Success and Fodera

bbass75 · #1 07-14-2009, 04:41 AM

Janek,

After leaving Berklee, I was wondering what you consider to be the point where you generally started feeling successful as a musician and how your relationship and endorsement with Fodera began. Thanks!

James

janekbass · #2 07-15-2009, 01:55 AM

I still haven't started feeling successful as a musician.

I think more in terms of happiness than success. I don't have a laundry list of artists that I want to play with to make me feel like I made it. I actually enjoy writing music for my own group more, and I'm most happy when we're on the road playing well received concerts for great audiences.

I've known the guys at Fodera since I moved to NYC. I went to visit the factory very early on when I moved there, and I tried out a ton of basses. I got some money together and brought my first one sometime in 2003 I think, maybe 2004 I don't remember. We've become great friends, and it's an inspiration to hang out with those guys whenever I can. There's no real endorsement situation with them. It's not like that give me basses for free, or send me on clinic tours around the world. It's a working relationship where you get to be a part of how your instrument is designed and put together. And then also cared for throughout it's life as I take it back to the factory to be worked on here and there when it gets beaten up.

I have another bass on the way which I'm looking forward to. I really do need a backup to the one I have now, would be tragic if something happened to it.

Easy,

Janek

Just Thumpin' · #3 07-15-2009, 06:51 AM

I think that many people have the misconception that Fodera works with so many GREAT players because of endorsements...actually quite the opposite is true...many great players seek out buying a Fodera and playing one because the instruments are so darn good...

You gotta figure that when they cost so much, take so long to build and many of the best players on the planet STILL play them, that the guys in Brooklyn are doing something very right...

Quote:

Originally Posted by janekbass

I still haven't started feeling successful as a musician.

I think more in terms of happiness than success. I don't have a laundry list of artists that I want to play with to make me feel like I made it. I actually enjoy writing music for my own group more, and I'm most happy when we're on the road playing well received concerts for great audiences.

I've known the guys at Fodera since I moved to NYC. I went to visit the factory very early on when I moved there, and I tried out a ton of basses. I got some money together and brought my first one sometime in 2003 I think, maybe 2004 I don't remember. We've become great friends, and it's an inspiration to hang out with those guys whenever I can. There's no real endorsement situation with them. It's not like that give me basses for free, or send me on clinic tours around the world. It's a working relationship where you get to be a part of how your instrument is designed and put together. And then also cared for throughout it's life as I take it back to the factory to be worked on here and there when it gets beaten up.

I have another bass on the way which I'm looking forward to. I really do need a backup to the one I have now, would be tragic if something happened to it.

Easy,

Janek

Bernie Connors · #4 07-16-2009, 01:17 PM

Do you have any detail on your forthcoming Fodera, Janek? I'd love to hear about it.

janekbass · #5 07-16-2009, 08:27 PM

the bass will be pretty much the same as my current one, but I'm adding a coupe of things. one of them being an XLR output as well as a quarter inch. and maybe some design changes with the headstock for a different configuration of hip shots. I'm trying to figure out a way of having more than one hip shot on the instrument, but not sacrificing sound at all.

We'll see. It's a long process, and I'm not sure if I'll even have it this year or not.....

easy,

Janek

jazzcrime · #6 07-16-2009, 11:19 PM

janek,
are you going to tune this one with a low B?
also, i know fodera make great instruments (i own one myself, and another previously) but i know there are a lot of luthiers out there building basses that are just as good as fodera. do you think that close working relationship is a reason you've chosen fodera and stuck with them? i am getting a bass made by a small luthier - and the active part i've had in designing, making decisions about and working through issues with him has really opened my eyes to how this aspect of finding your perfect instrument is. makes the whole process very special IMO.

janekbass · #7 07-17-2009, 01:01 PM

no low B on this one. Although I'm thinking about having interchangeable nuts on the bass so i could switch one for the other and tune it with a low B if I have to.

I totally agree that being a part of the process with the person that's building your instrument is very important, and really does add to the whole experience.

Easy,

Janek

Angus · #8 07-18-2009, 07:21 PM

Hey Janek,

What are you trying to do with the Hipshots? I can make replacement levers for the detuners that allow it to swing over the adjacent tuner.

janekbass · #9 07-18-2009, 07:34 PM

I'm not actually sure what I want to do with them yet. I was talking with my friend Lionel Loueke about it a while back and he was wanting to put multiple hip shots on the guitar to have instant access to different open tunings. I thought that was a pretty hip sounding idea, but then I recently saw Michael Mannering playing a bass that I think had all four strings fitted with a hip shot and it kind of put me off the idea. It seemed more like a gimmick to me, and detracted from the music a bit too much. I've never really been a huge fan of the completely "solo" bassist, and always kind of dread having to play alone. Maybe that's something that I should work on more rather than shying away from it, but I'm just not sure it's my cup of tea.

I think I'm going to stick with one hip shot, and maybe make it extend all the way to the end of the headstock to get a tighter sound on the Low E when I drop it to a B.

Easy,

Janek

Angus · #10 07-19-2009, 12:11 AM

Cool. Your style and music is vastly different to Manring's, so I can see where it would be hard to authentically pull off (or even find the necessity for). The ability to quickly change tunings definitely opens up more voicing possibilities and timbrel options for a guitar than it does for a bass.

But don't be fooled by the idea that moving the tuner to the end of the headstock will tighten up the dropped string- moving anything behind the nut doesn't affect tension. So swapping the E to the D string tuner position isn't going to change how the E feels when dropped to B...you're stuck there.

Cheers. I really enjoy your work with Mike Stern.