Guitar weight

Richard Lotspeich · From: North Georgia

I posted this a while back in builders section,and didn't get much traction. "Lets get your thoughts on guitar weight,,,and tone/sustain. We all want a lighter guitar,,but I think some of the tone and sustain are in the weight"
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Dick Lotspeich

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

I used to think that, and still do think it can be a factor, but GFI steels are known to be lighter than most others, and I’ve heard some of them that sound incredibly good. On the other hand, I had an original MSA D10 that felt like it was made out of lead, and sounded like it too. So I guess my answer would be… it depends.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I have owned some heavy guitars. The best sustaining guitar I have owned is the lightest guitar too, A GFI S12 Keyless.

At first we seem to look for Tone and Sustain, Weight does not matter.
We don't seem to pay much attention to the weight of our guitar, Until age catches up with us, And then easy carrying and handling of the guitar becomes more important.

Dan Kelly · From: Boston, MA

I dunno if there is a direct relationship between weight and sustain.

I have had:

1972 U-12 Wright Custom at about 85 pounds in the case - "good" sustain
1970 D-10 ShowBud Pro II - 75 pounds in the case - "good" sustain
1981 S-10 Marlen - Pull Release - 50 pounds in the case - "better" sustain
2003 D-10 Mullen Royal Precision - "good" sustain
2017 S-10 "New Era" Sierra - 43 pounds in the case - really "unbelievable" sustain

The Sierra was designed with sustain as a design objective. The "sound board," if you will, is fixed at only four points, just above the place where the four carbon fiber legs attach. The "sound board" (That is the neck, changer and nut - no mechanicals) is allowed to vibrate more freely. The clarity and duration of the sustain is remarkable.

At one point, I explored the objective measurement of a given stringed musical instrument's sustain. As it turned out, the test methods had to be executed in a "inter" laboratory setting so the reliability repeatability and validity of the test method could be established for a given stringed musical instrument category. Then, it had to be established on an intra" laboratory setting measured during round robin testing between laboratories.

All this to come up with an objective measurement of pedal steel guitar sustain turned out to be financially unpractical.

Even if the test method proved to be valid, reliable and repeatable, the pedal steel guitars themselves are not! How many times have we read about two "exact" same pedal steel guitars from the same maker... even made days apart, that sound or sustain very differently?
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Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

A standard hollow body electric guitar can weigh under 10 pounds and have excellent sustain.

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

My lightest PSG is an Emmons GS-10.
I don't think the light weight affects the Tone or Sustain at all.
It is really light and sounds awesome.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I play a Magnum D 10 that is very light but sounds as good, plays as good and has plenty sustain. I don’t think weight has much to do with how a guitar sustains. I’ve played Carter starters and Sho Bud Mavericks that also had good sustain. This was discussed years back and I think Paul Franklin had said that tone and sustain is a combination of all parts. I agree 100% with him. If weight had anything to do with tone and sustain, most of us would be playing iron guitars.😊
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

The best sounding guitar I have ever heard or owned, was the heaviest guitar I ever had...MSA Classic D-10. sustain for days & woulda cut through Led Zeppelin onstage. Like an idiot, I sold it, bought it back, sold it again, & had the chance to buy it back again, but decided against it because I was facing heart surgery & didn't know if I would be able to lift it easily...man was I wrong. Would give anything to have it back.
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A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

Jack Hargraves · From: Missouri, USA

I have SD 10 Expo. It is very light. I'm always amazed at the sustain this guitar has.
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GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal.

Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

Excel S10, 21lbs, case 12 lbs…great tone…. Very Happy

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Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Dozens, or maybe hundreds of factors in a guitar have an affect on tone and sustain. But I don’t think any one factor is as critical as the combination of factors, and how well they work together. I also think that some players do not appreciate (or notice) how much the volume pedal, technique, and the amp settings affect the “sustain equation”. Buddy Emmons played many brands, Bigsby, Sho~Bud, Fender, Emmons, Sierra, Derby, ZumSteel, Carter, and probably a few others, but I never heard a problem with the sustain of any of them.

Food for thought, anyway. Oh Well

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