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Fodera Club
- Thread starter brandinstroy
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Can't weigh in on the preamp, but the center block on the back looks like alder to me.
Here's my 93 Emperor 6 string 2 knob Haz labs pre...
Your bass looks like perfection. Wow.
That's why I sent it to them. If they refinish it, it is still a Fodera-made bass, and it will be in like-new condition. If I just wanted a good finish by someone other than Fodera, I would have stripped and refinished it myself. I may not be a "professional refinisher", but my finishing skills are above average, and I enjoy restoring guitars back to "new" (though my wife is not too fond of the smell of the propellents in most guitar finishes!)
Here's my 93 Emperor 6 string 2 knob Haz labs pre...
This looks almost like an Alembic photo!
(they have a famous leather couch shot)Really nice bass.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
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- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
The HAZ layout was three knobs with three switches under them like in the following photo:
To my knowledge, the HAZ pre's never had tone shaping knobs...that functionality was added with the Pope Pre. The HAZ stuff (either version 1 or 2) had a 3-position switch (the top one in the photo) that boosted the bass, mids or treble. The other switches were a kill switch and active / passive.
The three knobs were: bridge volume, neck volume and vintage tone roll-off.
The bass in this picture was upgraded to the 2nd generation HAZ pre at some point during its life. An all original 1st generation HAZ pre was actually made by DiMarzio (and modified slightly by HAZ) and looks completely different than the 2nd generation although the only external difference was that the original switches were small chrome ones rather than the slightly larger black ones pictured in the bass above.
Happy to identify any pre's if you post photos of your bass with the back cover off! Cheers.
To my knowledge, the HAZ pre's never had tone shaping knobs...that functionality was added with the Pope Pre. The HAZ stuff (either version 1 or 2) had a 3-position switch (the top one in the photo) that boosted the bass, mids or treble. The other switches were a kill switch and active / passive.
The three knobs were: bridge volume, neck volume and vintage tone roll-off.
The bass in this picture was upgraded to the 2nd generation HAZ pre at some point during its life. An all original 1st generation HAZ pre was actually made by DiMarzio (and modified slightly by HAZ) and looks completely different than the 2nd generation although the only external difference was that the original switches were small chrome ones rather than the slightly larger black ones pictured in the bass above.
Happy to identify any pre's if you post photos of your bass with the back cover off! Cheers.
Absolutely incorrect...
I worked at the shop from 91-93 and installed many tone shaping Haz labs pre's including the one in my Emperor 6...
The pre you are referring to in your picture is the Haz that was always installed in Monarch models unless the other model was requested...
I worked at the shop from 91-93 and installed many tone shaping Haz labs pre's including the one in my Emperor 6...
The pre you are referring to in your picture is the Haz that was always installed in Monarch models unless the other model was requested...
+1!!!!
recently i posted a query about my pre-amp in a thread... (exactly same config as yours, jonno)
basically my questions were answered and problems were resolved when mike pope posted in my thread saying it wasn't his and it was before his time, and i e-mailed marc at hazlabs who answered my question.
+1 it seems. I didn't realize that original Fodera circuit was the HAZ Labs, and also didn't realize that Fodera was still using the Haz pre when they went to a three band system.
Live and learn!!!! I played quite a few of the original 2 band pre Fodera's back in the day. The 3 band Pope really makes a difference with those instruments IMO, even when set flat.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
I did not know this. Thanks for clearing it up and sorry for any confusion that my post caused!
I picked up an Imperial Elite 5 from Bass Specialties last year. Someone had ordered it but it came in without block inlays. I got lucky enough to pick it up before anyone else. You can see mine here Link Removed
Thanks! To be honest, first time I saw it I didn't dig it. It was too "out there" for my tastes. I've always been a J player, with ebony or rosewood fretboards.
But when I tried it I fell in love. Luckily, my DH understands and told me to get it.
That's amazing looking. I think the block inlays would have been WAY too over the top with all the other stuff going on with the top wood, etc. I think it's perfect.
If I'm understanding your post, I'm again chuckling at the Fodera boys. So, someone ordered this bass and waited god knows how long, and the bass came with the wrong spec. That must have been an ugly moment when they opened the case. Your gain though, that's amazing!
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