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Fodera Club Part XVIII

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#642
Hou said:
I know this have been discuss before. But is mandolin frets the same size as small frets?
Click to expand...

Well, the wire commonly referred to as "mandolin wire" or "mandolin frets" is pretty small, typically .080" x .043" or something close to that. This also happens to be the size of Fodera's small fretwire. That being noted, some other luthiers might use a different size fretwire and also refer to it as "small."

It just so happens that fretwire size was one of the topics I threw out for the next installment of the Bass Gear Magazine Luthiers Round Table. :D
 
#644
kamakiriad7 said:
I look forward to reading that. The pros/cons of different size fretwire have always eluded me.
Click to expand...

I'm always amazed by the content that those luthiers deliver, and I hope that you enjoy it, as well.

You may be especially interested in hearing from this new luthier who has joined the Round Table... :ninja:
 
#645
Not to question you Tom, but I am, and here it is... I thought the small fret wire that fodera uses is the same size Carey uses on his nordys and he refers to them as banjo wire. When I asked him about mandolin wire he said it was very small and difficult to work with and would wear quickly on a bass. It sounds like you know a lot more than me since you just devoted a whole article to it, so maybe some people just call the same thing a different name?

Just thought I'd ask, cause I'd love to try even thinner frets than fodera's small wire, although I doubt they'd go for it, I was even warned about going with small wire cause it will wear faster.
 
#646
DirtPoorRobins said:
Not to question you Tom, but I am, and here it is... I thought the small fret wire that fodera uses is the same size Carey uses on his nordys and he refers to them as banjo wire. When I asked him about mandolin wire he said it was very small and difficult to work with and would wear quickly on a bass. It sounds like you know a lot more than me since you just devoted a whole article to it, so maybe some people just call the same thing a different name?

Just thought I'd ask, cause I'd love to try even thinner frets than fodera's small wire, although I doubt they'd go for it, I was even warned about going with small wire cause it will wear faster.
Click to expand...

Google "mandolin wire." Most results are .080" x .043", which is the same size as Fodera's small frets. I'm sure some banjos probably use that same gauge.
 
#649
...and how about fret materials?
That to makes quite a difference, according to a couple builders I spoke with.
Soone might possibly be able to counter the quicker wear of smaller frets by using harder fret wire?
 
#650
Vinny has tried virtually every fret material known to man and stayed with what we presently use because he feels that it has the best combination of tone, feel and durability. Everything is about trade-offs and Vin feels that what we use now hits the "sweet spot."

That said, rather than going into details here, Vinny is one of the luthiers that will be discussing this topic (among others) in detail in the next issue of Bass Gear Magazine...so you'll be able to get insight into not only our thinking but that of many other wonderfully talented luthiers all at the same time. And then, in the end, it's all about assimilating the knowledge and figuring out what is best for you...

Cheers,

J

cnltb said:
...and how about fret materials?
That to makes quite a difference, according to a couple builders I spoke with.
Soone might possibly be able to counter the quicker wear of smaller frets by using harder fret wire?
Click to expand...
 
#651
I played a three hour jazz gig with my million pound AJ6 last night. I survived...lol. Actually it was really awesome! I was expecting some shoulder problems because I haven't played a gig that long with the instrument standing up. Nope, felt great. Shoulder feels great and everyone in the band loved the bass.

It was a great night and the Fodera was SOOO much fun to play.
 
#652
Just Thumpin' said:
Vinny has tried virtually every fret material known to man and stayed with what we presently use because he feels that it has the best combination of tone, feel and durability. Everything is about trade-offs and Vin feels that what we use now hits the "sweet spot."

That said, rather than going into details here, Vinny is one of the luthiers that will be discussing this topic (among others) in detail in the next issue of Bass Gear Magazine...so you'll be able to get insight into not only our thinking but that of many other wonderfully talented luthiers all at the same time. And then, in the end, it's all about assimilating the knowledge and figuring out what is best for you...

Cheers,

J
Click to expand...

My Emperor build in 2004 have many small frets like mandolin frets. My 2011 Emperor has small frets but not as small as my 2004 Emperor. Will it be possible to have the very small frets as my 2004 Emperor on the new bass
 
#653
Has Fodera ever actually built super light basses? Not sure if I have heard of a sub 8lb Fodera. I know chambering is an option as is fairly light ash bodies. Just curious....

Tonally, I am not a big fan of chambered super light swamp ash personally. I would love a 7.5lb Monarch 5, but I likely wouldn't like the tone. I like light basses (who doesn't), but I can only deal with anything up to about 10lbs on a gig. My 11.75lb Spector 5er was a tone machine, but i had to dump it as it was a complete b!tch to wear around my neck for 4 hours.
 
#654
I hear you Brent. I used to be all about light basses, then I realized something about my priorities that has changed:

1) The instrument has to balance perfectly.
2) The instrument should be of a light weight.

I prefer balance over all-around weight. Fivestringdan, this is in line with what you found as well:

1) My Fodera, while weighing 10.5 lbs, balances perfectly with no neck dive.

2) My Fender P-bass, while weighing 8 lbs, has terrible neck dive - the body is too light.

The result is that after a long gig - as long as I maintain proper posture - the Fender causes muscle pain, while the Fodera does not.
 
#655
Jason and I have gone back and forth on this point over the past few years. Part of my skepticism about Fodera had to do with weight - I was on a lightweight kick and Jason maintained that there is such a thing as "too light". I've swung over to the "on the lighter side of things but not too light" camp as the proof has been in the pudding. That said, my YYS was 8.5 lbs and my Monarch was 8.3 lbs (solid alder). My YYD is 8.8 lbs (chambered walnut).

The only sub-8lb bass I've owned that sounded great over the long haul are my Rob Allens and those are a different beast. I won't go over 10lbs, and I still like 'em light but my YYD is chambered walnut and sounds amazing - best sounding bass I have had. The two Monarch 5s I have in production will be chambered, and I'm hoping they come in around 9 lbs.
 
#657
I dont have any light foderas to compare with, but i have an 8.5 lb bass that sounds great for certain applications that require a percussive slap tone. There id no question that what jason says is correct as the body weight is decreased the tone gets somewhat thinner.
 
#658
But; certainly more factors than the body weight do come to play when deciding if a bass is going to sound more or less 'thin'.

Some Elricks (just to name one example) are very light indeed and do not sound thin at all whilst some basses that weigh a lot do.

No?
 
#660
On the weight issue, for me, they can get "too light". There are tonal aspects associated with density that I like. So for me, I try hard not to get below 8, and generally prefer to be 8.5-9 pounds... my "sweet spot". I have a very hard ceiling at 9.5, but really, I don't even want it that heavy, as it doesn't seem to "improve" things for my tastes... just add fatigue over the course of the gig... no "payout".
 
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