Have you ever wondered how much does a guitar weighs? This is an important point because it affects your performance while you play the guitar. Countless people have back pain which makes holding a heavy guitar for a longer time difficult.
We’ve done the research and come to the conclusion that, in general, a heavy guitar will weigh around 4.5kg. While the lighter will be around 2.5kg. The weight can be less or more depending on the size and body shape of the guitar.
Here in this guide, you’ll get a detailed answer to what makes a guitar-heavy or lightweight so you’ll know everything and can make a good decision. Let’s dive into the topic!
Overall Weight of a Guitar In Kg & Lbs
On average the weight of a guitar will be around 2.5kg (5.5 lbs) to 4.5 (10 lbs). It all depends on the type of guitar you own. If it’s a high-quality guitar made of good material (wood), it will be heavy; otherwise, it will be lightweight.
Apart from the material, various other things like its size and body type, whether solid, semi-hollow, or hollow, also impact the weight.
Does the guitar’s weight matter?
Well, yes, the weight of the guitar doesn’t only affect your body but also your guitar tone. Lighter guitars are known for producing brighter tones. On the other hand, the heavy guitar generally produces dense tones.
You can check the video below. The artist has played the same tone on five different guitars, and there’s a difference between how they sound.
Top 9 Examples of Guitar Weight (Classis, Acoustic & Electric)
Guitars have three types: classic, acoustic and electric. You can see the weight examples of all types below in the chart.
| Guitar | Type | Weight |
| ADM Full-Size Classic Guitar | Classic Guitar | 8.1 lbs |
| CAHAYA Classical Guitar | Classic Guitar | 7.54 pounds |
| Yamaha Classical Guitar | Classic Guitar | 6.39 pounds |
| All Wood Acoustic Guitar | Acoustic Guitar | 4.6 pounds |
| Ashthorpe Acoustic Guitar | Acoustic Guitar | 3.7 pounds |
| Donner Acoustic Guitar | Acoustic Guitar | 8.52 pounds |
| Master Play Electric Guitar | Electric Guitar | 14.97 pounds |
| Ashthorpe Electric Guitar | Electric Guitar | 7.3 pounds |
| LyxPro Electric Guitar | Electric Guitar | 15.93 pounds |
What Makes a Guitar Heavy?
After reading the chart, you must have been thinking why some guitars are heavier than others; what makes a guitar heavy?
Multiple factors play a crucial role and make a guitar heavy or lightweight. For example, the guitar’s material, wood, strings, body type, design, and so on. In this guide, we’ll go deeper into each factor so you can understand it correctly.
Type of Guitar Body
If you’re a beginner, you should know there are three main types of guitar bodies. The first is hollow, the second is sem-hollow, and the last one is a solid body. Each type plays an essential role in making a guitar-heavy. Let’s understand how!
- Hollow-Body Guitar: Hollow means having empty space in general. While in the guitar world, this term refers to the guitar that doesn’t have anything inside means no wood inside the body.
- Semi-Hollow Guitar: Semi-hollow guitar means a guitar that isn’t empty like the hollow, nor they’re 100% solid. But they’ll look the same from the outside.
- Solid Guitar: As the name suggests, these guitars have a solid body. The inside of the guitar won’t have an empty space inside the body.
Since a hollow-body guitar has an empty space, it will be lighter than the other two types. On the other hand, solid guitars tend to be heavier than semi-hollow and hollow bodies. While semi-hollow comes in the medium range when it comes to weight.
Material of Guitar
Another important point is the material of the guitar. It’s made from various types of woods like basswood, maple, koa, mahogany, alder, and so forth. We can’t say anything about the weight of the wood because it varies from tree to tree.
Let’s understand it with an example.
Suppose there are two trees; one gets proper sunlight and water, and almost all requirements are met. While the second tree doesn’t get an adequate amount of water and sunlight.
Which tree will have solid wood? Certainly, the one that’s not struggling for light, water, and a proper environment. So the tree’s wood will be solid and heavy, and if the guitar body is made from it, the guitar will be heavy too.
Guitar Size
The next and last point is the size of the guitar. The bigger the guitar you will have, the heavy it will be; WHY? Because a big guitar means more wood has been used, and that will make it heavy.
However, there’s a catch: you should also check the body type. The chances are the guitar will be big, but if it’s hollow, the weight wouldn’t be high compared to the solid and semi-solid body.
How Should You Select the Guitar? Is It Important to Consider the Weight of the Guitar?
The answer depends on you. If you’re a person who’s dealing with a certain health condition that makes it difficult for you to hold a heavy guitar, you should go with the lighter ones.
However, if it’s not the case with health, ask yourself, do you prefer the lighter one over the heavier one because of the tone difference?
In case your answer is yes, then you should select that type; otherwise, you won’t enjoy your performance. On the contrary, numerous people don’t prefer anyone and can enjoy playing the guitar of all types, so they shouldn’t worry about the weight factor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can you check the weight of the guitar?
You can check the weight of the guitar with the help of a weight scale. First, stand on the scale yourself to check your weight, then check your weight from the guitar and subtract it from your weight.
What is a good weight for a guitar?
There’s no such thing as a “good weight” for a guitar. The only thing that matters is you’re comfortable with the weight and can easily hold it, and the sound of the guitar is according to your requirement.
Is a smaller guitar easier to play?
Yes, a smaller guitar is easier to play. The reason behind it is that a smaller guitar means it won’t be too heavy. That means you can hold it easily for hours and play as much as you want with your guitar.
Conclusion
The summary of how much does a guitar weighs is between 2.5kg to 4.5kg (5lbs – 10lbs) on average. You can find heavier or even lighter guitars; it all depends on the model you have, its body type, size, and material.
You’re free to pick any type of guitar, but make sure you’re happy with two things. The first thing is the guitar’s weight, and the second is its sound. If you can hold the guitar easily and there’s no issue with the sound quality meaning, it’s the best guitar.
Hi, This is Marco Welcome to GuitarsGeek, your ultimate destination for all things guitar. We are a team of passionate guitar enthusiasts who have come together to share our love and knowledge of the instrument. Cheers Amigos!
