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Fodera Club

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#761
This is a great bass, feels and sounds very nice. It's a big freakin bass, I didn't really think the Imperials were this big but what do I know. Not sure of the specs either, except chestnut top, ebony board, mahogany body, lane poor pickups, maple neck. Not sure what the block is in between the mahogany on the back, and I guess it might be a hazlap pre? Vinny and Joey signed saying it's a 96, so that is what I would say to someone. I imagine the serial is under the bridge, but I am not going to look for it. Not sure if I will hold onto it, I do have a goal of owning one Fodera, and not sure that the guitar I have being refinished is what I would want to keep. This is near my dream bass in that I love everything about it except I am a big emperor II fan. The only thing I play these days is my frankenjazz so it probably won't see much gig time. Very encouraging, eh?

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#763
well yeah, pretty sure if I handed it to you and said 'go play mustang sally on it till you die', you might oblige ;)

j/k, thanks! The chestnut top does it for me. I remember really digging them, and supposedly they were gone, and IMMEDIATELY I switched over to being a buckeye burl fan. Anybody else ever feel like that?
 
#768
jonno1707 said:
I can almost guarantee it is a Haz Labs as I am fairly certain they were not using Pope pre's and Lane poor pickups at the same time!
Click to expand...

However, the three small tone knobs suggests to me that it was upgraded to the Pope. I had a couple of buddies do this, and the Fodera guys just drilled the extra hole between the original bass and treble controls and put in the three band Pope. I assume that's part of the reason they went with that diagonal design and the smaller knobs (to allow for the 'Pope Upgrade' to look exactly like it had been installed originally... nice design).

Also, there was an overlap between the Lane Poor pickups and the earlier Pope preamp, since I had that option when I ordered my first Fodera sometime in the 90's (can't exactly remember... probably late 90's).

I saw Mike Pope cruising around here this morning. I would just take a quick picture of the cavity/preamp and PM the picture to him. He's great at responding to these questions.
 
#769
lamarjones said:
I just heard from two previous owners, one said it's a haz lab preamp in the imperial I posted above, the other said it's a pope. I assume and early pope if that is the case?

I guess some of you could identify it if I took of the electronics cover?
Click to expand...


IIRC the HAZ pre actually has it written on it. My AJ came with Lane Poors and the HAZlab pre.

Apparently many people have swapped out the older pres for Popes. I'm happy with my HAZ and since it ain't broke...
 
#770
KJung said:
However, the three small tone knobs suggests to me that it was upgraded to the Pope.
Click to expand...

For real? I feel like this isn't the first time I have seen the three small knob thing on a haz lab.

A pic will make everything better. This bass has been around for a while so who knows what has been done to it. I tend to believe the guy who said it was a Pope, and can see why the other said haz-lab.
 
#771
Mine for comparison (LP/HAZ):
CIMG0291.jpg
 
#772
lamarjones said:
For real? I feel like this isn't the first time I have seen the three small knob thing on a haz lab.

A pic will make everything better. This bass has been around for a while so who knows what has been done to it. I tend to believe the guy who said it was a Pope, and can see why the other said haz-lab.
Click to expand...

Ah, and per Brad's post, I didn't realize that the early three knobs could be Haz. Both of my buddies had the old two band preamp (not sure if it was Haz Lab or not) and had theirs upgraded to the new three knob configuration with the Pope pre.

K
 
#774
lamarjones said:
Out of curiosity, what does an older Fodera with a haz pre look like that is not the three little knobs? As usual, you guys and this forum in general just rocks!

Hey Brad, is that bass in general a big bass compared to others in your stable?
Click to expand...

Take out the middle knob (mid control), and replace the two small knobs with full size ones. That's what the original layout looked like on the older Fodera's I'm familiar with.

And, per your question to Brad, my Emperor felt HUGE... everything about it... weight, width at the nut and bridge, neck, body, everything. I looked like I was 10 years old playing it.

I always chuckle at this picture.... my total geek days... Tara Lab cable, Walter Woods, Fodera, and the bass sitting right under my chin!.:D

fodera1-1.gif
 
#776
lamarjones said:
Out of curiosity, what does an older Fodera with a haz pre look like that is not the three little knobs? As usual, you guys and this forum in general just rocks!

Hey Brad, is that bass in general a big bass compared to others in your stable?
Click to expand...

It's easily the BIGGEST bass I own:D. 36" scale, at least 20mm spacing. But I've had other basses that were more work to play... usually had the bridge placed too far from the end of the body, like a guitar, which I've later realized I really dislike.

I usually take it out when I want to scare the locals. Many are afraid to even touch it.
:eyebrow:


Excellent bass.
:D
 
#777
KJung said:
Take out the middle knob (mid control), and replace the two small knobs with full size ones. That's what the original layout looked like on the older Fodera's I'm familiar with.

And, per your question to Brad, my Emperor felt HUGE... everything about it... weight, width at the nut and bridge, neck, body, everything. I looked like I was 10 years old playing it.

I always chuckle at this picture.... my total geek days... Tara Lab cable, Walter Woods, Fodera, and the bass sitting right under my chin!.:D

fodera1-1.gif
Click to expand...

Where'd you find that gigantic mic?
:hiding:
 
#779
lamarjones said:
Huge sounds right to me! and I can see what you mean by that pic ;) You do look pretty happy tho :p

Ok, I totally know what layout you are talking about.
Click to expand...

I played that bass as my main instrument for quite a few years. The weight and size finally got to me though.

I was told by Joey that this was the first Fodera (or at least in the first 'batch' of basses) with wood pickup covers when it was sent to me!
 
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