Fodera Model 2010 preamp - first impressions.

[Munjibunga]

I got my new Fodera 2010 preamp today, and took a few minutes to try it out. I ran it through my Eden WT-800B, set flat, with a D-210XLT and D-210XST. I tried my only two passive basses (Fender Roscoe Beck 5 and Mustang RI) and my Breedlove ABG through it.

First, the good news. The tone is right up there with the best of all the stompbox preamps I own (see list below). It may be the best of them, except the U5, which is a different thing anyway. You can get a thick, creamy tone with a little bass boost and some mid. Back off the bass and crank the mid for a nice growly tone. I'm going to get some mileage out of this one.

You can bypass the mid control, so it's possible to switch back and forth between two tones, and a third tone by bypassing the whole thing. It's going to my acoustic gig on Sunday, and I can report back after that.

OK, now the other shoe drops. Of all the pedals I listed, it has the least substantial construction. Two of the knobs fell off in my hand after I took it out of the box. It's an easy fix by just spreading the shaft slot with a screwdriver but, come on, it's a $380 piece of kit. It weighs about three ounces, mostly related to the thin aluminum case. Inside, the electronics are tidy, and the pots are mounted to the case. I'm assuming you're paying for the Mike Pope electronics design, because the construction is less than robust, and much less substantial than pedals costing half as much.

Bottom line, a superb-sounding preamp, but not bullum.

Other preamps I own:

Aguilar DB924
Aguilar Tone Hammer
Avalon U5 (not really a stomp box, but ...)
Dunlop M-80
EBS ValveDrive
EBS MicroBass II
Radial BassBone
Sadowsky outboard preamp
SansAmp Bass Driver DI
SansAmp ParaDriver DI
SansAmp Acoustic DI
SansAmp VT Bass
Yamaha NE-1

[geoffbassist]

How does it compare to the tonehammer. I'm looking for a way to improve the tone of my sadowsky m5 24 into my AI clarus and 2x EA wizzy.
Currently it's pretty thin sounding.
Many thanks Geoff

[B String]

Originally Posted by geoffbassist

How does it compare to the tonehammer. I'm looking for a way to improve the tone of my sadowsky m5 24 into my AI clarus and 2x EA wizzy.
Currently it's pretty thin sounding.
Many thanks Geoff

If you get a Tone Hammer, or Sansamp Paradriver, etc, try
running it through the effects return instead of the preamp
on the Clarus. I've had very good success with this.

[geoffbassist]

Originally Posted by B String

If you get a Tone Hammer, or Sansamp Paradriver, etc, try
running it through the effects return instead of the preamp
on the Clarus. I've had very good success with this.

thanks. I think I will try a tonehammer.
Cheers geoff

[AlexanderB]

Do you have a picture of the electronics?

/Alexander B

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by AlexanderB

Do you have a picture of the electronics?

/Alexander B

I'll take one and post it later.

[Munjibunga]

OK, here's some pics. I listened to it again, but this time I used it as a preamp to my Fender MB 1200 power amp into the same Eden speakers, and it sounds even better without the inherent WT-800 coloration.

On the construction, while the aluminum is thin, it doesn't flex much, so I'm wondering if they used a high-strength alloy or something.

[chicago_mike]

Hmmmmm

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by geoffbassist

thanks. I think I will try a tonehammer.
Cheers geoff

The Tone Hammer's good, but it lacks a separate gain control for the AGS circuit.

[FuzzBoxVoodoo]

I had a 2010 with a DI in it and External power supply so it did fill the box and sounded great live and even better in the Studio.
It did have just a little to much color if you mixed it with other gear that had color,if that makes any sense.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by FuzzBoxVoodoo

I had a 2010 with a DI in it and External power supply so it did fill the box and sounded great live and even better in the Studio.
It did have just a little to much color if you mixed it with other gear that had color,if that makes any sense.

Who put the DI in it? I got the external power supply.

[thepontif]

For the record, this is my electronic design, but NOT my mechanical design. I didn't pick those switches or those jacks and that's not my wiring scheme. That was handled by someone else. But it is, sonically...supposedly, my circuit.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by thepontif

For the record, this is my electronic design, but NOT my mechanical design. I didn't pick those switches or those jacks and that's not my wiring scheme. That was handled by someone else. But it is, sonically...supposedly, my circuit.

I was wondering if you'd show up, Mike. I'll be using it a lot in my acoustic gig, so we'll see if it holds up mechanically. As I said, I'm getting some great tone out of it. I was using a SansAmp ParaDriver DI with my ABG, but the Fodera gives me a much cleaner sound. I doubt you intended it for use with an ABG, but it works. I also will use it occasionally to thicken up the tone of my Mustang Bass.

... and what do you mean by "supposedly"?

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

<SNIP> OK, now the other shoe drops. Of all the pedals I listed, it has the least substantial construction. Two of the knobs fell off in my hand after I took it out of the box. It's an easy fix by just spreading the shaft slot with a screwdriver but, come on, it's a $380 piece of kit. It weighs about three ounces, mostly related to the thin aluminum case. Inside, the electronics are tidy, and the pots are mounted to the case. I'm assuming you're paying for the Mike Pope electronics design, because the construction is less than robust, and much less substantial than pedals costing half as much.

Bottom line, a superb-sounding preamp, but not bullum.
<SNIP>

1. At that price, does it include a DI?

2. Enough output to drive a power amp directly?

3. Bullum?

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

1. At that price, does it include a DI?

2. Enough output to drive a power amp directly?

3. Bullum?

1. It does not include a DI.

2. It drives a power amp nicely.

3. Bullum = substantial, beefy, robust

[grovest]

It looks like "yuck" inside and out. Too much plastic under the hood, too much black and tiny lettering on the exterior. And I would trade the space used for batteries for a balanced DI in an instant. But good to hear its sound lives up to the name... and the mid toggle is a good idea.

[FuzzBoxVoodoo]

I believe that is a On Board preamp that has been mounted in the box and even though it was a lighter box it was still a durable unit.
Now as far as the DI I would think that would be a great option for them and would make the 2010 a perfect Pre Stomp.
The mid toggle is great and as you would expect the EQ is very useful to dial in either your sound or adjust for room acoustics,unlike some units that you can only find one setting that doesnt sound like crap.
my .02

[thepontif]

Just to clarify, when I said "sonically...supposedly my circuit", I sort of mis-spoke. It IS my circuit. I just don't like it when I don't get to make all the design decisions and then have to field criticism about the parts that weren't me. Fact is, in terms of what makes it sound like it sounds, it's all me.

I was in charge of the aluminum enclosures too, but I didn't do the assembly. I thought the light enclosure was a plus. I haven't seen any get banged up. I think they're plenty durable from that standpoint. Though maybe they don't give that impression at first.

I hired the artwork done. I think they look nice and there aren't that many controls to remember on there. As for trading the batteries for a DI, for everyone who wants that there's someone else who doesn't want to have to use a power supply. So this was how we did it. Part of good engineering of a product is not just doing stuff because you can.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by thepontif

Just to clarify, when I said "sonically...supposedly my circuit", I sort of mis-spoke. It IS my circuit. I just don't like it when I don't get to make all the design decisions and then have to field criticism about the parts that weren't me. Fact is, in terms of what makes it sound like it sounds, it's all me.

I was in charge of the aluminum enclosures too, but I didn't do the assembly. I thought the light enclosure was a plus. I haven't seen any get banged up. I think they're plenty durable from that standpoint. Though maybe they don't give that impression at first.

I hired the artwork done. I think they look nice and there aren't that many controls to remember on there. As for trading the batteries for a DI, for everyone who wants that there's someone else who doesn't want to have to use a power supply. So this was how we did it. Part of good engineering of a product is not just doing stuff because you can.

Don't get me wrong, Mike. I love the preamp, and I prefer having the batteries. I didn't expect it to have a DI. I have plenty of those. I just exchanged e-mails with Jason, and talked about how HP put weights inside their first hand-held calculators (HP-35 and HP-45) back in the '70s just to give them a more substantial feel. It's strictly psychological.

In fairness, I took the 2010 apart yesterday, and tested the flexibility of the case, and it's actually pretty stout. I don't have any beef with the graphics, either (that was somebody else). As I said in my original post, I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of this one. I'll be getting another one, too, only inside my new Emperor when it gets built.

So my impressions have moderated since my first imprssion (the title of the thread). It's a cool tool.

[thepontif]

I didn't mean to "blanket" respond. I was covering more than just your assertions which is why I mentioned the graphics and DI issue. All good. We think it's a good product. As you know, we can't make them do everything and the reason for the price is strictly an issue of volume.

This isn't, by the way, the same circuit as the Fodera internals. It's different, but it definitely shares some of its innovations.