• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Im Just No Gettin The Boutique Thing

#161
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
At the current level of Fodera hype ... ehm ... should Fodera announce the imminent marketing of a line of basses which body is made of acrylic resin, there will be crowds of people ready to start singing the praises of this material and of how much a good acrylic can compare to a solid wood of given properties ... bass will always cost 7k ... people will start wondering why but there will always be people ready to start telling us that Fodera's acrylic is special for this and that reason, that moreover the highly skilled level of their workmanship requires more than adequate repayment etc...
In the end they will manage to sell us a piece of plastics for 7k ... this would be a super bargain for them ... maybe they should seriously start thinking about such a move ... the time may be the right one :D:D:D
Click to expand...

There aren't crowds of people singing the praises of Foderas, period... so why would that change?
:D

You do realize that nobody is asking you to buy a Fodera, right?

Right?
:D
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: trickyric and Dr. Cheese
#162
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
Brad you have to understand people like me ahah ... it’s not a question of good look or what ... you don’t have to believe that since you are American you can speak about something more than others ... I recognize that for me it’s difficult to get access to certain stuff but the story ends here .... you have surely hands on certain things but I have my hears, my experience to listen, elaborate, think etc... some people will believe to everything is stated about something they can’t see, some others not ... anyway, on the basis of what I hear, the tone of Fodera’s basses does not impress me much ... still consider a whatever P bass connected to a Avalon U5 as an always good term of comparison, a simple setup capable of producing a superb tone ... cost for starting recording = less than 2k ... cost of a Fodera with a Mike Pope ... 3.5 times ... these are the facts .... for the rest it’s a matter of personal opinions, pockets’ size, aims and goals in life, levels of importance of persons, things etc. ... if for you the difference is ok, it’s ok for me ... be advised, however, that this is a public place where everybody can be a professor although this is not my scope .. maybe it’s more yours .. I’m more a kind of Agent Provocateur (this is French by the way ;)) ...
Click to expand...

Everyone can think they're a professor but that's part of the problem. Know what you don't know. I get the appeal of seeming like you have inside info but if the foundation is weak, I think it's better to actually spend the time learning vs. acting like you know what you don't. I keep my mouth shut and ears open on subjects I have little to no expertise in. ijs

That's why the sophisticated ladies thing was so funny because it was clearly coming from not really knowing, no offense. Watch the Saturday Night Live band and tell me James Genus sounds like he's playing guitar. Or better yet check out video of him with The Brecker Brothers. You couldn't be more wrong.

My nationality has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. My experience is what I'm relying on, much as you rely on yours. The fundamental difference is that I came to the realization that hands on is king. That IMO is the best way to judge what an instrument can do, not listening to others play.

I shouldn't be surprised but i still find it amazing how much stock people put into things they haven't actually experienced. If you like Marcus I can pretty much guarantee you'd like my Emperor 5. Probably love it... because everyone who's played it came away with that impression. Every Fodera doesn't have to have the soloed bridge pickup Jaco vibe or tapped tone.

Another point: cost keeps coming up over and over again. My guess is because people have difficulty understanding that you don't have to buy gear new. A friend here on TB hipped me to my first one, a doublecut Anthony Jackson Contrabass 6. If you don't really think about it, most would assume what it cost me. That leads them to assume that I'm rich. In both cases they couldn't be more wrong. My friend found it at a Guitar Center, in very good condition, for a fraction of what it was worth. In the range of a current Fender Elite. IIRC I bought it when I was unemployed... I had more time to research, buy and flip instruments because of that :D After flips, the bass was ultimately free. But who could afford free?

I still have the bass and it's worth way more than I paid for it... also known here on TB as a bad investment.

People have all sorts of hangups with this subject, I can't say I really get it but fortunately I don't have to and as a result I've had hands-on experience with the majority of instruments out there and I own several very cool instruments... that don't sound at all like guitars ;)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Green1, Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati, trickyric and 2 others
#163
Here are my two Foderas. The only things really out of the ordinary component-wise are the NLA Lane Poor pickups and HAZlabs preamps. They have their own bridges. These are both 1990's basses. Closest thing to exotic wood is the Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard on the AJ6. The rest is Alder and Quilted and Flame Maple. I purchased both used.

So the sophisticated part is what? They just know how to build a great bass and the parts didn't come in a kit. Are these "coffee table" basses? I don't think so. People usually leap to those and ignore simpler fare, which Fodera also build.


P1030265.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: Relayer71, Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati, JLY and 2 others
#167
mojacko said:
well, in my experiences, all MTD usa mostly use same pickup & preamp (bartolini), but they all sound different, depends on wood combination.

also, my cort and squier doesn’t sound as I expected, though they’re upgraded with boutique parts that more expensive than the bass itself.

for me, boutique is more about playability,
soundwise, most people will not notice $200 vs $3000 bass sound
Click to expand...

Except Barts for one manufacturer are spec’d for that manufacturer and aren’t the ones in the display case at GC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brad Johnson
#168
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
Brad you have to understand people like me ahah ... it’s not a question of good look or what ... you don’t have to believe that since you are American you can speak about something more than others ... I recognize that for me it’s difficult to get access to certain stuff but the story ends here .... you have surely hands on certain things but I have my hears, my experience to listen, elaborate, think etc... some people will believe to everything is stated about something they can’t see, some others not ... anyway, on the basis of what I hear, the tone of Fodera’s basses does not impress me much ... still consider a whatever P bass connected to a Avalon U5 as an always good term of comparison, a simple setup capable of producing a superb tone ... cost for starting recording = less than 2k ... cost of a Fodera with a Mike Pope ... 3.5 times ... these are the facts .... for the rest it’s a matter of personal opinions, pockets’ size, aims and goals in life, levels of importance of persons, things etc. ... if for you the difference is ok, it’s ok for me ... be advised, however, that this is a public place where everybody can be a professor although this is not my scope .. maybe it’s more yours .. I’m more a kind of Agent Provocateur (this is French by the way ;)) ...
Click to expand...

There is a characteristic P bass sound but they can sound quite different instrument to instrument. The Avalon is okay but there are plenty clearer, more accurate, organic sounding DIs. Picking Fodera as a sample of boutiques is also fraught with peril. The many maker’s basses sound very distinct from each other. One may love one and not others. I’ve heard and played Tobias basses I’d take home and ones I would never take home. His country of origin is irrelevant. His absence of bias and reputation as a top tier gigging and session bassist is relevant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati and /\/\3phist0
#170
Brad Johnson said:
Here are my two Foderas. The only things really out of the ordinary component-wise are the NLA Lane Poor pickups and HAZlabs preamps. They have their own bridges. These are both 1990's basses. Closest thing to exotic wood is the Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard on the AJ6. The rest is Alder and Quilted and Flame Maple. I purchased both used.

So the sophisticated part is what? They just know how to build a great bass and the parts didn't come in a kit. Are these "coffee table" basses? I don't think so. People usually leap to those and ignore simpler fare, which Fodera also build.


View attachment 3046123
Click to expand...
Now they are decidedly more refined if I’m not mistaken ... hope you didn’t pay them too much (personal taste... don’t like angular things... I like the smooth and harmoniously connected curves and lines of the good old times, the only partial exception being the Rickenbacker’s bass) ...
 
#171
chadds said:
There is a characteristic P bass sound but they can sound quite different instrument to instrument. The Avalon is okay but there are plenty clearer, more accurate, organic sounding DIs. Picking Fodera as a sample of boutiques is also fraught with peril. The many maker’s basses sound very distinct from each other. One may love one and not others. I’ve heard and played Tobias basses I’d take home and ones I would never take home. His country of origin is irrelevant. His absence of bias and reputation as a top tier gigging and session bassist is relevant.
Click to expand...
Chadds for me the Avalon is the best but my knowledge is not so wide ... I was considering buying a second hand one .. what may be considered as a serious competitor in this regard?
 
Last edited:
#173
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
Free of not getting them ... however you find them in the records you likely listen to ... in a way we have all been influenced Leo’s work ... I didn’t evolve too much yes ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're correct. On the other hand, I don't exactly 'like' the bass tone in a lot of famous recordings. There is a difference between "Holy crap that tone sits really well!" and "I'd totally use that!"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati
#174
Brad Johnson said:
Everyone can think they're a professor but that's part of the problem. Know what you don't know. I get the appeal of seeming like you have inside info but if the foundation is weak, I think it's better to actually spend the time learning vs. acting like you know what you don't. I keep my mouth shut and ears open on subjects I have little to no expertise in. ijs

That's why the sophisticated ladies thing was so funny because it was clearly coming from not really knowing, no offense. Watch the Saturday Night Live band and tell me James Genus sounds like he's playing guitar. Or better yet check out video of him with The Brecker Brothers. You couldn't be more wrong.

My nationality has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. My experience is what I'm relying on, much as you rely on yours. The fundamental difference is that I came to the realization that hands on is king. That IMO is the best way to judge what an instrument can do, not listening to others play.

I shouldn't be surprised but i still find it amazing how much stock people put into things they haven't actually experienced. If you like Marcus I can pretty much guarantee you'd like my Emperor 5. Probably love it... because everyone who's played it came away with that impression. Every Fodera doesn't have to have the soloed bridge pickup Jaco vibe or tapped tone.

Another point: cost keeps coming up over and over again. My guess is because people have difficulty understanding that you don't have to buy gear new. A friend here on TB hipped me to my first one, a doublecut Anthony Jackson Contrabass 6. If you don't really think about it, most would assume what it cost me. That leads them to assume that I'm rich. In both cases they couldn't be more wrong. My friend found it at a Guitar Center, in very good condition, for $2,500. In the range of a current Fender Elite. IIRC I bought it when I was unemployed... I had more time to research, buy and flip instruments because of that :D After flips, the bass was ultimately free. But who could afford free?

I still have the bass and it's worth way more than I paid for it... also known here on TB as a bad investment.

People have all sorts of hangups with this subject, I can't say I really get it but fortunately I don't have to and as a result I've had hands-on experience with the majority of instruments out there and I own several very cool instruments... that don't sound at all like guitars ;)
Click to expand...
Good for you ... especially the bargain on the bass ... in Europe this would be unthinkable ... period ... hence we work and do with what we have ... period ... I acknowledge my lack of direct experience on Foderas ... period ... for sure the build quality is top notch but, for all reasons already explained (long story above), I don’t buy the boutique thing ... (by the way, I’m happy if you are rich Brad ... nothing against this) ... final period :D
 
Last edited:
#177
InternetAlias said:
Gianni, if you live in Italy, you can try some Liutera bass guitars, some models run as low as 600 euros, and they are amazing guitars!
Click to expand...
I’ll have a look at them ... however I have too much stuff at the moment which I should start selling (market is not very fast and responsive as it seems to be in the USA unfortunately)
 
  • Like
Reactions: EddiePlaysBass
#178
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
I’ll have a look at them ... however I have too much stuff at the moment which I should start selling (market is not very fast and responsive as it seems to be in USA unfortunately)
Click to expand...

Know the feel, but Liutera makes handmade boutique level instruments way bellow the price that the likes of Fodera or Sadowsky ask for, and their guitars are fantastic. I played the 22 inch scale jazz that Alberto Rigoni demo'd on his youtube channel, it was strung with 60-130 rounds and it sounded absolutely killer!
 
#179
InternetAlias said:
Know the feel, but Liutera makes handmade boutique level instruments way bellow the price that the likes of Fodera or Sadowsky ask for, and their guitars are fantastic. I played the 22 inch scale jazz that Alberto Rigoni demo'd on his youtube channel, it was strung with 60-130 rounds and it sounded absolutely killer!
Click to expand...
Is it a French builder? I found a French site with that name ...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back