ELECTRIC GUITAR WEIGHT. FIND OUT how much each electric guitar model weighs: Fender, Gibson, hollowbody, headless, double-neck…
The weight of an electric guitar can vary significantly depending on the model. Typically, they weigh between 3 and 4 kilograms. A hollow-body guitar, such as a Telecaster Thinline or an ES-335, usually weighs around three kilograms. Some models may even be slightly lighter than that.
Then there are classic solid-body models such as the Stratocaster and the Gibson SG, which weigh around 3.5 kilograms. Les Paul-style models, on the other hand, usually exceed this weight. However, the weight of this model can vary considerably depending on the construction of the guitar’s body.
Factors That Determine How Much an Electric Guitar Weighs
In this article, we’ll examine the factors that determine the weight of an electric guitar. These factors include the size and thickness of the body. Another important factor is the type of wood used to make the instrument. Finally, there are different types of guitar body construction, such as hollow and solid bodies, although there are other types as well.
Guitar Size and Thickness
For example, the Gibson SG has a narrow body with bevelled edges and a double cutaway. These features make it a fairly light guitar.
When compared to the Gibson Les Paul, the Gibson SG can weigh up to one kilograms less than a Les Paul model, if we compare the lightest SG model with the standard Les Paul model.
These days, Les Paul models typically feature hollowed-out bodies, significantly reducing the instrument’s weight.
As has been mentioned a few times, narrow or standard guitar straps, which are about 5 cm wide, are the enemy of heavy guitars. Therefore, a wider strap helps to distribute the weight over a larger area of the shoulder.
Electric Guitar Weight: Hollowbody
Despite being a rather bulky guitar, the Gibson ES-335, one of Gibson’s most iconic models, is very lightweight.
The ES-335 was the first semi-hollow-body guitar model and is also known as a centre-block guitar. This type of guitar features a solid block of wood, typically mahogany, in the centre to house the pickups and bridge. The hollow sides are said to give the instrument added resonance and tonal depth.
Heavier and Lighter Woods
In terms of wood types, swamp ash is the lightest. However, this wood is rarely found in affordable guitars nowadays due to its scarcity.
The heaviest woods are rosewood and ebony. Although these woods are usually used for electric guitar fingerboards, they have little effect on the guitar’s overall weight as they are only small pieces of wood. The body is obviously the heaviest part of a guitar, so this is where significant weight can be reduced.
For example, if we only use the bridge pickup on a Les Paul, we can buy a single-pickup guitar and remove a humbucker and two potentiometers from the guitar’s weight. In the case of the late Malcolm Young, he simply removed all the unnecessary weight from his guitar.
Weight of the Woods
Now, let’s look at the weight per cubic metre of the woods most commonly used in electric guitar manufacturing
Listed from lightest to heaviest, they are as follows:
- Swamp ash is the lightest wood used for electric guitar bodies. It is particularly associated with Fender models and has a density of between 400 and 500 kg per cubic metre.
- Poplar is also used for guitar bodies, as seen in models developed by G&L. Its density is around 450 kg/m³.
- Alder is a classic wood used for the bodies of Fender guitar models, such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster. Its density ranges from 450 to 550 kg per cubic metre.
- Basswood is a type of wood widely used for Superstrat model bodies. It has a density ranging from 530 to 560 kg per cubic metre.
- Mahogany is a traditional wood used to make Gibson guitars, including the SG and Les Paul models. Its density ranges from 570 to 600 kg per cubic metre.
- Common ash is a type of wood used for making guitar bodies. It has a weight of around 600–650 kg per cubic metre. It is heavier than mahogany.
- Maple is typically used to make necks and fingerboards. Depending on its density, the weight of maple wood can range from 550 to 700 kg.
- Rosewood is a type of wood mainly used for fingerboards. It has a weight of around 900 kilograms.
- Ebony is also used for the fingerboard, with a density of approximately 1,000 kg/m³.
This is the weight of these pieces of timber with a moisture content of 12%. If the timber has a higher moisture content, it will obviously be heavier.
Electric Guitar Weight: Fender Stratocaster
Thus, the weight of a Stratocaster-style guitar can vary considerably depending on the type of wood used for its body. For instance, if this model is made from swamp ash, it can weigh between 3.2 and 3.4 kilograms.
If it has an alder wood body, it will weigh between 3.4 and 3.6 kilograms. However, if it is made from common ash wood, it can weigh more than 3.6 kg.
Electric Guitar Weight: Double-Neck
Clearly, double-neck models are heavier. The Gibson EDS-1275, for instance, weighs around 6 kilograms.
This is a guitar designed for specific occasions. This is because the longer you carry an instrument of that weight around, the more uncomfortable it becomes.
Headless Guitars
In contrast, other models, such as the headless Steinberger Spirit, weigh around 3 kilograms and are extremely lightweight.
The lightest models, weighing just 2.3 kg, are made of wood and produced by Strandberg.
Danelectro 59
We also have Danelectro models that weigh less than 3 kilograms. Danelectro bodies are usually made of plywood.
It has a Masonite back and top. Masonite is a type of board that is made by compressing wood fibres and synthetic resins together.
How to Weigh the Guitar
One simple way to weigh your guitar is to use standard bathroom scales. First, weigh yourself and note down your weight. Then, weigh yourself again while holding the guitar. Subtracting the first reading from the second will give you the weight of the guitar.