AJ Presentation basses normally are but this isn't an exact Presentation model so the scale could be different.
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This is a "Signature". That preceded the Presentation line. This is a 20 year old bass
If you get the Seymour Duncans in the standard plastic cover they are an exact drop in replacement for the D4/P4 shaped DCBs (the 118mm x 32mm you describe). It's the ones in wooden shells that are larger and require routing.
I'd guess Fodera chose this size deliberately for the possibility of being able to swap the Duncans out with the DCBs. I'm sure I remember hearing from the shop that initially Fodera never actually wanted to offer Aguilar pickups, and only did so as the likes of Felix and Janek requested them. If they had gone with a smaller size DCB, it would have been more difficult to swap them out for Duncans (perhaps Fodera were anticipating that people wouldn't like the DCBs; I know they very much regard the Duncans as their 'flagship' pickups and will often push customers in that direction when deliberating over pickup types).
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Obviously Fodera are a custom outfit and you can theoretically use any pickup you want, but I've often wondered why as a very high-end operation with customers all over the world they don't really feature or explicitly offer a wider range of high-quality pickup brands - other high-end US brands like Lollar, LeCompte, DiMarzio, nor non-US brands like Armstrong, Delano or Häussel. Outside of Duncan/Fodera, Aguilar, EMG, Nordstrand or maybe Fralin it's on you to know what you want. Not a criticism of them, just curious really. Given how much choice you have in other matters like wood, you would imagine there might be a broader up-front range to choose from. Personally I'm not really enamoured with the Fodera/Duncans that I've heard. But I've got a custom Delano in my Fodera now and it's AMAZING! I know of two Foderas built with Kent Armstrong pickups and one with Wal pickups.
I'm assuming relationships and therefor a hand in design have a lot to do with Duncan and EMG being the pickup brand's most associated with Fodera. I personally love the Duncan's in my Imperial, but it's cool that they're willing to work with other brands to suit the customers who don't share that opinion.
Looks amazing! Could you tell us about some of the woods and specs?So happy with the new
30.75 scale - 26 frets - 16.5 mm spacing
Chambered Walnut with Alder toneblock. Roasted maple neck with ebony. Holly top and holly side dots.
SD in MG position with a 3-way switch.
It's everything I hoped and dreamed for
When I was ordering my Fodera custom, I was considering the old Bartolini soapbars you used to see on Foderas in the '80s/90s. They said they could probably dig out an old set for me if I insisted, but they said that they much prefer using Duncans; they said that Vinnie/Joey/Vadim felt that the Duncans allowed the sounds of the different woods to come through more than with the Barts/Lane Poors. How true this is I don't really know, but I think there probably is some truth there, as the DCB equipped Foderas I've heard/played did have a certain similarity in sound, while the difference between a Garrison style shorter scale with Walnut/Ebony sounds very different to a a 35" Ash/Maple bass when equipped with Duncans.
I'm not sure why they stopped offering the Aero pickups, but I think I remember hearing that Fodera would generally recommend Aeros for players who preferred using the single coil option, and Duncans for those who played more in dual coil mode. The Duncan duals design was changed at some time however to sound better in single coil mode, so perhaps at that point they felt they didn't need to offer the Aeros any longer.
What is the breakdown for those that have the DC's, that do you play in single, or dual coil mode. Personally, I prefer single coil. But I'm interested in other's opinions.
If favoring either pickup solo'd I toss them in dual coil, but most of the time when centered I play in single coil.
Imperial 5 with 70's position pickups here.
Imperial 5 with 70's position pickups here.
Doing mostly the same. Emperor 5 with a three way coil tap switch for parallel/inner single coils/outer single coils.
I can heartily recommend quad-coil pickups for people who want to be able to solo a pickup and get a single-'coil' sound without any hum. I did ask Seymour Duncan to make one for my Fodera and they declined, as did Nordstrand, but since then my experience has been that most pickup makers who offer a split-coil jazz and also make soapbar humbuckers can put two split-coils in one soapbar cover for you. Gives you a LOT of versatility!
I'll expand the question. For DC'ers, why do you prefer Dual Coil? Do you EQ differently for that? I don't prefer it, but maybe I'm not exploring something properly, and I'm missing out on a big range of tones. Is it a different entity, and how do you manage it to get that tone you prefer?
