Weight difference between 4003 and 4004?

[edski]

The specs say there is a pound difference between them, and from measuring the body slabs of my 4001 and 4004L it seems the only difference is the rounding of the body edges on the 4004. Using an idealized profile I calculate that this should only be about a 1/2 pound difference.

Any ideas on this? Any real measurements? I will swear my 4001 is heavier than the Laredo, but I've never actually gotten hard data on this.

[jps]

There's a lot more to loosing weight than shaving off some wood.

[edski]

BTW, the title should be "4003 vs 4004"...

[edski]

There's a lot more to loosing weight than shaving off some wood.

But what's different? As I see it, the only major difference is the edges. The woods are not that different - the padouk I'm using in my custom was "supposed" to be denser than the maple/purpleheart I used for the neck. It wasn't - the padouk was about 3.5 lbs/bf, the neck block came out about 3.8.

I guess the hardware? Not sure that makes a half a pound or so. And the control cavity of a 4003 has a lot more wood removed than the tiny cavity for the 4004.

[cassius987]

The specs say there is a pound difference between them, and from measuring the body slabs of my 4001 and 4004L it seems the only difference is the rounding of the body edges on the 4004. Using an idealized profile I calculate that this should only be about a 1/2 pound difference.

Any ideas on this? Any real measurements? I will swear my 4001 is heavier than the Laredo, but I've never actually gotten hard data on this.

When you are comparing two groups you can look at the mean value to see if they're different but you also need to consider variance. I think in mean value the 4004 weighs a bit less than the 4003, just based on some of the actual values I've seen posted on Wildwood's website, but the variance is enough that you can't generalize that a 4004 is always going to weigh less than a 4003. (I probably should have been writing the numbers down to really track the difference, the results would be interesting.)

The 4003 has huge pockets of body wood carved out for the neck and bridge pickups and even the bridge mute, so it's kind of amazing that it can still weigh more. But I think it's fair to say it weighs at least as much and sometimes more than a 4004 does.

And of course... every piece of wood is different.

[edski]

I think in general the 4004 weighs a bit less than the 4003, just based on some of the actual values I've seen posted on Wildwood's website, but the variance is enough that you can't generalize that a 4004 is always going to weigh less than a 4003.

The 4003 has huge pockets of body wood carved out for the neck and bridge pickups and even the bridge mute, so it's kind of amazing that it can still weigh more. But I think it's fair to see it weighs at least as much and sometimes more than a 4004 does.

And of course... every piece of wood is different.

OK, that fits my worldview. Makes sense...

Thanks!

[jps]

There is a lot more metal, for one thing, on a 4003 than there is on a 4004. Not to mention, plastic, wire, electronic components..........

[ajish4]

BTW, the title should be "4003 vs 4004"...

Corrected.

[rickenbrother]

The 4004's tend to be lighter than the 4003's but the weight on both models can vary. For instance my 4004Cii FG weighs in almost like a 4003, but my 4004Cii Blueburst is a feather weight, one of the lightest full scale solid body guitars I've ever held. Although that doesn't stop it from putting out truly monstrous tone.

[edski]

I'm guessing my 75 4001 is about 9 1/4 lbs, and the 4004L is about 8. But those are just WAG's.

Jeff - I overlooked the extra metal and the pickguard on the 4003. Those parts add up, I guess. It's not HS physics with the massless pullies.

[jps]

It's not HS physics with the massless pullies.

Some basses can feel like that! My Rick Turner is something like 5 1/2lbs.

[edski]

Some basses can feel like that! My Rick Turner is something like 5 1/2lbs.

Is it made of Styrofoam?

[bassduke49]

It's not HS physics with the massless pullies.

Some basses can feel like that! My Rick Turner is something like 5 1/2lbs.

I believe my German Höfner 500/1 and 5000/1 basses come in at under five pounds. They feel like toys after handling a Rick.

[jps]

It's not HS physics with the massless pullies.

Some basses can feel like that! My Rick Turner is something like 5 1/2lbs.

I believe my German Höfner 500/1 and 5000/1 basses come in at under five pounds. They feel like toys after handling a Rick.

So, they are made of hollowed out Styfofoam!

I never compared my former 500/1V63 with the Turner bass, they are probably pretty similar in weight.

[vulcan_creedler]

There is a lot more metal, for one thing, on a 4003 than there is on a 4004. Not to mention, plastic, wire, electronic components..........

Gotta be right here!

4003's got an extra jack socket, a bigger jack plate, the whole bridge pickup assembly is reasurringly heavy, the bridge/tailpiece is heavier, there's two extra pots, a heavier switch, not to mention the extra weight of the pickguard! The 4003 tuners have gotta be heavier than the Schaller M4s on a 4004 too!

In concession - I suppose the 2 metal knobs on a 4004 are heavier than the 4 plastic ones on a 4004, but life's too short to peel a grape!

The grime on my 4003 is 10 years older than that of my 4004, so that's gotta be heavier too!

GT