If I may, I think that a lot of these comments are being made by people that have never dealt with Fodera, that don't own a Fodera, and sounds like they never will. That's fine. I'm sorry to hear that some people have had bad experiences, but I can speak from personal experience, and everything has pretty much been the complete opposite of these horror stories. They have taken extremely good care of me since I was a 22 year old kid teaching at Bass Alone and found a magnificent Imperial 5 string on the wall(a customer cancellation). I told the original owner of the shop that no bass was worth that amount of money and then I played it. I fell in love immediately and lusted after it for weeks(or months) finally John sold it to me (for a ridiculously low price) and let me pay payments to him. I have since sold every other bass that I've owned and that Imperial is my one and only. Until tomorrow when my 6 string Fodera arrives!!!! This will be the only bass that I will have purchased since that Imperial, 6 years ago (maybe that's because I'm a professional musician and that's all that I can afford). I've waited 2 years and gone through all of the ups and downs but in the end it's all worth it. If you've ever played one you know. One problem could be that people aren't dealing with them directly and when you are getting your information third hand or more, there usually are some miscommunications. Thats why I do things myself, you never know how things are being conveyed between sources. By the way it's almost a year for a truly custom Fender bass. I know my student just got his.
I think most of us are speaking from personal experience.
Per the above posts, you are missing the point. If there is a 3 year wait or a 5 year wait, and that is what was communicated when you put in the order, of course, no problem.
Also, based on my experience with playing many, many, many Fodera's (I'm an old friend of Tommy Kennedy's), and owning a few, IMO they are fine basses, no better or worse than any other top of the line instrument, and with just as much variability.. i.e., great ones, good ones, not so much ones, etc. Again, they are fine basses, and has nothing to do with the points that many of us are making.
This does not seem like a difficult concept to understand, but I guess it is
Interestingly, most of the complaints are from people trying to deal with them directly. As has been posted previously, most of their retailers seem to be doing a pretty good job.
Edit: Don't mean to dog on you. Your points are valid, they are just 'different points' versus the topic at hand IMO.
um...+1. I would have the same expectations as dealing with MTD, Skjold, Ritter, Alleva, etc.
And a very good point.
