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Fodera vs other high end basses

#41
Personally I have played several high end basses including Fodera, Roscoe, Modulus, Pedulla, and Sadowsky.
Frankly Fodera's are unnecessarily expensive. Feel and playability wise they are good, but 7-9 thousand dollar good no way. My Pedulla plays just as good and was $1700 used. My Modulus the same and was $1400 used. IMO there is no justifiable reason to buy a Fodera at the prices they ask.
 
#42
IMO/E, it's like anything else: there are steeply diminishing returns of quality to price as you get toward the high end. Also with anything else, there's almost never a case where you "need" to own the high end to make it work. If you can afford it and want it, then it's worth it. But if the only thing that matters is giggable/functional, you can get what you need much cheaper.

All the above being said, the only "high end" bass I've owned is the Pedulla I got 5 years ago and still have. I love the thing and have never regretted having to sell so many other basses to get it. I didn't "need" it, but I wanted it and found a way to get it. Worth it to me.
 
#43
I've owned/gigged several Fodera's as well as all the high end basses you can think of over the years. I love the look and feel of Fodera's. They have some of the best feeling 5 string necks I've played. For me, when it comes to tone, they are typically average or below average. I've played way too many basses, much much cheaper, that sounded so much better in the mix than the Fodera's I've owned. As for playability, I can get used to any neck after a few minutes. I don't pay too much attention to a lot of the folks who are Fodera owners and what they have to say about basses. Most have way more money than ability.
 
#44
I am not trying to start a flame war here with this question honest. I just want the views of guys who unlike me own expensive custom basses.

Why is most of the touring pro's in major bands or backing musicians use more production made basses like Fender, Musicman, etc and not high end basses?

Is it the fear of damage from touring or they feel they need a simpler platform to perform with?

Trust me if I was a big time touring pro making my living playing a bass it would be anything but a production bass. Peace.
 
#45
GBassNorth said:
Interesting, we're 15 posts into the thread and every top end bass has been mentioned except Alembic. That's the brand that I associate most with Fodera. I don't own a Fodera but have always wanted one. I say go for it. You might want to buy used at first to kind of see what it's all about the move on to a custom build if you really like it.
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Doesn't really surprise me. The only real similarities between the two are
  • They are expensive
  • They are well crafted
  • They are small companies that offer top notch customer service

I haven't noticed a lot of "cross-shopping" between the brands. Sorta like Lamborghini and Bentley, to continue the car analogy. People interested in a Lamborghini probably don't spend a lot of time in a Bentley showroom and vice versa. (Works out well for Volkswagen, since they own both brands)

For what it's worth, I've owned several Alembics over the years. I've played, but never owned, a couple Foderas. Very nice instruments, but not "me".
 
#46
GBassNorth said:
Interesting, we're 15 posts into the thread and every top end bass has been mentioned except Alembic. That's the brand that I associate most with Fodera. I don't own a Fodera but have always wanted one. I say go for it. You might want to buy used at first to kind of see what it's all about the move on to a custom build if you really like it.
Click to expand...

Fodera's are amazing - but Alembic's are EPIC!
 
#48
MaddAnthony_59 said:
+1

Lull, Sadowsky, Valenti, etc are all Finer basses, and are meant to be played by a working bassist. Cheap? nope. Worth the price? Hell yes!

The High End, Boutique basses would most likely not be played at a gig at Fitzi's Bar & Grill. (Where Hulk Hogan was discovered!)
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You'd be surprised....

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KickAssBarJune82011-c.jpg
DickODowJuly2011jlm.jpg
 
#50
KJung said:
You hit the nail on the head. Fodera is in NO WAY the 'name' in high end basses. It is, for sure, among the top 10 brands above that $3K or so boutique price point, regarding quality, execution, etc. However, the differences among those top 10 brands are mostly 'player preference' versus any sort of absolute 'better or worse'.

There is no way that anyone can honestly look at a tricked out Roscoe, MTD, Sadowsky, Nordstrand, Ken Smith, Skjold, Fodera, etc. and say 'well, this bass is the best'.

I do have a bias toward instruments in the high end price point that really customize their hardware, pickups and preamp to work together. Fodera, MTD, Roscoe, Sadowsky, Ken Smith, Skjold, etc. all have various combinations of stock and OEM custom voiced/spec'd preamps, pickups, bridges, etc. that are designed to achieve the exact 'tone in the builder's head'. Combine that with neck design, feel and aesthetics, and there is something for everyone in the high end market.

The point is, don't limit yourself to some sort of preconceived notion that there is a 'best' out there.
Click to expand...

It always takes us way too long to realize the statements in bold.
 
#53
#54
When Fender first started making basses, there was limited choice. Fender became the recording standard because it was the major player back then. If you think about it today, all of the bass manufacturers out there today took that basic concept and ran with it, some in the traditional Fender vain in both looks and tone. Others went off in their own direction and have given us a wide range of choices. Economies of scale is what gives you lower price points in the market. When you get to boutique, economies of scale go down due to uniqueness of each unit and labor required to get there. There are many fine high end basses out there, I just happen to prefer one in particular, but that may not be what you like. That's totally cool. With so many possibilities out there, look at all of them and find something you like. People on here can give you many opinions but guess what it's their opinion, not a hard and fast rule. Calling someone ignorant and stupid for buying a high end bass because a Squire is the same just shows the ignorance and intolerance of the one uttering the statement. Whatever choice you make, be it Fodera or something else, if it makes you feel good inside and brings you happiness, isn't that all that's important in the end?
 
#55
Fodera is the current status brand and some players are tripping over themselves to get them for reasons that may be more psychological than anything else. If you played many boutique basses you'd realize that they all have something special but at the end of the day you just need a bass that allows you to do your job. You can do that job with an old beat up Fender or an Alembic Series II or anything in between. :D

I used to own a Emperor 5, I traded it for a double bass which I get a lot more use out of. The Emperor wasn't better than some of the other basses that I own and I don't miss it, though it would be nice to have as something to sell or trade. :D
 
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#60
nostatic said:
m5f-trio.jpg
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Two things I REALLY like about the Fodera design:

1) the elegant, balanced shape & style of the body
2) the large, paddle-shaped headstock

A large headstock lends stability and sustain to the instrument. IMO, too many electric basses have headstocks that are simply too small.

Either that's a stylistic consideration, or it's to prevent neck dive. But a large headstock can be a beautiful thing - if it's designed well. As for neck dive, that can be mitigated by other factors, i.e. extending the length of the upper horn, using a slightly heavier material for the body, and so on. :hmm:

MM
 

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