Fodera Copy?

[Phil Smith]

There are so many great sounding and playing basses available that cost less than a Fodera new or used.

I do own a Fodera.

 

[SCMan88]

I have never worked for fodera I have been in there shop but not to steal anything. my basses look somewhat like a fodera but how can any body say they are rip offs I build my own basses I don't go to the fodera shop and rip them off. come on guy's this is not cool to say things like this gives me a bad rep.
so I am going to say that if any body has seen me steal some thing from fodera prove it. all clasical guitars and violins look the same so do up right basses there is a for reason for that but to say rip them off man that is no right. but said and done it's better to be compared to a fodera and not a another brand name no offence to any body or luthier out there. I like foderas they are very well made instrument and they made a name for themself's. they have my respect so let's not trash my basses or there's just for looks. buy what you like and that's it you'll be happy ... cheers to all Ray Roger from R basses.

+1.

Guys,if someone builds a Single Cut design bass(for example) and it looks abit like Fodera,it doesn't mean he is stealing their ideas.
If Fodera didn't make any problem for him if the design is the same,then it means he is building HIS OWN bass,under HIS OWN name.

I didn't get to play any R bass at all,but they look amazing.
And you know what?
I'd rather pay whatever it costs than paying on a Fodera.
Because anyway I'll get an awesome looking bass,with awesome tone,for less than a Fodera's price.
Just saying...

 

[Garey]

Uh, Ray's early basses were practically EXACT copies...though over the last few+ years they've evolved into their own look.

 

[Marlat]

Some of the odler R-Bass stuff looked a lot closer to the Fodera designs than the current stuff:

That said, parallel thinking and all that. If Ray says he didn't take inspiration from the designs, then you heard it from the horses' mouth. Personally I can see why the comparisons were made from the early designs to FOderas stuff (particuarly the Emporer II).

 

[Phil Smith]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I bet the early Fodera's looked like Ken Smiths.

I actually bought my Fodera from Ray.

 

[78Jazzlover]

That's what I love about TB. You never know who's on here, and you get things straight from the horses mouth. Amazing bass Ray!!!!

There's another mouth that would need to be heard on this matter..and thats Fodera.
Its a pretty well known story and it was Fodera that came out with the details. This was a long time ago now but why dosent someone call up Joey and ask him about what happened ?

BTW, the early RBasses were almost completely ripped off from Fodera..and they noticed it too.

Fodera made it very clear you were in the shop with them and seeing/learning/hanging from them just before you took off and made your Fodera- like basses.

So only in that context do I comment as when someone writes that RBasses are the most Fodera- like compared to other boutique brands, things had to be put in some kind of perspective.

 

[Cb4rabid]

Aaaaaaannd about a thousand other companies have ripped off Fender. That doesn't mean those basses aren't good basses on their own merit.

 

[jumbodbassman]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I bet the early Fodera's looked like Ken Smiths.

I actually bought my Fodera from Ray.

not really. Vinny was building stuff for Ken when he started up with Joey...

 

[Munjibunga]

There are so many great sounding and playing basses available that cost less than a Fodera new or used.

I do own a Fodera.

I know. I own a bunch of them. But if you don't have a Fodera, you don't have a Fodera.

 

[Ray/Rbasses]

78 jazz lover lets call fodera and find out if what you are saying is true, I went there a couple of times but how can you say that they were giving me lessons I worked for carl thompson for 4 year thats were I learned how to build basses.
to me making a single cut bass seamed ok at the time I did not know that it would cause so much trouble for most guys.
plus I spoke with vinny not joey about the single cut and I told him If he wanted me to stop making single cuts he said you could keep making them just change them a little thats what I have bean doing all these years but its hard to change a single cut to look look something else there are guys out making exact copies
like the brazilians and what can we do. so I think we should give fodera a little more respect and me so we can make basses for you guys to play and enjoy music. like I said if you want a real fodera call them and place your orders. peace to all

 

[seungkoo]

We might as well flame sadowsky and laklands for copying fender while were at it.....
Oh let's not forget to flame Warwick for stealing the ns design...
What came first? Cello, bass, viola, or violin?

 

[Duke21]

Blimey, I dont know of any manufacturers or luthiers who create fodera copies. Do they exist?? It's probally best to save up the $9000 - $9500 so that you can get a proper vic sig. fodera, Just my two cents.

Is that the price?? Does it comes with Vic's hands?

 

[Rumblefisher]

Ya, maybe they sound/feel like a Fodera because Fodera hired Ray a long time ago and worked with him on teaching him his skills.
THEN, he quit Fodera, and stole their designs and made cheaper "Fodera" rip-offs. This is RBass legacy.

Nice!

I enjoy just how unsubstantiated this statement is.

Think about this for a sec...how can this person POSSIBLY make a definitive statement about someone else' training, business practices, and well...life!

It's almost as if not everything written on the internet is true...which of course is balderdash...BALDERDASH I SAY!

 

[78Jazzlover]

Balderdash can go either way- Ray's included.

Ask Joey.

 

[Phil Smith]

I know. I own a bunch of them. But if you don't have a Fodera, you don't have a Fodera.

This is true however in the grand scheme of things it doesn't mean anything.

 

[Phil Smith]

not really. Vinny was building stuff for Ken when he started up with Joey...

Here's what Ken Smith has to say:

Smith Bass Design and its History (The on-line Book in the making) - Page 2 - Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

3) Moves.. wow.. well my first shop was in Brooklyn in mid 1980 a few blocks from Vinne's parents house (Fodera) where he lived then. Just prior to that between Spector where Vinne worked prior and a wood dupli-carving place in Brooklyn we made two runs of 16 Basses each. The second run was around the time Spector was moving after selling his company to Kramer then. I don't recall if we made the entire run there because I remember re-carving at least one of the bass bodies afterwards. Some carving at my place and some at Vinnies house.

Vinnie always wanted his own shop and I was at that time a fairly busy freelance studio musician. I was only wanting to design my bass in the beginning, not build a company. It came to this by the needs to continue the initial dream of having my Bass out there on the market. You know the saying, "if you can't get it done right, do it yourself". Well, what started out as a good looking arrangement, wasn't! In 1983 I sold the Shop to Vinnie with all the tools and some woods for his own basses which he promised would not be in competition with me at all. Well, we all know how that turned out. The exception being that a Coke in NY is 2x the price as in PA, so it would seem.

 

[Addison]

I stumbled across this YouTube video today, and remembered reading this thread... so I thought I'd chime in.

Anyway, maybe this guy wants to sell his bass or is willing ot get you in touch with whoever built it for him...

Invalid Link Removed

 

[cmoore]

Anybody have a rbass FS.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Anybody have a rbass FS.

There's a couple in the classifieds.