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Fodera Club Part VI

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#61
thepontif said:
I wanted a wood that was a bit more neutral than Koa for this bass. I've played a LOT of mahogany basses over the years that I've liked a lot. And it never struck me as having TOO much of any one pronounced trait (does that sentence make sense?)

I like the feel of ebony better than any other fingerboard wood. And although it can be bright, in my opinion Maple is every bit as bright...but it's a bit grittier or maybe drier sounding to me. I feel like I can get the grit I need from ebony with a little coaxing, though.

I want this bass to be flexible. Between the preamp, the moving PU, the removable fingerboard piece, the not too "opinionated" sounding wood, and a little player influence I should have a lot of latitude tonally.

I uploaded a picture of the Viceroy in the spray booth. I checked with Jason and he said it was ok to show this now. The name was completely David Yates' idea. For those of you who don't know, David is my good friend and a true Fodera lover. He is a really brilliant electrical engineer. He has taught me a LOT over the years. We worked tirelessly on the new Fodera preamp together. He's one sharp dude.

I was initially on the fence about the name Viceroy because I didn't know if Vinny would like it. But when I said it, he immediately said, "hey, I like that". Go figure.

The body design was at my request. I don't like the offset in the emperors and the monarchs are too small for my taste. I wanted to create something that might be more like what the emperor would have been had it been more like a P bass than a Jazz bass. We went back and forth for an hour or so one day with a piece of tracing paper on the floor just making little changes and staring at it. What we ended up with was what many at the shop feel is sort of a hybrid. Like an overgrown monarch or a more symetrical emperor. Personally, I really love it. It's striking but classy and still decidedly Fodera.

I'm going to record a tune with a drummer friend of mine this weekend and bring it to NAMM without some of the bass parts. I'm building the tune around the bass, to show what it can do in a musical setting. NAMM is the perfect venue for that :)

I'm getting it on Thursday. First performance is Friday. So I'll be flying almost blind. Should be interesting!
Click to expand...
Beautiful Mike... love the shape and the wood...
have a blast a NAMM.
 
#63
thepontif said:
I wanted a wood that was a bit more neutral than Koa for this bass. I've played a LOT of mahogany basses over the years that I've liked a lot. And it never struck me as having TOO much of any one pronounced trait (does that sentence make sense?)

I like the feel of ebony better than any other fingerboard wood. And although it can be bright, in my opinion Maple is every bit as bright...but it's a bit grittier or maybe drier sounding to me. I feel like I can get the grit I need from ebony with a little coaxing, though.

I want this bass to be flexible. Between the preamp, the moving PU, the removable fingerboard piece, the not too "opinionated" sounding wood, and a little player influence I should have a lot of latitude tonally.

I uploaded a picture of the Viceroy in the spray booth. I checked with Jason and he said it was ok to show this now. The name was completely David Yates' idea. For those of you who don't know, David is my good friend and a true Fodera lover. He is a really brilliant electrical engineer. He has taught me a LOT over the years. We worked tirelessly on the new Fodera preamp together. He's one sharp dude.

I was initially on the fence about the name Viceroy because I didn't know if Vinny would like it. But when I said it, he immediately said, "hey, I like that". Go figure.

The body design was at my request. I don't like the offset in the emperors and the monarchs are too small for my taste. I wanted to create something that might be more like what the emperor would have been had it been more like a P bass than a Jazz bass. We went back and forth for an hour or so one day with a piece of tracing paper on the floor just making little changes and staring at it. What we ended up with was what many at the shop feel is sort of a hybrid. Like an overgrown monarch or a more symetrical emperor. Personally, I really love it. It's striking but classy and still decidedly Fodera.

I'm going to record a tune with a drummer friend of mine this weekend and bring it to NAMM without some of the bass parts. I'm building the tune around the bass, to show what it can do in a musical setting. NAMM is the perfect venue for that :)

I'm getting it on Thursday. First performance is Friday. So I'll be flying almost blind. Should be interesting!
Click to expand...
The emperor was my favorite Fodera body shape, but I think I have a new favorite now. What a great looking bass. This was an interesting post, Mike, thanks.
 
#64
basswalker2004 said:
Very cool man. It has the original JJ EMG's and the pre-amp was
replaced with another original one by Joey about 7 years ago.
Click to expand...

love that flyer. I have one of those original 6 strings -zebrawood actually....
I updated both of those preamps in the late 80's early 90's as they evolved to the whole circiutboard type. Joey actusally had to replace a chip in my 5 string last year.
 
#67
Hi gang --

It is nice to hear so many positive words about Mike's new bass (the Viceroy). It is coming together beautifully. Lot's of long hours in the shop for all of us, but they are worth it!!

Some brief points about the Viceroy...

1. It WILL be available as a custom body shape -- meaning that customers can start with the Viceroy body shape and use it for either a Bolt-on (like Mike's) or Elite build with specs of their choosing.

2. The Mike Pope Signature Viceroy will add the adjustable bridge pup and the removable FB extension.

3. Assuming that the adjustable bridge pup works the way we expect and that Mike's bass sounds like we all hope, it will be an available Fodera option on all instruments. Again, assuming that the results are positive. Timing of when this would become available is still very much up in the air. Please remember that this is real time, prototype stuff we are all doing here...

4. In terms of seeing Mike's bass...it will be in the Newborn Section and in its own "About Our Basses" section of the website sometime next Saturday (its official release day). Pricing will also be available at that time.

5. The other mystery model that we will be releasing at Victor's performance on Thursday at 5:00 pm PST will go live on the website simultaneously to when Victor, Joey and I are announcing the model at the NAMM Show...stay tuned!

Cheers!

J
 
#68
Just Thumpin' said:
Hi gang --

It is nice to hear so many positive words about Mike's new bass (the Viceroy). It is coming together beautifully. Lot's of long hours in the shop for all of us, but they are worth it!!

Some brief points about the Viceroy...

1. It WILL be available as a custom body shape -- meaning that customers can start with the Viceroy body shape and use it for either a Bolt-on (like Mike's) or Elite build with specs of their choosing.

2. The Mike Pope Signature Viceroy will add the adjustable bridge pup and the removable FB extension.

3. Assuming that the adjustable bridge pup works the way we expect and that Mike's bass sounds like we all hope, it will be an available Fodera option on all instruments. Again, assuming that the results are positive. Timing of when this would become available is still very much up in the air. Please remember that this is real time, prototype stuff we are all doing here...

4. In terms of seeing Mike's bass...it will be in the Newborn Section and in its own "About Our Basses" section of the website sometime next Saturday (its official release day). Pricing will also be available at that time.

5. The other mystery model that we will be releasing at Victor's performance on Thursday at 5:00 pm PST will go live on the website simultaneously to when Victor, Joey and I are announcing the model at the NAMM Show...stay tuned!

Cheers!

J
Click to expand...
awaiting:bassist:
 
#69
Just Thumpin' said:
Hi gang --

It is nice to hear so many positive words about Mike's new bass (the Viceroy). It is coming together beautifully. Lot's of long hours in the shop for all of us, but they are worth it!!

Some brief points about the Viceroy...

1. It WILL be available as a custom body shape -- meaning that customers can start with the Viceroy body shape and use it for either a Bolt-on (like Mike's) or Elite build with specs of their choosing.

2. The Mike Pope Signature Viceroy will add the adjustable bridge pup and the removable FB extension.

3. Assuming that the adjustable bridge pup works the way we expect and that Mike's bass sounds like we all hope, it will be an available Fodera option on all instruments. Again, assuming that the results are positive. Timing of when this would become available is still very much up in the air. Please remember that this is real time, prototype stuff we are all doing here...

4. In terms of seeing Mike's bass...it will be in the Newborn Section and in its own "About Our Basses" section of the website sometime next Saturday (its official release day). Pricing will also be available at that time.

5. The other mystery model that we will be releasing at Victor's performance on Thursday at 5:00 pm PST will go live on the website simultaneously to when Victor, Joey and I are announcing the model at the NAMM Show...stay tuned!

Cheers!

J
Click to expand...

Damn,

I can't wait to see that! Like "Lennard III." said, I wish Fodera would come to Frankfurter Musik-Messe again. I think last time when I was there (Must be 2008), Epifani had a booth there and some Foderas were on exhibition.

Since the guy from the Epifani booth thrust an Emperor 5 into my hand and plugged it into the Epifani, I always wanted to play that again. More importantly I have always played 34" Basses until that point and got a bit overwhelmed then (I was about 15 years old at that time).

Meanwhile, I'm 17 years old, grew up very fast and my hands are as big as a toilet lid (of course not!).
What I'm trying to say is that I now have more experiences in bass playing, better sense of build quality and a better technique to handle these great basses. I just want to play that Foderas again ! :bawl: :bassist: :)

Come to Germany again, please! :crying:

regards
 
#70
I think the last time Joey was in Frankfurt on the Messe was 2006 ! :hmm:

But the Messe starts to get smaller and many nice companys start to stay away - so I can understand the guys very well ! :)
 
#71
We would love to attend. Unfortunately, the show is very, very expensive for us and every time Joey and I go to a show, we are not in the shop building basses.

We were thinking of attending in 2011, but instead we will probably just schedule some clinics at our German Dealer, Station Music. Stay tuned! We will be in Germany some time this year...

J

Lennard III. said:
I think the last time Joey was in Frankfurt on the Messe was 2006 ! :hmm:

But the Messe starts to get smaller and many nice companys start to stay away - so I can understand the guys very well ! :)
Click to expand...
 
#72
Wow ! That would be the BOMB ! I would be defentely there and bring my two lefty babys with me :)

Yes - the problem with the Show in Frankfurt is that it's getting more expensive but the show is getting smaller ... not a good development :rollno:


Just Thumpin' said:
We would love to attend. Unfortunately, the show is very, very expensive for us and every time Joey and I go to a show, we are not in the shop building basses.

We were thinking of attending in 2011, but instead we will probably just schedule some clinics at our German Dealer, Station Music. Stay tuned! We will be in Germany some time this year...

J
Click to expand...
 
#75
fretless4string said:
So an adjustable bridge pickup. What determines the position of the neck pickup? The reason I ask is that the first thing I do with most basses, is turn off the neck pickup. Do people actually use them?
Click to expand...

All a matter of taste, but I couldn't live without a neck pickup. Many people, I think, would agree. There are bass players out there who seem like they only use bridge PU, but even Jaco, who is most known for his soloed bridge PU type sound, used the neck PU a lot for different things.

The neck-most coil on the neck pu on my bass is in the same position as a j bass. That's where I believe it sounds best. This way, you can put the bridge PU at 2 1/8 for a 70's j bass thing, or at 2 1/2" for a 60's j bass thing. There are some j basses with a bridge pu position of 2 3/8" as well. This design allows for adjustment in 1/8" increments from 1 7/8" to 2 7/8" so you can get all three of those plus 6 more postions. That means the inner coil of the dual coil pup adjusts from 2 1/2" to 3 1/2". That makes for a ton of tonal variation before you even touch the preamp.
 
#79
basswalker2004 said:
I agree with Mike totally. While i don't use the neck pickup alone, I always use it with my back pickup.. it gives a fullness that the bridge alone just doesn't have.
Click to expand...

+1 I never favor the neck, but I usually always have it blended in with the bridge. I rarely take the neck pup all the way out.
 
#80
Just Thumpin' said:
Hi gang --

It is nice to hear so many positive words about Mike's new bass (the Viceroy). It is coming together beautifully. Lot's of long hours in the shop for all of us, but they are worth it!!

Some brief points about the Viceroy...

1. It WILL be available as a custom body shape -- meaning that customers can start with the Viceroy body shape and use it for either a Bolt-on (like Mike's) or Elite build with specs of their choosing.

2. The Mike Pope Signature Viceroy will add the adjustable bridge pup and the removable FB extension.

3. Assuming that the adjustable bridge pup works the way we expect and that Mike's bass sounds like we all hope, it will be an available Fodera option on all instruments. Again, assuming that the results are positive. Timing of when this would become available is still very much up in the air. Please remember that this is real time, prototype stuff we are all doing here...

4. In terms of seeing Mike's bass...it will be in the Newborn Section and in its own "About Our Basses" section of the website sometime next Saturday (its official release day). Pricing will also be available at that time.

5. The other mystery model that we will be releasing at Victor's performance on Thursday at 5:00 pm PST will go live on the website simultaneously to when Victor, Joey and I are announcing the model at the NAMM Show...stay tuned!

Cheers!

J
Click to expand...
I must say, you and Mike are doing a great job of building up anticipation and interest -- at least in me.
 
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