Fodera Club Part XXVII

[tleebassist11]

My new Monarch 5 Custom bolt-on arrived yesterday. Ive been playing it since 10 this morning non-stop. The most amazing custom Ive expereinced from them yet. The Ash neck, walnut body, ebony board combo matched with Matt G pickup spacing yields the tone I've been searching for my whole life!!!
-T

 

[gkbass13]

My Imperial has the same wood combo, but with an Ash tone block. It's been my favorite Fodera mix as well. Beautifully resonant, punchy, and articulate. Enjoy!

 

[Christian Houmann]

My new Monarch 5 Custom bolt-on arrived yesterday. Ive been playing it since 10 this morning non-stop. The most amazing custom Ive expereinced from them yet. The Ash neck, walnut body, ebony board combo matched with Matt G pickup spacing yields the tone I've been searching for my whole life!!!
-T

It's awesome! Are Fodera not doing those red lnlay cases anymore?

 

[curt basner]

The bass is here and I've been playing it non-stop. It's got some crazy figure. Super solid low end, silky sweet high register. Just phenomenal.

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Hey, man, gorgeous bass! I have a 5 string MG just like it, and I got the last solid Chestnut top for a Fodera. Here's mine: Chestnut Imperial 5 Elite (MG Shape) What wood is your fretboard? For that matter, what's in your whole build? It is beautiful, for sure! Play it in good health.

 

[GHOST AT]

Hey, man, gorgeous bass! I have a 5 string MG just like it, and I got the last solid Chestnut top for a Fodera. Here's mine: Chestnut Imperial 5 Elite (MG Shape) What wood is your fretboard? For that matter, what's in your whole build? It is beautiful, for sure! Play it in good health.

You Chestnut top was the last of the last we promise that's all folks, oh wait its a miracle we found five more pieces these are definitely the last of the last pieces of Chestnut until we find some more One thing's for sure Curt your Chestnut top was the last piece that is highly figured. The recent tops Fodera found are very plain compared to all Chestnut pieces from the mid 90s through early 2000s.

 

[curt basner]

You Chestnut top was the last of the last we promise that's all folks, oh wait its a miracle we found five more pieces these are definitely the last of the last pieces of Chestnut until we find some more One thing's for sure Curt your Chestnut top was the last piece that is highly figured. The recent tops Fodera found are very plain compared to all Chestnut pieces from the mid 90s through early 2000s.

Thanks for the comments. I'm really happy with my Chestnut Fodera. This top had been one that they found behind a desk when they were remodeling, and I had fortunately just been talking with Jason DeSalvo about a custom bass at that time, and he offered it to me. I do really like it. I've been extremely impressed with my Fodera Basses. I also have a Yin Yang Deluxe: Yin Yang Monarch Deluxe

 

[GHOST AT]

Thanks for the comments. I'm really happy with my Chestnut Fodera. This top had been one that they found behind a desk when they were remodeling, and I had fortunately just been talking with Jason DeSalvo about a custom bass at that time, and he offered it to me. I do really like it. I've been extremely impressed with my Fodera Basses. I also have a Yin Yang Deluxe: Yin Yang Monarch Deluxe

I remember you showing off the top and Brazilian board I was knocked out at how beautiful the fretboard was Chestnut and Brazilian compliment each other so well! I and a few others love to bust Fodera's butt whenever they find a lost piece of Chestnut, but I truly hope they find some more,it's the most beautiful topwwood IMO. I hike in a state park in Tennessee and there is a Horse Chestnut tree that has some nice burls on it. If the tree falls in a storm I'm going to beg a ranger to let take it. No guarantee that the burl has beautiful figuring but I would love to find out!

 

[GHOST AT]

I posted this pic last year of my 2007 Chestnut Imperial "not the last of the last but we think we are getting low " God bless the original owner for choosing this top!

 

[Brad Maestas]

Hey, man, gorgeous bass! I have a 5 string MG just like it, and I got the last solid Chestnut top for a Fodera. Here's mine: Chestnut Imperial 5 Elite (MG Shape) What wood is your fretboard? For that matter, what's in your whole build? It is beautiful, for sure! Play it in good health.

Hey Curt, thank you very much! I'm very happy to have this one. It's a sweet instrument for sure. Very cool that you got one of the last one(s)! I didn't know they were having sourcing issues but I guess it's not entirely surprising considering the huge demand and small supply.

After I sold my last Fodera I was looking for a very specific combo. I knew I wanted an Imperial shape. I had been keeping my eyes on the market for years and started narrowing down wood choices and refinements like the MG shape. Back around April I found myself in the position to acquire one of the instruments that was in my top 3 from Bass San Diego.

The build is:
Burl Redwood top
Alder body
3-piece maple neck
Ebony fingerboard
Ash tone block

Redwood Burl Imperial MG 5 Elite - Fodera

 

[curt basner]

Hey Curt, thank you very much! I'm very happy to have this one. It's a sweet instrument for sure. Very cool that you got one of the last one(s)! I didn't know they were having sourcing issues but I guess it's not entirely surprising considering the huge demand and small supply.

After I sold my last Fodera I was looking for a very specific combo. I knew I wanted an Imperial shape. I had been keeping my eyes on the market for years and started narrowing down wood choices and refinements like the MG shape. Back around April I found myself in the position to acquire one of the instruments that was in my top 3 from Bass San Diego.

The build is:
Burl Redwood top
Alder body
3-piece maple neck
Ebony fingerboard
Ash tone block

Redwood Burl Imperial MG 5 Elite - Fodera

Brad,

Truly stunning instrument! Thrilled for you! I must say that Fodera basses are amazing instruments. Some folks lambast the price, but I would guess that many of those naysayers have never played one. I got my Yin Yang, never having played one, but after doing so, set me on a course to get my 5 string...so glad I did.

By the way. thanks for posting the wood choices. Nice!!!

 

[curt basner]

I posted this pic last year of my 2007 Chestnut Imperial "not the last of the last but we think we are getting low " God bless the original owner for choosing this top!View attachment 3447349

Talk about stunning tops.... WOW!!!!!!

 

[TolerancEJ]

When one is susceptible to GAS as I am, this is a financially unhealthy group to hang around. Haha! I already have an Emperor Standard 6, but I think the "Standard" did its intended job by making me want full custom some day. Whenever that time comes, I'd like a Monarch 6 with a cool top like everyone's been posting.

 

[curt basner]

I remember you showing off the top and Brazilian board I was knocked out at how beautiful the fretboard was Chestnut and Brazilian compliment each other so well! I and a few others love to bust Fodera's butt whenever they find a lost piece of Chestnut, but I truly hope they find some more,it's the most beautiful topwwood IMO. I hike in a state park in Tennessee and there is a Horse Chestnut tree that has some nice burls on it. If the tree falls in a storm I'm going to beg a ranger to let take it. No guarantee that the burl has beautiful figuring but I would love to find out!

It would be amazing if you could get another Chestnut tree to Fodera for the future...though it would make our Chestnut topped basses a bit less unique, right? Thank you for your kind words, but I agree with you that the Chestnut combined with the Brazilian fretboard is pretty nice. I worked with Jason on what to do about the Braz fretboard, and what type of inlay to do. I considered a thin line of inlay around the perimeter of the board, but we finally decided not to take one tiny bit of that beautiful Braz board off, in lieu of some inlay. I love that we left it totally without any ornamentation, the board itself is lovely enough on its own. I did have Fodera make me a Brazilian ramp for between the pickups, but I've never used it. So, I have a $400 piece of Brazilian Rosewood in the case storage compartment. Maybe one day I'll put it in place.

Oh, one other thing about my Chestnut bass...I love the touches of gray in the top colors...

 

[GHOST AT]

It would be amazing if you could get another Chestnut tree to Fodera for the future...though it would make our Chestnut topped basses a bit less unique, right? Thank you for your kind words, but I agree with you that the Chestnut combined with the Brazilian fretboard is pretty nice. I worked with Jason on what to do about the Braz fretboard, and what type of inlay to do. I considered a thin line of inlay around the perimeter of the board, but we finally decided not to take one tiny bit of that beautiful Braz board off, in lieu of some inlay. I love that we left it totally without any ornamentation, the board itself is lovely enough on its own. I did have Fodera make me a Brazilian ramp for between the pickups, but I've never used it. So, I have a $400 piece of Brazilian Rosewood in the case storage compartment. Maybe one day I'll put it in place.

Oh, one other thing about my Chestnut bass...I love the touches of gray in the top colors...

The tree I have my eyes on is not a large tree even if the burl was top quality I'm thinking 5-10 tops at the most. I wish the tree a long life but if the elements take it down Its mine all mine I think Jason said there are close to 400 Chestnut topped Fodera's I wish everyone who owned one would send Fodera pictures and they would have a special Chestnut gallery LOL.

 

[Joelc73]

I love my Chestnut Emperor.

 

[Joelc73]

I had one of the 'last pieces' also but didn't quite bond with it and, ultimately, sold it.

A pretty bass but what a difference between this and the pic I just posted above.

 

[curt basner]

I had one of the 'last pieces' also but didn't quite bond with it and, ultimately, sold it.

A pretty bass but what a difference between this and the pic I just posted above.

View attachment 3447817

Agreed! Your Emperor top is TRULY stunning, while the top on my Imperial is just 'okay'. But mine plays well

 

[Joelc73]

Agreed! Your Emperor top is TRULY stunning, while the top on my Imperial is just 'okay'. But mine plays well

Curt

Your top looks stunning. I was talking about my Imperial pic. Great but not as great as my Emperor.

 

[curt basner]

Curt

Your top looks stunning. I was talking about my Imperial pic. Great but not as great as my Emperor.

Joel, I knew that's what you were referring to, but while the top on my bass is nice, and it has some nice color variation in it, I would say it looks similar to your former Imperial, which is nothing close to the Emperor you have. If I could trade my top for your Emperor top, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

 

[GHOST AT]

I love my Chestnut Emperor.

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Damn I never get tired of seeing this pic! Joel your Emperor, David Beasley's former Beez Elite, and of course the "Beast" are my favorite Chestnut tops then my Imperial. I know there are many other incredible tops I haven't seen like I said earlier would love to see them all! Joel the top on your former Imperial is beautiful but nothing beats the vintage tops. Joel what was it about the Imperial that you didn't like?