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I don't usually make these kind of posts, but I'm all doped up from a gnarly eye surgery I had yesterday, so I am set up for loopy rambling. Excuse grammatical problems- I can barely see the screen!
Jason and the gang have been super to deal with, so I have the faith that these orders would come out just as great as my literally perfect Imperial/MG5.
They are completely different! The Zon is absolutely the odd man out of the bunch, being an 8-lb bass with a super warm, buttery wood combo. The bass kills on recordings, and works great strung B-G or E-C. The least punchy, assertive instrument I own (in a good way).
The Fodera and the Benavente are similar same wood combos- maple body/ash neck/katalox top/back. The Fodera has a thick, asymmetric ash/ebony neck with a maple fingeroard, while the Benavente has an ash/katalox neck, ebony fingerboard w/ katalox inlays and an ebony headstock (!). The Fodera sounds exactly like you'd expect- very bright, punchy as hell, delightfully grindy if you dig in or smooth with a light touch. The Benavente is much warmer despite all of the bright woods, but has pretty intense clarity. It is awesome for rock gigs, and I used to string it for flats for these hip hop gigs I did.
The Benavente was part of a pair I ordered way back when. The other bass was perfect, but this one had a bunch of issues. Wrong woods, wrong string spacing (17.5mm, where the other bass has the correct 16.5mm), really problematic frets and board leveling (where the other was perfect). Once I fixed the fingerboard issues, it played so well that the spacing was no real issue.
All keepers. Couldn't get rid of any of them.
On the books:
Imperial/MG5 built just like the one above
- 33" scale/26 frets/16.5mm spacing
- B-G tuning
- ~50 year old white korina body (per Jason & Vinny's suggestion; I was thinking alder or walnut or something)
- Holly full top/back/headstocks/ramps
- katalox fingerboard
- ash/ebony stringer neck
- black hardware
- Lane Poor SBs
I thought about the idea of a matching katalox headstock, as I love the look of a matching headstock/fingerboard you see on some Foderas, but I think it might not look that great with katalox vs. something like rosewood/ebony.
THINKING about (but not discussed much with Jason yet):
- either Imperial MG5 (26f) or Monarch with deep cutaway (28f)
- longer scale (don't know which yet)
- wenge/purpleheart neck
- all walnut body
- gaboon ebony top/back/headstock/ramps/fingerboard
Something like that. I might do something lighter/less bright for the top/back like poplar burl or buckeye or something. I don't know.
The combo would definitely sound very woody and dark, with a longer scale for more defined fundamentalm which would make a great recording instrument. Heavy as all getout, probably, but can't be worse than my 13.5 Zon that I adore.
Either way, both basses would be much more "subdued" looking than the current one, which is fine. I just want something warmer on one, and woody/dark for the other.
Someday an ash/maple/maple with singles calls.
Jason and the gang have been super to deal with, so I have the faith that these orders would come out just as great as my literally perfect Imperial/MG5.
Sweet trio! Which one is the best
They are completely different! The Zon is absolutely the odd man out of the bunch, being an 8-lb bass with a super warm, buttery wood combo. The bass kills on recordings, and works great strung B-G or E-C. The least punchy, assertive instrument I own (in a good way).
The Fodera and the Benavente are similar same wood combos- maple body/ash neck/katalox top/back. The Fodera has a thick, asymmetric ash/ebony neck with a maple fingeroard, while the Benavente has an ash/katalox neck, ebony fingerboard w/ katalox inlays and an ebony headstock (!). The Fodera sounds exactly like you'd expect- very bright, punchy as hell, delightfully grindy if you dig in or smooth with a light touch. The Benavente is much warmer despite all of the bright woods, but has pretty intense clarity. It is awesome for rock gigs, and I used to string it for flats for these hip hop gigs I did.
The Benavente was part of a pair I ordered way back when. The other bass was perfect, but this one had a bunch of issues. Wrong woods, wrong string spacing (17.5mm, where the other bass has the correct 16.5mm), really problematic frets and board leveling (where the other was perfect). Once I fixed the fingerboard issues, it played so well that the spacing was no real issue.
All keepers. Couldn't get rid of any of them.
What new are you having? Specs please
On the books:
Imperial/MG5 built just like the one above
- 33" scale/26 frets/16.5mm spacing
- B-G tuning
- ~50 year old white korina body (per Jason & Vinny's suggestion; I was thinking alder or walnut or something)
- Holly full top/back/headstocks/ramps
- katalox fingerboard
- ash/ebony stringer neck
- black hardware
- Lane Poor SBs
I thought about the idea of a matching katalox headstock, as I love the look of a matching headstock/fingerboard you see on some Foderas, but I think it might not look that great with katalox vs. something like rosewood/ebony.
THINKING about (but not discussed much with Jason yet):
- either Imperial MG5 (26f) or Monarch with deep cutaway (28f)
- longer scale (don't know which yet)
- wenge/purpleheart neck
- all walnut body
- gaboon ebony top/back/headstock/ramps/fingerboard
Something like that. I might do something lighter/less bright for the top/back like poplar burl or buckeye or something. I don't know.
The combo would definitely sound very woody and dark, with a longer scale for more defined fundamentalm which would make a great recording instrument. Heavy as all getout, probably, but can't be worse than my 13.5 Zon that I adore.
Either way, both basses would be much more "subdued" looking than the current one, which is fine. I just want something warmer on one, and woody/dark for the other.
Someday an ash/maple/maple with singles calls.
Well, not really sure how to phrase it but definitely a phobia in there somehow, 'cause I fear what it might do to my current collection of currently beloved pieces.
+1 I think I hear a little more bite out of the bridge on the M5, which I figure is where it's coming from overall.I'm bad at these things. But sounds to me like the M5 is a little more "present" if that makes sense. More midrange, too. In any case, I like the sound of both of them.
Todd - that M5 is a BEAST! It's really close for me as I really dig the even-ness of the M4 but again, that M5 is a hammer! Give me the one you like least 
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
- Aug 21, 2008
- 1,168
- 33
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist : Fodera Guitars , Harvest fine leather bags & straps
Woohooo
I fergot your passion for Katalox
I bet this will look insane
What happened to your Katalox Monarch ? You still have it ?
Have a good recovery !!!
Gorgeous instruments! In with the headstock in my pic. Still loving my emperor 5, and it sounds great through the Glockenklang Blue Soul!!!...just in case any Fodera fans needed some amp gas too...
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
- Aug 21, 2008
- 1,168
- 33
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist : Fodera Guitars , Harvest fine leather bags & straps
Using two different woods on the body wings to increase the tonal palette....
plus each PU gets it's own 3 Band
A bolt-on neck with extra holes in the body and longer heel to allow for adjustment from 33' to 36" scale
A bolt-on neck with extra holes in the body and longer heel to allow for adjustment from 33' to 36" scale
I think intonation would be a problem as the spaces between
frets change with scale length, but I could be wrong. Then you
gotta reset the bridge saddles too. On the other hand, what about a fanned fret system?
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