NBD- Fodera Monarch 5 string

Just received my new Monarch 5 bolt on with Ivorywood top. As a Fodera Endorser I have been privileged to spend alot of time with different Fo's. This is the third custom Ive had made with Fodera and it is by far and away the most amazing!

The specs are:
-Monarch Bolt-on
-33" Scale
-Ivorywood top
-Walnut Body (downsized and lightest possible)
-Ash neck
-Ebony Fingerboard
-small frets
-Seymour Duncan in Matt G pickup position
-Matt G cutaway at 24th fret
-Matt G neck carve
-Hipshot Ultralite tuners
-9.6 pounds

I have had the bass in my hands since 10 Am this morning, and this has been the first break I've taken from doing some serious woodshedding. My idea with this bass was to basically replicate Matthew Garrison's signature instrument tonally........
Man did they knock it out of the park!!!! The pickup location on this bass yields a completely different tone that Ive never had with any of my other Foderas. That bitey, aggressive, Jaco tone Ive been searching for I have finally found!!
Also, the Ash neck really just kills on this thing. Ive never felt the resonance in the neck the way I do with this bass. To Jason and all the Fodera family, I have to say that I am beyond impressed and am really looking forward to playing this instrument on my tour Nico and Vinz and the Jeff Sipe trio.

-T

 

I have owned several Fodera’s with maple necks which sound great. I also spent a lot of time with the Monarch standard fretless that had an oak neck which was sweet. However.....the ash neck is by far and away my favorite. It seems to really make the bass more percussive. Finger style and slap playing just seem to cut more on this bass!!