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Fodera Club Part XIX

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#241
otto B said:
I need some feedback on what sound would I get in this wood combination; Quilted Maple top Mahogany body and and Ebony fingerboard?
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Well, the pickups/electronics will of course make a huge impact, but you should get full lows to low-mids, clear, sweet highs with a bit of a "ping" in the lower treble (from the ebony - I love it, personally), and probably very even balance throughout the mids.
 
#242
All this talk of ebony has me intrigued.

Historically I've stuck with jazz and classical bass playing with occasional rock cover bands to make up my musical life. A versatile instrument like the Emperor standard covers a hell of a lot of ground.

But lately I've been away from all that, and have been writing/jamming with a hard rock/metal band. In this situation I've noticed that as I climb up into the higher register, the notes have more trouble speaking. (Some of this definitely has to with amp settings.)

My question is, would ebony impart more definition in the higher register?

Furthermore.... what woods would contribute to the best sound for metal? I say this only half-jokingly. :bassist:
 
#248
Here's my take...

Ebony - high ping, crisp, a tiny bit of compression in the grind (low treble) area, quickest attack, most "modern" sounding. sweet slapper.

Maple - not as crisp on the high end, but much more forward in the low treble/grind area - strongest of the three for fingerstyle mix cutting. A bit harsh for slap solo, but works well in a mix to really come forward... may need to add a bit of control to keep it from piercing tho.

Pau Ferro - between maple and ebony is the simplest/best way to put it. I really love this material as a highly stable, well balanced tonally, pretty, and inexpensive board wood.

Application wise, for me, simplest way to put it, I love ebony best for fretless and if I'm really going for a modern tone with a really crisp ultra high. I love maple best for a J bass. great for growl and mix slashing, slap easily tamed by dropping a tone control or active treble. pau ferro for almost anything if you don't particularly want something accentuated.

And just to round things out...

Rosewood - really big warm round and mellow, smooth but present high end, great for classic tones and awesome for old school P bass. Hate it on fretless, and it won't last long there anyway.

At least IMHO/IME.
 
#249
bThumper38 said:
Yeah I was checking yours out while I was getting ready to pull the trigger=), Are you still looking to go shorter scale?
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ha very cool. You won't be disappointed I promise! Although yours is more "Bona" then mine with your swamp ash tone block. Mine is flamed maple. Curious to know how big of a difference that makes....but I would like to go shorter I think. Wouldn't mind having my next build be an olive top as well....apparently the density of the olive really implements tonal characteristics of it's own and whatever it's doing I think I like it! Wouldn't mind trying an alder body with a northern ash tone block for a bit more warmth and weight loss :( but still get some of that ash punch and depth....

and +1 Vic that's pretty much my experience with all those other woods (never played an ebony board)....I really like Pau Ferro a LOT but like you said it doesn't have that punchy grind that maple can have when you dig in and I really like that, I guess....
 
#251
Vic said:
Here's my take...

Ebony - high ping, crisp, a tiny bit of compression in the grind (low treble) area, quickest attack, most "modern" sounding. sweet slapper.

Maple - not as crisp on the high end, but much more forward in the low treble/grind area - strongest of the three for fingerstyle mix cutting. A bit harsh for slap solo, but works well in a mix to really come forward... may need to add a bit of control to keep it from piercing tho.

Pau Ferro - between maple and ebony is the simplest/best way to put it. I really love this material as a highly stable, well balanced tonally, pretty, and inexpensive board wood.

Application wise, for me, simplest way to put it, I love ebony best for fretless and if I'm really going for a modern tone with a really crisp ultra high. I love maple best for a J bass. great for growl and mix slashing, slap easily tamed by dropping a tone control or active treble. pau ferro for almost anything if you don't particularly want something accentuated.

And just to round things out...

Rosewood - really big warm round and mellow, smooth but present high end, great for classic tones and awesome for old school P bass. Hate it on fretless, and it won't last long there anyway.

At least IMHO/IME.
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+1 Vic, well said.

The only thing I would add is that you can't take any one component (such as fingerboard wood) in a vacuum, and that the interplay of body woods, neck woods, and fingerboard woods must also be taken into consideration. As must other factors, such as wood density, construction techniques, thickness of the fingerboard, etc (not to mention hardware and electronics).

The "classic" body/fingerboard wood combinations of ash/maple and alder/rosewood are of course well known (thanks again, Leo!), but I feel that mahogany/ebony is another one of those body/fingerboard wood combinations that compliment each other nicely.
 
#252
tombowlus said:
The "classic" body/fingerboard wood combinations of ash/maple and alder/rosewood are of course well known (thanks again, Leo!), but I feel that mahogany/ebony is another one of those body/fingerboard wood combinations that compliment each other nicely.
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+1. I have a feeling mahogany/ebony will be what I'll go for when I feel like getting a custom build.
 
#253
kamakiriad7 said:
+1. I have a feeling mahogany/ebony will be what I'll go for when I feel like getting a custom build.
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I have been thinking about this combi mahogany/ebony for a moment, but I decided to go for walnut. (for complexity and good attack)

Mahogany could sound differently, depend of his weight.
A very light one would sound similar to alder with a warmth rich tone.
Medium weight Mahogany has a very broad palate sonically.

That is what I understound by talking with Jason.
 
#254
asbs said:
I have been thinking about this combi mahogany/ebony for a moment, but I decided to go for walnut. (for complexity and good attack).
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I spent a lot of time discussing my Monarch 5 Deluxe build with Jason (and had a bunch of questions for Joey when. Was at the shop) and settled on ebony with mahogany but with a walnut top.

I am fully expecting it to sound great for almost any music style and a good contrast to my ash/maple and pau ferro Emperor.
 
#255
Baird6869 said:
I spent a lot of time discussing my Monarch 5 Deluxe build with Jason (and had a bunch of questions for Joey when. Was at the shop) and settled on ebony with mahogany but with a walnut top.

I am fully expecting it to sound great for almost any music style and a good contrast to my ash/maple and pau ferro Emperor.
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Sounds good !
It will probably be a very versatil bass but, with a personal charactere.
 
#256
curt basner said:
Hey All,

I have not yet received my second Fodera, my first custom with specs specified by me, and I'm pondering a third...

What do you guys think about fully white basses? I am pondering a Holly topped Emperor II. I saw one recently on the Newborns page [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The Emperor II has always been my favorite shape, but I didn't do that shape for the build in progress because of the size. However, I know what I like, and while size-wise, it may not be the best for a small statured person such as myself, I know I won't be happy until I have one. I'm pondering a Brazilian fretboard (no inlay at all, no dots, blocks) and a 5 stringer. What do you all think?
_______________________

...I asked the Fodera folks to give me a length measurement of a 5 string Emperor (I or II, this measurement is the same). I realize, with that number, and looking at the size of the rest of the bass using that first measurement as a basis, that the EII is almost exactly the same size, dimensionally, as a Fender Jazz, which I also have/play. Given that, my concern about the EII being too large has pretty much been put to rest.

So now, what about that third Fodera...?
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about something different (compared to most Foderas) for body wood...maybe an alder tone block with mahogany wings...I'm familiar with mahogany through my Les Paul guitars...and also VERY familiar with the fact that mahogany weight can vary by a huge amount based on mineral content. Wondering if Jason and the guys could find a very lightweight piece of mahogany with ringing tonal characteristics that also has a very deep red color... I know that there are some mahogany bodied Foderas, but they are just not as common as some other wood combos.

Interesting that Baird decided on a Deluxe mahogany body...
 
#257
Mahogany is interesting to me, but I stuck with chambered walnut for the two in the pipe as I liked the YYD so much we figured why mess with the formula. Ebony/walnut is magic to my ears, but I wonder if the chambering takes a bit of the compression out of the walnut and pushes it a bit more towards a mahogany/alder sound.

I guess we'll find out in a few months...
 
#259
Please, could you remember me what model you go for ?

nostatic said:
Mahogany is interesting to me, but I stuck with chambered walnut for the two in the pipe as I liked the YYD so much we figured why mess with the formula. Ebony/walnut is magic to my ears, but I wonder if the chambering takes a bit of the compression out of the walnut and pushes it a bit more towards a mahogany/alder sound.

I guess we'll find out in a few months...
Click to expand...
 
#260
nostatic said:
Mahogany is interesting to me, but I stuck with chambered walnut for the two in the pipe as I liked the YYD so much we figured why mess with the formula. Ebony/walnut is magic to my ears, but I wonder if the chambering takes a bit of the compression out of the walnut and pushes it a bit more towards a mahogany/alder sound.

I guess we'll find out in a few months...
Click to expand...

Todd,
I'll be curious as well. Even if I put an order in for this new bass I'm yapping about, I'll have loads of time to adjust the specs...
 
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