Fodera Club Part IX

[Lokire]

Hey Greg,

Could you post a picture of the back of your '88 Monarch? I'm curious to see how the rounding of the body is done.

Don't think I have any of my own pictures of the back yet, but here are the pics from thelowend:

 

[gai113]

That said, the cost of going Fodera won't change a thing in my life (like not being able to make a house payment, or sending my kid to school (tuition costs), or....)"

Um dude then what are you waiting for seriously?

If its not about COST buy it!!!!

 

[nostatic]

I wrote the below quoted text on October 5, 4 days ago. I had every intention of having placed a YY Deluxe or YY Standard order by now, and I even had the dealer's phone number plugged into my cell phone; all I had to do was press the send button. But...I just couldn't do it. I've never been hit with such indecision about the purchase of anything, really. I know the easy thing to do is just put off the decision until...well, who knows how long. Maybe a better way to say it would be to just decide not to decide until I think I'm ready, and for the moment, just stop thinking about it. But there is something that is preventing me from even THAT reasonable decision. Could I be that there's just something about these basses that's just a draw that doesn't go away? I promise, no more posts, here, anyway, until and unless I have a deposit to report!

"I have been thinking and pondering and agonizing, and thinking some more... Normally, I don't have issues with my financial situation, but sometimes it would be nice to be able to make decisions like this without a thought about the cost. That said, the cost of going Fodera won't change a thing in my life (like not being able to make a house payment, or sending my kid to school (tuition costs), or....)"

There is no shame in being deliberate about a significant purchase. Even if money is no object, if you actually play your instrument a lot moving to a new brand/instrument can be a serious investment of time/money/psychic energy.

In my case I was skeptical about the YYS (as evidenced by posts from earlier this year). And I've had a number of discussions with various people about instruments, cost, value, etc. The conventional wisdom is that a YYS at $4750 is a lot of money for what you objectively get. And $12K for a YYC is just nuts (actually $12K for anything is nuts).

But conventional wisdom only gets you so far. And in the end, music is a creative endeavor, and logic doesn't necessarily apply. In addition, instruments are not just a hunk of wood and metal. You can't really apply typical purchase logic to the process imho. At least I can't. I want/need to bond with my instrument. It is highly personal, and there is no way that anyone else can make the decision for me, and no way that anyone else's experience can really tip the scales one way or another. Since I'm the one that has to live with it, I need to love it or leave it.

So when a YYS showed up at a local dealer, I put off checking it out, having talked myself out of it. I have 3 basses on order right now and really don't need to be spending $5K. And I had convinced myself that I didn't want a painted "copy", but rather the real deal, and since the real deal is $12K, and that's "crazy", then I was safe and I should just forget the whole thing and be happy with what I have. But some basses get into your psyche. Often (mostly?), they are great in theory but fall down in the light of reality once they get in your hands. Plus since I'm "experienced," I figure that I know what I want down to the smallest details, and the YYS/YYC violated some of my rules. But again...art ain't science...so...

Anywho, on a lark I decided to check out the bass and cure myself of the psychological affliction. I walked in knowing I'd be unimpressed and I could put the whole thing to bed. I played the bass for about 30 minutes then had to run off to rehearsal. 15 hours later I bought it. Now I've done some semi-impulsive instrument purchases that didn't work out in the long run. Heck, most of the basses I've bought in the last 2 years I no longer own. But I can already tell that the YYS is in the same category as my Rob Allen - it is one of the "voices" that I'm looking for in my playing. And the rules that I had about what I want in a bass have morphed yet again, and the Fender is on the sale block as I have a new outlook and possible target(s).

This isn't to push you one way or the other. It is fine to sit on the sidelines, and if you wait no doubt there will be some used YYSs that pop up. No matter how "perfect" an instrument is, it will inevitably be not a fit for some owners. My only point is that too often we try to apply logic to decisions that call for a healthy dose of gut. In other words, music requires heart as well as head, and the choice of your tools probably does as well. Plus life is short and you're dead a long time. Steve Jobs' passing actually pushed me to make a few choices on things I'd been waffling on. If you've covered your responsibilities, what else are you really working for? With apologies to my son, I'm going to spend a chunk of his inheritance - but he can have the basses after I'm gone

 

[fivestringdan]

Curt,

I waited 15 years from the first time I played a Fodera to finally order my bass. A friend of mine has one of the first monarchs that Vinny and Joey made. The bass is TRASHED, 30 years of heavy metal!! To this day it is the best sounding and playing bass guitar I have ever played. Years ago I had issues with the cost of the instruments. This is not without merit but ultimately the wrong decision. Although I will say I am happy I waited simply because of the work Jason has done with the company. That being the luthiers get to build and Jason and crew do all the other stuff and is no longer a shared responsibility. In fact I am planing on having a fivestring built after I receive my AJ6. Like Nostatic, this is a "gut" decision and I feel like the right one.

Good luck.

 

[fivestringdan]

Speaking of a new bass does anyone have pictures of a 28 fret Monarch with the lower horn cut away?

 

[Angus]

Yes, somewhere. That was how I ordered mine (though it came out slightly different). I'll try and dig up some pictures when I get home.

Look up Joe Sanchez- his Monarch is set up like that. There is one with a buckeye top with the same configuration, too.

Edit: A quick search dug up this: It isn't a picture, but it'll still give you a partial view.

 

[anonymous111813]

Link Removed

 

[basswalker2004]

I finally got around to taking pictures of my basses. The one on the right is number #11 which I bought new from Vinny and Joey in March of 84. On the left is the new Matt Garrison which they built for me at the end of 2010. You may notice that it's a bit unique. I wasn't sure which link to copy in from photobucket so if this one doesn't work I'll try one of the others. cheers.



ahh now I see, it should be the image link..

i found it interesting that no one noticed the slightly deeper cut away, and reshaped lower horn on my Matt Garrison. I guess Vinny did a really nice job. as always..

 

[cnltb]

i found it interesting that no one noticed the slightly deeper cut away, and reshaped lower horn on my Matt Garrison. I guess Vinny did a really nice job. as always..

...But... I did notice!

 

[Angus]

I did notice, and I also noticed that it was different than the picture on the Fodera website.

But admittedly, I thought it looked a bit strange compared to the standard horn shape. But if it works for you functionally, it works!

 

[TimothyGroovy]

but also the tighter spacing..

 

[j-raj]

Speaking of a new bass does anyone have pictures of a 28 fret Monarch with the lower horn cut away?

Yes, somewhere. That was how I ordered mine (though it came out slightly different). I'll try and dig up some pictures when I get home.

Look up Joe Sanchez- his Monarch is set up like that. There is one with a buckeye top with the same configuration, too.

Edit: A quick search dug up this: Joe Sanchez Improvisation - YouTube It isn't a picture, but it'll still give you a partial view.

Just judging from the grain of that picture of that 28-fret Monarch and seeing that video of Joe, it looks to be the same bass, aside from the p/ups & ramp.

I spoke to Joe last January in Long Beach, CA (we were on the same solo bass get-together/performance) and asked him about that 28-fret Monarch. He mentioned that he actually traded it to someone that had his ideal bass (one pictured below, that I'm trying out):

Link Removed

 

[basswalker2004]

I did notice, and I also noticed that it was different than the picture on the Fodera website.

But admittedly, I thought it looked a bit strange compared to the standard horn shape. But if it works for you functionally, it works!

yeah.. it took some convincing to have them do it... But, I love the way it came out... i have fairly large hands and also keep my left hand pretty flat lots of the time when I play. I ended up hitting my knuckles on the horn when up high on the G and C stings so rather than start over with another bass (since I love this one) we opted for this mod.

 

[narud]

i found it interesting that no one noticed the slightly deeper cut away, and reshaped lower horn on my Matt Garrison. I guess Vinny did a really nice job. as always..

whats up with the dual coil pickups? they look like the wider aperture off the shelf duncan duals that they sell in the emg shells.

 

[basswalker2004]

whats up with the dual coil pickups? they look like the wider aperture off the shelf duncan duals that they sell in the emg shells.

Hi, they are duncan Dual coils but ordered special for the narrow 16.5 mm spacing..

 

[Angus]

Yeah, I can understand the knuckle-hitting- I have really big hands, so I hit my knuckles on the cutaway on my Zon, but the Garrison cutaway is a bit bigger, such that I seem not to.

But form >> function, so if the new horn works for you, then perfect.

And of course you're the only regular around here besides me who appreciates narrow spacing, so I've got your back.

Just judging from the grain of that picture of that 28-fret Monarch and seeing that video of Joe, it looks to be the same bass, aside from the p/ups & ramp.

Yeah, it's the same bass, just without the ramp and with different J's. I posted my response before he edited his post with the picture.

Although that picture looks like it was taken by a camera from the 80's!

 

[Steveman]

i found it interesting that no one noticed the slightly deeper cut away, and reshaped lower horn on my Matt Garrison. I guess Vinny did a really nice job. as always..

I find it interesting that nobody noticed it's chambered

 

[TimothyGroovy]

Not sure if this topic have been covered or not. Why brass nut on Fodera?... Any tonal difference compare with bone nut and any good contributes tonally?

 

[Angus]

To me they sound more like a fret. To me, it's brass nut, zero fret, or nothing.*

(Well, not literally nothing.)

 

[basswalker2004]

whats up with the dual coil pickups? they look like the wider aperture off the shelf duncan duals that they sell in the emg shells.

Hi Joe, when I looked at the picture again I realized what you were seeing. The way the shot came out the pairs of poles blended together into one big dot..

btw... I really like your music... sounds great man...