Fodera Club Part XVIII

[Damian Coccio]

I am down from 17 basses to 7, and I am selling 3 more in the next month or so to fund my Monarch 5 Deluxe build.

By next year, I will have 2 Foderas and 3 vintage Fenders. The Fenders would likely go too, but my wife bought me my 1974 P and my 1983 Jazz belonged to Jason Newstead of Metallica and is basically a display piece in my studio.

Foderas are just that good IMO... I don't need a ton of other basses.

Some of my most coveted basses will be in the classifieds in a matter of days. For me it was all about getting the tone in my head in the bass, working with Jason made this happen; his knowledge of tone woods is now gospel to me. They nailed it and exceeded my expectations.

 

[steubig]

steubig has a couple of fretless 6-strings (3? 4? 5?). My fraternal twins Monarch 5s E-C will be one fretted, one unlined fretless.

four (yeah, i'm nutz) . . . . one rounds, one flats, one tuned up a minor third with rounds, one down a whole step with flats (and, yes, they have twins). would like to have two more, well one would be a fretless 12 (6x2).

anyone wanna sell a circa 1987-1989 fodera fretless 6-string, double truss rod, walnut body, ebony fb, ebony or maple top?
(actually fretted would be fine, i would have the frets pulled)

 

[steubig]

re the woods. there's a thread on tb about walter.

imho, he ain't getting any younger. that coupled with the fact that, as far as i know, it's pretty much call him at home to get stuff fixed, it's probably not a great move for you.

that is unless he's got someone in europe who does repairs.

great amps though. i still have my 94 ww.

 

[kamakiriad7]

WW amps have always intrigued me. I love the amp that's at the Fodera shop. Does he just sell direct?

 

[steubig]

WW amps have always intrigued me. I love the amp that's at the Fodera shop. Does he just sell direct?

i think that's the case, unless you can find one used.

 

[Mitchthebassplayer]

WW amps have always intrigued me. I love the amp that's at the Fodera shop. Does he just sell direct?

that Epifani cab they have hooked up to their WW at the Fodera shop definitely helps fatten up the tone a little bit and I was pretty impressed when I played my Imperial through it. Then again, it is in a tiny little room (at least where I played it) and most of my WW experiences have been on stage. I really couldn't get into the sound of the WW heads (IMHO of course) they just sound so sterile to me. I totally get why they were amazing back when walter first started making them. He was decades ahead of his time. But nowadays we have even lighter, smaller amps that are similarly powerful, and IMO, just sound better. I mean, to each his own of course, but I think a majority of the hype around the WW heads comes from the price (given that it's made by ONE guy) and the fact that pros were using them back in the day. Am I crazy? Sorry if this is too OT here....

 

[mrbassman_de]

By the way - I just had a thought: I don't see many fretless Foderas. I've seen/heard Marcus Miller's, and Christian McBride's, but who else on these forums keep a FF in their stable?

Me ! Bought this recently from a fellow TB'er - and it 's an amazing fretless ! Once you get familiar with the 36 scale you will benefit from a huge low end...

Link Removed

FFes do not follow a dedicated fretless concept as far as I can see (like a chambered AC or KL, with wooden bridges... and a more wooden sound), so I was always concerning that FFes are standard basses without frets, which is not the same like a genuine fretless model...;-). But this one has all I need.

 

[Flaked Beans]

i was at oz noy's trio last night. at iridium and mr. a. jackson was so lost in the:scowl: mix.. it was ok overal but the bass could be louder than that...

 

[Flaked Beans]

he played his fodera bass and meyer pa system

 

[anonymous111813]

By the way - I just had a thought: I don't see many fretless Foderas. I've seen/heard Marcus Miller's, and Christian McBride's, but who else on these forums keep a FF in their stable?

I have never seen or played a fretless Fodera in Europe. Mrbassmans wonderful bass is one of very few over here in Germany.

I guess you buy a Fodera for a certain sound that is made famous by Wooten, Garrison, Anthony Jackson and others. Not so many famous fretless players among them. And there are very few out there in general.

Another thing you have to consider is that Fodera basses are not the cheapest you can find. Most bass players spend that kind of money on an instrument that they could use most of the time, which is a fretted bass for the vast majority of bass players out there I guess.

 

[Just Thumpin']

Dear Michael --

The sad truth is that there are no records at Fodera from the time period about whether or not there were 30 or 70 and how many of them were 100% built in the shop vs. partially built outside....

Fortunately our record keeping since 2009 is a whole different world and this kind of confusion will never happen again.

The most important thing is that you enjoy the bass.

Regards,

J

So were all of them built with outside word working? That's not what I read previously on TB and that's certainly not what I was told by the shop when I called asking about my bass. What I read previously was that less than 30 New Standards had outside work done on them and this was done by US Guitars. When I called the shop trying to register my bass, I was specifically told that my New Standard was built 100% in the shop. I was also told that there were close to 70 New Standards built with just my wood combo. Maybe I'm just misreading what you posted.

For the other owner that was asking questions. I saw them retail for between $4700 to $5700, depending on what year they were built. The preamp was a two-band Pope preamp, which I believe was the same they were using on the NYCs.


Michael

 

[Just Thumpin']

That's awesome to hear. of course we all know that wood has nothing to do with the tone of electric basses!

J

Some of my most coveted basses will be in the classifieds in a matter of days. For me it was all about getting the tone in my head in the bass, working with Jason made this happen; his knowledge of tone woods is now gospel to me. They nailed it and exceeded my expectations.

 

[Just Thumpin']

Joey and I both run the WW 1200 watt head into an Epifani UL-II 4x10 cabinet. At the shop we use a 2x10 Epifani cabinet. Walter does not have any "dealers" per se...

Jason

WW amps have always intrigued me. I love the amp that's at the Fodera shop. Does he just sell direct?

 

[Just Thumpin']

I would have to completely disagree about the WW heads. I have been playing one for almost 5 years now and have found them to be nothing short of awesome when paired with my Foderas and my Epifani UL-II 4x10 cabinet. IMHO, of course.

that Epifani cab they have hooked up to their WW at the Fodera shop definitely helps fatten up the tone a little bit and I was pretty impressed when I played my Imperial through it. Then again, it is in a tiny little room (at least where I played it) and most of my WW experiences have been on stage. I really couldn't get into the sound of the WW heads (IMHO of course) they just sound so sterile to me. I totally get why they were amazing back when walter first started making them. He was decades ahead of his time. But nowadays we have even lighter, smaller amps that are similarly powerful, and IMO, just sound better. I mean, to each his own of course, but I think a majority of the hype around the WW heads comes from the price (given that it's made by ONE guy) and the fact that pros were using them back in the day. Am I crazy? Sorry if this is too OT here....

 

[KJung]

I would have to completely disagree about the WW heads. I have been playing one for almost 5 years now and have found them to be nothing short of awesome when paired with my Foderas and my Epifani UL-II 4x10 cabinet. IMHO, of course.

I also never thought that was a great match-up. Loud and clear, but a bit thin where it counts. However, very articulate and clear. For jazz or other type gigs where you don't need to put a pillow under the band, that is a great combination.

Of course it sounds good in an absolute sense, but SO much has improved since the Walter Woods (and even Epi cabs) were introduced all those years ago. IMO!

That being said, a 410UL/Walter Woods 1200 Electracoustic/Fodera Emperor Elite was my primary gigging rig for a long time, and at that time (90's), it was about as top of the line as you could get in a lightweight rig.

Edit" IMO, for those who like the concept of the 'clean, relatively even' Walter Woods tone, but want more oomph down low and 'heft' in the feel of an amp, the TecAmp Puma900 is just amazing, and much less expensive. The Glockenklang Blue Soul is also quite amazing... massive wump down low, and a very clean, sweet top end. Still less expensive than the Walter, and an absolute hammer. Those heads, with an up to date neo design like the amazing new Bergantino CN212, you I believe most would be in 'Fodera heaven'!

 

[ursusaltered]

Marcus miller plays a beautiful fretless emperor!
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Just Thumpin']

As I have said many times, tone is highly subjective and why it's so vital to try things out for yourself. I have tried many other combinations over the years (and so has Joey), but we both keep coming back to the WW and Epi. Keep in mind, also, that our individual sounds on the instrument are completely different.

Viva la difference!

J

I also never thought that was a great match-up. Loud and clear, but a bit thin where it counts. However, very articulate and clear. For jazz or other type gigs where you don't need to put a pillow under the band, that is a great combination.

Of course it sounds good in an absolute sense, but SO much has improved since the Walter Woods (and even Epi cabs) were introduced all those years ago. IMO!

That being said, a 410UL/Walter Woods 1200 Electracoustic/Fodera Emperor Elite was my primary gigging rig for a long time, and at that time (90's), it was about as top of the line as you could get in a lightweight rig.

Edit" IMO, for those who like the concept of the 'clean, relatively even' Walter Woods tone, but want more oomph down low and 'heft' in the feel of an amp, the TecAmp Puma900 is just amazing, and much less expensive. The Glockenklang Blue Soul is also quite amazing... massive wump down low, and a very clean, sweet top end. Still less expensive than the Walter, and an absolute hammer. Those heads, with an up to date neo design like the amazing new Bergantino CN212, you I believe most would be in 'Fodera heaven'!

 

[Christian Houmann]

Jason - is there price different between ebony woodcovers and matching top woodcovers?

 

[Christian Houmann]

Fodera is, in fact, - except that it does not affect its own instruments - a total GAS killer.

I'm in the minority in that I've never owned a real boutique/custom bass before. I've had several high end Music Mans and Fenders, but since I received my bass 9 months ago, I've sold all but 3: a stock 2012 USA P-bass, an 80's Larrivee 6-string fretless, and my first bass, a '98 Squier jazz. The Larrivee is the next to go.

The only thing a Fodera creates GAS for is another Fodera.

By the way - I just had a thought: I don't see many fretless Foderas. I've seen/heard Marcus Miller's, and Christian McBride's, but who else on these forums keep a FF in their stable?

This is probably the most gorgeous and appealing fretless I've ever seen.


http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBornDetails.aspx?FeaturedItemID=98
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That bass looks great! I have heard McBrides fretless but have never seen any youtube clips. Anyone?

 

[Robin Ruscio]

Speaking of fretless Fodera tones, is Tom Kennedy playing a Fodera fretless on his latest solo recording "Just for the Record"?

There's a great fretless track on a jazz ballad, great sound and touch (and everything else.) I've assumed it was a Fodera since he's such a dedicated Fodera guy, but it could be something else.

If it is a Fodera, does anyone know the specs? (Jason?)