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Fodera Emperor Standard 5 comments

#81
I have an early E5S #13. I think it's a fantastic bass in every way. I played it exclusively for a year and recorded an album with it. Is is worth the money? idk. That's a personal decision. I can say that Jason and the team at Fodera have provided outstanding customer service, so I feel like my money was well spent.

My endorsement is with Zon and my TJ6 is my main bass. Since getting it my Fodera has been in a case. It's one that I would hope to keep around for the rest of my playing because it is an all around killer instrument and the exact specs I was looking for in a Fodera.
Win Win

I've found DR Highbeams to be the best string for what I play and the sound I'm after. As with many things, the answer may boil down to taste and preference.
 
#82
SRFSterling5 said:
Glad you're liking your E5S. It's still the first bass I pick up to play.
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Cool, and thanks.

SRFSterling5 said:
Still experimenting with strings, so far the Fodera nickels are my first pick. Gonna try Elixir coated nickels just for the heck of it.
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I have nickels on my Sadowsky. Less bright than the steels, which is what I needed. However, I am rather liking the stainless steels on the E5S. I'm able to tame down the brightness as needed, yet still retain definition.

SRFSterling5 said:
The preamp has so much flexibility tha you can always dial in a good tone. Nice and punchy without being harsh or muddy and the passive tone control lends a rounder character to the attack.
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I haven't done as much experimenting with the preamp as you have--basically just found a couple of voices I like and that worked for me. I did get the dual midrange pot and that seemed to open things up a bit.

Re; construction...
Yes, my E5S is very well made. It's not the lightest instrument I own (9lb 15oz), but it's not too bad with a Comfort Strapp :-)

SRFSterling5 said:
It will hold me over until my custom build is done next year. It's a keeper.
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Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to swing a custom this year. Maybe next... (fingers crossed).
 
#83
Mulebagger said:
I have an early E5S #13. I think it's a fantastic bass in every way. I played it exclusively for a year and recorded an album with it.
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I listened to you playing it on your YouTube channel. Good stuff and great playing!

It sounds like your Zon is a bit darker than the E5S, or maybe that's just how you have them EQ'd?

Also, your playing seems to benefit from having 6 strings as opposed to 5. :-)
 
#84
Testing123 said:
Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to swing a custom this year. Maybe next... (fingers crossed).
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Do what I did.... Sell everything else and order a Custom.:)

Honestly, I absolutely love the Fodera sound, playability and quality and right now my E5S covers literally every genre of music I play. I sold some really nice basses to fund my Custom, but I don't regret it in the least... And I won't even have the Custom bass until Jan.:bassist:

I still can't walk past my E5S without picking it up and playing it for even a minute and I have had the bass for 9 months or so. It gets me out of going into the basement and getting food or drinks though... the wife knows I will be a while if she asks me to get something.;)
 
#85
I'm a poster child for Standard as gateway drug and I'm distilling down to my essence. After getting my Monarch 5 (E-C) back after some surgery, I sold my Lull P4. The only non-Fodera bass in the house is my Rob Allen Deep 4 which isn't going anywhere but doesn't see the stage much these days. Now the only question is on the Fodera fretless side - Standard 4 vs my Monarch 5. I'd like to only keep one as I try to keep my collection to a minimum. We'll see. But the YYD 4 and Monarch 5 fretted will cover all my gigs on the fretted side. Don't really want anything else.
 
#86
Testing123 said:
I listened to you playing it on your YouTube channel. Good stuff and great playing!

It sounds like your Zon is a bit darker than the E5S, or maybe that's just how you have them EQ'd?

Also, your playing seems to benefit from having 6 strings as opposed to 5. :-)
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I spent some time tweaking the Zon since then. I've got it to sound more where I want it, but the E5S was pretty much plug and play. I really likd the pickup/ preamp combination on the Fodera. They are pretty different beasts though.
 
#87
Testing123 said:
I listened to you playing it on your YouTube channel. Good stuff and great playing!
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Thanks for the kind words about my music/ playing. :)

There are so many variables in the recordings, setups, strings, rooms, etc that its hard to give a straight comparison. My experience has been that the Zon is much clearer and even, but that's perhaps expected with carbon fiber. In a band setting the Fodera naturally sits fuller in the mix when flat. Both can be EQ'd to get basically anything you'd like
 
#89
otto B said:
There is not that many comments about the Standard line but one comment took me for surprise, when they were compare to a $3000 bass, for example the Roscoe bass. Don’t get me wrong the Roscoes are really nice basses, but it shouldn’t be compared to a Fodera. Now that I am finally a Fodera Owner I agree that there is no comparison to any other basses.
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What is it about the Roscoe basses that makes you believe they shouldn't be compared to a Fodera? They are less expensive, but the quality is comparable. In fact, I also find the quality of my F Bass, LeCompte, Drozd and Yamaha to be comparable to my Foderas.
 
#90
Munjibunga said:
What is it about the Roscoe basses that makes you believe they shouldn't be compared to a Fodera? They are less expensive, but the quality is comparable. In fact, I also find the quality of my F Bass, LeCompte, Drozd and Yamaha to be comparable to my Foderas.
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I agree. I gigged a SKB5 and a SKB6 for a year or two and they were great basses.

Not as good tonally as my Fodera Standard IMO (I find the Fodera cuts better), but still killer.

Best used value on TB IMO. I honestly can't see buying a better bass for +-$2000.
 
#91
Mulebagger said:
the E5S was pretty much plug and play.
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+1 That is one of the things I really love about my E5S: right out of the gate, it's just so well balanced, tonally, that it can seemingly do "everything" (or close to it). Definitely a very versatile instrument which can cover a number of different "classic" tones fairly well. In addition, it's "flat" tone can cover a large variety of styles and works well with a wide range of complimenting gear.
 
#92
I guess this would be a good place to post that after having spent about a month with my Emperor Standard 5 I can report that she is even better than I had imagined! I have used her in smaller clubs, large Amphitheaters through huge PAs and regional festivals playing for thousands of people. I have gotten a LOT of compliments on my tone. I played a festival in Myrtle Beach, SC earlier today with at least 10,000 people there and the PA was a Big JBL Vertec rig with a Midas Pro 2 digital console at FOH. Bass sounded HUGE but very defined. Eddie Floyd (who wrote and originally sang "Knock on Wood" sat in with us for Knock on Wood and another of his hits and was digging the tone enough to ask me to solo. After the show I was changing in the Trailer they had for us and he was in there when I got there. He held out his hand and said "Man that was the best sounding bass I think I have ever heard." I couldn't argue with that...My sound Engineer loves it and says it is the clearest sounding bass he has ever heard anywhere. I am very pleased with EVERYTHING about her and can't recommend them enough! I also have a Yin Yang Standard that gets some play but I use the 5 about 80% of the time. For what it's worth, I have also ordered one of the new Emperor Standard 5 Specials...I would love to have a custom but I think I can cover just about anything with these 3. I am REALLY looking forward to the Maple board as I am a Maple board guy. I am thinking of putting Flats on the Emperor Standard I have now to give me even more of that warm goodness she has. I am currently using the Fodera Nickels in .40 - .120 gauge and love them. The set I have on now have been on there since I got the bass and probably have well over 100 hours of playing time on them. They still sounded fantastic today! I HIGHLY recommend them. I played Sadowsky Blue Nickels for the last few years and love them to but there is something about the combination of Fodera Strings on Fodera basses that really works. I will definitely use the Sadowsky Flats if I decide to break down and put flats on the ES5. She sounds so good right now I am not sure what to do! I would love to hear from anybody who has tried flats on theirs...

Peace,

T
 
#94
I just a bought a ES5 and saw this in the Fodera club thread:

Fodera ES5 EQ Centers

Bass +/- 12dB @ 46Hz or 90Hz
Lo Mid +/- 12dB @ 330Hz or 473Hz
Hi Mid +/- 15dB @ 1kHz or 1.8kHz <-- relevant only if the change to a dual mids pot is made as noted above
Treble +/- 15dB @ 6kHz or 10kHz


Does this mean that i can switch the frequency centers in the ES5 preamp? For example the bass center frequency from 46 to 90Hz ?

Thanks for you help !!
 
#95
pewi said:
I just a bought a ES5 and saw this in the Fodera club thread:

Fodera ES5 EQ Centers

Bass +/- 12dB @ 46Hz or 90Hz
Lo Mid +/- 12dB @ 330Hz or 473Hz
Hi Mid +/- 15dB @ 1kHz or 1.8kHz <-- relevant only if the change to a dual mids pot is made as noted above
Treble +/- 15dB @ 6kHz or 10kHz


Does this mean that i can switch the frequency centers in the ES5 preamp? For example the bass center frequency from 46 to 90Hz ?
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Yes, you can change the frequency centers with a jumper. I've not done it and having checked Mike's site (and not being electrically inclined) it really wasn't evident to me as to the specifics.
Hopefully Mike Pope or maybe Munjibunga will see this or your post and reply with more details.

Regards,
Allen
 
#96
Thanks Allen! It is not obvious, i looked into the cavity today and could not find any visible jumpers at the modules.
I would also like to know the factory setting, since i bought the ES5 used.

Any help would really be appreciated ! Hopefully Mike or Jason will chime in.

Thanks Pete
 
#97
pewi said:
Thanks Allen! It is not obvious, i looked into the cavity today and could not find any visible jumpers at the modules.
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Well, here's the Flexcore Instructional Overview PDF: http://www.michaelpopedesign.com/images/flexcore_manual.pdf

Here's the Email address for Pope Design tech support: [email protected]

pewi said:
I would also like to know the factory setting, since i bought the ES5 used.
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Here's the Email address for Fodera support: [email protected]

If you are able to find the info you seek, I would appreciate it if you'd post back here and let us know as I'd like to add it to the E5S info post (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/fodera-emperor-standard-5-comments-918787/index3.html#post14651180).

Thanks,
Allen
 
#100
Back in August of this year (2013) when I purchased my E5S at Bass San Diego, Chris, the owner, changed out the mid pot for a dual mid pot for me. I took a pic or two (iPhone) with the intention of posting up here.

Sorry for the tardiness. ;)

chris_bsd_e5s_1_small.png

Thanks to Chris and George of Bass San Diego for their continued outstanding support of the bass community!
 

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