• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fodera Club Part IV

Status
Not open for further replies.
#842
Just Thumpin' said:
Yes, the original launch date was August...wow, did I blow that one!! LOL. We are shooting for go-live this coming week. Realistically it may slip another week later than that but we are really close. Since we have a small staff, the website work gets squeezed in between all of the other work that we have to get done.

One of the biggies (and we thought a more pressing one) has been better organization of the shop's production schedule, materials and resources. This has been a HUGE focus for all of us and has occupied a lot of our waking hours. The upside? New order delivery times are now down to 18-20 months. When we began our partnership just over one year ago (10/14/10 was our one year anniversary) we were quoting 24-28 months...

Our long term goal is to get this number to consistently be between 12 and 18 months...
Click to expand...



Jason, would that mean an order placed late Dec. 2009 now has that new delivery window?
 
#843
You would need to email me at the shop with a specific Production Number for me to answer this correctly.

Remember that a lot of good scheduling involves assumptions about order flow and production capacity. There is some guesswork involved in both. Based on the work that we are doing at the shop, we continually forecast both numbers and then add build slots into the future schedule accordingly.

Are any of these numbers 100% accurate? No way! However, on average they are pretty good estimates. So what I can say with certainty is that since last year, our order volume has increased but our ability to complete basses has increased more so that we are eating away at the backlog that we had.

Of course, both order levels and build volumes remain incredibly small so it is pretty easy to move the needle when you are completing only 3-4 instruments per week. LOL

basses55 said:
Jason, would that mean an order placed late Dec. 2009 now has that new delivery window?
Click to expand...
 
#845
Just Thumpin' said:
You would need to email me at the shop with a specific Production Number for me to answer this correctly.

Remember that a lot of good scheduling involves assumptions about order flow and production capacity. There is some guesswork involved in both. Based on the work that we are doing at the shop, we continually forecast both numbers and then add build slots into the future schedule accordingly.

Are any of these numbers 100% accurate? No way! However, on average they are pretty good estimates. So what I can say with certainty is that since last year, our order volume has increased but our ability to complete basses has increased more so that we are eating away at the backlog that we had.

Of course, both order levels and build volumes remain incredibly small so it is pretty easy to move the needle when you are completing only 3-4 instruments per week. LOL
Click to expand...



Ok thanks..I'll email.

With something like this, if delivery is going to move up I'll need to budget accordingly. Its a problem I'm looking forward to. ;)
 
#847
Bernie Connors said:
Mitch,

What are the specs of your upcoming Fodera, if you don't mind saying?
Click to expand...


Hey Bernie, not all specs in stone yet:

Imperial 5
34 scale
Mahogany or walnut body
Full chestnut top
Ash tone block
3 piece 24 fret ebony board
Big frets
New 17 1/2" brass Fodera bridge
Duals in ebony or chestnut covers
Latest pre

Its going to be quite different than anything I have right now.
 
#848
basses55 said:
Hey Bernie, not all specs in stone yet:

Imperial 5
34 scale
Mahogany or walnut body
Full chestnut top
Ash tone block
3 piece 24 fret ebony board
Big frets
New 17 1/2" brass Fodera bridge
Duals in ebony or chestnut covers
Latest pre

Its going to be quite different than anything I have right now.
Click to expand...
Wow! From what I understand, full chestnut tops are quite rare. That will be an incredible looking and sounding bass.
 
#849
Mitch,

What was your reasoning in going with Ash for the tone block? I notice that you're going with Mahogany or Walnut which are woods that are on the 'warmer' side of the tonal equation. Did you go with Ash to counteract that somewhat?
 
#851
Bernie Connors said:
Mitch,

What was your reasoning in going with Ash for the tone block? I notice that you're going with Mahogany or Walnut which are woods that are on the 'warmer' side of the tonal equation. Did you go with Ash to counteract that somewhat?
Click to expand...

Ya, I'm not 100% on the block yet...my first choice was chestnut but apparantly they are out. I wanted the bass to have a warmer and more pronounced (smooth) mid response than my ash /maple Fodera ( which is a great bass also ) so I'm leaning towards mahogany first, but have not ruled out walnut for a different flavor . The ash block may be a nice smaller balancing influence on either choice...other choices are maple, which will give it a slightly different flavor, or I could go with alder and go mids all the way.

So yes the ash will be to balance the body wood (slightly) in a way that I like ( I love the tone of ash generally).
 
#852
basses55 said:
Ya, I'm not 100% on the block yet...my first choice was chestnut but apparantly they are out. I wanted the bass to have a warmer and more pronounced (smooth) mid response than my ash /maple Fodera ( which is a great bass also ) so I'm leaning towards mahogany first, but have not ruled out walnut for a different flavor . The ash block may be a nice smaller balancing influence on either choice...other choices are maple, which will give it a slightly different flavor, or I could go with alder and go mids all the way.

So yes the ash will be to balance the body wood (slightly) in a way that I like ( I love the tone of ash generally).
Click to expand...

I never got the whole chestnut heel block choice. It looks cool but it's not adding anything sonically. Depending on the rest the bass, I always like sugar maple, alder, or northern ash.

JC
 
#853
Just Thumpin' said:
You would need to email me at the shop with a specific Production Number for me to answer this correctly.

Remember that a lot of good scheduling involves assumptions about order flow and production capacity. There is some guesswork involved in both. Based on the work that we are doing at the shop, we continually forecast both numbers and then add build slots into the future schedule accordingly.

Are any of these numbers 100% accurate? No way! However, on average they are pretty good estimates. So what I can say with certainty is that since last year, our order volume has increased but our ability to complete basses has increased more so that we are eating away at the backlog that we had.

Of course, both order levels and build volumes remain incredibly small so it is pretty easy to move the needle when you are completing only 3-4 instruments per week. LOL
Click to expand...

Looking forward!!!!!! :bassist::bassist:
 
#854
Joelc73 said:
I never got the whole chestnut heel block choice. It looks cool but it's not adding anything sonically. Depending on the rest the bass, I always like sugar maple, alder, or northern ash.

JC
Click to expand...

Hey Joel,
Yes, the chestnut looked great , but I think any wood as a block would have some influence- even if its more neutral than the other woods you mentioned. The guys at Fodera at the time thought it had a bit of an "alder" vibe sonically, and the Foderas I had/have all have chestnut tone blocks and they sound great. Its hard of course to isolate the block ( some will say it has no influence on tone ,which I disagree with) but both Northern Ash/maple/chestnut blocked Foderas I've owned have had a slightly different mid response than any other Northern Ash /maple bass I've owned..and there has been quite a few :). Is that any proof of anything? No. It could be several things in the brand that I've thought of. Is it something to consider? For me, yes.
In the end I do know that the chestnut block did not alter the bass negatively, the basses with it had something different in that wood combo I liked, and the chestnut looks the best IMO. So its my first choice (and a slight guess at that) for those reasons.

The few Foderas I've played with alder tone blocks did have a character that I do consistantly hear as alder...it seemed "stronger" in the mix to me. Again, not going to say its absolutely 100%, none of this is :).
For me, maple is a nice all around wood sonically , and I've played many Foderas with that as the block.

Since I want the tone of the mahogany to come through strongly, and the ebony board is going to add definition and clarity to the warm mids, I thought that the ash might be a nice slight balance to all of that. Alder and maple will bring their own character also, cant really go wrong I think with any of them.
 
#855
basses55 said:
Hey Joel,
Yes, the chestnut looked great , but I think any wood as a block would have some influence- even if its more neutral than the other woods you mentioned. The guys at Fodera at the time thought it had a bit of an "alder" vibe sonically, and the Foderas I had/have all have chestnut tone blocks and they sound great. Its hard of course to isolate the block ( some will say it has no influence on tone ,which I disagree with) but both Northern Ash/maple/chestnut blocked Foderas I've owned have had a slightly different mid response than any other Northern Ash /maple bass I've owned..and there has been quite a few :). Is that any proof of anything? No. It could be several things in the brand that I've thought of. Is it something to consider? For me, yes.
In the end I do know that the chestnut block did not alter the bass negatively, the basses with it had something different in that wood combo I liked, and the chestnut looks the best IMO. So its my first choice (and a slight guess at that) for those reasons.

The few Foderas I've played with alder tone blocks did have a character that I do consistantly hear as alder...it seemed "stronger" in the mix to me. Again, not going to say its absolutely 100%, none of this is :).
For me, maple is a nice all around wood sonically , and I've played many Foderas with that as the block.

Since I want the tone of the mahogany to come through strongly, and the ebony board is going to add definition and clarity to the warm mids, I thought that the ash might be a nice slight balance to all of that. Alder and maple will bring their own character also, cant really go wrong I think with any of them.
Click to expand...

All good points. The heel definitely contributes - I totally agree with you there. It sounds like you're doing mahogany body wings (if I read that correctly.) If that's the case I definitely wouldn't go with a Chestnut heel - I'd stick with maple.

Your call though - it's not like having a chestnut heel will make it a bad bass! Just not my preference.
 
#856
Joelc73 said:
All good points. The heel definitely contributes - I totally agree with you there. It sounds like you're doing mahogany body wings (if I read that correctly.) If that's the case I definitely wouldn't go with a Chestnut heel - I'd stick with maple.

Your call though - it's not like having a chestnut heel will make it a bad bass! Just not my preference.
Click to expand...

They are out of chestnut for the heel anyways so I understand.

Let me ask you for your experience :

1. Why would you not go with chestnut if its mahogany wings?
2. Why would you go with maple instead of alder or ash with mahogany wings?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back