Fodera Club Part II

[cnltb]

For years I've felt, along with many others....that the guys in the shop need to be able to stick to what they do best: Building magnificent basses. NOT trying to run the entire show.

I've got a few hours of video that Steve Bailey shot inside the Fodera shop....it says more than words can. These guys are NUTS about wood, and turning that wood into over-the-top instruments.

Here's some shots of my Imperial when it was being created.

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Aloha, Garey

is that video somewhere online?
Would be interesting to see!
Nice looking bass btw

 

[Christian Houmann]

For years I've felt, along with many others....that the guys in the shop need to be able to stick to what they do best: Building magnificent basses. NOT trying to run the entire show.

I've got a few hours of video that Steve Bailey shot inside the Fodera shop....it says more than words can. These guys are NUTS about wood, and turning that wood into over-the-top instruments.

Here's some shots of my Imperial when it was being created.

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Aloha, Garey

Amazing bass Garey! Do you know the big different between Koa body and Walnut body in sound and maybe weight ?

Would love to see that video as well

 

[cosmicevan]

I do want to be clear about expectations...the closer an instrument is to being finished, the more "exact" a date can be. New orders are given a window based on our best current estimate of when their instrument will be complete...presently that window is roughly 24 months from the date of a deposit. An instrument that is due ship in two weeks is already 90% finished and we can give a very good estimate of a ship date. Clearly if while doing the final finish rub out, someone dropped it and it had to be completely rebuilt -- yeah, we'd miss the date. But we would pick up the phone and explain it to the customer and let them know exactly what we expect the resolution to be...

YES, delivery times are an estimate, very educated ones, but we could easily be off because of many factors. What is 100% certain is that as we get new information, we will PROACTIVELY update customers with any significant changes to the last estimate we provided them. This is what I have historically found to be the most frustrating thing in my personal dealings with several custom shops (of all different sizes and types, including Fodera) -- the shops seem like black holes. Call me old fashioned, but at these prices, our customers deserve US to call THEM when their is a problem and we are going to try our very best to instill that mindset in how all of us work together at Fodera.

But please remember...we are human and we are trying to create art, not "product," and, so, sometimes S*@& will happen. But we'll tell ya' if it does...

this is great to hear!!! i really was under the impression that after a week long partnership, specific dates were being given to customers who had orders that hadn't even been started and saw the looming doom of people getting excited and then disappointed and bashing on the change. it seems like any communication to the customer will be a welcome change, but i personally would be pretty annoyed if i was told a date and then got a call to get the date pushed back and then got another call to push the date back and then another...communitcation is better than no communication, but proper expectations and heavily padded estimates are even better. i couldn't dream of someone being annoyed if they had an order in and were told 3 years and the bass was finished in 2.5. however, someone who was told 2 years and got it 6 months later will feel exactly the opposite. i'm just suggesting to try and stack the cards in your favor for success.

i'm really not trying to be negative about this, just realistic. i've seen way too many businesses have some management changes and start making bold promises and getting customers excited and then even more disappointed. there comes a point where you can totally 100% lose a customer's trust and i didn't want to see something like that happen to fodera. some of you looping fans may remember the debacle of the now defunct electrix. they made the best looper on the market and then went through several management changes and ownerships making promises and giving dates every step of the way, until one day the site just disappeared and the phone number went dead (not that this would happen to fodera, but bad business practices eventually lead to no business). talk to anyone who ever ordered a Bebensee...the list goes on and on.

so i imagine FGY2's bass is in the 90% range of being completed since he has been told what week to expect delivery?

and on that note, i'll (try to) bow out of this discussion on the mgmt change because i think i made my points and you can take them or leave them. either way this change sounds like a positive one and i don't want to drag down the positivity by playing devil's advocate.

 

[Garey]

Amazing bass Garey! Do you know the big different between Koa body and Walnut body in sound and maybe weight ?

Would love to see that video as well

The body wood is actually Limba / Korina.....with a Koa top.

The video Steve shot was posted on the now defunct Bass Vault site...I have it in my archives, perhaphs Steve will put it up on Youtube one of these days....

Aloha, Garey

 

[Christian Houmann]

The body wood is actually Limba / Korina.....with a Koa top.

The video Steve shot was posted on the now defunct Bass Vault site...I have it in my archives, perhaphs Steve will put it up on Youtube one of these days....

Aloha, Garey

UPS! I actually meant Korina vs. Walnut. Do you the different in sound between those two bodywoods?

 

[Garey]

UPS! I actually meant Korina vs. Walnut. Do you the different in sound between those two bodywoods?

Limba is sonically close to Mahogany, AFAIK. Its lightweight, and very resonant. I can't directly compare walnut vs Limba....the only Walnut bass I've had is an old Monarch, which is SO different. This piece of Limba in particular had been aging for 50 years when Joey bought it, 20 years ago! It resonates right through my body when I play...really nice. This Imperial has a HUGE sound...great punch and growl, but also a piano-like quality....with a wonderful timbre, amazing seperation of notes, and an ultra-wide frequency response. Its SO responsive to players touch and dynamics...and also, for me, one of the easiest playing basses I've had. Fits me perfect, I guess.

Aloha, Garey

 

[thepontif]

Sorry, I wasn't firing at you. I was just adding onto your point. I had part of my post deleted because I made a political comment, so you didn't get the whole context. I missed that rule somehow. Anyway, all good.

agreed. i hope my point didn't come across as negative because i firmly fall on the side of thinking this is a good thing for the business. my comments are directed more as advice towards success, than criticism of the changes. i have a strong understanding of product and setting customer expectations and the top things people are interested in is honesty and accuracy/quality...especially at this kind of price point. bringing in more people so that everyone can focus on their strengths is exactly how to make things as good as they can be, but as you said, these things take time and for folks to be getting an EXACT delivery time 2 years out is kind of like going all in with a pair of 2's. being 3 months off on an estimation 2 years out is pretty good...unless you are the person wondering where your bass is every day for 3 months after you were promised a delivery date.

good management not only gets things done, but is also realistic about what can be done while maintaining the integrity of the brand and that seems to be a priority from what we've read. you'll find many threads on TB from people whining about late deliveries from little guys in one man shops all the way up to the huge name brands that you can find in every major chain. you'll also see threads of praise and recommendation since a company handles the education of the buyer at the onset and provides accurate ranges of estimation and expectations on those estimations. this is a partnership that was formed less than one week ago so making those kinds of bold promises really is going all-in on those 2's. with major change like this comes the chance for great success. may the flop bring you more deuces.

 

[Bassflute]

Here's some shots of my Imperial when it was being created.

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Aloha, Garey

Absolutely beautiful. Makes me want to perhaps go after one someday, when my MTD collection is finished (another 17 to go or so).



Just say no to pick-up covers...and I personally prefer black knobs, but that's just me. I like the contrast, otherwise they become too much like cars today...the WHOLE thing's one colour, bumpers, mirrors, everything...too monotonous.

How does that Ash neck work for you? Any clips anywhere?

Cheers,
Cameron

 

[EliasR]

Beautiful bass, Garey!

 

[Garey]

Thanks....pickup covers will be changing soon to match the fingerboard (pup swap is to blame for that). Otherwise....I hear ya. Its still evolving (thanks to the new mgmt at Fodera!)

Ash neck is SUPERB. Solid, feels great. I don't know how it impacts tone, but I love everything about this bass. I hope to be getting some clips in the next month or so.....she's headed back to Fodera tomorrow for some long-awaited work.

Aloha, Garey

 

[niomosy]

My Imperial.

 

[funkydanbass]

Beautiful!

 

[Just Thumpin']

Folks -- just a heads up that after a long collaboration with the Groove Shoppe, we have been informed that the Company plans to discontinue its operations. Over the past several weeks, during our discussions with the Groove Shoppe folks about unwinding their relationship with Fodera, it has come to our attention that there are thirteen (13) orders for Fodera instruments that were placed through The Groove Shoppe that we did not know about. Some of these customers have already gotten into contact with us directly.

We intend to reach out to each of these thirteen customers today and Monday to introduce ourselves to you as we will be taking on these orders directly and honoring the same prices that were quoted via the Groove Shoppe (even though it appears that some of these orders may have been placed as far back as 2005).

Following is the joint statement that we have issued together with The Groove Shoppe. We wish the former owners well.

"After seven years of custom Fodera sales, the Groove Shoppe has decided to shut down their operations. To ensure that there is no disruption in their outstanding orders, the Groove Shoppe and Fodera have coordinated to transition all open Fodera sales to Fodera to handle directly.

Your instrument will be issued a production slot per Fodera's standard schedule. Per the previous management team at Fodera, the Groove Shoppe had a practice of issuing new work orders to Fodera in small lots. This allowed both companies to focus special attention on the details of current orders. Since some orders were not in the current batch, they will need to be treated as new orders. Obviously, Fodera will honor the pricing that Groove Shoppe quoted you and will do everything in its power to make the instruments the special pieces envisioned when they were ordered.

NOTE: Per the Groove Shoppe's historical policy, all deposits on custom orders are non-refundable. Fodera will not be liable in any way for any money customers have paid to the Groove Shoppe as a deposit."

Just as a final editorial note, and to be clear, Fodera never received any of the deposits for the 13 instruments mentioned above...

Again, we will be proactively reaching out to all 13 customers between today and Monday to develop a specific plan of action for each instrument. We are PROFOUNDLY sorry that this situation even exists.

Please note that we have reconciled our production schedule with every other Fodera Dealer, so please do not worry that this is the first of many similar situations. This is an isolated incident.

 

[Angus]

NOTE: Per the Groove Shoppe's historical policy, all deposits on custom orders are non-refundable. Fodera will not be liable in any way for any money customers have paid to the Groove Shoppe as a deposit."

Just as a final editorial note, and to be clear, Fodera never received any of the deposits for the 13 instruments mentioned above...

So basically all customers lose their deposit, whether they want the instrument or not? That's awful for the people who placed the orders.

I realize that this is how a lot of dealers get capital- floating the deposits until orders are due- but this is why that's dangerous. Precisely the reason why there are a couple luthiers hurrying to fill orders from a few certain bass stores that are looking vulnerable.

Good luck with it- I hope it works out in the best way possible for those who've already paid a huge deposit.

 

[harrybosch]

EDIT(Mark): You don't really think that was necessary, do you?

 

[TimothyGroovy]

OMG............:scowl:

 

[Marlat]

FWIW I would wait until the other side of the story is known. Not saying that its not an unfortunate position for those with orders to be in, but I know that the post from Fodera is only one side of the story and it doesn't say that people will lose their deposits (or that the deposits won't be applied towards the instruments being built). I would wait for confirmation from the GrooveShoppe before making assumptions.

For example, one way to read the statement from Fodera is that the GrooveShoppe's policy is that deposits are non-refundable. THerefore if you find that your order is back in the regular order schedule now (being handled directly by Fodera) you cannot request a refund of your deposit because you bass is going to take longer than expected to build. HOwever, it would be useful if the GrooveShoppe or Fodera clarified this as the post from Fodera is quite ambiguous.

 

[78Jazzlover]

FWIW I would wait until the other side of the story is known. Not saying that its not an unfortunate position for those with orders to be in, but I know that the post from Fodera is only one side of the story and it doesn't say that people will lose their deposits (or that the deposits won't be applied towards the instruments being built). I would wait for confirmation from the GrooveShoppe before making assumptions.

For example, one way to read the statement from Fodera is that the GrooveShoppe's policy is that deposits are non-refundable. THerefore if you find that your order is back in the regular order schedule now (being handled directly by Fodera) you cannot request a refund of your deposit because you bass is going to take longer than expected to build. HOwever, it would be useful if the GrooveShoppe or Fodera clarified this as the post from Fodera is quite ambiguous.

Well, maybe it should be clarified a little more , but he did say that Groove Shoppe deposits are not refundable by Fodera, and that Fodera did not receive any deposit monies. So why would Fodera build 13 basses without the value of the deposits?

Sometimes its whats not said too. He did not say that all deposits will be honored and put towards the new arrangment. He just said that they will honor the PRICING from date of order and some will have to start from scratch on the production schedule.

 

[Marlat]

Well, maybe it should be clarified a little more , but he did say that Groove Shoppe deposits are not refundable by Fodera, and that Fodera did not receive any deposit monies. So why would Fodera build 13 basses without the value of the deposits?

Sometimes its whats not said too. He did not say that all deposits will be honored and put towards the new arrangment. He just said that they will honor the PRICING from date of order and some will have to start from scratch on the production schedule.

As I said, I wouldn't assume. I would wait until you know the facts. I am sure this will be clarified.

 

[harrybosch]

But it's fun to assume Controversy and drama create conversation Whatever the other side of the story is, it doesn't look good for those that had orders.