Mike Popes Fodera Emperor 6 string

He's a member here so he probably will tell you but here's what I know:

- 34" bolt-on maple neck
- birdseye maple fretboard with detachable extension (24-28 frets, I believe - EDIT: 21-24)
- custom string spacing (19mm I think, Fodera normally has 20mm or even 21mm)
- "extended low B" headstock (non-angled)
- koa body
- custom electronics
- Seymour Duncan PUs

 

I bet it has a Pope preamp...

 

One of the most unusual aspects of Mike's bass is the removable ebony fingerboard section from frets 21 to 24. This section of the fingerboard is kept n place by 2 magnetic fasteners.

Apparently he prefers slapping on a shorter neck, and likes the extended board for soloing?

 

I believe the pickguard is there because he has moved the pickup a few times in order to find the sweet spots.

 

34" 6 string emperor
Solid Koa Body
One-piece maple neck...not including fingerboard...with flat headstock and extended B
Bird's Eye maple fingerboard
Extension (from 20 to 24 frets) is made of Diamondwood
The neck is a 24 fret neck with the last 4 frets worth of fingerboard removable.
So it's not really an extension per se.
Seymour Duncan dual coil PU's in a 60's position
New Fodera preamp
Suck filter (not currently working properly)

 

Said one of the best bass players on the planet haha. Give us a break dude.

 

will this finally become a Fodera 'signature series' model?

 

What a smokin' bass.

 

Anybody know why the ebony extension vs maple?

Thanks

God Bless, Ray

 

The extension is made of Diamondwood not ebony.

 

I didn't know. I based my question on the above quote.

So to ask a "correct" question, Why the diamondwood extension instead of maple?
D'Ya know the reasoning behind it?

God Bless, Ray

 

Diamondwood is inert. It's thin laminates of wood impregnated with epoxy and glued together. It works like wood, but it's really epoxy. The original piece was rosewood, but such a small piece of wood warps very easily. The reason for the color was arbitrary. I always thought bosendorfer pianos looked cool with the black and white keys inverted on the extended low notes of the imperial grand. So I did it on my bass. Also, I felt like a color contrast there would work better than two relatively light colors of wood. I thought the two light woods would just look like a mismatch...unintentionally.

The signature model is in the works. Has been for years and years. But I've settled on most of the details. The body slab has been glued up. It's mahogany with a pomaley sepeely top. Sorry for the spelling there...I really don't have a clue and I can't find it anywhere on the net. Ebony finger board, 3 piece maple neck, angled headstock, 24 fret with removable top 4 frets again (probably a maple colored diamond wood), duncans, some preamp...probably the standard Fodera pre. One thing we'll add is a mute switch. We're not sure where to put it yet, but it will be a non-mechanical switch operated with your left hand that, while touched, will mute the bass's output while you're pulling the fingerboard piece out. It frets out all the strings when you lift it up and since you're using your right hand to take it out, you can't mute the strings. Probably a few other little slick things too.

 

Oh and I forgot to mention...it is a totally new Fodera body shape. I'm really psyched about that!

 

Your going to post pictures right? Please do. Complete with spec out.

Thanks

God Bless, Ray

 

Pomelo Sapelê

 

Actually I believe it is pomelle sapele.

 

My spelling was in Portuguese.

English is Pommele Sapele. Yes, two M's, one L.

http://www.woodgallery.com/GrainSamplePages/Sapele_Pommele.html

 

I prefer this spelling!

My attempt at pronouncing it made me laugh. Correct or not I think the Portugese and English should adopt it.

God Bless, Ray