G. Have owned Foderas. Currently own a Fodera. Love it. Would buy another. But EQUALLY love my other (relatively less expensive) basses and will buy more of them as well.
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If i had $8499...
- Thread starter gustobassman
- Start date
G. Have owned Foderas. Currently own a Fodera. Love it. Would buy another. But EQUALLY love my other (relatively less expensive) basses and will buy more of them as well.
Well, in all honesty that's me as well. I also have a really nice Fender Jazz (cuz sometimes you need a Fender Jazz - plus there are some gigs that I don't want to bring a Fodera to) - and I have a 1980 fretless Rickenbacker 4001 with Pyramind flats that sounds like butter and was my first real bass (so there's just too much history to ever get rid of it).
I've not held or played a Fodera, but they sound gorgeous.
I think if I were paying my bills with my bass, I'd probably own one.
When my kids are all growed up, I'm likely to get a bass in that range just because why not have a really good instrument? I guess I will just have to cast about for a chance to try one and see if I get a real GAS for it.
I think if I were paying my bills with my bass, I'd probably own one.
When my kids are all growed up, I'm likely to get a bass in that range just because why not have a really good instrument? I guess I will just have to cast about for a chance to try one and see if I get a real GAS for it.
Like this maybe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_MholeBRDs
That said, expectations are a funny thing. The only thing you can really say for certain about someone who owns a Fodera is that they own a Fodera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_MholeBRDs
That said, expectations are a funny thing. The only thing you can really say for certain about someone who owns a Fodera is that they own a Fodera.
I have been busy bass shopping over the last 2 weeks (bought a MTD USA, Spector USA and a new Gibson Hollowbody) and looked at basically everything out there. A new Fodera may be crazy expensive, but look at some of the other boutiques' current prices....
MTD USA - Up to $6,000
Sadowsky - A USA Will Lee is over $5,000 these days
Alembec - High end Mark Kings, Stanleys, etc are $10,000-13,000
Ken Smith - A good BSR is $6000+
Spector - NS2's are $5000-6000
etc, etc.
Lots of expensive basses out there and the ones I listed above are pretty common to see on TB and on gigs. Not a Ritter with diamond inlays or anything that will be hung in a display case.
My biggest problem with Fodera is that they have amazingly high resale value. If I could buy a good used one for under $4k, I very likely would have bought one.
MTD USA - Up to $6,000
Sadowsky - A USA Will Lee is over $5,000 these days
Alembec - High end Mark Kings, Stanleys, etc are $10,000-13,000
Ken Smith - A good BSR is $6000+
Spector - NS2's are $5000-6000
etc, etc.
Lots of expensive basses out there and the ones I listed above are pretty common to see on TB and on gigs. Not a Ritter with diamond inlays or anything that will be hung in a display case.
My biggest problem with Fodera is that they have amazingly high resale value. If I could buy a good used one for under $4k, I very likely would have bought one.
I think the reason for that is that you usually can't go into a store and buy one. There are always a few out there but, if you want the specs to be your specs, you're going to have to wait for it. Most Foderas that are ordered on spec by dealers never make into the dealer's stock. They're sold when they are vapor.
Munjibunga said:
Which is why I'm curious to see what sort of prices the Standards will be commanding when they start to appear in the classifieds. That might be my entry point into the world of Fodera ownership.
I paid around $3600 for each of my Foderas and I bought them both in the past year. There's some great deals and not every Fodera costs $8500, especially used. I absolutely love my Monarch and it's better than any other bass I've played. A lot of people want to talk smack about Fodera and their pricing, but as you pointed out, there are many boutique basses out there that cost the same or more.
Michael
indeed. and (yeah, i'm beating a dead horse) look at some of the fender custom shop prices. those are fairly high too.
I disagree with this. I've played instruments that made it possible for me to do things I was currently unable to do on other instruments. And I know that in my case certain instruments can most definitely inspire me in ways that others don't.
The only bass that ever did that for me was when I recently tried a Vox Hawk IV from the late '60s that was hanging in the local store.
Right away I realized it was the short scale and dimensions of the neck that did it for me. I didn't want to play the price for a modded Vox, so I measured the critical neck dimensions and went home and proceded to recut a couple of Bronco necks I have to that profile and mounted them on a couple of quick DIY bodies made of pine from the local Home Depot.
Those DIYs and my Krappy (with similar neck dimensions) are the only basses I gig with now.
I have a few SX shortscale necks I bought of $30 each and they'll be re-cut and profiled to the Vox measurements and used for my next projects.
I did the expensive boutique path but wound up disposing of them. No more expensive instruments for me...I simply don't need them.
Roy Vogt
Supporting Member
- Sep 20, 2000
- 4,433
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- Endorsing Artist: Kiesel Basses, Ampeg Amplification, Hotone Ampero II effects
If I had $8500, I would have my kitchen redone and still play my Modulus
Just did some quick calculations and talking with my better half and we're going to be using part of the $8500 to redo our floors and get rid of the disintegrating 80s shag carpet (not kidding!) to be replaced with hardwood or laminate. I will be playing my Modulus, Carvin, Hotwire and Conklin/Groove Tools 7 and appreciate the artistry of Fodera from afar for now....but I'll have nice floors for the first time in this house!
"Happy Wife, Happy Life!"
Truer words were never spoken. Took me a few years to figure out just how true that quote is.
Twice divorced. Now married for the third time to the woman who insisted I buy the YYD (she's an artist). Gotta pick right...
Roy Vogt
Supporting Member
- Sep 20, 2000
- 4,433
- 537
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Kiesel Basses, Ampeg Amplification, Hotone Ampero II effects
On the other hand, she's the one who went up to Bill Conklin at a NAMM Show and said, "My husband needs this bass!" and proceeded to go get me and broker the deal (she did this with Eden, too), so a new floor now and then is a small price to pay.....
iriegnome said:If I had $8500, I would have my kitchen redone and still play my Modulus
Tough to get out of a kitchen remodel that cheap. That's what's funny about this thread. My windows were 7000 and my carpet was 5500. And I don't want to talk about how much I lost on the price of my house in the last 5 years.
Roy Vogt
Supporting Member
- Sep 20, 2000
- 4,433
- 537
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Kiesel Basses, Ampeg Amplification, Hotone Ampero II effects
