Hey Jason, just curious, what effect does the solid top option have on the bass? Can you explain what a solid top is too?
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Solid top means the top covers the whole top of the body. It only comes into play on Elites (neck through). On a neck through the neck billet ends up having two body "wing" glued on. The neck billet then ends up as part of the top, with two separate "tops" on each wing. A "solid top" on the Elite instead uses a top that covers the whole top including the neck.
Well, it's a top. Bolt on and dovetails have a body and neck which are then either bolted or glued together. In each case though there is a body, and that body can have a glued on top (usually two book matched pieces). A neck through doesn't really have a body per se. Wings are glued onto the neck. So those wings can have a top, or with more work, put a top over the wings and the top of the neck billet. That's the "solid" option - in that you can't then see the neck billet.
I get it now, I had to compare basses in the Newborn section to understand and get the visual. Thanks man.
As an example
Elite with solid top
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=504
Elite with regular top
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=212
Elite with solid top
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=504
Elite with regular top
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=212
Chambered body. My Yin Yang Deluxe has that (was the first YYD they did that way). The pair of Monarch 5s I have on order will also be chambered. I love the tone. Photo of my YYD:
Semi-hollow body means that the body has been partially gutted out to make it lighter, you can't actually see the difference in the finished product.
Here's an example of a semi-hallow body
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/acg-chambered-piezo-only-bass-557710/
Here's an example of a semi-hallow body
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/acg-chambered-piezo-only-bass-557710/
Wow, thanks. I was wondering. I don't really care too much for the weight of the bass, Ill most likely pass on that option.
Chambering changes the tone as well. It isn't huge, but there is a difference. But certainly not necessary and not many go that route on a Fodera. I am so happy with the tone on my YYD though that we're trying to replicate as much of the spec as possible for the 5-strings. Only difference is that the 5s will be neck-through rather than dovetail.
Man, I'd love to see how they make that YYD top. Considering people use a joiner to get two surfaces exactly flat to glue together, I have no idea how they make these cuts that perfect so that they can glue them up with no gaps. man.....
Curiosity question for Jason: The first Fodera that I'm aware of that was chambered would have been the first Presentation made for Anthony Jackson (i.e #7). Was that in fact the first chambered bass that Fodera made? If not, what was and when?
Jim
Have a look in the LC for a maple/wedge bass that Big B is building. He shows one way that it can be done. Not saying that it's how the guys at Fodera do it though. I'm sure there are a few ways to do it.
Every elite (neck-thru) and all single-cut Foderas (Imperials / Emperor IIs, etc) have a tone block.
If you look at the back of any elite / single-cut Fodera, the piece of wood in-between the two body wings is the tone block. Most of the time the block is a different wood from the body wings (exceptions, such as AJ's bass which is has alder wings and an alder block) As far as how much it changes tone, it's a much smaller ingredient compared to the body wings / neck woods.
If you look at the back of any elite / single-cut Fodera, the piece of wood in-between the two body wings is the tone block. Most of the time the block is a different wood from the body wings (exceptions, such as AJ's bass which is has alder wings and an alder block) As far as how much it changes tone, it's a much smaller ingredient compared to the body wings / neck woods.
And if you get a chance to play my bolt on Emperor next month, it will only further confuse things!
You've got three neck choices - bolt-on, dovetail, or neck-through. Fodera built Monarch 5-strings that are identical other than the neck types and posted the recordings so you can hear the differences. There also are ergonomic differences, as well as aesthetic. I love the look of the dovetail, but like the access of the neck through just a bit more. Plus the tops I picked will only fit on an Elite so that helped influence my decision.
For my basses on order the tone block will be walnut as will the wings. Neck will be maple on the fretted, ash on the fretless. The body on my YYD is chambered walnut so the goal is to replicate that in a neck-through. I think that fretboard wood has the most impact on tone, then followed by body. I think the tone block actually may have more influence than the wings for a neck-through, but I could be wrong.
For my basses on order the tone block will be walnut as will the wings. Neck will be maple on the fretted, ash on the fretless. The body on my YYD is chambered walnut so the goal is to replicate that in a neck-through. I think that fretboard wood has the most impact on tone, then followed by body. I think the tone block actually may have more influence than the wings for a neck-through, but I could be wrong.
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