Fodera Club Part VIII

[Bryan R. Tyler]

We were supposed to get hit here in Connecticut across from the Long Island sound on Sunday night... but there was nothing. Rained sideways on Saturday night and Sunday morning, but by noon it was bright and clear. I think here it was just an excuse for everyone to get a day off!

Vermont got blasted, though.

You're in the lucky part of CT We're in the SE corner, and we had our power out for a day and a half and a bunch of trees and powerlines went down. My daughter's school is starting six days late now, so she's happy.

 

[chris.gotfunk]

Holy crap Jason!!! That Emperor II with the Brazillian top is unreal!!!! The perfect symetry of the sapwood is just amazing. The attention to detail to have the point of the sapwood right at peak dead center on the headstock is mind blowing. You guys build incredible basses, but I have to say that one literally took my breath away.

Man, I need to get on the list for one of these... STAT!

 

[Kwesi]

Maryland is a nice, reasonable, fairly politically centrist place to live, and I can make it home from the Blue Note in around 3.5 hours (did it once in 2.5 ). The difference in my quality of life here compared to NY is worth every mile of the drive. On the other hand, my 740i has 220k miles on it

Whoa, had no idea you were in my area. Maryland seems just a smidge less lame now . Of course, that's coming from a college kid though .

 

[emjazz]

Whoa, had no idea you were in my area. Maryland seems just a smidge less lame now . Of course, that's coming from a college kid though .

Take lessons from Mike...do it and don't delay. If he were closer that's what I'd be doing. There aren't too many people I'd want to take lessons from that play electric bass. Mike is one of the few for sure.

 

[Kwesi]

Take lessons from Mike...do it and don't delay. If he were closer that's what I'd be doing. There aren't too many people I'd want to take lessons from that play electric bass. Mike is one of the few for sure.

Mike teaches? Seriously? This is good news! With any luck I'll be getting some formal training under my belt .

 

[fivestringdan]

Why would you hesitate?

Man, I need to get on the list for one of these... STAT!

 

[joe vegas]

Greetings brethren (and... sistren? is that the pilgrim-speak version of "sisters"?).

i never posted my Grail before, and thought it was time... Vinnie and Joey have always been Family, took my playing and concepts seriously and with much encouragement way back in the early 90s, and created something that transcends its materials. This is my voice.

i have several amazing instruments that sound and feel remarkable, but the Grail has been a constant, complex Muse.

Discussed in '93, delivered in October '94, she's both sharpened and matured over the course of a rigorous journey. 36", 28 fret, Grail is a formidable sweet panther-esque Beast.

i'm in the process of saving for another... with some differences.. perhaps incorporating some of the great developments on Mike's new one, along with Anthony's length and single cutaway, etc.
respect
jg

 

[Angus]

The attention to detail to have the point of the sapwood right at peak dead center on the headstock is mind blowing.

They did a similar thing by matching the ramps on my bass to the top:

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It's pretty insane. The woodworking and attention to detail is what makes Fodera over the top to me. (It's the same reason I love Zon, too). Fodera is just on another level than most, imo. It's totally not necessary for them to go to that level of detail, but the fact that they do speaks volume. I can't speak highly enough for the quality of the instrument.

They do good work. Sounds ok, too*.

(*Still my favorite sounding bass by a country mile with the lights off...which is why I ordered it in the first place, after all.)

Take lessons from Mike...do it and don't delay. If he were closer that's what I'd be doing. There aren't too many people I'd want to take lessons from that play electric bass. Mike is one of the few for sure.

Dang. I'm going to have to schedule my next visit to the lady's parents in Maryland around a lesson (or 5).

 

[Just Thumpin']

Thanks gang...lots of love coming our way in these past few posts which I will share with the rest of the gang tomorrow. It is really hard work (the level of detail), but we all completely dig it and are constantly trying to one-up one another (in the best possible sense).

I used to think that I got more joy than was humanly possible PLAYING my Fodera (before I got involved with the business), but honestly all of us in the shop have so much fun making them, that it is a toss up!

J

 

[chris.gotfunk]

Why would you hesitate?

Money.... It's all about the benjamins... Lots of them!

 

[fivestringdan]

I understand, I make less than 30k a year, single and have a mortgage. It was about priorities and I believe this is the time for me to order my dream instrument. I am not sacrificing much, I wont go to the movies for another year and rarely go out to eat.

Money.... It's all about the benjamins... Lots if them!

 

[thepontif]

Take lessons from Mike...do it and don't delay. If he were closer that's what I'd be doing. There aren't too many people I'd want to take lessons from that play electric bass. Mike is one of the few for sure.

Man, you are making me blush. Thanks for your kind thoughts and words.

I'm hoping to get the new record done here in the next month or so. So far it is really sounding amazing. Hoping some TB'ers will partake. It's my best one yet both in playing and writing. Ought to be...it's been 10 years!!

 

[The Reff]

I saw the Fretspot factory tour video (nice video btw). At 9.27 in the video there's a neckthrough with a toneblock glued onto it.

How does this differ tonewise from the other type of neckthrough, where it's the same wood as the neck that goes through the entire body thickness?

Does it make any difference construtionwise ?

 

[Just Thumpin']

Is it possible that you are confusing a neck-through with a dovetail? When we build neck-throughs, we ALWAYS use a tone block. The wood can vary...it can be different than, or identical to the body wood, but it is always there. A dovetail just has a neck glued onto a body that is all made of the same wood...

J

I saw the Fretspot factory tour video (nice video btw). At 9.27 in the video there's a neckthrough with a toneblock glued onto it.

How does this differ tonewise from the other type of neckthrough, where it's the same wood as the neck that goes through the entire body thickness?

Does it make any difference construtionwise ?

 

[The Reff]

Is it possible that you are confusing a neck-through with a dovetail? When we build neck-throughs, we ALWAYS use a tone block. The wood can vary...it can be different than, or identical to the body wood, but it is always there. A dovetail just has a neck glued onto a body that is all made of the same wood...

J

I don't think so

The neck is made of the same wood(s) as the middle part of the body.

like this :

 

[CH Design]

I don't think so

The neck is made of the same wood(s) as the middle part of the body.

like this :

Is that a Fodera?

Many companies build basses using that construction technique. To my knowledge, Fodera does not.

 

[lgrankin]

Is that a Fodera?

Many companies build basses using that construction technique. To my knowledge, Fodera does not.

Fairly certain that's not a Fodera...

 

[emjazz]

My guess is that it's a Stambaugh. Fodera doesn't use that technique.

 

[DELACIUS]

Mike, can't wait to hear new album... and true I think Foderas are like Jaco, determing what bass should be and making them as they should sound and feel...

 

[Brad Johnson]

I took my '92 AJ to Atomic Music yesterday to let some folks check it out along with another bass. One younger player said it was his first time seeing a Fodera in the flesh so I asked him if he wanted to play it. His reaction was priceless. Good player.