Fodera really worth the cost?

[Biggbass]

I have an attorney friend who decorates his office in themes.
When he did a musical theme he bought a USA 57 Reissue Brownie Strat and a DR Z Z Wreck and sat them in a corner of his office. The walls had hanging guitars that were all autographed by rock stars. The interesting part of this story is that he doesn't actually play guitar. He just buys the stuff to impress clients.
So when he decided to re do his office in a golf theme I bought the Dr Z Amp and Strat from him at less than half of what he had paid for them. The amp is SN 10, unused, and the amp/cab cable was still in the shipping box in his storage room...he'd never even connected it.
Now I'm waiting for him to re do his office in a different theme so I can buy his set of Titleist golf clubs at less than half price.

Maybe one day he'll decorate in a Fodera theme!
lol

 

[jzfunkateer]

I have an attorney friend who decorates his office in themes.
When he did a musical theme he bought a USA 57 Reissue Brownie Strat and a DR Z Z Wreck and sat them in a corner of his office. The walls had hanging guitars that were all autographed by rock stars. The interesting part of this story is that he doesn't actually play guitar. He just buys the stuff to impress clients.
So when he decided to re do his office in a golf theme I bought the Dr Z Amp and Strat from him at less than half of what he had paid for them. The amp is SN 10, unused, and the amp/cab cable was still in the shipping box in his storage room...he'd never even connected it.
Now I'm waiting for him to re do his office in a different theme so I can buy his set of Titleist golf clubs at less than half price.

Maybe one day he'll decorate in a Fodera theme!
lol

You will be lucky if he does.. But lucky for him Fodera retains a decent used resell value.

 

[DigitalMan]

Things are only worth what people are willing to pay. However, if people aren’t willing to pay enough for something, it might not be worth it for the builder to make it in the first place. High end basses typically cost a lot to make and are produced in relatively low volume.

 

[lfmn16]

Why did you feel the need to comment on this overdone topic?

The same reason you felt the need to bring it up for the 1,000th time.

 

[cnltb]

(...) what makes one worth more or less then the other?

It's NOT only built quality-many build basses as well made as Fodera.
But...No one else builds a Fodera; A BIG name in building basses. They have a certain feel and tone to them which those that buy them like. They also understand marketing.
So if it is Fodera you want, you're going to have to pay for a Fodera. I pay more for things I like , simply because I like them and they inspire me to be a better me when using these things. That is reason enough for me to save up until I can get what I want.

Also...Fodera always brings out the most 'interesting ' in people when threads are posted on them. I guess that is partly while there are billions of threads on them, and the question asked in the op already?

 

[ctmullins]

I wanted to own a Fodera I wanted to see what the bass was about.. Now I know..

Exactly. If I had the scratch I would do exactly the same thing. It’s actually a pretty safe exercise, as the resale is solid. The only way to answer the “is it worth it” question is to do as you have done, put your money on the line, and live with it for a while. Good for you. Bravo!

 

[40Hz]

Worth like value is completely subjective. Worth is the ratio of price to the perceived benefit you received in exchange. The higher the ratio, the higher the worth.

If it’s worth it to you, then it’s worth it.

Fodera makes very fine instruments.

It’s entirely up to you to do your own calculation for their worth to you.

In my case, I wouldn’t buy one. And I don’t even think about someday maybe getting one. I can get the tone and feel I’m looking for out of far less expensive instruments. So a Fodera doesn’t qualify as being “worth it” to me based purely on my own personal cost/benefit ratio calculations.

But that in no way takes anything away from the works of art Foderas are. And were someone to gift me one, I’d gratefully accept and play it. No two ways about it.

 

[jzfunkateer]

The same reason you felt the need to bring it up for the 1,000th time.

Well maybe next time ignore your urge and I will ignore mine.

 

[jzfunkateer]

Exactly. If I had the scratch I would do exactly the same thing. It’s actually a pretty safe exercise, as the resale is solid. The only way to answer the “is it worth it” question is to do as you have done, put your money on the line, and live with it for a while. Good for you. Bravo!

Thanks ...

 

[monsterthompson]

you spent the money and you have the bass. i would think you could make an objective decision.

the fact this thread got started leads me to believe that you feel the answer is no.

 

[acid bass]

Of course I would be disappointed.. Wouldn't you? I went in saying let's see what all the hype is about..

You sound foolish. Nobody in their right mind buys a Ferrari thinking "Hm, I wonder what this is all about? Let me try it." 100% of people that buy Ferraris are going after the look/name. It fundamentally does exactly the same thing as a Volkswagen; gets you from one place to another. It's more luxurious and nice, yes. But tremendously more luxurious and nice than a $70K Mercedes? Probably not. If you didn't know that spending $5000 on a bass was a luxury purchase and that it wouldn't sound/play twice as good as a $2500 bass then I don't know what to tell you. You're naive.

 

[lfmn16]

Well maybe next time ignore your urge and I will ignore mine.

As long as someone isn't violating the TB rules, they are free to post about whatever they want. People can start yet another "is it worth it" thread as many times as they want and I can point out that it is a tired, beat to death topic as many times as I want.

 

[redwingxix]

no

 

[gln1955]

There's worth and cost.

For any bass, cost is determined by tangible things (materials, cost of highly skilled labor, keeping the shop running, etc) that are pretty much fixed. Then there's some intangibles like reputation, rarity and a dose of what the market will bear. Fodera and US Sadowsky are probably pretty similar as to fixed costs as well as reputation, etc.

Worth, is solely determined by the individual buying the bass. As you have seen, cost does not always equal worth.

 

[DigitalMan]

The same reason you felt the need to bring it up for the 1,000th time.

I’m pretty sure this is the first time the OP brought it up.

 

[DrayMiles]

I was at the shop last week and took a tour... Vinny is one of the kindest men I've ever spoken to, and he was working on a new design as I was walking around.

I'll say it again.... YES, They're worth every penny from what I've seen with my own eyes. AND I don't own one but would love to... Someday. The overhead cost of materials, location and labor is enough to justify the price. Brooklyn made.... And NY ain't cheap...

 

[lfmn16]

I’m pretty sure this is the first time the OP brought it up.

Probably, but the whole are Fodera's worth the money, are boutique basses worth the money, are expensive basses worth the money topics comes up a lot.

Fodera really worth the cost?
Fodera monarch standard, worth it?
Fodera are they worth the $
Fodera: Basses worth the money?
fodera, worth it, or no?
Are expensive basses (rickenbacker, American standard fender, etc.) worth it?
Expensive Basses - Are they worth it?
Boutique basses: Worth it or not?
are boutique basses really worth the $$$ ?

I could easily come up with 20 more more additional variations on the "is it worth it" theme.

As I said, he's free to start yet another thread, I'm free to comment on it.

 

[InhumanResource]

Ok I realize these basses are nice looking well built great sounding instruments... And my whole career as a bass player I have been enticed to own the “Ferrari” of basses .. But now that I own one, I am wondering why the hell they cost so much...? Let me back up and say the bass I own is a standard... But still not cheap by any means... And it does play, look and sound great. It isn’t all that though... Let me also say that I own a Sadowsky that was made for me.. I get it was made for me to my personal tastes but it came in only slightly more costly then the Standard. And of course I love it.. It is a primo instrument and sounds good no matter what gig I use it on. It plays like a dream weighs less due to it having chambers. I get that Fodera does neck throughs with tone blocks and Yadi Yadi yada...I am not trying to do a Fodera vs. Sadowsky post here either. Just asking is it really worth the bread?
Discuss

People pay it, so yes.

 

[silvertone]

If any of you think these "tools," are costly, try being a professional mandolin picker.
(And yes I know high-grade violins are 10 times as costly, but the starting point for banjo-killing, loud, throaty, powerful, pro level mandolins starts at roughly $10K and goes up from there.)

The most sought after, reasonably easy to acquire F5 mandolin comes from Steve Gilchrist of Australia.

These are sold at Carter's Vintage Music in Nashville and start around $22,000 and every time a bulk order is submitted to Steve for production, all the instruments are sold in advance.

 

[cnltb]

Fodera really worth the cost?
You tell us...