Fodera Club Part VI

[Bryan R. Tyler]

That looks killer, Angus.

All that to say I still don't see a benefit of a ramp and I've never seen a classical guitarist with one either.

You've had Matt Garrison playing right in front of you before- he'd have been a good guy to ask No matter how much someone practices, you'll never be able to get the same consistent depth of plucking without some sort of stop for your fingers. If practice was all it took to get the same feel, then guys like Willis and Garrison would never have needed them at all, as they can play circles around anyone here. A lot of the guys using ramps pluck with freestrokes as well, so without a ramp or very tight string spacing they have no frame of reference for attack without one. With one, you get that comfort along with a faster recovery time after plucking.

And hey, they might be a huge aid for some classical guitarists. Just because they've never used one doesn't mean wouldn't benefit them.

 

[kamakiriad7]

Double bass players have built-in ramps - the end of the fingerboard. I don't ever see players playing beyond there, but it's possible. Because I'm used to double bass, I play with a ramp; however, I only like a ramp for certain types of light-touch/fast playing. If I want to dig in a bit more on electric then I'll remove the ramp or pick up my Music Man. Everything has its uses.

 

[dpbass66]

That is a yummy wood combination! When I get back in the market for a new bass that is exactly what I want (except for the walnut top, only because my fodera has a walnut top).

I didn't tell my FedEx story from last month,.... No body was home when FedEx delivered my Fodera, so they left it on the porch unattended! It was there by itself for a few hours. I thought that the policy was that they leave a note and take it back to the warehouse if the package was above a certain value. There wasn't any harm done, and I was too excited about receiving my Fodera that I didn't make a stink about it. I'm just glad that it didn't become an issue (no rain, no theft, it wasn't a hot day,...), but if I wasn't so happy I would have been pretty mad.

OMG. That could have ended badly. It makes me twinge just to read that story.....

 

[harrybosch]

I doubt a classical guitarist would ever use a ramp as it would dampen the vinration of the top of their guitars. I know why people use ramps. I can play just as fast without one, actually faster. Back in the day I could play blindingly fast, not so much now as my fingers are older and less practiced. I would wager MG and Willis could both play the same with or without a ramp. Willis has not always had a ramp and to me he played as well then as he does now. The only difference in his playing now compared to then is experience and knowledge, technique wise he's about the same. Anyway enough about ramps. It's too boring of a subject.

That looks killer, Angus.



You've had Matt Garrison playing right in front of you before- he'd have been a good guy to ask No matter how much someone practices, you'll never be able to get the same consistent depth of plucking without some sort of stop for your fingers. If practice was all it took to get the same feel, then guys like Willis and Garrison would never have needed them at all, as they can play circles around anyone here. A lot of the guys using ramps pluck with freestrokes as well, so without a ramp or very tight string spacing they have no frame of reference for attack without one. With one, you get that comfort along with a faster recovery time after plucking.

And hey, they might be a huge aid for some classical guitarists. Just because they've never used one doesn't mean wouldn't benefit them.

 

[Rich Treat]

OMG. That could have ended badly. It makes me twinge just to read that story.....

This was my series of reactions upon finding my Fodera on the porch,....
First, Shock mixed with a bit of "WT*" :scowl:
Followed quickly by "holy crap it's here!" .
Then followed by "did they really just do that" .
And last "oh well,... holy cray it's here!"

 

[steubig]

If I want to dig in a bit more on electric then I'll remove the ramp . . .

hence my hesitation about it. i don't want to remove anything to have to do that.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

hence my hesitation about it. i don't want to remove anything to have to do that.

You can still dig in just fine- you just go across the strings rather than through them (as a pick player would do).

 

[climb]

Thank you, there's always hope.

I'm getting a fourstring with a quite unusual wood combination for a Monarch. Ash body, birdseye maple FB, dark claro walnut top.

You can see it on the newborns page at Fodera's website. It can also be seen in the background on some of the vids from the Fodera booth.

I hope they take it indoors tonight; it's getting pretty cold here.

Awesome; congrats. Jason said that bass completely kills.

 

[kamakiriad7]

That bass is a dream. I especially love the block inlays Congrats lowerb!!

 

[steubig]

You can still dig in just fine- you just go across the strings rather than through them (as a pick player would do).

i use a lot of different techniques and i don't want to get into retraining that aspect of things—especially after 40 years, ya know?

plus, at this point i'm more intent on trying new ways to play than dealing with the ramp. if i were newer into it, i might have a different opinion.

 

[Angus]

It's not as though a ramp holds you back from playing the instrument in particular ways.

You can absolutely, positively dig in, too! I don't know why people think you can't...it functions slightly differently but doesn't really sound any different.

 

[lowerb]

This was my series of reactions upon finding my Fodera on the porch,....
First, Shock mixed with a bit of "WT*" :scowl:
Followed quickly by "holy crap it's here!" .
Then followed by "did they really just do that" .
And last "oh well,... holy cray it's here!"

PHEW!

Awesome; congrats. Jason said that bass completely kills.

That bass is a dream. I especially love the block inlays Congrats lowerb!!

Yeah! Hope I can ever get a hold of it. If they don't deliver it today I will go completely berserk.

 

[lowerb]

It's really hard to stay cool! It's getting worse from day to day.

They will NOT deliver my bass today. The .... who corrected the building no. yesterday made a mistake and the info did not reach the local facility in time.

I called the hotline and said "Isn't it possible for some people to use their brains from time to time?" The lady answered "No, some of them are not able to switch on their brain, and they mostly don't have time to do it."

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry...

#*/% those MBAs!


Jason, if you read this, would it be possible in the future to choose between different shipping companies?

 

[Bernie Connors]

It's really hard to stay cool! It's getting worse from day to day.

They will NOT deliver my bass today. The .... who corrected the building no. yesterday made a mistake and the info did not reach the local facility in time.

I called the hotline and said "Isn't it possible for some people to use their brains from time to time?" The lady answered "No, some of them are not able to switch on their brain, and they mostly don't have time to do it."

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry...

#*/% those MBAs!


Jason, if you read this, would it be possible in the future to choose between different shipping companies?

How ridiculous...

Are you able to pick the bass up at the depot?

 

[basswalker2004]

This was my series of reactions upon finding my Fodera on the porch,....
First, Shock mixed with a bit of "WT*" :scowl:
Followed quickly by "holy crap it's here!" .
Then followed by "did they really just do that" .
And last "oh well,... holy cray it's here!"

Wow Rich, I can't believe that happened to you as well!!! i sent #11 back to Fodera a few years ago for a tune up. We over nighted it back via UPS.. Didn't show up when expected, they said it was delayed and would be delivered the next day. I go to turn out the front lights and see it sitting out side the house, outside the front gate.. Which was unlocked by the way. They left it, didn't ring the bell, no signature nothing!! I had been home all day. I called them next day and told what happened and that if I wasn't honest, they would be buying me a new $10k bass since it was insured and signature required.. I could have just taken it in the house and said I never got it. A supervisor brought the driver out the next day who apologized profusely and begged me to sign that I received it. Which I did.
Bottom line is..
1) I don't use UPS for my equipment anymore
2) I pay the extra to have over night delivery (I'm in the states)
3) and the most important thing, I have them hold it at the facility and I pick it up. That is the key...

 

[Tom7]

I doubt a classical guitarist would ever use a ramp as it would dampen the vinration of the top of their guitars.

Yes, classical guitars, being hollow bodied, should probably never have a ramp because, unlike solid bodied basses where the top is usually regarded as having little more affect on the tone other than adding natural compression, on a classical guitar the top is critical tone wood.

But there is another reason you'll probably never see a finger ramp on a classical guitar -- or any guitar: string spacing.

You'd have to have awfully delicate fingers to fit them easily between strings on a guitar.

Not so with a bass.

... I would wager MG and Willis could both play the same with or without a ramp. Willis has not always had a ramp and to me he played as well then as he does now. The only difference in his playing now compared to then is experience and knowledge, technique wise he's about the same. Anyway enough about ramps. It's too boring of a subject.

[Laughing!] It must just be too boring of a subject when WE talk about them, 'cause you seem plenty interested when YOU talk about them! [wink]

I agree with you; I'm sure Matthew Garrison Gary Willis, Dominique DiPiazza, etc. can play basses without finger ramps just fine, and I've seen and heard them do so as well...

But the fact is, these days, with their greater "experience and knowledge," the prefer to play with the ramp.

Ramps aren't your thing? That's cool. I don't think ANYONE has a problem with that.

So I guess it's hard to see why anyone would have a problem with those who do prefer them.

 

[Just Thumpin']

I am so sorry that you are going through this. Having worked with all of the various shipping companies over the years, it is a question of choosing the lesser of all evils. In general, for us, that has been FedEx. We had a couple of horror stories with UPS a couple of years back...thus the reason we now only offer FedEx. Sorry!!

J

It's really hard to stay cool! It's getting worse from day to day.

They will NOT deliver my bass today. The .... who corrected the building no. yesterday made a mistake and the info did not reach the local facility in time.

I called the hotline and said "Isn't it possible for some people to use their brains from time to time?" The lady answered "No, some of them are not able to switch on their brain, and they mostly don't have time to do it."

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry...

#*/% those MBAs!


Jason, if you read this, would it be possible in the future to choose between different shipping companies?

 

[harrybosch]

Tom7 your points are valid but unlike Angus, I do see ramps as a fad for the most part just as the hair tie thing Wooten started. That's not to say ramps have no benefit for some. I think those that use them such as Willis and MG and other players of their calibre could play with or without the same but obviously prefer them for one reason or another. What I see happening right now is everybody putting ramps on their basses, most of these players have very poor technique in the first place and it's as if they are putting these on in hopes of developing or instantly aquiring better technique. Again, I'm not really sure why we are still debating this. People who like ramps like them and those of us who don't... I simply made a comment that ramps are silly IMHO. I wasn't looking to start a conversation or change anyone's mind because certainly nobody's going to change mine

 

[cnltb]

Isn't it simply a matter of" some like them and some don't, book closed."?
I don't understand why it is an issue at all?

I've seen and tried basses with ramps installed on them and do appreciate the points that Gary Willis and those that follow make about the benefits that they see in using a ramp, but have non the less decided it's not for me.
An absolute non issue...for me anyways.

 

[lowerb]

I am so sorry that you are going through this. Having worked with all of the various shipping companies over the years, it is a question of choosing the lesser of all evils. In general, for us, that has been FedEx. We had a couple of horror stories with UPS a couple of years back...thus the reason we now only offer FedEx. Sorry!!

J

Jason, no need to say sorry. It's definitely not your fault. They managed to transport the bass from Brooklyn to Germany in one day. Despite the blizzard on the East Coast.
As soon as the bass was in Germany the problems began. No wonder, because here all they think about is cost reduction and "efficiency", especially in human resources. They feed peanuts and all they get is monkeys.