Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
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One question about the neck/fingerboard. If you want 18 mm string spacing, will the fingerboard be just a wide as if you have 20 mn string spacing. Does that make sense?
Exactly...Unless otherwise ordered the neck width is designed for optimal performance at 19mm spacing...
...and the "Peacock" refers to the figure as the "birds eye" does in birds eye maple?
Oh- easy. I loved the acoustic sound of the one that I had with SDs, I loved the tone from a number of Foderas I've played with Lane Poors, and the playability on the narrow-spaced Foderas I've tried was insane. I don't like some of the standards (neck thickness, nut/bridge width, etc), but when it is set up right for me they're incredible. I'm confident that the instrument that combines all of those features will be great for me.
I also had them downsize the body a bit, but that is mostly because I prefer a much smaller body size overall (particularly on the bass string side; the treble string side can be taller, which is why I like the MG shape).
I mean, if it ends up being awful, I'll be the first to admit it, but I took a chance hoping that the confluence of all of the specs I like in other instruments would produce a great instrument (for me).
I guess we'll find out. It's scheduled to start in August.
The odds are loaded in your favor, Angus. You've done your homework and articulated what you're going for. That's half the battle when commissioning a custom instrument.
Thanks- I definitely hope so. I've wasted a lot of money finding out what didn't work for me with other (cheaper) builders.
But it's hard to really know until it is finished. I know what I want in terms of playability, but sound is a harder thing to characterize. I just went with a combination that worked well with another instrument and hope for the best. But I think most active instruments sound kind of similar through an amp anyway, so I'm sure I can make it work.
The second Fodera I have on order is a total crapshoot though. I know generally how I want it to sound, but it's going to have a wenge neck, which they don't do very often. My favorite sounding Fodera ever had a wenge neck, but it was also a fretless with a bubinga body. Mine won't be fretless and I don't want to chance a bubinga body because I usually hate the bubinga/wenge combo, so I'm just kind of hoping it'll come out right. They suggested a mahogany body, so I'll have to wait and see. I trust them, though.
But really, as long as it is setup to play and feel the way I need it to, I can probably make it sound good for my tastes.
But it's hard to really know until it is finished. I know what I want in terms of playability, but sound is a harder thing to characterize. I just went with a combination that worked well with another instrument and hope for the best. But I think most active instruments sound kind of similar through an amp anyway, so I'm sure I can make it work.
The second Fodera I have on order is a total crapshoot though. I know generally how I want it to sound, but it's going to have a wenge neck, which they don't do very often. My favorite sounding Fodera ever had a wenge neck, but it was also a fretless with a bubinga body. Mine won't be fretless and I don't want to chance a bubinga body because I usually hate the bubinga/wenge combo, so I'm just kind of hoping it'll come out right. They suggested a mahogany body, so I'll have to wait and see. I trust them, though.
But really, as long as it is setup to play and feel the way I need it to, I can probably make it sound good for my tastes.
youve mentioned cheaper builders. did you articulate all these things youve spec'd on this fodera with the other builders?
after selling my fodera, i placed two orders. one with carey nordstrand and one with chris stambaugh. i gave both of them the same next specs. i got the nordy first and after playing it, i realized id never play the stambaugh so i canceled it. if my fodera would have had those neck specs maybe i wouldnt have sold it. did the other guys just fail on the execution your vision?
The Body wood is walnut.It really tightens up the Low end.5 Pc neck Maple with Purple Heart Stringers.Dual Coil Duncans with Birdeye Covers exposed poles. 34 in scale and extended Low B Headstock.Abalone Blocks.
Hey J you know now you need to send me a pic so I can post it here since I am terrible at Photography!
After doing some measuring on the Fodera bridges, nominal (Center to Center) string spacing is 25/32" (19.8mm). (standard setup may be different though...)
The amount of adjustability is limited by the saddle slot width (1/4") and will also depend on the string gauges used and the number of strings.
Assuming that 028-040-060-080-100-125 gauge is used, the following is a good indication on the adjustment range available.
4-String (E to G): 18.3-21.4 mm (92/128" - 108/128")
5-String (B to G): 18.8-20.9 mm (95/128" - 105/128")
6-String (B to C): 19.0-20.7 mm (96/128" - 104/128")
I attach a small Excel spreadsheet for this, where one can play around with different string gauges etc.
Yeah, I articulated most of these things with other builders, although some of the current specs that I need I've found out by trial and error.
I placed an order with Benavente for basically the same bass as the Fodera I have on order currently. There's a few things that Benavente will do that Fodera won't and vice versa, but those things are trivial. But the Benavente came with a bunch of errors- the spacing was 17.5mm instead of 16.5mm, the pickups weren't radiused, the neck is hyper thin, plus a few other little things that didn't affect the tone/playability but that weren't as I ordered. The main problem was the spacing- it was immediately obvious that it was wrong but nothing could be done at that point. The odd thing is, the other Benavente I ordered at the same time had the right neck profile (thicker) and string spacing. I don't know what was going on when he was making it. The thing sounds absolutely insane, but it doesn't feel right for me. That was a bummer.
My Zon 5 string, also somewhat similarly spec'd, is amazing. It has some things I would change if I could (the nut is too wide), but that can't really be changed because of the neck mold issue. I don't have any problems with that- I just want a more woody sounding instrument, too.
My Zon 6 was also a big learning experience. It's still my home instrument, despite also having a nut that's too wide for my tastes, but I have trouble getting the high end on it not to sound too thin. The high end either gets lost in the mix really rapidly or it sounds too brittle. The 5 doesn't have the same problem.
It was really only Benavente that "failed" in his execution...if only because he didn't follow the build specs. If he had, that bass would rip. It still sounds amazing and I bring it to the studio all the time, but I don't know if it's comfortable enough for me to gig on it frequently. I'm kind of picky about string spacing.
Any other issue with an instrument either couldn't be avoided or is my fault because I didn't know I needed something different. Now I do!
cool. thats a shame about the benevente. im sure things like this wont happen anymore now that jason is on board, but i was pretty bummed when the fodera i ordered with a side mount jack and duncan duals came with a top mount because they forgot and aeros, which i didnt find out about until years later. it sounds like jason is really turning the ship around over there which is fantastic.
id still say the primary appeal to me about the fodera is visual. their shapes and execution of their designs i think is awesome. at what the prices are now though, for me, that wasnt enough to justify ordering from them again.
when i ordered the now cancelled stambaugh, i gave him neck measurements at nut and heel, fingerboard radius, pickup spacing measurements,etc. i wasnt taking any chances
that nordy with the same neck specs came out so good though i realized i only needed that jazz and not another exotic wood bass. it would have been interesting to see if chris would have gotten everything right.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Actually, this is incorrect...when a customer orders narrow spacing at the bridge, we will automatically make the neck narrower...otherwise there would be an awful lot of extra neck at the end of the fingerboard (on either side of the strings)...
Cheers,
J
Cheers,
J
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Very cool information to have!!! I have actually been meaning to do this myself.
The only thing that I would add is that when we do the initial set-up, the bridge is supposed to be set at 19.0 mm. I am a nut about doing that for the instruments that I set up (yes, I take out a ruler and measure it, LOL)...
Cheers,
J
The only thing that I would add is that when we do the initial set-up, the bridge is supposed to be set at 19.0 mm. I am a nut about doing that for the instruments that I set up (yes, I take out a ruler and measure it, LOL)...
Cheers,
J
That's what I said Jason....."Unless otherwise ordered" meaning if you order a thinner spacing the neck width would follow as well...
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