Fodera Club Part XIV

[steubig]

My hats off to you Steubig..I've played the AJ6 double cutaway, and it is just too durn big for my hands. Doesn't mean a six with smaller spacing is out though...

keep in mind i only play a 34-inch, not one of these new-fangled 35-/36-inch deals.

plus, i was just messing with el señor nostatic.

 

[nostatic]

Nostatic, thanks for the comments..they are very helpful. Without getting out the calipers and magnifying glass, would you say the frets on the Zon compared to the Monarchs are bigger, smaller, close to the same, or "why doesn't this guy go away"

I just looked and I would say that the Fodera "large" frets are in the same ballpark as the Zon. They might be a tad smaller, but roughly equivalent. The Fodera "small" frets are definitely smaller than the ones on the Zon.

The other thing to consider besides scale length is string spacing. I personally do not like 19mm spacing on 5 ( or by extension 6) strings. The 17.5mm spacing on the MGS is about perfect. I don't know that I'd like that spacing on a 4-string but it would be interesting to try. Fwiw I found the 16.5mm spacing on the Zon 6 to be a bit tight. Nothing I couldn't adjust to, but since I have a limited amount of time to practice I have to decide what I want to spend my time working on.

 

[cnltb]

Anyone have a 33" scale tuned beadg? How's it sound?

Isn't one of lincoln goins's basses such an instrument?
I think I asked such a question a while back and someone posted a video in whihc goines played that short bass.
Sounded good I thought.

 

[Damian Coccio]

Isn't one of lincoln goins's basses such an instrument?
I think I asked such a question a while back and someone posted a video in whihc goines played that short bass.
Sounded good I thought.

I think you're right.

 

[Plunger]

keep in mind i only play a 34-inch, not one of these new-fangled 35-/36-inch deals.

plus, i was just messing with el señor nostatic.

I knew your were messin' with him...lots of that goes on around here. The main issue I had with it was the width of the neck..I think it was 19mm string to string, not on center.

I just looked and I would say that the Fodera "large" frets are in the same ballpark as the Zon. They might be a tad smaller, but roughly equivalent. The Fodera "small" frets are definitely smaller than the ones on the Zon.

The other thing to consider besides scale length is string spacing. I personally do not like 19mm spacing on 5 ( or by extension 6) strings. The 17.5mm spacing on the MGS is about perfect. I don't know that I'd like that spacing on a 4-string but it would be interesting to try. Fwiw I found the 16.5mm spacing on the Zon 6 to be a bit tight. Nothing I couldn't adjust to, but since I have a limited amount of time to practice I have to decide what I want to spend my time working on.

Yeah, the spacing on my 5 string Zon is 17.5..if I get the Monarch with 5 strings it will be that, maybe stretched to 18. Such big decisions for an instrument which I've been bustin' my #@$ to save for and hope to keep forever. Not sure if I'll ever be able to be a multiple-Fedora owner like a lot of ya'll...but from what I gather from reading all these threads is that neither were many of you. Thanks for checking that for me..all you guys rock!

 

[TheShape101]

here ya go

Thanks!

 

[TheShape101]

I know that you guys have been asking me for a Family Snapshot going back to something like the Fodera Club Part IV or V. Sorry it took so long and sorry that I could not fit them all in one photo...

From Left to Right:

1984 Shedua Top, Ash Body, IRW FB, EMG J/J, 1st Gen HAZ Pre (This is 100% as it was when new)
1986 Zebrawood Top, Ash Body, Zebrawood FB, EMG P/J, 2nd Gen HAZ Pre
1996 Crotch Walnut Top, Mahogany Body, Ebony FB, '72 Fender J/J, 2010 Custom Pre
2006 Holly/Ebony YY, Alder Body, Birdseye/Ebony FB, EMG P/J, 2010 Custom Pre
2007 Koa Top, Mahogany Body, IRW FB, Duncan J/J, 2010 Custom Preamp (My first Fodera)

2008 Pau Amarillo/Purpleheart YY, Walnut Body, Ebony/Purpleheart FB, Dual Coils, 2010 Custom Pre
2008 Buckeye Top, Walnut Body, Ebony FB, Dual Coils, 2010 Custom Pre
2009 Rainbow Maple Top, Mahogany Body, Brazilian RW FB, EMG P/J, 2010 Custom Pre
2009 Koa Top, Mahogany Body, Brazilian RW FB, Dual Coils, 2010 Custom Pre (Fodera #3000)
2009 Painted YY, Alder Body, Ebony FB, EMG P/J, Standard Pre (1st YYS Prototype)
2011 Brazilian RW Top, Alder Body, Brazilian RW FB, Dual Coils, 2010 Custom Pre
2011 Olive Top, Ash Body, Birdseye Maple FB, Dual Coils, 2010 Custom Pre

I think the 2009 Rainbow Maple topped one is my all time favorite Monarch!

 

[Robin Ruscio]

I'm so going crazy enjoying my new Fodera!

Just finished my 4th gig with it after getting it last week. It is opening up a little bit every day I play it and I am definitely setting some personal speed records with it. I barely am running any EQ onboard or on my amps to get a great sound, it's pretty much perfect flat. It has a very punchy tone but a sweet yet articulate high end. BRW FB + ASH is a win combo.

All the naysayers of the extended B should hear this thing. It's got the clarity of my E and sounds powerful all the way down to the open B. I've never been able to use a low B so freely and it's opening up new possibilities for shaping lines it sounds so good.

All that in a compact 34" scale and I think right around 10 lbs or so. Very well balanced, I actually felt less strain on my shoulder after gigs than my 8.25 lb jazz style Sadowsky because I wasn't fighting any even subtle headstock dive. Also the cutwaway on the MG body is super easy to play all the way to fret 24. It is surprising to see how much freer that makes upper register playing.

I'll have to post a youtube review once I can stop practicing. I have not been able to get anything not completely necessary done since I got this!

 

[steubig]

that's great. congrats.

 

[Christian Houmann]

Cool Bass Robin. Congrats

 

[gkbass13]

Loving my Emperor 5 more everyday!

 

[Just Thumpin']

We build a fair number of those and as long as you have a pretty light touch the B works out just fine. Obviously it is not going to sound like a 36" scale B (or even a 34" for that matter), but everything is about compromise. It all depends on how you play and what you are going to use the instrument for...

J

Anyone have a 33" scale tuned beadg? How's it sound?

 

[Just Thumpin']

Yes. Lincoln uses his 34" scale Fodera in the studio and his 33" when out touring...

J

Isn't one of lincoln goins's basses such an instrument?
I think I asked such a question a while back and someone posted a video in whihc goines played that short bass.
Sounded good I thought.

 

[Damian Coccio]

Yes. Lincoln uses his 34" scale Fodera in the studio and his 33" when out touring...

J

One other particularly interesting characteristic of his basses are the solid body wings. Do these bases tend to me more or less resonant or no difference from a bass with a layered construction?

 

[Christian Houmann]

Felix's bass is 33 scale without the extended B.
Jason - Do you know why he did go with that?

 

[Blue Blood]

It's been my experience that more layers adds more compression.

 

[pierreganseman]

Hi, I am a new fodera owner...

I personally do not believe at all in this scale thing regarding B string...

I have heard sloppy B's with 35, and My sei bass 6 was a 33 and had a thunderous B string...

All in all, I think it's down to building... how do things or not...

 

[fivestringdan]

Awesome, can't wait to hear it!

I'm so going crazy enjoying my new Fodera!

Just finished my 4th gig with it after getting it last week. It is opening up a little bit every day I play it and I am definitely setting some personal speed records with it. I barely am running any EQ onboard or on my amps to get a great sound, it's pretty much perfect flat. It has a very punchy tone but a sweet yet articulate high end. BRW FB + ASH is a win combo.

All the naysayers of the extended B should hear this thing. It's got the clarity of my E and sounds powerful all the way down to the open B. I've never been able to use a low B so freely and it's opening up new possibilities for shaping lines it sounds so good.

All that in a compact 34" scale and I think right around 10 lbs or so. Very well balanced, I actually felt less strain on my shoulder after gigs than my 8.25 lb jazz style Sadowsky because I wasn't fighting any even subtle headstock dive. Also the cutwaway on the MG body is super easy to play all the way to fret 24. It is surprising to see how much freer that makes upper register playing.

I'll have to post a youtube review once I can stop practicing. I have not been able to get anything not completely necessary done since I got this!

 

[cnltb]

Hi, I am a new fodera owner...

I personally do not believe at all in this scale thing regarding B string...

I have heard sloppy B's with 35, and My sei bass 6 was a 33 and had a thunderous B string...

All in all, I think it's down to building... how do things or not...

It's not about 'better' vs 'worse'. Different scale lengths do sound 'different'. Some like one scale, some like another.
All good I'd say.

 

[nostatic]

I'm so going crazy enjoying my new Fodera!

All that in a compact 34" scale and I think right around 10 lbs or so. Very well balanced, I actually felt less strain on my shoulder after gigs than my 8.25 lb jazz style Sadowsky because I wasn't fighting any even subtle headstock dive. Also the cutwaway on the MG body is super easy to play all the way to fret 24. It is surprising to see how much freer that makes upper register playing.

I'll have to post a youtube review once I can stop practicing.

Beautiful. I'm with you on the MG body, and also with the subtle issues that happen with light basses. I chased lightweight basses for a couple of years but actually Jason finally cured me of that. I also began to notice that nearly all of the really light ones had some degree of neck dive, some worse than others.

And agree on the can't stop practicing. Typically on a non-gig night I'll spend an hour or so running exercises and tunes I need to work up. This last weekend it was averaging 3-4 hours with the MGS comping tunes and working on things. It has opened up a completely different area for me on the instrument. I love this bass, though I now know I need a chambered walnut body with some crazy top and ebony fb just because.