Trick out my Fodera

minuseri · #1 03-11-2009, 08:41 PM

I have a few Fodera's. I am thinking about taking one of my Imperials and "tricking it out" so that I can use it to play more Gospel and R&B. Obviously, the Mike Pope Pre and possibly the Duncan pick ups are not the best for that style of music.

Question:

If I were going to gut the entire bass, what pups and electronics combination would you recommend to play Gospel and R&B.

Thanks,

marc40a · #2 03-11-2009, 09:18 PM

I would think that the Duncans in parallel or single coil mode would yield a kickin' gospel sound.

cmewhinney · #3 03-11-2009, 09:24 PM

Am I going to have to call the SPCFA? The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Fodera Animals doesn't look to kindly on "gutting" these beautiful creatures.

allexcosta · #4 03-11-2009, 10:20 PM

Never gonna happen... You need a bolt-on bass... Lakland DJ5 with J-Retro is my recommendation.

Please, please don't do anything to your Foderas besides using the passive mode with an external pre like a Sadowsky or Tone Hammer just for experimenting...

therex · #5 03-11-2009, 10:27 PM

why not just buy a squier VM or CV? basically the same price and you have another bass

jmattis · #6 03-11-2009, 10:29 PM

I don't and probably never will own a Fodera, so take this as you will, but that sure sounds like some serious blasphemy to me. I'm with allex, pick up a nice jazz-style bass.

cmewhinney · #7 03-11-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therex

why not just buy a squier VM or CV? basically the same price and you have another bass

Because he's used to playing Foderas and, all due respect to the new Squier stuff (I know they're great bang for the buck), a Squier will never feel or sound like a Fodera.

4StringTheorist · #8 03-11-2009, 10:51 PM

Sell/trade for an MTD 535.

Brad Johnson · #9 03-11-2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minuseri

I have a few Fodera's. I am thinking about taking one of my Imperials and "tricking it out" so that I can use it to play more Gospel and R&B. Obviously, the Mike Pope Pre and possibly the Duncan pick ups are not the best for that style of music.

Question:

If I were going to gut the entire bass, what pups and electronics combination would you recommend to play Gospel and R&B.

Thanks,

If you remove the Pope, would you be looking for the same knob/control configuration?

Just curious, what Foderas do you have now? PM me if you like.

Dr. Cheese · #10 03-11-2009, 11:00 PM

Minuseri, why don't you just use it stock before you change it? I have heard Victor Wooten live and on CD, and I don't see why his sound wouldn't work in Gospel or r&b. I also think James Genus sounds just fine playing funky music on Saturday Night Live every week.

Dr. Cheese · #11 03-11-2009, 11:16 PM

Here is a long clip of jazzy r&b from Michael Olatua featuring lots of vocals. The bass is low in the mix, but I like his basic tone he gets from his Fodera:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQXT_...eature=related

black.rose1402 · #12 03-12-2009, 03:09 AM

I think a fodera can sound very good in a gospel setting, I wouldn't try it because I take the bass for what it is, a tool, I make the bass sounds good for a type a music or not.
Some gospel players use foderas, and they sound great with it.
To me the challenge is to make me happy with one bass in any given situation. (I have several basses but it's funny to try basses that are not used in a style (just for experiment's sake).
I even went to a jazz fusion with borrowed daisy rock and a danalectro basses, and guys thought it was funny, but the sound was here.
Of course, I wouldn't do it everytime but my advice is to keep your bass the way it is, and make it sounds the way you want.

KJung · #13 03-12-2009, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minuseri

I have a few Fodera's. I am thinking about taking one of my Imperials and "tricking it out" so that I can use it to play more Gospel and R&B. Obviously, the Mike Pope Pre and possibly the Duncan pick ups are not the best for that style of music.

Question:

If I were going to gut the entire bass, what pups and electronics combination would you recommend to play Gospel and R&B.

Thanks,

IMO, you have the wrong bass for that. I would in no way try to change an expensive bass like that into something it is not. From a previous Fodera owner who went through the same issue, trust me, buy a Jazz Bass, a Smith, or an MTD, depending on the specific pop/funk/gospel tone you like! IMO.

That being said, there's no reason that any bass can't be used for any style, but I know what you mean. That dark, fat Fodera tone can get eaten up a bit in that sort of mix.

jmiller · #14 03-12-2009, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4StringTheorist

Sell/trade for an MTD 535.

yeah hes got it. gospel=MTD. i see a lot of cats playing lakland 55-01 too.

thepontif · #15 03-12-2009, 05:33 AM

If you do anything to that Fodera you should upgrade to the new preamp. It's TOTALLY different sounding. I'm assuming the bass in the picture is yours, so I'll tell you the dual coil duncan's aren't helping a lot either. I'm not going to lay on the hard sell because I tend to agree that you may not have the right infrastructure in the first place, but the new pre REALLY opens up the sound of a Fodera and is only available in Fodera's as a standard feature in new ones and as an upgrade for older ones. Just a thought.

At the very least, if you change out the guts you should definitely not damage them in the process and make sure you hold on to them in case you want to sell the bass in the future. It will most likely be worth less if it's not pretty much original. So don't add holes, etc., as you may regret it.

chokeslam512 · #16 03-12-2009, 05:49 AM

The title of this thread is a little redundant.

Pickebass · #17 03-12-2009, 08:12 AM

I think we are all in amazement...I'm with everybody here... Get something else... Top choices...

1. Smith
2. MTD
3. Pavel (Terrence Palmer is using it)
4. Jazz style clone with active electronics (J. retro,aguilar, or sadowsky pre)

narud · #18 03-12-2009, 09:00 AM

id try it. youre going to have two of them and if you like the way it plays and feel, why not? maybe try swapping to aeros first. i went the opposite direction to duncans. but the aeros were definitely more modern/scooped/bright than the darker/chewier midrange of the duncans.

minuseri · #19 03-12-2009, 03:31 PM

Thank you all for your input and feedback. I knew this would generate some buzz. All of you have great points. Here's the deal:

1. I have had or have most if not all of the basses mentioned in this thread at some point and time. All great basses. My thought is that I have three very expensive Foderas. I love the feel of all of them. It would be great if the three basses would be my bass of choice whenever going to play. I have great respect for all of the lutheirs mentioned in this thread and by no means is Fodera the "be all, end all" of basses. They just happen to fit me well. If I am going to have three of them, then I want to be playing them as much as possible, in every venue possible, and I don't want to be struggling with trying to make a Pope Pre and Duncan pups do something that they really were not designed to do.

2. You all may be right about blasfimy, but I am thinking that if I try this with one of them, I still have the other two that are stock.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Dr. Cheese · #20 03-12-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minuseri

Thank you all for your input and feedback. I knew this would generate some buzz. All of you have great points. Here's the deal:

1. I have had or have most if not all of the basses mentioned in this thread at some point and time. All great basses. My thought is that I have three very expensive Foderas. I love the feel of all of them. It would be great if the three basses would be my bass of choice whenever going to play. I have great respect for all of the lutheirs mentioned in this thread and by no means is Fodera the "be all, end all" of basses. They just happen to fit me well. If I am going to have three of them, then I want to be playing them as much as possible, in every venue possible, and I don't want to be struggling with trying to make a Pope Pre and Duncan pups do something that they really were not designed to do.

2. You all may be right about blasfimy, but I am thinking that if I try this with one of them, I still have the other two that are stock.

Thanks again for the feedback.

I understand and respect your position. If I had three Foderas, I would want to be able to use them all the time too. Heck, after tying that much money up in basses, it would be kind of goofy to have use something else!

Good luck on the mods, and let hear what it sounds like. A Youtube clip would be great too because I would lke to see the mods on your bass.