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Fodera Club Part XVII

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#241
So my baby is finally going to get some new pickups. I've been agonizing over what to swap for the EMG's for months and I finally got the pickups.


I decided on a Lindy Fralin lateral humbucker wound 5% over for the bridge. I chose the Fralin because he offers the 5% overwound option standard and I've heard nothing but great things about Fralins. Best Bass Gear had a really good deal going on this pickup. I was told there was going to be a 4 to 6 week wait, but I got it about 10 days after placing my order. This way I get no single coil buzz and the bridge pickup should be close to the same output as the P, which is a problem with most PJ pickups.

For the P pickup I decided on a D.Alllen. I read a lot of people loved this pickup and the sample I listened to online sounded great. The pickup shipped within an hour of me sending payment and I got it a couple days later. These are known to have and extended low end compared to a lot of P pickups and one thing that always drove me crazy about the EMG's was their overly compressed tone.

I have a luthier that's going to work on my bass this weekend or next. My bass came without a ground hole drilled from the bridge and he's going to drill that hole and install the active/passive switch on my flexcore.

I'm super stoked!!! :hyper::hyper::hyper::bassist::bassist::bassist:

Foderawithpickups.jpg



Michael
 
#246
That would be very, very rare as we generally like to build instruments between 9 and 10 pounds because we like the way that they sound better. In the time I have been involved here (4+ years) we have only built 2 or 3 instruments with the weights that you are asking about and they were all chambered with very light weight woods hand selected.

Regards,

J


jamesyeh said:
Just curious is anyone's Fodera deluxe or elite that is weight less than 8 lb or 5 string that is less than or around 8.5 lb
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#247
Your potential Spec is a great one and I actually built a 5-string for myself (that I sold because I play 4-string 99% of the time) with essentially the same specs. The only difference is that U used a Laurel Burl top, but tonally it is virtually identical to flame maple. Also, I had a set of Dual coils in it rather than single coils...

Compared to the Emperor Standard, the bass was a little less punchy but definitely more articulate / precise (especially in the upper register). It was also a bit more mid-compressed. Overall it was a bit more "modern" sounding than the E5S is and had a narrower tonal palate -- meaning that what it did it did exceptionally well, but it did not offer as wide a range of tones.

That mix of "ingredients" is exceptional for chording, soloing, and beautifully articulate finger-style playing. Good for slap, but not as much so as the E5S.

Hope that this helps!! And, again, these are my personal impressions from having played both, but your experiences / interpretations of tone might differ!!

J


Baird6869 said:
Custom build help needed!

Folks, I am close to pulling the trigger on a Monarch 5 custom build.

I am trying to build a bass that will sound different than an Emperor 5 Standard (dual coils, ash body, bolt on, Paul ferro FB) and I am considering the below config. Note, I really need to stay away from costly options as the base price is close to my budget.

First of all, will this bass give me more clarity/articulation than the E5S? What are your thoughts on this config? Thanks!

Monarch 5 build:
Single coils
Walnut body
Flamed maple top
Ebony board
Dovetail neck
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#249
Baird6869 said:
Curly walnut with walnut? Hmmmm....

Anyone have thoughts on the sound?
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Awesome! I have a Carvin that is a claro walnut top and walnut body. I don't know how it affects the tone the but the bass looks and sounds great. And that Fodera picture is stunning....

(Yeah, I'm a Carvin owner that likes to hang out in the Fodera threads. They're friendly and informative!)
 
#253
ursusaltered said:
Holy Toledo! That is beautiful!
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I agree. I think that is the direction I am going. I love that top.:hyper:

I was going to order this week as there seems to be a few build slots available that are less than 12-14 months, but I think i am going to wait until March as the Fodera folks were kind enough to let me book a visit with them when i am in New York.

At the least I will wait a couple weeks until my new E5S arrives. I have played a couple of Monarch customs, but I am unsure how versatile the Emperor Standard will be. unlikely, but that might make me look at different woods.

Plus, I need to sell some other gear to fund this build!:bassist:
 
#255
Just Thumpin' said:
That would be very, very rare as we generally like to build instruments between 9 and 10 pounds because we like the way that they sound better. In the time I have been involved here (4+ years) we have only built 2 or 3 instruments with the weights that you are asking about and they were all chambered with very light weight woods hand selected.

Regards,

J
Click to expand...

Well my Fodera Emberor BO is a real boat anchor at 11,5 pounds. Thats why I stopped gigging with it. My back can´t take it any more.
 
#257
I ordered lightweight swamp ash body but nobody at Fodera told me that they did not use swamp ash for their bodies. Instead I got a heavy northern ash body without knowing. And I ordered a spalted maple top at first but later changed it for koa top for the looks. No one told me that koa is a dense wood that weighs more than the avarage tops Fodera use. Ordered in 2007 before Jason time. You can guess what I felt when I unpacked it and lifted it up from the case:(
 
#258
ursus said:
I ordered lightweight swamp ash body but nobody at Fodera told me that they did not use swamp ash for their bodies. Instead I got a heavy northern ash body without knowing. And I ordered a spalted maple top at first but later changed it for koa top for the looks. No one told me that koa is a dense wood that weighs more than the avarage tops Fodera use. Ordered in 2007 before Jason time. You can guess what I felt when I unpacked it and lifted it up from the case:(
Click to expand...

I would have sent it back
Luthiers I know would accept this, since they could easily sell the instrument to someone else and build you a more suitable one-if all your needs are communicated clearly.
I'd be surprised if Fodera wouldn't.
 
#260
cnltb said:
I would have sent it back
Luthiers I know would accept this, since they could easily sell the instrument to someone else and build you a more suitable one-if all your needs are communicated clearly.
I'd be surprised if Fodera wouldn't.
Click to expand...
Yeah maybe but its a lefty. I talked to Joey about it and his answer was "We don´t use swamp ash for our bodies". That was it.
I was unlucky to order at a time when there was nobody holding things together at Fodera.
I found my order it was ordered in october 2006 and was ready september 2008, 23 months wait, to bad I can´t play it anymore.
 
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