Have you ever seen anyone putting an acoustic guitar on a scale to check the weight? Perhaps! Not. As per the question concern, the weight of regular guitar ranges between 2.5 lbs and 5 lbs. However, it can vary based on several factors i.g body size, shape & much more. So, stay tuned with us to know everything regarding the guitar’s weight.
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Does the weight of a guitar matter?
One of the major reasons to consider the weight while buying a guitar is it affects the playability & tune. Let’s know-how :
- If you are not strong enough & stand up holding a guitar that weighs 10lb or more, then you will not be able to play well.
- Even if you sit down & keep it on your lap, then your thighs will start feeling numb. That’s how it affects your playability.
- Coming to the tune, the lighter guitar could not match up the resonance & sustainability of the heavier one.
- Due to the tuning factor, we can’t ignore the weight factor. So, If you can’t hold up a weighted guitar, then you can make the tune better using pedals & amp settings.
Factors that affect the guitar’s weight
As if now you know how the weight affects the guitar play, it would be better to know what factors affect this.
Wood type
- Body of guitar often crafted with the maple, mahogany, basswood, ash & alder. The neck of the guitar is usually made of maple and mahogany wood.
- Among them, the alder, ash & basswood is light in weight whereas the mahogany is heavy wood & the maple is heavier.
- Seeing wood quality, you may now figure out the weight.
Body Size
- You will get pretty clarity about the weight seeing the external outlook – body size.
- If you look at the Les Paul, then you can see it has got a blend of thick slabs, whilst Stratocaster is crafted with some thinner chunk of wood. That’s why it is lighter.
Body type
- Electronic guitars are divided into three categories like solid, hollow, and semi-hollow. The solid-body guitar (Les Pauls)weighs more than the hollow body guitar.
- That is because guitars that are hollow in the middle of the body have less weight even if they are larger.
- Besides, if the body is solid, there is no hollow space, so it becomes heavier in weight.
Hardware
Tuning machines, bridges, strings are some parts of the guitar that can even contribute to making a guitar heavier.
- Bridges are made with wood, whilst the tuning machines are metal made. These metals can increase the weight of a guitar.
- Fortunately, the number of metals used in a guitar is very less, so it is
considered as a minor factor.
- Another thing is the pickup which weighs around 2 oz. Although it is insignificant, still it can increase the weight as much as 3.5 oz.
How Much Do Guitars Weigh?
After knowing the factors, it’s time to know how guitars vary in their weight. On average the electric guitar comes with 6lb-12lb, Whilst the acoustic guitar comes within 2.5 lbs – 5lbs. In the below, we will in-brief about how much do the guitars weigh.
Full-size acoustic guitar weight
A full-sized acoustic guitar is our first consideration as this is the most popular one. Although the size of musical instruments varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, all of them are familiar with some terms to people. Now, we will know their name by those terms.
- Traveler and mini – It comes as a shorter one in terms of scale and size compared to the usual ones. It is affordable. And It weighs less than 2 lbs only (1 kg).
- Parlour and tenor – This one had got huge popularity at the beginning of the 19th century. Its size is smaller than the regular guitar. Another one is the tenor guitar which contains four strings instead of six. Both of them weigh over 2 lbs.
- Concert and Grand Concert – This one is a good choice for beginner level. You can use it for recording purposes. It weighs around 3-5 lbs.
- Auditorium and Grand Auditorium – it is a mid-sized guitar that weighs around 4-5 lbs.
- Dreadnought – One of the most famous guitars in the 20th century is the dreadnought. This is comparatively a large-sized one that weighs from 5 to over 6 lbs.
- Jumbo and Grand Jumbo – As the name implies, it is the biggest one on our list which weighs over 6 lbs.
Full-Scale travel guitar weight
As the name suggests, the full-scale length guitars are easy to store & carry while traveling. The main difference lies in the size of the body. This sort of design helps to move anywhere comfortably.
- The best part is some of the travel guitars come with a folding feature.
- One such guitar name that comes in the way is the Voyage-Air Transit which you can fold in half & weighs around 10lbs.
- The downside is you have to compromise the sound quality. However, it is suitable to play in a hotel.
Mini size acoustic guitar weight
Mini size means one quarter length guitar (¼) which comprises a shorter neck & body length. They weigh around 2lbs. Still, based on the materials it can vary.
Half-size guitar weight
Similar to the quarter size guitar, it is also a smaller one suitable for children & beginner-level learners. This 30-inch long guitar weighs only 2 pounds.
Do Acoustic Guitars Get Lighter With Age?
Many people believe that acoustic guitars sound better as they get older and there are some reasons behind that. One of the reasons is acoustic guitars start to get lighter with age. Let’s learn more about this topic below:
- Acoustic guitars are mostly wood constructed and it gets lighter with time.
- Every wood loses moisture with age and losing moisture makes the guitar lighter.
Conclusion
As for now, you have got pretty knowledge about different aspects that work behind the guitar’s weight. Plus, you’ve become familiar with some guitar options, including their weight Based on that, you can select your desired guitar.