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- Status
- Aug 21, 2008
- 1,168
- 33
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist : Fodera Guitars , Harvest fine leather bags & straps
yes - they also have a solid top since they are Bolt-Ons
here is the video to Donovan's Fodera workshop visit where Jason explains all the different neck options (at 9.30 min) and the solid top thing (at 13.30min) - so this should clear it up for all of you who still are not sure what solid top means
You can get a bass with no top (bolt-on or dovetail) - i.e. the body wood with nothing glued on top. That would be the most solid you can get 
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
Why would you spend $10k on a custom bass without having played every permutation of as many basses as you could get a hold of and knowing exactly how you feel about maple fingerboards?
jasonbraatz said:
+1
Before I made the jump to fodera, even in the use market, I bought and sol dozens of basses in order to narrow down specifics in every regard.
I knew that I wanted a 5 string with 19mm spacing, 34 inch scale, and alder body, maple bolt on neck an rosewood board. Nailed it with an emperor 5 that I ordered from across the country, and have no regrets!
I think you see a lot of custom instruments for sale because people don't put the personal time into being sure of their choices....there are f course numerous other reasons to sell an instrument, but I think this is a big one as well.
Grady
- Jan 7, 2008
- 2,196
- 224
- 39
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Olinto, La Bella, JuleAmps, Epifani
I mean, there's always inherent variability between two identical instruments, but this stuff isn't magic. Any bolt-on 34" scale bass with an ash body, maple neck and board, a particular set of jazz pickups in the standard locations, and the same set of strings will sound like what you'd expect it to.
A luthier can only do so much as far as describing what different options do. You do yourself a disservice by listening with your eyes and your wallet instead of taking the time to know exactly why you're picking what you're picking when building a custom bass.
A luthier can only do so much as far as describing what different options do. You do yourself a disservice by listening with your eyes and your wallet instead of taking the time to know exactly why you're picking what you're picking when building a custom bass.
Just posted about this in the recordings forum but given the AJ/Fodera content thought I'd post it here, as well.
Hiromi Live In Marciac: If this DVD has not already been discussed...why the hell not!? This is a killer DVD with great sound and picture and AJ is mixed well up front, great tone and typical incredible playing. If you are an AJ fan or not this is a must have.
http://www.amazon.com/Hiromi-Live-I...qid=1355520826&sr=8-1&keywords=hiromi+marciac
Hiromi Live In Marciac: If this DVD has not already been discussed...why the hell not!? This is a killer DVD with great sound and picture and AJ is mixed well up front, great tone and typical incredible playing. If you are an AJ fan or not this is a must have.
http://www.amazon.com/Hiromi-Live-I...qid=1355520826&sr=8-1&keywords=hiromi+marciac
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
gkbass13 said:
I'm always sure of my choices, problem is that the choices change from week to week...lol..
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
You can get a bass with no top (bolt-on or dovetail) - i.e. the body wood with nothing glued on top. That would be the most solid you can get
...And probably the most resonant too...im not totally sold on layered construction yet although I know some luthiers feel it is superior and I have a 7 pc layered body that doesn't amaze me in the higher registers. I've been told this adds articulation. Thruthfully I've always been intrigued by the solid koa wings on Lincoln goines basses. I can't say the tone in the recordings I've heard of his bass is much different than what I'm used to for that type of pickup placement though, maybe played in a solo fashion it would be noticeable? Don't know.
yep I bought the DVD... and really enjoy it.. Highly recommend
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Now that you mentioned him, it could have been Michael Tobias who told me that, but it was a luthier from Germany who has a lot of experience working with the finest woods.
I guess the more complex an instrument is, the harder it is to tell which part of the bass makes for the most dramatic change in sound.
While the influence of the fretboard seems obvious, it is much more difficult with a Fodera Elite instrument.
I guess the neck is very crucial to the sound in a neck-through instrument, but since Fodera Elites have a toneblock, two wings, a top and possibly a bottom laminate, it gets difficult to tell which part is more important for the tone.
It is much easier to determine this on a bolt-on, two-piece body.
But the overall qualities of a wood still come forward in an instrument like the Elite.
You can definately presume that a change of the body wings from maple to mahogany will affect the tone in a certain way.
The overall idea of the Elite seems to be that you can get so many different sound of it by changing the wings, the toneblock and all the other details.
One thing that I find most interesting concerning the choice of woods is that more and more basses with rare combinations are ordered that I would never have thought of.
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=535
This bass has very dense woods for the top and the fretboard, an alder toneblock which does add a little warmth and an walnut body which brings clarity and a nice bottom.
I would be really excited to be able to play this instrument and see what is sounds like.
Thanks for your input!
Definitely see a Monique in my future.
Currently enjoying my MGS through a Gk 700rbII but somewhat I feel the amp isn't giving bass justice.
To these days none of the SS I've owned has given me that feeling I've experienced with my gone Ampeg V4B. That rich harmonic complexity, that feeling of "notes jumping out from the fingerboard", if you know what I mean....
Definitely see a Monique in my future.
Currently enjoying my MGS through a Gk 700rbII but somewhat I feel the amp isn't giving bass justice.
To these days none of the SS I've owned has given me that feeling I've experienced with my gone Ampeg V4B. That rich harmonic complexity, that feeling of "notes jumping out from the fingerboard", if you know what I mean....
A few quotes/misprints have raised some questions for me. I think they meant Vinnie left Spector to work for ken smith, not Spector left to work for smith correct? I won't ruin the article for you, it just mentions new things to be released at NAMM this year, and what may become a new standard down the road.
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