lightest electric guitars

Started by myksara, October 07, 2013, 09:46:16 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

guitarmanuk

I know the Parker Fly has been mentioned and I use a 97 Classis that weighs around the 4.5lbs mark.  I also have a Parker Fly Concert that is abut 3.5lbs and plays beuatifully.  I have the GK3 on that one.

ZenSonic

A used Steinberger GL series is light and compact.

slooky

Quote from: paul elie on February 04, 2015, 02:42:27 PM
i have made one of the lightness guitar....
all carbon fiber + lace+ tronical tuners...
special saw like fretting (no metal!)
only the strings and the tronical are not carbone....
on the pic this is the first prototype...
now i took of the wamer and the alumitone to relace them with lace special
Paul.

Wow you made that? Awesome

Headless68

Reminded me of the bond - the early ones had a composite stepped saw tooth fingerboard but had wear issues and changed to a metal one on the later models
I remember them being very fast feeling for playing going up the neck - a nice design

Elantric

QuoteReminded me of the bond -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Electraglide



The Bond Electraglide was a carbon fiber electric guitar manufactured by Bond Guitars between 1984 and 1985. It resembled a matte-black, 3-pickup Gibson Melody Maker (although with the 1962 onwards double cut-away), with a unique stepped aluminum fingerboard (anodized black) instead of traditional frets. Pickup switching, volume and tone controls were completely digital, powered by a large internal motherboard.
The player selected pickups via five pushbuttons; volume, treble and bass were incremented numerically via digital rocker switches, confirmed by a three-colour LED readout.
The guitar required an external power supply pack and given the state of engineering at the time, was relatively bulky; it never really caught on in the marketplace and only about 1400 units were ever manufactured.[1]
British guitarist Mick Jones is known to have used a Bond Electraglide with his band Big Audio Dynamite in the mid-1980s. The Edge used his extensively on The Joshua Tree, including the solo on "One Tree Hill", as well as on "Exit," and "Mothers of the Disappeared".[2] Will Sergeant, John Turnbull, and Dave Stewart were also Electraglide users.
Bond Guitars was set up by Andrew Bond (who died in 1999) in Muir of Ord, Scotland, in 1984. The company ceased trading in 1986.
Though being quite costly at the time the company was active, they never maintained their value on the second hand market.
The Dutch guitar manufacturer Aristides Instruments endeavours on a similar path since 2007. However, they use a specifically designed composite (dubbed Arium), rather than regular carbon fibre.

aliensporebomb

#30
I got to play one of those Bond Electraglide guitars once.  I found it really hard to get used to the fretboard.

Here's my lightest electric solidbody guitar:  6 pounds - Ibanez Prestige S1520 FBNT

Terrific fretwork, really great playability and sound. 

My second lightest:  7 pounds - Heartfield EX-2

This Fujigen built instrument has been my #1 for many years but I find the bottom end of the body is too short to really allow GK3 use.  The rounded part of the "wart" tends to impinge on the tremelo bridge travel.

My heaviest electric is the one with the GK pickup on it these days - I haven't weighed it but it is noticeably heavier than the old one I used to have but seemingly not as heavy as the old Ibanez Artist I had:

Jackson Soloist SL2:


I'm guessing it's between 8 and 9 pounds.  Maybe nine and a half, I haven't weighed it yet.

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Octapad1

Another thumbs up for Parker.

I have a mahogany Parker fly mojo midi with GK3 mounted and all internal components for it installed at the factory ( although they are now using RMC saddles like on my Godins) , and yes it is incredibly lightweight and is an amazing axe.....wow.

If you can afford it I highly recommend......I never regret paying the $ for it and Sweetwater will discount pretty nicely for you.

Tony Raven

First, avoid humbuckers. A Fenderish single-coil pickup with magnetic poles weighs less than half an hb. (And a tremolo rout takes out a big chunk of wood.) That in mind, here's two s-s-s guitars I own.

I have an early Ministar (no headphone amp) Castar. It weighs in at 4.6#. The strap-hanger rods add a bit of weight.

My lightweight fave, though, is an Arbor AS-300 first series, with slimmed-Strat shape, & thus the AS-310 as well.
http://www.frugalguitarist.com/post/2010/07/05/Arbor-AS310.aspx
(They've since gone to a straight clone.) Weighs in at 5.4#, though everyone I've had do the comparison feels it's significantly lighter than the Ministar. As well, the 300 is just more conventional AND looks beautiful. Sustain & body tone are quite good.

paul elie

moi aussi je fabrique des guitares en carbone....en France!
http://paulelie.com.monsite-orange.fr/page-5534fa3fc4031.html
et ici la petite dernière hybride bois/carbone....la stratoide MIDI
une vidéo...sans son....mais ça viendras (le son!)
i am french
so excuse my poor English!
http://paulelie.com/guitares/index.html

jwhitcomb3

I first saw a Bond Electraglide demo'd by a Korg distributer in 1984, when they were $1500. By 1986 they had been discontinued and I bought a new one on blowout for $200 or so. It was fun to mess around with but it was not lightweight. You were tethered to an AC power supply, and I found it hard to bend strings on the staircase fingerboard. The active pickups were great for a glassy clean sound. I got bored of it quickly, and sold it at a guitar show a few years later.

The lightest guitar I ever owned was a Parker Fly Deluxe, circa around 1996. Light, but not comfy with that horn elbow. I found it versatile, but it didn't really have a distinctive voice of its own. Loved the trem system, though. I eventually sold it, and was tempted by the "mojo" series, as they had a bit more character to the sound, but never pulled the trigger.

Quote from: Elantric on March 06, 2015, 09:35:40 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Electraglide



The Bond Electraglide was a carbon fiber electric guitar manufactured by Bond Guitars between 1984 and 1985. It resembled a matte-black, 3-pickup Gibson Melody Maker (although with the 1962 onwards double cut-away), with a unique stepped aluminum fingerboard (anodized black) instead of traditional frets. Pickup switching, volume and tone controls were completely digital, powered by a large internal motherboard.
The player selected pickups via five pushbuttons; volume, treble and bass were incremented numerically via digital rocker switches, confirmed by a three-colour LED readout.
The guitar required an external power supply pack and given the state of engineering at the time, was relatively bulky; it never really caught on in the marketplace and only about 1400 units were ever manufactured.[1]
British guitarist Mick Jones is known to have used a Bond Electraglide with his band Big Audio Dynamite in the mid-1980s. The Edge used his extensively on The Joshua Tree, including the solo on "One Tree Hill", as well as on "Exit," and "Mothers of the Disappeared".[2] Will Sergeant, John Turnbull, and Dave Stewart were also Electraglide users.
Bond Guitars was set up by Andrew Bond (who died in 1999) in Muir of Ord, Scotland, in 1984. The company ceased trading in 1986.
Though being quite costly at the time the company was active, they never maintained their value on the second hand market.
The Dutch guitar manufacturer Aristides Instruments endeavours on a similar path since 2007. However, they use a specifically designed composite (dubbed Arium), rather than regular carbon fibre.


Elantric


mbenigni

Quote from: jwhitcomb3 on May 07, 2015, 12:47:37 PM
The lightest guitar I ever owned was a Parker Fly Deluxe, circa around 1996. Light, but not comfy with that horn elbow. I found it versatile, but it didn't really have a distinctive voice of its own. Loved the trem system, though. I eventually sold it, and was tempted by the "mojo" series, as they had a bit more character to the sound, but never pulled the trigger.

I still play a Fly Deluxe.  I've never had any problem with the body shape, in fact it's more comfortable for me than any of my other guitars.  Unfortunately I agree with you about its not having a very distinctive voice.  I so wish it was a hum/single/single configuration; humbuckers in the neck position generally leave me flat and get ignored.  And the middle position on mine is equally boring and has a big drop in volume.  I've sometimes wondered whether a pickup upgrade, like the one offered by Ed Roman (I know I know) back in the day, might help.  Now I'm not sure what's even available that will fit.

Agreed re: the Bond; the staircase fretboard was not "compatible" with conventional string bending techniques.

Alec Lee

Another Parker Fly user here.  I went with a Graphtech Hexspander since I wanted to replace the piezo anyway.  I also have a GK3 on my EBMM but that's a good two pounds heavier than the Parker.


JolietJake

I've just bought a Squier Bullet strat on special offer. The plan is to replace the machine heads and stick a GK-Kit in it. I'm amazed how light it is, probably due to the basswood body. Certainly when it's around your neck you would hardly know there was a guitar there. Quite a nice buzz free neck too. Electronics aren't up to much but who cares I'm putting a GK-Kit in it, although the stock pickups actually sound surprisingly good.

Tony Raven

...but how much does it weigh...? ???

Looks like there's a Great Divide in this thread: Light-Weight $2,000+ Guitars or Light-Weight Guitars That Cost Less Than Your Roland V-Guitar Module.

Very few people would turn away a free Parker... though, as Reeves Gabrels said, the main point of a Parker (or Steinberger) is that it has so little personality that tone has to come from the player, the effects chain, & the amp, all of which are controllable. Electric guitars built along more "traditional" lines can vary wildly, even two that came off the assembly line sequentially, & much of this "personality" is inherent.

So, a suggestion: let's agree that BUY A PARKER is Boring Routine "Well Duh" Answer #1 (maybe followed by Have One Hand-Built To Your Specifications), & put up a few other on-topic candidates -- maybe even a few that would cost less than a rent/mortgage payment.

JolietJake

Quote from: Tony Raven on June 14, 2015, 08:26:42 AM
...but how much does it weigh...? ???

The Squier Bullet (I got at least) is a little over 4 pounds.

admin

Will have a tremolo version at 2019 Winter NAMM ( about $4K)


SCT Carbon Fiber Electric Guitar = 4 pound weight
From Detroit,MI - USA



https://sankuercompositetechnologies.com/

HecticArt

I like it. It would be fun to try one in person.
I'm not one to send off $4k without a little time playing one first.

Elantric

Quote from: HecticArt on November 10, 2018, 07:40:06 PM
I like it. It would be fun to try one in person.
I'm not one to send off $4k without a little time playing one first.

I intend to try this at 2019 Winter NAMM  - and give a report

HecticArt

Very cool.
I have to get to a NAMM one of these times.
SCT is about 45 minutes north of me. If I ever end up with $4k in my pocket that's looking to become a guitar, I should drive up and check the place out.

romero


whippinpost91850

#46
I live just north of Detroit. But play over where they are at sometimes. I'll have to stop by and check them out


arkieboy

I have a friend who sustained a neck injury from a car accident.  He had some choice Les Pauls he eventually sold for a small fortune - now swears by a collection of at least a dozen Ibanez superstrats of various kinds because they are light and sound good.



Given the kind of people VGuitarForums attracts it is entirely predictable so many people are saying 'Parker Fly' but you've made a good solid choice!


;D

Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

gbr13697

I have damaged vertebrae in my neck leading to trapped nerves down my right arm, resulting in pain and numbness.  I love my Les Paul but it is 10 lb, and even my Strat is 7lb.  Other than the Parker Fly, most of the suggestions are in this range.  I now have 3 Strandberg Bodens.  They are a bit of a culture shock - headless, fan frets, funny shape, and the neck profile isn't even round!  However they are undeniably light (less than 5 lb) and very ergonomic.  They are the only guitars I can really play, standing or sitting, without causing myself problems.
It is also worth trying harness type straps - MundoMusicGear, Slinger Straps, Slider Straps.  Mundo also make a very handy support to raise the neck end of the guitar so that you can play sitting without hunching over the instrument.  All of these straps and supports allow me to play my traditional guitars for a reasonable period, but the Strandberg guitars are the only ones I can just pick up and play.