Recommend a Light Weight guitar for jazz?

[Doug B]

I've been having major back pains and the doctor sent me to have an xray. Seems I have arthritis of the lower spine.

Right now I'm using a Strat which weighs around 8-9 pounds. I can only practise for 20 min. or so before I have to take a rest.
Thought that headless guitars might be the answer, but I don't think they weigh much less. How much do headless guitars weigh?
What about full hollow body guitars ala 175s or L5 types?

Any other suggestions for light weigh guitars?

Thanks muchly in advance.

[plasticpigeon]

Without a doubt I can recommend the Eastman AR371/372. These are es-175 style guitars but much much lighter weight and louder acoustically. Excellent quality and at a decent price.

[Doug B]

Without a doubt I can recommend the Eastman AR371/372. These are es-175 style guitars but much much lighter weight and louder acoustically. Excellent quality and at a decent price.

Thanks. I will certainly look into these. Any idea why they are lighter weight? Do they use a certain light wood?

Cheers

Doug

[rpjazzguitar]

Yamaha silent guitar? It has no body at all. I have the original nylon version. Great neck. Sounds good except for piezo quack.

The second gen model has been out for a while. Might sound better.

Comes in steel string too.

[Doug B]

Not so sure about the silent guitar. Might be a bit unconventional for me. Thanks for the suggestion, will have to think on it. Besides, the cost is up around some middle priced full hollow jazz guitars.

Just heard some Silent guitar on Youtube. They don't sound bad; but the steel string sounds like a cowboy guitar/folkie guitar.

I wonder if you could use flat wound strings?

Doug

[mr. beaumont]

My Godin Kingpin is under 6 lbs.

[jorgemg1984]

I had a Godin Kingpin, it was very light and it's a good guitar - if you like P90s and flat radius.

[Doug B]

My Godin Kingpin is under 6 lbs.

Thanks, off to check it out.

Is that one or two pickups?


Doug

[mr. beaumont]

It's one.

I think there'd be quite a few options in the one pickup hollow body department that might be light enough for you--in case you don't like the Kingpin.

I feel like I've played some shallow depth full hollow guitars that were quite light too--like a 330 or an Epiphone Casino. Then you get 2 pickups. Eastman has some models like that too...

[plasticpigeon]

Thanks. I will certainly look into these. Any idea why they are lighter weight? Do they use a certain light wood?

Cheers

Doug

No special woods> They are hollow guitars, no centre block, and the laminates used are very thin, much thinner than on new Gibsons, but more similar to old Gibsons from the 50s.

[GNAPPI]

I had a Godin Kingpin, it was very light and it's a good guitar - if you like P90s and flat radius.

The Kingpin II has HB's. I played one at a LGS and liked it a lot despite the FB radius. But alas I don't think the satin / flat French polish type finish is conducive to being assaulted by my skin type.

[rob taft]

My Forshage headless hollow body rings in at 5.0 even. My next lightest electric is my Eastman ElRey 4 custom shop at 5.5 Lbs. My other Elrey4 weighs a little bit over 6. My heaviest electric is my Gibson L5S at 10.2 lbs. They all pale in comparison to my Eathan Deutsch Flamenco Blanca at 2.5 Lbs.

[jorgemg1984]

The Kingpin II has HB's. I played one at a LGS and liked it a lot despite the FB radius. But alas I don't think the satin / flat French polish type finish is conducive to being assaulted by my skin type.

OK, was not aware of that. Then, it's a matter of enjoying a flat radius fretboard In the end, that was a deal breaker for me.

[339 in june]

The lightest of my guitars is a Gibson ES125T, full hollow, one P-90, thin plywood. So thin that it can sound acoustically ! So light (and so thin) that you hardly feel it on your shoulder when you play it.
In second comes my Eastman AR503CE, full hollow, one KA PU, thin carved spruce. So thin that it barks like a flat top !

There are a lot of options, but the above do not sound like a Strat !

[Tal_175]

Have you checked out Dynarette cushions? For playing sitting down, Dynarette or another type of support might be a good solution.

[Doug B]

Thanks everyone for the ideas suggestions and info. Now all I have to do is save up for it!

[Gitfiddler]

Full hollow bodied Heritage H525 or H530 (modern updates on the Gibson ES225 TD and ES330) weigh approximately 6 - 6.5 lbs.

[sgosnell]

My Eastman is <5 lb, fully hollow thinline. A laminated guitar will be marginally heavier, because of the glue. Not a lot, but glue is usually heavier than spruce, and even maple. Any hollow body should be lighter than a solid body, because air is much lighter than any wood, even balsa. But when you start adding pickups, pots, etc, the weight goes up, because magnets are heavy.

[Jonathan0996]

Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody. Under six pounds and you can play anything on it. Great all-purpose guitar.

[skittles]

Doug,

I have pretty major spine issues. You’ve gotten a few good suggestions here already. The Dynarette lets me play my L-5 whereas I cannot handle a strap or resting it on my right leg. The Dynarette is not a panacea, though, and I do hit a limit where using it in “classical” position stops being comfortable.

My only other git is a PRS Hollowbody II spruce top. It’s very light: about 5 pounds. I don’t think there’s a lighter, more versatile, or better made guitar out there. I can use it with a strap for some period of time. All that said, I don’t love it. It lacks something for me (“personality”? Maybe it’s too clinical/refined?) that I can only get elsewhere.

I’d try the Dynarette first and then maybe hunt down something in the vein of the PRS for comparisons sake.

Good luck!


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[Doug B]

Skittles, sorry to hear about your back pain. It's a b****, ain't it? I also have fibromyalgia in my neck and shoulders, so I get it from my waist up and neck down. Oh boy!

I looked up the Dynarette and don't quite get it. Even though it takes the weight off your shoulders and puts it on your leg, you still have to lean forward, which is NOT good for a bad back. Or am I missing something?

Cheers

Doug

Doug,

I have pretty major spine issues. You’ve gotten a few good suggestions here already. The Dynarette lets me play my L-5 whereas I cannot handle a strap or resting it on my right leg. The Dynarette is not a panacea, though, and I do hit a limit where using it in “classical” position stops being comfortable.

My only other git is a PRS Hollowbody II spruce top. It’s very light: about 5 pounds. I don’t think there’s a lighter, more versatile, or better made guitar out there. I can use it with a strap for some period of time. All that said, I don’t love it. It lacks something for me (“personality”? Maybe it’s too clinical/refined?) that I can only get elsewhere.

I’d try the Dynarette first and then maybe hunt down something in the vein of the PRS for comparisons sake.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jim Soloway]

Have you checked out Dynarette cushions? For playing sitting down, Dynarette or another type of support might be a good solution.

Excellent advice. It's been a life saver for me. It works with almost any guitar and it transfers all of the weight to the thigh instead of the back.

[sgosnell]

You don't need to lean much with the Dynarette. It raises the guitar pretty high, too high for me. I cut mine down, but it's still too high for my comfort, and the cover is really loose. It lives on a shelf. I'm sure it works for some people, and it certainly eliminates the need for leaning, but even the smallest model is too big for me.

[Doug B]

You don't need to lean much with the Dynarette. It raises the guitar pretty high, too high for me. I cut mine down, but it's still too high for my comfort, and the cover is really loose. It lives on a shelf. I'm sure it works for some people, and it certainly eliminates the need for leaning, but even the smallest model is too big for me.

I'm 5'7" so chances are it would be too big for me as well.

[Doug B]

There are also these performance guitar stands by Viking:

https://vikingguitarstands.com/

Guitar clamps into a stand, angled for playing. You play standing up. Cost is around $250