Disappointed with Fodera

[Chrisk-K]

But my rep sounded a little “stressed” the last couple times we spoke.

He is your sales “engineer,” not rep.

 

[Captain Chaos]

My last Sweetwater order (forever) was a preorder. They charged my account in full for a non custom bass that was to arrive in a year, as opposed to charging when shipped. Unacceptable for a major retailer. Order immediately cancelled by me. Sweetwater too. Their new ownership stinks. Policies more like Stinkwater

They got new owners? I remember getting emails from the owner to get in touch if I wasn’t happy with my orders.

 

[Boneless]

Hand cut and carved instruments are a snob selling point. It actually makes zero sense to sell a CNC body/neck and put it forth as a handcrafted instrument.
But obviously they aren't selling these to you or I.

I feel that the premium a handcrafted instrument carries is only temporary, and/or the business will get to a point where the craftsman who was doing it first as a work of passion and then as a profitable enterprise will get old, or tired, will want to hand over the job to somebody else but, of course, it starts getting hard because labour is expensive (and rightly so). There is a certain trajectory common to many "handcrafting" businesses in all sectors.

 

[Aloe]

I need to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this thread.

I've came to read a hilarious discussion about someone getting a Fodera and then stating, his Squier isn't any worse.

and all we have is a story about some Fodera dealer that couldn't sell a Fodera bass.

 

[60bass]

As to whether the Yin Yang is in stock at Sweetwater. Yes it is depending on what you want. Or they're showing they do to drive interest.

Fodera Yin Yang 4 Standard Mahogany Bass Guitar - Natural with EMG Pickups

Fodera Yin Yang 4 Standard Purpleheart Bass Guitar - Natural with Fodera-Duncan Pickups

Fodera Yin Yang 4 Standard Mahogany Bass Guitar - Natural with Fodera-Duncan Pickups

Fodera Yin Yang 4 Standard Bass Guitar - Blister Maple

 

[Thumpin6string]

22 months to build a bass? They must be taking a lot of smoke breaks and working a 2 hour day.

 

[MCF]

He is your sales “engineer,” not rep.

He’s been a good engineer for a long time now. He’s actually a reason I look to them first sor things.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

22 months to build a bass? They must be taking a lot of smoke breaks and working a 2 hour day.

Not to build a bass, but to get through the backlog in front of you and build your bass.

 

[Jogobass]

I always look on reverb to see which store has the bass I want. Then I go directly to the store page and order it there. No extra fees and why not.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I always look on reverb to see which store has the bass I want. Then I go directly to the store page and order it there. No extra fees and why not.

Most of the time they’ll hook you up with not sales tax or something. They save, you save.

 

[vivaknoxvegas]

I never understood why anyone would pay for a bass built by Stuart Spector’s apprentice when they could buy a bass made by Stuart himself for half the price

Yep. I was planning to post, “just get a US made Spector.”

 

[g-dude]

Maybe they did you a favor. Imagine what would have happened if you received the bass where the alignment between control plate and pickguard was slightly off.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Not to build a bass, but to get through the backlog in front of you and build your bass.

If that is the case, there must be a lot of folks who have no problem forking out close to or over $10K for a bass.

 

[ericplaysbass]

If that is the case, there must be a lot of folks who have no problem forking out close to or over $10K for a bass.

They wouldn't exist as a viable business if there weren't...

 

[gln1955]

If that is the case, there must be a lot of folks who have no problem forking out close to or over $10K for a bass.

There are. I don't breathe the same rarefied air as those folks.

 

[Gluvhand]

If that is the case, there must be a lot of folks who have no problem forking out close to or over $10K for a bass.

Or just a small staff and not many being built.

 

[Mikeyfretbuzz]

Eh, don’t be mad at Fodingus. 6-7k for a bass is bs. If it were the 16th century, Michelangelo would’ve carved that bass with his dck for $3

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Eh, don’t be mad at Fodingus. 6-7k for a bass is bs. If it were the 16th century, Michelangelo would’ve carved that bass with his dck for $3

Yeahbut today that same Michelangelo Richard bass would be worth a $Million 380

 

[Nolan Tremblay]

When it comes to solid body instruments (arguably for acoustic instruments too) manual woodworking makes *zero* sense, with the precision and accuracy modern CNC machines have. Yes, you need to guide the machine, but a skilled technician is going to make dozens of basses in the same time it takes him to make one. And with the same level of attention, too.

Do you have experience that leads you to this conclusion? I’ve spoken with and read posts from a number of boutique builders and CNC seems to not multiply production to anywhere near what you are claiming. Also, what is the 12 to 1 comparison based on? What is the other builder using? Just hand tools?

 

[moon-bass]

This thread.