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And an old member with a new home. Just got it from TBer Bram ...
Olive top over ash (long before Richard B. signed this as his signature combo ;-),
Birdseye board, 36' (!!)
Old Hazlab 2 Bd.
So deeeep and funky ! But what a loooong neck....
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Olive top over ash (long before Richard B. signed this as his signature combo ;-),
Birdseye board, 36' (!!)
Old Hazlab 2 Bd.
So deeeep and funky ! But what a loooong neck....
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- Aug 21, 2008
- 1,168
- 33
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist : Fodera Guitars , Harvest fine leather bags & straps
Sag mal Reiner,
sagtest du nicht vor ein/zwei Jahren noch, dass du gar nicht sooo der Fan von Fodera bist
sagtest du nicht vor ein/zwei Jahren noch, dass du gar nicht sooo der Fan von Fodera bist
sweet basses all around! that redburst is awesome, there is a blackburst like it somewhere that is one of my all time favorite basses.
Yes I'm 100% sure I have had a few burst solid body Emperor bolt on's in the passed...
They no longer offer burst or gloss finishes at all on any models as it's too time consuming...
A new member in the family
Emperor Elite 5, 34'
Chestnut Burl over Mahogany
Aeros (originally it had Barts, the covers are made in the F-Shop and thanks to TBer climb for the pups...
New Pope pre (great !) and new hardware.
About 15 years old, sounds so great after the refurbish
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i gotta admit, the only reason i ever got into foderas and ended up buying one back in 2000 was because i thought they looked killer. that hasnt changed at all. that bass is visually fantastic. its a shame that my hands dont agree AT ALL with how they play.
Sag mal Reiner,
sagtest du nicht vor ein/zwei Jahren noch, dass du gar nicht sooo der Fan von Fodera bist
Stimmt ! Die ersten beiden Foderas, die ich hatte, gefielen mir überhaupt nicht. Erst als ich durch Zufall an einen Buckeye Monarch gekommen bin, habe ich nochmal neu drüber nachgedacht...
Und jetzt besitze ich 6 davon
----
Correct ! The first three Foderas, which I owned 7-8 years ago, didn't impress me so far - one of it had 3 DC pickups in it and - as mentioned in a previous post here - that was not a good config soundwise. The others had some mods, worn pots or other issues, which I couldn't get matched with the prices I paid.
At the beginnung of 2009 I'd shot a wonderful Buckeye Monarch and I began to re-think about Fodera basses. I've owned a dozen Fodera basses since then and still own 6 of it ...
... and will keep them as long as I can afford it... 
- Aug 21, 2008
- 1,168
- 33
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist : Fodera Guitars , Harvest fine leather bags & straps
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Folks --
Many recent posts have involved opinions about Foderas and, as such, I'd like to make quick but important point...since we are a true Custom Shop (EVERYTHING is on the table when building your Fodera...neck shape, spacing, woods, electronics, preamp design, EVERYTHING), we end up making many basses that are decidedly NOT for everyone...
So here's the thing...many times you'll see a post like "I tried a Fodera and I just don't get it." However, unless the bass was built specifically for you, there is a fair chance that you won't get it. The whole point of what we are doing here is to hand-build instruments one-by-one (the NYC's are a bit different as they are geared towards more mass appeal) in a manner that lets the player's individual voice shine through.
Sometimes we build basses with necks that are so chunky that I can barely play them. Sometimes customers want pickups that I personally don't like at all...but we are not building the bass for us or for the potential second owner of the bass...we are building it for one particular person with a very specific notion about what makes a great bass.
Then you have the whole other issue of proper set-up and strings. Even if the bass was something that you might love, if when you are trying it the set-up is not dialed in to your personal liking and the strings are not fresh (and also to your liking in terms of gauge and material), you might still hate the bass...
Joey and I do not like playing each others' Foderas -- we set up our instruments COMPLETELY differently...use different strings (both gauge and material)...and one of us likes 5 strings and one 4...
So, please, before rushing to judge the overall Fodera thing on the basis of playing one that was not built for you and/or set-up with you in mind, pause briefly and ask yourself whether or not you would feel completely comfortable in a suit that was hand-tailored for me. Much the same thing is involved...
Many recent posts have involved opinions about Foderas and, as such, I'd like to make quick but important point...since we are a true Custom Shop (EVERYTHING is on the table when building your Fodera...neck shape, spacing, woods, electronics, preamp design, EVERYTHING), we end up making many basses that are decidedly NOT for everyone...
So here's the thing...many times you'll see a post like "I tried a Fodera and I just don't get it." However, unless the bass was built specifically for you, there is a fair chance that you won't get it. The whole point of what we are doing here is to hand-build instruments one-by-one (the NYC's are a bit different as they are geared towards more mass appeal) in a manner that lets the player's individual voice shine through.
Sometimes we build basses with necks that are so chunky that I can barely play them. Sometimes customers want pickups that I personally don't like at all...but we are not building the bass for us or for the potential second owner of the bass...we are building it for one particular person with a very specific notion about what makes a great bass.
Then you have the whole other issue of proper set-up and strings. Even if the bass was something that you might love, if when you are trying it the set-up is not dialed in to your personal liking and the strings are not fresh (and also to your liking in terms of gauge and material), you might still hate the bass...
Joey and I do not like playing each others' Foderas -- we set up our instruments COMPLETELY differently...use different strings (both gauge and material)...and one of us likes 5 strings and one 4...
So, please, before rushing to judge the overall Fodera thing on the basis of playing one that was not built for you and/or set-up with you in mind, pause briefly and ask yourself whether or not you would feel completely comfortable in a suit that was hand-tailored for me. Much the same thing is involved...
i'd like to add to jason's comments about used basses.
i've had a few used foderas in my time and a few new ones (most i still have).
overall, i think it takes a while for a bass to really "become mine." it's about set-up. it's about learning how the bass sounds. most of all, it's about playing the bassand, imho, playing it a lot. to me one builds a relationship with the instrument.
i have a fodera that i bought from a friend that literally took me three years to really break in to where i "got it" and it sounded like me.
i've mentioned this to some other guys and they feel the same about about basses they've had from other makers.
i think some of it comes down to being used to one thing and starting to play another.
for instance, when i got my first 6-string fodera in 1985, i had been playing 4-string frankenfenders with different tunings (ranges). i had to *learn how to play* the new bass on many different levels.
so . . . i never get the fact that people don't have patience with these things.
i've had a few used foderas in my time and a few new ones (most i still have).
overall, i think it takes a while for a bass to really "become mine." it's about set-up. it's about learning how the bass sounds. most of all, it's about playing the bassand, imho, playing it a lot. to me one builds a relationship with the instrument.
i have a fodera that i bought from a friend that literally took me three years to really break in to where i "got it" and it sounded like me.
i've mentioned this to some other guys and they feel the same about about basses they've had from other makers.
i think some of it comes down to being used to one thing and starting to play another.
for instance, when i got my first 6-string fodera in 1985, i had been playing 4-string frankenfenders with different tunings (ranges). i had to *learn how to play* the new bass on many different levels.
so . . . i never get the fact that people don't have patience with these things.
how many customers are ordering custom neck shapes,spacing etc? the 5 string i custom ordered had the same neck profile,board radius,spacing at nut and bridge as the two 5 strings i owned before it. i didnt order anything specific in regards to shape. my buddy has a 5 string imperial and that neck doesnt feel any different. unless youre playing someones very personalized order, i would say you can still make a fairly accurate generalization as to how a fodera feels/plays.
the guys on the internet ive seen ordering foderas are usually only making cosmetic decisions like top wood but not ordering anything too out there. i think angus has been the first poster ive seen here specifically order something pretty different by going with the 16.5mm spacing.
i think people like what they like. im not really in the camp that says you should learn an instrument. it either fits me or it doesnt. i spent years thinking i should be adapting and changing my technique to suit the fodera i had and finally realized i was completely changing the way i play. it wasnt until i picked up a really narrow neck'd 5 string that i realized, i shouldnt have to be going to so much trouble. i dont want to have to work for the instrument, i want it to work for me.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
To answer your last two posts...
I used neck shape as just one small example of many things that make a big difference in an instrument's tone and feel...
The exact number of people wanting a custom neck shape is a moving target. Early on a very, very high percentage of the necks were custom shapes, now I would say 25% or less. However, 75%+ of our basses have some degree of custom work that materially alters the ultimate instrument and EVERY one has design decisions made by the customer. By way of example, simply in choosing a Mahogany body and Indian Rosewood FB with EMG pups, a customer is making some very significant decisions about what the ultimate instrument will sound and feel like...
I am interested by your description of playing a Fodera requiring you to "completely change" the way you play. That should NEVER be the case. The whole idea of working on a custom build is to design the bass so that it fits you, not the other way around. If the right conversations happen up front and both the shop and the customer do their homework, this should just flat out never happen and, if it did, we would work with that customer to make things right.
Unfortunately we do see a lot of people not being true to themselves during the design process...situations like players that have been playing 34" scale Ash body / Maple FB basses their whole lives and then ask us to build them a 35" Walnut body / Ebony FB bass becasue they "are ready for something different." Sometimes in situations like that, the customer ends up not liking the resulting bass...but how can any builder protect themselves from that? At the end of the day, the customer always has the final decision (unless an idea is so way out that we just decide not to attempt a build -- which does happen)...
So, with your specific Fodera build, what went wrong in the process? What could we have done better to make sure that the bass that we built you was what you are expecting? Your answer will be amazingly helpful not just to us, but probably to many potential future customers as well.
Cheers,
Jason
I used neck shape as just one small example of many things that make a big difference in an instrument's tone and feel...
The exact number of people wanting a custom neck shape is a moving target. Early on a very, very high percentage of the necks were custom shapes, now I would say 25% or less. However, 75%+ of our basses have some degree of custom work that materially alters the ultimate instrument and EVERY one has design decisions made by the customer. By way of example, simply in choosing a Mahogany body and Indian Rosewood FB with EMG pups, a customer is making some very significant decisions about what the ultimate instrument will sound and feel like...
I am interested by your description of playing a Fodera requiring you to "completely change" the way you play. That should NEVER be the case. The whole idea of working on a custom build is to design the bass so that it fits you, not the other way around. If the right conversations happen up front and both the shop and the customer do their homework, this should just flat out never happen and, if it did, we would work with that customer to make things right.
Unfortunately we do see a lot of people not being true to themselves during the design process...situations like players that have been playing 34" scale Ash body / Maple FB basses their whole lives and then ask us to build them a 35" Walnut body / Ebony FB bass becasue they "are ready for something different." Sometimes in situations like that, the customer ends up not liking the resulting bass...but how can any builder protect themselves from that? At the end of the day, the customer always has the final decision (unless an idea is so way out that we just decide not to attempt a build -- which does happen)...
So, with your specific Fodera build, what went wrong in the process? What could we have done better to make sure that the bass that we built you was what you are expecting? Your answer will be amazingly helpful not just to us, but probably to many potential future customers as well.
Cheers,
Jason
i guess my thoughts are based on seeing people getting a bass and then being dissatisfied within fairly short amounts of time.
my basic feeling is that if you go from a fender to a fodera, there's gonna be some ramp-up time as they're very different animals.
however, i hear you about the neck width thing. there are plenty of basses that i've played with tighter spacing that i would never own due to the spacing being too tight (tighter than my foderas). by the way, i'm a tweaker, it takes me a long time to get the set-up where i like themand then i do minute stuff here and there.
in the end, of course, it all comes down to preferences. i know guys who love their tobias basses and they do nothing for meand vice versa.
my basic feeling is that if you go from a fender to a fodera, there's gonna be some ramp-up time as they're very different animals.
however, i hear you about the neck width thing. there are plenty of basses that i've played with tighter spacing that i would never own due to the spacing being too tight (tighter than my foderas). by the way, i'm a tweaker, it takes me a long time to get the set-up where i like themand then i do minute stuff here and there.
in the end, of course, it all comes down to preferences. i know guys who love their tobias basses and they do nothing for meand vice versa.
one comment about the bass changing the way you play instead of the other way around......
in my case, and in the case stated, it seems like for a while I/we did not know ourselves to the point where we could rattle of specs that we KNOW are to are liking.
I know I need 19mm spacing, if at some point someone feels 16.5 is what feels best to them and didn't know that prio then I'd say a complete picture of what makes you feel great while playing was not there. And ordering a custom bass prior to really knowing yourself in terms of what you like is a dicey proposition.
That is some of what I took from what was said, and as stated, has been an issue of mine in the past as well.
in my case, and in the case stated, it seems like for a while I/we did not know ourselves to the point where we could rattle of specs that we KNOW are to are liking.
I know I need 19mm spacing, if at some point someone feels 16.5 is what feels best to them and didn't know that prio then I'd say a complete picture of what makes you feel great while playing was not there. And ordering a custom bass prior to really knowing yourself in terms of what you like is a dicey proposition.
That is some of what I took from what was said, and as stated, has been an issue of mine in the past as well.
ill preface by saying i probably wouldnt agree with a sadowsky 5 or any other "normal" spaced 5. the bass just felt huge. my hands looked like they were being dwarfed by that neck. soloing in the upper register and fast arpeggios across the neck became a chore. i started playing using floating thumb just to deal with the string noise. that changed the sound of my attack and i didnt like it. these things dont happen to me on a 4 string fender. so even though the majority of these 5's copy 4 string spacing and adapt it to a 5, for me it doesnt translate.
again, another very personal thing but the board is just way too flat. first position was painful. playing on the b string....forget about it. my buddy with the imperial was kind of in the same boat. he thought since he ordered this bass he should just be putting up with the pain he was feeling. i let him play some of my basses and it was game over. the fodera is currently in the classifieds.
there was nothing really wrong with the build process. i just ordered whatever was your standard 5 string emperor was and added a top. id say im probably in the minority in what i think feels comfortable. there are instruments that hang where 1st position feels far away. ken smiths,alembics,warwicks etc that i cant jive with from playability standpoint. the fodera fell into that camp.
i said it earlier in the thread that i originally only bought one because i thought they looked awesome and are supposed to be the pinnacle of bass building. in the end, none of that really mattered. the vision of what your guys' standard 5 string is doesnt work for me.
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