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Fodera Club Part XIX

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#922
Lennard III. said:
after two days with my "new" Emperor fretless.... all I can say - WOW - it was sooo worth the risk - the Bass sings till tomorrow....

What strings are you guys who play fretless using ?? Steel is not that good for the fretboard, right ???

I have put some D'addario EXL's on it (nickelplated steel) - I don't like Nickel strings.... Stuart is using Flats if I remember correctly ?!
Click to expand...

glad the bass worked out!

i use flats on a maple fb fretless, and (old) nickel/steel hybrid (circle k) rounds on a rosewood fb fretless.

one ebony fb fretless has lighter rounds (tuned up a minor third; plain highest string; also circle k) and i'm experimenting with some flats tuned down a whole step on another ebony fb fretless.

so, two with flats, two with rounds.

since some of my fretlesses have been around for a while, i play hard and those smaller (some plain) strings can be hard on an fb, i have cyanoacrylic (superglue) finishes on three of them.

personally, i don't like sound of pure steel strings at all, so i wouldn't use them for that reason on a fretless, but especially cause i have a feeling they'd chew up the fb more quickly.
 
#923
Hi again guys!

Tomorrow ends the hold period, so I have to make the payment for one of this two basses:

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=589

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=266

Please, help me to decide. I love the ash/maple wood combination on the Imperial, but I'm afraid to be uncomfortable with 35". The Emperor II has it's own benefits: 34" scale, 6 strings. holly top. What do you think?

Here are some additional pics:

Link Removed

picture-1845.jpg


picture-1847.jpg


picture-1844.jpg
 
#926
Can I compare this Imperial to a '70 JB and this Emperor II to a '60 JB?


gridchin said:
Hi again guys!

Tomorrow ends the hold period, so I have to make the payment for one of this two basses:

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=589

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=266

Please, help me to decide. I love the ash/maple wood combination on the Imperial, but I'm afraid to be uncomfortable with 35". The Emperor II has it's own benefits: 34" scale, 6 strings. holly top. What do you think?
Click to expand...
 
#932
gridchin said:
Hi again guys!

Tomorrow ends the hold period, so I have to make the payment for one of this two basses:

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=589

http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=266

Please, help me to decide. I love the ash/maple wood combination on the Imperial, but I'm afraid to be uncomfortable with 35". The Emperor II has it's own benefits: 34" scale, 6 strings. holly top. What do you think?

Here are some additional pics:

Link Removed

picture-1845.jpg


picture-1847.jpg


picture-1844.jpg
Click to expand...

For me, comfort is king. The basses that stick are 34"&33"
 
#933
From a looks standpoint, the holly is the easy choice. For my preference in tone, the Imperial would get me close to the tone I like but not quite there. To answer your question, Imperial 70's JB and the Holly 60's JB. The Imperial would probably be in the ball park but not quite. To continue the analogy, the holly would be a different sport than a 60's JB, meaning it would not sound like a 60's JB at all. Although I'm sure someone will chime in with the "the Pope pre can get pretty much get any tone you want" comment, I'm sorry it can't. No pre can change the inherent tonal qualities of walnut/ebony to make it sound like alder/rosewood.
 
#934
The Masur Birch topped instrument can be loosely compared to a 70's JBass. Same basic woods (Ash body, Maple neck and Maple FB) with PUP's in 70's position. Obviously it has an active preamp and will provide a much wider variety of possible tones, but that basic 70's JBass vibe is definitely inherent in the instrument's design.

The Holly topped bass will, however, bear no resemblance to a 60's JBass. Walnut / Ebony does not, IMHO, sound anything like Alder / Brazilian tonally. Also the PUPs on the Holly bass are also in 70's position, not 60's. So, this instrument sounds more modern than a 60's JBass with a much more articulate nature to its notes -- a more defined start and stop to each note with less bloom and overall bloom. Also an Ebony FB adds a bell-like quality and point to the upper register that I have never heard on my 1964 Fender J...

I hope that this makes sense. The reality is that if you are unsure about whether or not you would like 35" scale, that is a very big risk to take and I would strike that instrument from consideration on that basis alone unless you had a chance to seriously play 35" scale and are certain that you dig it.

Regards,

Jason

gridchin said:
Can I compare this Imperial to a '70 JB and this Emperor II to a '60 JB?
Click to expand...
 
#935
Thank you so much guys. It's a difficult decision, a lot of money is involved. If the Imperial was 34" I think it will be a no brainer. On the other hand, I have a 34.5" Fbass and I don't feel a lot of difference with a 34" scale. So may be 35" won't be a problem.

May be the Holly top is more attractive from a looks standpoint, but I'm really looking for two things: sound and comfort.


From a looks standpoint, the holly is the easy choice. For my preference in tone, the Imperial would get me close to the tone I like but not quite there. To answer your question, Imperial 70's JB and the Holly 60's JB. The Imperial would probably be in the ball park but not quite. To continue the analogy, the holly would be a different sport than a 60's JB, meaning it would not sound like a 60's JB at all. Although I'm sure someone will chime in with the "the Pope pre can get pretty much get any tone you want" comment, I'm sorry it can't. No pre can change the inherent tonal qualities of walnut/ebony to make it sound like alder/rosewood.
Click to expand...

The Masur Birch topped instrument can be loosely compared to a 70's JBass. Same basic woods (Ash body, Maple neck and Maple FB) with PUP's in 70's position. Obviously it has an active preamp and will provide a much wider variety of possible tones, but that basic 70's JBass vibe is definitely inherent in the instrument's design.

The Holly topped bass will, however, bear no resemblance to a 60's JBass. Walnut / Ebony does not, IMHO, sound anything like Alder / Brazilian tonally. Also the PUPs on the Holly bass are also in 70's position, not 60's. So, this instrument sounds more modern than a 60's JBass with a much more articulate nature to its notes -- a more defined start and stop to each note with less bloom and overall bloom. Also an Ebony FB adds a bell-like quality and point to the upper register that I have never heard on my 1964 Fender J...

I hope that this makes sense. The reality is that if you are unsure about whether or not you would like 35" scale, that is a very big risk to take and I would strike that instrument from consideration on that basis alone unless you had a chance to seriously play 35" scale and are certain that you dig it.

Regards,

Jason
Click to expand...
 
#938
gridchin said:
Thank you so much guys. It's a difficult decision, a lot of money is involved. If the Imperial was 34" I think it will be a no brainer. On the other hand, I have a 34.5" Fbass and I don't feel a lot of difference with a 34" scale. So may be 35" won't be a problem.

May be the Holly top is more attractive from a looks standpoint, but I'm really looking for two things: sound and comfort.
Click to expand...

Order a new one. Find a dealer who already have a order in. Link Removed will be very happy to help and is very good to work with.
 
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