Fodera Monarch/Imperial Shaped Body

[samsara]

Hey TB-Luthiers!

Im currently planning on building a 5 String Bass (Bolt-on Neck), with a Body shape similiar to a Fodera Monarch Deluxe 5.
The question is:
How do i get the correct dimensions of the fodera body. I cant find any blueprint or list of dimensions for the monarch 5 deluxe fodera in the web or on their website.
So, if anyone can help me with this, i would be eternally grateful. I need the dimensions of this bass, to make a template for the body, and to see what kind of neck i could add (thinking about a warmoth 5 string neck, due to my lack of luthier tools on building a proper neck myself).

So if anyone got help for me, i need:
the dimensions of the fodera body, and in the best case i would need a blueprint of it, so i can find out the bridge placement etc, the dimensions of the cut aways etc.

best wishes. i hope this is the correct place to ask for this :/

for you guys to orientate, thats a fodera monarch deluxe 5:
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[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Ask somebody owning that bass to run a 3D laser scan onto it ... it may cost a bit but it may be the only way to get accurate drawings of the body

 

[reverendrally]

If you can get a pic of the bass body between the 12th fret and the end of the body, you can blow it up on a photocopier until it's the right size. All you need to know is the scale length. From the bridge to the 12 fret = half the scale length. Then all the other proportions can be measured off the pic.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

+1 on that ^^. The only caveat is that you need a good, straight on shot. If the bass is at any kind of angle in the picture it will throw the dimensions off.

 

[Panada]

If you can get a pic of the bass body between the 12th fret and the end of the body, you can blow it up on a photocopier until it's the right size. All you need to know is the scale length. From the bridge to the 12 fret = half the scale length. Then all the other proportions can be measured off the pic.

As the Fodera has a two-octave neck, measuring from fret 12 to 24 and setting that to 1/4th the scale length might be cleaner as the bridge will be compensated (though leaves more room for measurement error).

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Aw, come on, you don't need accurate drawings of a Fodera. You are making your own custom bass. You can design and draw up the body shape yourself. Lay out the locations of the components to where they need to be to function correctly. Use rulers and a calculator. Then draw the outline of the body to the size, proportions and shape that you like. Make a full size cardboard cutout and play around with it. Modify it and make others until you like it.

Don't directly copy a Fodera. Make your own style bass that's even better!

 

[reverendrally]

As the Fodera has a two-octave neck, measuring from fret 12 to 24 and setting that to 1/4th the scale length might be cleaner as the bridge will be compensated (though leaves more room for measurement error).

Sure. The point is, you can easily figure it out.

 

[MPU]

Sure. The point is, you can easily figure it out.

And if you can’t it might be better to learn some more about bass measurements and relations between parts before cutting wood.

 

[reverendrally]

And if you can’t it might be better to learn some more about bass measurements and relations between parts before cutting wood.

Tell me about it. Like the old saying goes...

"I measured once and cut twice, but it still doesn't fit."

 

[samsara]

Tell me about it. Like the old saying goes...
"I measured once and cut twice, but it still doesn't fit."

good point !

I think i will try to find a good pic to measure from nut-12 (to get half the scale length). then i wanted to resize the image to fit the multiplication factor. but, i maybe got some brainfreeze here, is the bass then in true size in the file ? if i resize the X and Y axis of the picture with the factor measured out from nut-12 fret ?

As the Fodera has a two-octave neck, measuring from fret 12 to 24 and setting that to 1/4th the scale length might be cleaner as the bridge will be compensated (though leaves more room for measurement error).

Aw, come on, you don't need accurate drawings of a Fodera. You are making your own custom bass. You can design and draw up the body shape yourself. Lay out the locations of the components to where they need to be to function correctly. Use rulers and a calculator. Then draw the outline of the body to the size, proportions and shape that you like. Make a full size cardboard cutout and play around with it. Modify it and make others until you like it.
Don't directly copy a Fodera. Make your own style bass that's even better!

true words bruce. the thing is i want to use the monarch shape as a base. i know myself well enough that i will drift of and end up with my own shape, but its a start ^^

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Tell me about it. Like the old saying goes...

"I measured once and cut twice, but it still doesn't fit."

The old saying closest to that I know is "I cut it off three times, and it's _still_ too short!"

The other one (not quite as close to yours) is "Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe."

Both as seen on posters in high school shop areas. Cautionary, rather than exemplary posters, I may have to add.

 

[samsara]

"Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe."

didnt know that one, well put !


i now made a scaleup with the method written above (my 2nd post). it came out pretty accurate i found out, because i got an email from the big T online store where their custom bass guy sent me a picture with some dimensions of the bass, (width, length, depth). so i think with these 2 things i can recreate a proper template

if anyone of you guys has some tips and tricks to make the photo of the scale up printable (doesnt work for me when i want to print the pdf on A3 sheets), and the template drawable 1:1 on paper, let me know

thanks for the input and the puns, gave me a laugh

 

[T_Bone_TL]

But why screw around with a butterfly-named shape where there's this icon of bassidiocy ready to flutter its wings through the night, while butterflies are huddled in the trees waiting for daylight?

 

[Scoops]

But why screw around with a butterfly-named shape where there's this icon of bassidiocy ready to flutter its wings through the night, while butterflies are huddled in the trees waiting for daylight?

View attachment 3161054

You realize you just cursed this thread

 

[reverendrally]

i now made a scaleup with the method written above (my 2nd post). it came out pretty accurate i found out, because i got an email from the big T online store where their custom bass guy sent me a picture with some dimensions of the bass, (width, length, depth). so i think with these 2 things i can recreate a proper template

Sucker! But seriously, that's cool.

P.s. I vote no for Mothra.