Fodera Club Part VII

[Tom7]

Scared only because it's a big financial decision, so I hope I like it!

1988 Monarch Elite 5-String:

JGasp! I would LOVE to have this bass. I'm sure you will love it too. Poor BassSaxMan; I would definitely regret letting THAT one go!

Tell us a bit about it.

Are the single coils hum canceling? Are they in the 60s positions? What are the woods? Is it 35" scale length?

 

[Lokire]

JGasp! I would LOVE to have this bass. I'm sure you will love it too. Poor BassSaxMan; I would definitely regret letting THAT one go!

Tell us a bit about it.

Are the single coils hum canceling? Are they in the 60s positions? What are the woods? Is it 35" scale length?

Well...I don't have it yet! Gonna be tough waiting on this one...I should have it by the end of next week.

Walnut body. Maple neck. Ebony fretboard. I don't really know a whole lot else about it. I've never been very sensitive to different scale lengths.

 

[Just Thumpin']

Enjoy. Glad that you took the plunge and that you are part of the Family now!! Can't wait to hear what you think of her!!

J

Well...I don't have it yet! Gonna be tough waiting on this one...I should have it by the end of next week.

Walnut body. Maple neck. Ebony fretboard. I don't really know a whole lot else about it. I've never been very sensitive to different scale lengths.

 

[steubig]

Walnut body. Maple neck. Ebony fretboard. I don't really know a whole lot else about it. I've never been very sensitive to different scale lengths.

88? i'd guess 34.

 

[BassSaxMan]

Where is that Beez Elite these days? I was always waiting for it to come up for sale. I'd still buy it in a second.

Not sure. The Groove Shoppe sold it for me. I would have kept it but I made a decision to go back to 34" and it was 35". Nothing I didn't like about it really.

 

[Angus]

Dang. I hope Joel pops by at some point- maybe he has an idea where it is.

Vinny won't do katalox fingerboards anymore, despite having done a couple, which is a shame- I think they sound incredible. But he wouldn't do one for my bass, even if I accepted the "risk". I have another bass with a katalox fingerboard and it's my favorite fingerboard wood I've tried. Shame. :\

 

[BassSaxMan]

Dang. I hope Joel pops by at some point- maybe he has an idea where it is.

Vinny won't do katalox fingerboards anymore, despite having done a couple, which is a shame- I think they sound incredible. But he wouldn't do one for my bass, even if I accepted the "risk". I have another bass with a katalox fingerboard and it's my favorite fingerboard wood I've tried. Shame. :\

What's the risk?

 

[Angus]

I think Vinny doesn't feel comfortable using it- feels it is too unstable. I've never had an issue with it on my bass, but hey, everyone has stuff they hate working with. He doesn't feel that cocobolo can be successfully used for tops because it is so oily, but Alembic have been using it more than anyone for three decades...and Alembic hate maple.

I wish he'd use it, though, because I love how it sounds and feels...and I don't think it would make for an unstable neck at all, if it's been properly dried.

 

[sps500]

Man I would take a Fodera made from plywood!!!!

 

[Just Thumpin']

We would (and have) used Katalox for a FB but we do not like to. The specific pieces that were provided to us for your bass (by your Dealer) were not deemed to be stable enough...it is not that Vinny feels that all Katalox is unstable.

These decisions also have to do with our strong, strong dislike of using any wood provided to us by others. When we pull from our own wood stash we know that the wood has been there for many years and (the vast majority of the time) has done any "nasty" stuff that it may do by the time we pull it for use (i.e. cracking, checking, warping, etc.). We do not have that certainty about the quality of wood provided by others just 2-3 months before we need to complete a build.

In terms of Cocobolo...it is a GORGEOUS looking wood. We don't like using it, however, for several reasons...

1. It tends to be very heavy and has a significant impact on the overall tone of an instrument (even when used only as a top);
2. It is tremendously oily and requires a different glue and gluing process than we typically use in order to be certain that it will remain glued to the body;
3. Our finish is massively different than Alembic's. Their finish is a thick polyester-type resin. Works for their instruments and the tone that they are looking to achieve AND effectively seals the Cocolbolo so well that the oils should never become an issue. However, we use a much, much thinner, breathable finish that could potentially pose a problem with Cocobolo. We use the finish that we do because after testing many, many finishes over the years, Joey and Vinny feel that the one that we use offers the best tone for our instruments.

It is these three issues combined that keep us from using Cocobolo, not merely a simple and/or arbitrary decision on Vinny's part.

Hope this all makes sense...

J

I think Vinny doesn't feel comfortable using it- feels it is too unstable. I've never had an issue with it on my bass, but hey, everyone has stuff they hate working with. He doesn't feel that cocobolo can be successfully used for tops because it is so oily, but Alembic have been using it more than anyone for three decades...and Alembic hate maple.

I wish he'd use it, though, because I love how it sounds and feels...and I don't think it would make for an unstable neck at all, if it's been properly dried.

 

[Angus]

Oh, I wasn't quoting the cocobolo thing has a knock against Fodera- I have no problem with it at all! Everyone has woods they hate. But I do think the fact that Alembic hates maple fingerboards is silly.

We would (and have) used Katalox for a FB but we do not like to. The specific pieces that were provided to us for your bass (by your Dealer) were not deemed to be stable enough...it is not that Vinny feels that all Katalox is unstable.

I had no intention of asking to use the stuff I sent you for fingerboard material- I didn't even know if it would be ok to use as a top wood. But I had it laying around and figured it would worth looking at.

I had wanted specifically to use your wood for the fingerboard because I knew it had been around and drying for longer, and that was what I had asked about. I think something got lost in dealer translation, because my only desire was to use katalox from your own stash for the fingerboard.

Maybe I should call. What you are saying now is not what I was told by the dealer, and clearly my request wasn't translated well to you, either. Sigh.

 

[Tom7]

We would (and have) used Katalox for a FB but we do not like to. The specific pieces that were provided to us for your bass (by your Dealer) were not deemed to be stable enough...it is not that Vinny feels that all Katalox is unstable.

These decisions also have to do with our strong, strong dislike of using any wood provided to us by others. When we pull from our own wood stash we know that the wood has been there for many years and (the vast majority of the time) has done any "nasty" stuff that it may do by the time we pull it for use (i.e. cracking, checking, warping, etc.). We do not have that certainty about the quality of wood provided by others just 2-3 months before we need to complete a build.

In terms of Cocobolo...it is a GORGEOUS looking wood. We don't like using it, however, for several reasons...

1. It tends to be very heavy and has a significant impact on the overall tone of an instrument (even when used only as a top);
2. It is tremendously oily and requires a different glue and gluing process than we typically use in order to be certain that it will remain glued to the body;
3. Our finish is massively different than Alembic's. Their finish is a thick polyester-type resin. Works for their instruments and the tone that they are looking to achieve AND effectively seals the Cocolbolo so well that the oils should never become an issue. However, we use a much, much thinner, breathable finish that could potentially pose a problem with Cocobolo. We use the finish that we do because after testing many, many finishes over the years, Joey and Vinny feel that the one that we use offers the best tone for our instruments.

It is these three issues combined that keep us from using Cocobolo, not merely a simple and/or arbitrary decision on Vinny's part.

Hope this all makes sense...

J

I learn so MUCH from your posts. Thank you again for taking the trouble to be so connected with us.

 

[Tom7]

... But I do think the fact that Alembic hates maple fingerboards is silly.

Whoa! I didn't know that, but come to think of it, I don't ever remember seeing an Alembic with a maple fingerboard. As Jason says, they've got their own goals in mind, which accounts for their choice of finishes and probably pickup placement too, but (thinking of Stanley Clarke) I can see a lot of good reasons to want maple even with the Alembic sound, particularly when slapping. Well, each to his own.

 

[Angus]

I think they have built some, actually, they just don't offer it as a normal option.

 

[Just Thumpin']

No worries at all! I definitely didn't take offense...always happy to chat any time and hope that you are doing well.

J

Oh, I wasn't quoting the cocobolo thing has a knock against Fodera- I have no problem with it at all! Everyone has woods they hate. But I do think the fact that Alembic hates maple fingerboards is silly.



I had no intention of asking to use the stuff I sent you for fingerboard material- I didn't even know if it would be ok to use as a top wood. But I had it laying around and figured it would worth looking at.

I had wanted specifically to use your wood for the fingerboard because I knew it had been around and drying for longer, and that was what I had asked about. I think something got lost in dealer translation, because my only desire was to use katalox from your own stash for the fingerboard.

Maybe I should call. What you are saying now is not what I was told by the dealer, and clearly my request wasn't translated well to you, either. Sigh.

 

[Angus]

No worries at all! I definitely didn't take offense...always happy to chat any time and hope that you are doing well.

J

Moved to email.

Thanks for the input Jason!

 

[Lokire]

If you don't like it you're crazy. I used to own it and kind of regret selling it, especially since I sold it to get a Stambaugh that wasn't even close to what I wanted in the end. One of the two best Fodera's I've owned along with my Beez Elite, and I've owned 7 or so Fodera's?

Maybe when and if you decide to sell it you can PM me first. I would have bought it back if I were swimming in cash, I saw it on the Low End when it went up.

You're getting one of the best sounding Fodera's I've ever played.

Well jeez, thanks for making the wait that much more agonizing! As if I wasn't excited enough already...

OMG, just found out that Anthony Jackson will play near me with Steve Smith and Hiromi... I'll even try to meet him... can't wait to hear him LIVE

Yes! That tour is going to be in my area later this month (June 23-26). Can't wait to see it. Should be an amazing combo!

 

[BassSaxMan]

Well jeez, thanks for making the wait that much more agonizing! As if I wasn't excited enough already...




Yes! That tour is going to be in my area later this month (June 23-26). Can't wait to see it. Should be an amazing combo!

Seeing AJ's name on this post reminded me. Before it was sent out to me apparently he played that bass and gave it a thumbs up. So yeah, if you don't like you're nuts.

 

[Lokire]

Seeing AJ's name on this post reminded me. Before it was sent out to me apparently he played that bass and gave it a thumbs up. So yeah, if you don't like you're nuts.

*thud*

^ sound of my knees buckling and me falling to the floor

 

[smperry]

I saw Hiromi with Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips a couple nights ago. What an amazing trio! I have a crush on Hiromi, but I was -floored- by AJ's tone.