Fodera Club Part XVII

[gkbass13]

Having the bass stamped on the 30th anniversary date and having it be potentially your last custom order, I would definitely go with the ancient mahogany body, quarter-matched top and 30th anniversary neck elite build with the chestnut tone block and brazilian board. That would make for an unbelievably special, rare and unique combination of building specifications!

[Just Thumpin']

Thanks Ken. Yes, actually meeting people (like yourself) at the NAMM Show is one of the very high points for each year too. It's a LOT of work, but it is always gratifying to shake hands with people that we "know," but don't really "know!"

Regards,

J

Originally Posted by KJung

+1 in general. Per my edit above though, a complex neck with a highly figured piece of top veneer (especially walnut, which will I assume be much darker than the exposed neck)..... that can often get you into trouble IMO. Too much of a good thing sometimes! Pure IMO there.

Also, have a GREAT NAMM. Seeing all those amazing basses, amazing players (Pope, Garrison, etc.) and Vinnie, etc. in the booth was a thrill for me last year. Nice meeting you face to face also. Hope to do it again in a few years! I continue to be SO impressed with the organization/discipline you've brought to this wonderful brand!

[OliveFodera]

I vote for "old-growth Honduran Mahogany that was harvested in the 1920's".

When another stellar top wood comes in that tickles your fancy, you can always re-evaluate your harem and consider a bass with an Ash body.

[Randyt]

Jason....is there a process to fuse (no linear line) to combine the wings of Crotch Walnut and the center with Mahogany..or half and half, you get the best combination of all woods...without making it look like a circus....Dont think YYD linear or Non Solid top...but somehow fuse all the woods together for your top...think transitional lenses..seamless.??Can it even be done?

If it cant be done ...my vote is for Mahogany!

[Just Thumpin']

I must say that it has been at least four years since I got to ask folks on TB for input on a bass that I am having made and I have to admit -- it's a lot of fun! You guys should know that even though I "know" all of the pros and cons of each choice, it doesn't make the decision any easier! And, your insights and input allows be to look at the problem from different angles which is way cool.

Vinny is 99% finished with his guitar -- the very first instrument he has ever built for himself -- and he TORTURED himself (and all of us) making choices about body woods, top woods, neck woods, etc. It was a LOT of fun, but also trying as every time I thought we had his spec nailed I would come in the next day and he would have a look in his eye and 5 minutes later we were digging through the wood pile again. It was only when we literally had to threaten pushing his build slot to the "back of the line" that he made the final selections (actually, that's no different than me or any number of you, LOL!).

It's funny, the ONLY difference between us making our choices and you making yours is that we are physically in the shop and so, when the mind wanders, we can actually walk back and start thinking with our hands and eyes. But, in a way, it makes it all the more brutal. Think about it (and not that I am complaining), Vinny and I have seen every piece of top wood that has come into this shop over the past 4 years (for Vinny that number is 30 years!). The possibilities are staggering.

Anyway, keep your input coming. I am loving it!!!

Regards,

J

[Just Thumpin']

Well, the center really wouldn't be Mahogany, it would be the neck billet which, from left to right is birdseye maple, rosewood, flame maple, rosewood, birdseye maple...

Maybe I am not understanding you correctly. Sorry!

J

Originally Posted by Randyt

Jason....is there a process to fuse (no linear line) to combine the wings of Crotch Walnut and the center with Mahogany...without making it look like a circus....Dont think YYD linear or Non Solid top...but somehow fuse all the woods together for your top??
Dunno..

[Randyt]

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

Well, the center really wouldn't be Mahogany, it would be the neck billet which, from left to right is birdseye maple, rosewood, flame maple, rosewood, birdseye maple...

Maybe I am not understanding you correctly. Sorry!

J

no problem...im probably not making myself clear..but I will try again...go for full solid top!...You know your process of how you pick your abolone for your Butterflies, each one has its own coloration, movement, waves that match or accentuate the other...same process but use the two woods to create a solid top...half mahogany..the other half or quarter Walnut?then fuse together but not using any linear/solid lines or ebony...sorry thats all i got...Im much more of a hands on guy..never been much of a word-smith...Either way ..you cant go wrong!

[Just Thumpin']

Now I understand. Thanks!

J

Originally Posted by Randyt

no problem...im probably not making myself clear..but I will try again...go for full solid top!...You know your process of how you pick your abolone for your Butterflies, each one has its own coloration, movement, waves that match or accentuate the other...same process but use the two woods to create a solid top...half mahogany..the other half or quarter Walnut?then fuse together but not using any linear/solid lines or ebony...sorry thats all i got...Im much more of a hands on guy..never been much of a word-smith...Either way ..you cant go wrong!

[nostatic]

Ok, I'll offer a counter position (as usual). Not that I have recently gone through related questions or anything. If the non solid option allows you to best take advantage of the walnut burl, I'd say go that way. While the solid is more typical and perhaps "cleaner", highly figured tops can sometimes be too much if the whole top is there. And it is a shame when you see the top and your eyes follow the figure to the most interesting part, only to have it obscured by pups. The non solid options gives a nice bit of visual contrast and break to the playing field. Of course it depends on the piece of wood.

I'd go Honduran for the body, but I'm not a big ash fan. Also, can you use any of the walnut for the neck stringers instead of the rosewood? That might help tie the top together visually as well.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by jamesyeh

Wonder if anyone here is selling Fodera deluxe 4 let me know

There's one at Bass San Diego.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

Okay gang I am really interested in YOUR thoughts about this one. As many of you know, I have what might very well be my last personal Fodera build on order. I am 100% set on the following specs:

Monarch 4 Elite 34" / 24 frets
5-piece Maple Neck (one of the six 30th Anniversary necks we built with Birdseye Maple, Flame Maple and South American Rosewood stringers)
Brazilian RW FB
Chestnut Tone Block
Single Coil J/J PUPs
Crotch Walnut top

This coming week I need to make my final decision on the following things and it is driving me nuts as with every other instrument I have had built I had a specific tone / purpose in mind. And, as I am fortunate enough to have multiple Monarchs already, I definitely don't "need" another.

That said, it IS our 30th Anniversary this year and knowing this I placed my order in the Fall of 2011 (yes, I both pay AND wait in line for my builds!), because I wanted to have an instrument built in our 30th Anniversary year and actually have it stamped on our anniversary (March 14, 2013). Iin case you did not know this, every one of our instruments is date stamped under the bridge on the day that the woodworking / carving is completed.

So, here are the two remaining build specs that I am up in the air on...

1. Body wood;
2. Top (non-solid bookmatched vs. solid quartermatched)

In terms of body wood, I am waffling back and forth (depending on the day) between a stellar piece of old-growth Honduran Mahogany that was harvested in the 1920's and Ash.

The "collector" in me is screaming to use the Honduran as having that as a body wood with a Brazilian RW FB and a Chestnut Tone Block would be an insane tonewood trifecta. I do love this tonewood combination, but I already have two other Foderas with Mahogany bodies and Brazilian FB's...

As much as we have recently been building with (and loving!) combinations of Ash bodies with RW FB's, I actually do not personally own one. So, from a tone perspective, I would love to have a Fodera of my own with this combination. Yes, I will be able to pick through the wood pile and find a killer sounding and looking piece of Ash, but for a 30th Anniversary instrument, no piece of Ash that I can find will come close to the rarity of the piece of Honduran that is available.

As far as the top is concerned, about 18 months ago we received one of the most stunning pieces of feather crotch Walnut Vinny, Joey and I have ever seen. It has enough material for three tops. The only downside to the piece is that if I used it as a solid top, the feather crotch would be dominant towards the center of the instrument -- a place that is visually obscured by the PUP's, strings and bridge.

So, I have been leaning towards a non-solid top that would place the heavy crotch feather figure more towards the center of each body wing rather than under the strings (if I went with the solid top). Remember, the neck billet for this instrument is flat out stunning, so showing that on the face of the instrument would definitely NOT be a negative!

However, since we have enough material available, I am contemplating biting the bullet and paying for a second top and doing the very first quartermatched top -- imagine a bookmatched set on each side of the instrument. Vinny has always wanted to do one of these but has yet to do one. It would certainly be unique and probably look stunning, but I would loose the "old world" look of seeing the stunning neck billet (and it would cost a bunch more!).

So, I submit these quandaries to you humbly knowing how much I have enjoyed helping many of you make final selections for the specs of your Foderas and hoping you will help me do the same!

Kindest regards,

J

For the top, can you swap sides on the bookmatch? You did that on the koa top in the post above - when I looked at the raw wood for that piece, the halves were on opposite sides.

As far as the ash body, I don't know how rare the ash is on the one-piece body of that koa-top Monarch above, but it's one of the finest pieces of ash I've seen in terms of aesthetics (see picture below). As you might expect, I'd go with a mahogany body for its tonal characteristics.

For my personal taste, I wouldn't do a quarter-matched top on this bass. It might look too funky - maybe try it on a spec bass first.

[celinder 72]

Jason I have a great idea, old growth Mahogany and ................... Yellawood top!!!!!! Home depot special brother. Sorry I had to pass it on. Im having a bass built and my smart@** guitar player has been praising the tonal properties of Yellawood. Jason whatever you choose it is going to be spectacular. Your Brazilian Rosewood Monarch is one of the most beautiful basses ever, nearly impossible to top that bass IMO.

[Baird6869]

Question.... Has Fodera ever used cedar as a body wood?

Sounds weird, but I loved the tone of the 2 cedar Roscoes I used to gig.

[steubig]

jason.

sorry to hear about your options anxiety.

pretty sure i can help you with is, as follows:

1. alder body
2. maple fb
3. sunburst finish
4. tortoiseshell pick guard
5. flatwounds, of course

no need to thank me.

;-)

[Lennard III.]

Originally Posted by steubig

jason.

sorry to hear about your options anxiety.

pretty sure i can help you with is, as follows:

1. alder body
2. maple fb
3. sunburst finish
4. tortoiseshell pick guard
5. flatwounds, of course

no need to thank me.

;-)

don't forget the single Splitcoil

[steubig]

Originally Posted by Lennard III.

don't forget the single Splitcoil

was it that obvious?

;-)

[Just Thumpin']

Thanks Mike!

J

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

For the top, can you swap sides on the bookmatch? You did that on the koa top in the post above - when I looked at the raw wood for that piece, the halves were on opposite sides.

As far as the ash body, I don't know how rare the ash is on the one-piece body of that koa-top Monarch above, but it's one of the finest pieces of ash I've seen in terms of aesthetics (see picture below). As you might expect, I'd go with a mahogany body for its tonal characteristics.

For my personal taste, I wouldn't do a quarter-matched top on this bass. It might look too funky - maybe try it on a spec bass first.

[Just Thumpin']

You are the best!

J

Originally Posted by steubig

jason.

sorry to hear about your options anxiety.

pretty sure i can help you with is, as follows:

1. alder body
2. maple fb
3. sunburst finish
4. tortoiseshell pick guard
5. flatwounds, of course

no need to thank me.

;-)

[Just Thumpin']

We have used Cherry a couple of times, but I am virtually certain that we have never used cedar...

J

Originally Posted by Baird6869

Question.... Has Fodera ever used cedar as a body wood?

Sounds weird, but I loved the tone of the 2 cedar Roscoes I used to gig.

[kamakiriad7]

How about the split singlecoil?