Fodera Club Part XV

[AJ Brown]

I'm feelin' MGS #12 right around the corner.

[nostatic]

Careful. The MGS has led me to dangerous waters

[curt basner]

Well, I've been doing my best to try to put my impending new Fodera out of my mind. However, after having been in contact with Jason over the last few days, I'm ashamed to say that the anxiousness (is this a word?) is just beginning to start tickling the old bass bone Gonna be a long wait until April...

[basswalker2004]

Originally Posted by Testing123

A couple of questions for Jason, or anyone in the know…

Why did Fodera settle on the flush-mount ‘straplok’ system from Dunlop as opposed to say the dual system?

Any issues with the strap metal portion of the lock marring the finish of the upper horn due to movement and wear?

I'm sitting at 28 1/2 years on mine now and no wear on the upper horn.

[Hou]

Originally Posted by OliveFodera

Jojo Mayer is indeed a monster on the kit.

Indeed. Talk with him about play drums on my next record But if I do that I wouldn't be able to buy more Fodera

[Molan]

Originally Posted by basswalker2004

I'm sitting at 28 1/2 years on mine now and no wear on the upper horn.

I have an '86 with quite extensive wear marks all around the lower strap button.

I believe models from this era had water based finishes which, I assume, are not as resilient to wear.

[nuwavedc]

Originally Posted by Hou

Looks good. Going back to 34 scale.

Now I'm back at 33". It seems like the tone trade offs going to a 33" can be offset by finding strings that give you a little more tension. That extra inch reach is a big deal. I'm going standard tuning and may retune e-c for testing. Jason is patient man...lol.

[DELACIUS]

Originally Posted by nuwavedc

Now I'm back at 33". It seems like the tone trade offs going to a 33" can be offset by finding strings that give you a little more tension. That extra inch reach is a big deal. I'm going standard tuning and may retune e-c for testing. Jason is patient man...lol.

So you can change string form E-C tuning to B-G, seems to me like there is no room on nut so I can fit B string, i have E-C now.

[nuwavedc]

Originally Posted by DELACIUS

So you can change string form E-C tuning to B-G, seems to me like there is no room on nut so I can fit B string, i have E-C now.

I've changed b-g to e-c without rattling issues, the other way you have to cut the nut. I have a sophisticated nut cutting setup- drill bits and sandpaper...lol..

[bassictraining]

Have you already found strings that provide the appropriate tension? If so what did you settle on?

[jumbodbassman]

stew mac has decent priced slot files.

[Joelc73]

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

Actually Joel this has evolved into our goto set of woods for fretless instruments. Some of the finest sounding fretless instruments we have built over the past several years (IME) have had exactly these woods. It's the same spec that we used on Christian McBride's bass. We are quite happy with it and it certainly doesn't sound hard or lacking in swell at all.

Cheers,

J

Interesting. I have had the opposite experience with similar specs on other fretless basses but, being completely fair, I've not heard that exact spec on a Fodera (at least not that I remember.)I would love to check one out someday.

My favorite Fodera fretless combo has always been Mahogany body with a harder top (i.e. maple) and a Maple neck/Ebony board.

I actually had that combo (but with a softer buckeye top) on a custom fretless AJ6 years ago that, to this day, I regret selling. It was a 36" scale fretless though and physically too big for me as a fretless anyway. Fretted 36" is still manageable -- but the fretless was tough...

[steubig]

Originally Posted by Joelc73

My favorite Fodera fretless combo has always been Mahogany body with a harder top (i.e. maple) and a Maple neck/Ebony board.

i have this spec and it's very nice. i assume it's a maple tone block.

i also have two with walnut bodies (one rosewood, one maple fb) and (i think) maple tone blocks. also great. these are somewhat "tougher" sounding.

dunno the dif between walnut/maple tone blocks.

me? i like to have my fretted and fretless basses to have the same wood specs.

[Premek]

Hi guys,

I have a question for You - it's about the finish on my Emperor...
The bass is pretty old and I need to find some way how to care about her. I asked at Fodera, what kind of finish it is, they reply me to send bass for the complete refinish. I understand they want to make it seriously, but for me it's hard to send bass from Europe to NYC for refinish
I don't know what the refinish is - it's not natural, not lackquer, ... maybe some oil?! But, finally, I ask myself, if it's OK waxing the instrument, at least?

Here some photos, maybe You know the finish and You can say me if waxing is without problem for this kind of:

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by steubig

hmmm, dunno.

feels like my hands remember this stuff and feel more comfortable on certain instruments.

i remember my mom giving me an article about muscle memory from a long time ago.


quick internet search (okay, first hit was wikipedia) shows that there seems to be a school of thought that it does exist, though it can be also termed motor learning (?).

It doesn't exist. It's a misnomer and one that I really hate.

Just because your muscles can do something without conscious intervention doesn't mean they remember anything. Call it "motor learning" or "motor memory" and you're right on target.

Point is, it doesn't happen in the muscles, it happens in the brain. Even if a muscle could remember something, how does it coordinate itself with all the the other muscles involved in making the movement? No movement takes JUST ONE muscle, and an efficient movement is one in which all of the muscles involved are highly coordinated.

Your motor nervous system discharges learned motor skills/responses without conscious intervention and this FEELS like muscle memory, and people call it that, but it's not what it is. It's motor memory.

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by steubig

it was "reference lost on younger viewer" . . . or a lame excuse for a joke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MULMbqQ9LJ8

i think the whole brain thing is fascinating, but it's largely unknown still, as far as i can tell. there's more to read and understood, imho.

either way, it is pretty well established that our memory is not in our hands.

[nostatic]

to quote Britney, "whoops, I did it again..."

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by thepontif

It doesn't exist. It's a misnomer and one that I really hate.

Just because your muscles can do something without conscious intervention doesn't mean they remember anything. Call it "motor learning" or "motor memory" and you're right on target.

Point is, it doesn't happen in the muscles, it happens in the brain. Even if a muscle could remember something, how does it coordinate itself with all the the other muscles involved in making the movement? No movement takes JUST ONE muscle, and an efficient movement is one in which all of the muscles involved are highly coordinated.

Your motor nervous system discharges learned motor skills/responses without conscious intervention and this FEELS like muscle memory, and people call it that, but it's not what it is. It's motor memory.

Amen.

[kamakiriad7]

That's cool. I've been speaking with Phil about it and we also agreed that pau ferro is the best (only) choice. I'm trying as hard as I can to avoid sending the bass, as I'm sure you can understand. so, pau ferro ramp for now it is. Down the road if I consider getting matching pau ferro covers, I'll make sure it's during a time I'm back in NYC to pick it up!

Thanks for the help!
Chris

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

A few things to consider:

1. Unless you are planning on sending us the instrument you are limited to doing a Pau Ferro Ramp. We will not be able to properly match the top of your bass without having it in house. Additionally, from a dimensional stability standpoint, Pau Ferro is vastly superior to flame maple as a ramp material.

2. Without sending us the bass, we could not make you wooden pickup covers. They are a different size and require us to re-route the bass.

Hopefully this is helpful!

Cheers,

Jason

[Hou]

Originally Posted by nostatic

to quote Britney, "whoops, I did it again..."

You play with my heart... Uh baby baby!

Looks nice. What is it ?