of these trivial questions can be tested and answered to one's own satisfaction by doing somehting as simple as hanging a little weight onto your current guitar. Does it bug you? did it change the tone?

 

[Lewguitar]

Here's the scenario; two identical Strats [ or Teles or whatever], one weighs 7.2lbs, the other identical guitar weighs 7.4lbs.
Would you be able to feel the weight difference, which guitar was heavier of the two, all other things being equal ? Or is this difference negligible ?

Negligible.

I'd be trusting my feelings and seeing which one made me feel the most comfortable and was the most fun to play.

When I'm trying something out and I'm liking it a lot, I'll fall into a rhythm andgroove and then start to hum to myself while I'm playing.

Just a soulful low growl & hum that starts up all by itself from inside me.

That's always a good sign.

 

[CubanB]

When sitting no, standing yes. Was that stating the obvious? Haha.

Obviously the greater the weight difference, the more you'll notice. The differences you mention are very minor.

I do prefer lighter guitars and by some weird coincidence, they do seem to have something special about them (the way they resonate). My heaviest guitar is a basswood RG. It feels as heavy as a LP. All my alder guitars are lighter and a MIJ strat and Yamaha Pacifica are both very light.

Unless a guitar is very heavy, I don't pay much attention to weight. The beauty of strats to me is that even the heavier ones are still very manageable and I love the body shape, it's very comfortable.