Guessing instrument weight from packaging weight?

[Geekydad]

Finally have my new bass on the way- the package includes everything but the pickups, which came separately from EMG. I was a little worried when I saw the boxes weigh 4.1 lbs and 8.4 lbs, for a total of 12.5 lbs- which would be a heavy instrument, even for a 5-string.

Apparently, Warmoth uses thick cardboard to better protect their parts (who wouldn't?) so an 8.5 lbs box may hold a 6 lbs body. Any estimates on actual neck weight versus shipping weight? How much should I expect the whole thing to weigh in total?

I'll get out the scale and check for myself when it arrives, but just curious if it might actually weigh less than my Squier (which comes in at about 10 lbs, even.) New bass is swamp ash, with a wenge neck/ebony fretboard.

 

[fdesalvo]

Haha!  I was thinking about this the other day.  No way to know.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

No way to know fully until assembled. 

You could weigh all of the parts individually in advance, but for purposes of shipping, they're always going to round up to the nearest pound because that's what USPS, FedEx, & UPS will do.

 

[Surf n Music n Ski n Bike]

I'm saying 9lbs and 7oz. What do I get if I win? 

 

[JD0x0]

Shipping weights are never conservative. You could probably take 1-2lbs off each package which would easily come out to less than 10lbs. I'll guess 9lbs 8oz.

 

[Cagey]

I doubt that it applies here, but box size enters into the equation as well. Larger sizes get assigned heavier weights even if they're light because they take up more room.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I doubt that it applies here, but box size enters into the equation as well. Larger sizes get assigned heavier weights even if they're light because they take up more room.

And that's just with "courier" type of freight carriers like USPS, UPS, & FedEx.

That last sentence opens up N.M.F.C ramifications and guidelines for filling out Bill of Lading (from the shipper end) for L.T.L. or F.T.L. carriers, but those usually apply to pallet quantities or higher. 

Loose freight, which applies here, doesn't fall into that so much.

I was a freight dispatcher for 17+ years on my day job, 2 years of that as terminal manager.  I've more than earned my retirement of filling out Bill of Lading Forms.

This all is just to say that listed packaging weights are never "actual".

The only tried and true way to get an actual weight is to weight the instrument once assembled.

 

[Geekydad]

It's in. 2.2 lbs for the neck. 4.2 lbs for the body. And I'll weigh it again once I get all the hardware installed, but it looks like, yes, it will weigh less than my Squier.

 

[Geekydad]

Finally got around to weighing it fully assembled. Comes in at 10.6 lbs- not that bad, only a bit heavier than my Jazz bass.

 

[JD0x0]

I've got a 4.7lb body with my neck and hardware on the way. 3.6lbs(shipping weight) with everything but the pickups. Hoping for a reasonably light tele.