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Fodera Club Part II

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#42
Arthur U. Poon said:
You and me both!

IMO from a visual standpoint there's not a more beautiful instrument made than a Fodera.
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Trust me when I say this. There is NOTHING like a Fodera. I have yet to play one that didn't feel like a Fodera. The only bad thing about playing a Fodera is, not having the money to buy it right then and there. When you have to put that bass down and walk away, it hurts. I actually had tears in my eyes when I had to let this one go. I will have it back one day though. I can feel it.
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#43
Anthony Jackson said:
I don't want to cause anyone grief, but it's become clear that the time has come to defend a concept here. I refer to JoelC73's display of an "Anthony Jackson Presentation 6." This is the way of it: The instrument shown is, yes, a Fodera, and a fine one, as are all Foderas. But it is NOT A PRESENTATION. My concept of this instrument remains, after 21 years, essentially unchanged, allowing , of course, for improvements, of which there have been several. Nevertheless the original intent will not be changed unless and until I decide. Reflect: The Presentation came about as I planned the then-next prototype contrabass guitar, to be number 7, and unnamed. I had grown tired of "Chinese Menu" designs, where bunches of bells-and-whistles are hung onto instruments to appeal to the largest number of players. Same with design compromises: '64 or '71 Jazz pickup spacing? I like '64, but '71's are selling more...then make it '71. I only need one pickup...forget that. Nobody seems to like the 36"scale...but 34 will never do. Players will tolerate 35...not as good as 36, but ***--gotta sell, gotta sell. I decided on trying a design with no features at all, unless I wanted them. So: 36" scale. Period. 28 frets. Period. Six strings. Period. Wide spacing at both ends, including a very wide nut. Period. One pickup only, placed not by measurement, but by my ear alone. No circuit of any kind...passive or active. Nothing. Chambered body. I always sit, so provisions for straps--no. There are a few other feature issues (and a few very small compromises) but you get the point... Except for wood choice, there are NO OPTIONS. Could such an instrument "work" even if it didn't "sell"? The experiment was to see if an instrument could be a more neutral and productive platform if designed by and for only one person, and that was the only goal...which "worked." I expected total disregard from everyone ("nice bass AJ...when are you gonna finish it?"), so the Presentation's popularity has been rewarding...as has its influence ("I want my new bass to have no circuit and no controls, all passive...and singlecut!"). So, for those who desire one of these instruments, remember that the "personalist-minimalist" design concept is essential...and mandatory. Vinnie Fodera himself suggested that the instrument shown here could be called "Presentation-bodied Monarch (or Emperor, or whatever)". Sorry for having to be so anal, but all Foderaphiles understand, I'm sure, the need to respect this very small (total of 4 people) company's reputation for outstanding and forward-thinking work. Nobody else would have attempted such a seemingly irresponsible project...especially one from that flaky rocket designer Anthony Jackson. Remember, I gave Vinnie a potential problem to solve: the prototype necks were getting longer and wider. For stability-insurance I requested a siffer neck, without graphite. His solution was the extended single cutaway, coincidentally resulting in one of the most beautiful guitars in the instrument's very long history. There is no one else like him, and he will take his place alongside the great luthiers such as Torres and Ramirez. In the meantime please respect my own wishes, made possible only by this company, which was fully aware that it would never sell more than a very few of these instruments. I am first a performing artist, but after that somebody with a 43-year-old "instrument dream", now realized, that I will not willingly see compromised. Fodera fully supports this view.
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Yep, I'll be the first saying it, but reading this destroyed my eyes. :crying:

P.S.: It's always great to have the opinion of the man on discussions about the Presentation model.
 
#45
gre107 said:
Nice! Similar to mine.
It's officialy decided that the Imperial is next on my list!

Peace
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Thanks...Top Wood is Koa that I hand selected here in Hawaii and sent to Fodera, Body is 40 year old Korina with a maple tone block, Ash neck, Kingwood fingerboard, extended B headstock, Nordstrand Big Singles in Brazilian covers, 2-tone accent striping, matching koa knobs, and upgraded to the new pope preamp. Its also got a custom specified hand-rubbed oil finish. Solid......ordered in 2003, with a 3 year wait time (some of that was my wood drying to spec)

Aloha, Garey
 
#46
Sorry that I haven't posted in awhile -- work has been crazy. Anyway, in our next segment of Fodera Bass #3,000, Joey gets into the act by sanding the bass and roughing out the electronics cavity....

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Next up, Fodera 3,000 gets its Butterfly. I have watched the guys inlay the butterflies multiple times and the process is ABSURDLY SLOW and painstaking. I do not think that it is an exaggeration to say that Fodera might spend more time on making the Butterflies and inlaying them than some "custom" builders do "building" an entire bolt-on instrument...

First up, is the process of laying out the hundreds of possible pieces of Abalone and Mother-of-Pearl that will become future butterflies. Because every piece of Abalone looks different and because each Butterfly has 4 pieces (plus one Mother-of-Pearl "f"), the first task is to find 4 pieces of Abalone that look like they belong to the same Butterfly. I haven't even taken a picture of this step, but can you say "Old World?"

Next, all of the selected pieces are laid out prior to being glued together...

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Here is a close up of the Butterfly that will eventually be selected for # 3,000. It is comprised entirely of the "heart" of the Abalone shell -- the rarest and most visually striking part...

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After being glued together...

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Now Vadym hand saws all of the glue from in between the Butterfly parts...

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Checking for where it will be inlaid...all done by eye, no templates "because every bass is different!"

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Using a Pin Router to route the spot for inlaying the butterfly. I have only shown one image here, but this process takes a LONG TIME as Vadym gradually routes out more material until perfect balance in achieved surrounding the butterfly...

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The Butterfly is in its new home!!

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With some shellac to better see the color, but before the black border has been filled in...

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Again, it truly amazes just how hand-built Foderas truly are, ESPECIALLY in this day and age. I have always tried to keep these in mind when I am feeling particularly frustrated with how long it takes to build one!!!

In the next segment, Bass # 3,000 will be sprayed and almost finished!!
 
#58
Thanks.
The ´91 AJ has a walnut body with a figured koa top, 36" maple neck with macassar ebony fingerboard. When I bought it used in 1999 I took it to Christian Celinder in Chopenhagen. He did a nice set-up. Since that day I have tweaked the truss-rod once. A testament to quality and oiling the fingerboard twice a year.

The barts and Haz-lab are out and the bass now sports Aero pickups and a custom 2-band Pope pre. The two switches are both On/On. The 4 combinations the two switches give me are off/inner single coils/outer single coils/both pickups parallel hum-bucking.

Bottom line: I love her to death. IMO the best thing about the bass is that it is stunning yet simplistic.
 
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