New DR Fodera merger

[Pyrrho Epoche]

Bass Alien Store has old stock Foderas SS still. About the only seller that I have found. Maybe this can help anybody looking for originals.

 

[s_wood]

Has anybody actually compared the new DR-made Fodera strings with the strings originally made by Fodera?

 

[moon-bass]

So, how I see it, Its basically a DR string...priced $15.00 more(period)

Not necessarily - Fodera's specs, the metal that they use, etc. can/will be different than what DR. The string can be entirely different, just made by DR.

I read an article saying that the Kirkland (Costco's house brand) cranberry juice comes from the exact same facility as Ocean Spray. So if you buy Kirkland cranberry juice, you're literally getting Ocean Spray without paying extra for the Ocean Spray name.

In some cases yes, some cases no. For some commodities, for instance, the ingredients might be different (for instance, maybe Costco uses slightly more water in the concentrate to save money, etc. - there was a brand of flavored water that use a different grade of sweetener for store label" brands). For other items, they are exactly the same (Starbucks makes Kirkland's coffee and they are exactly the same thing in different packaging).

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

Has anybody actually compared the new DR-made Fodera strings with the strings originally made by Fodera?

I have not compared both yet. I have new sets of each, but have been waiting on the mailman to drop the GHS Contact Cores. More interested to demonstrate those. The FoderaDR's now, I could not notice any difference between them and my HiBeams--even the tension was the same. I could not even tell the difference when looking at them... maybe just a tad more lows on the FoderaDR, but it was like comparing French dark chocolate or Suisse dark choc.

 

[s_wood]

I have not compared both yet. I have new sets of each, but have been waiting on the mailman to drop the GHS Contact Cores. More interested to demonstrate those.

Let us known how the Contact Cores compare!

 

[Jon Moody]

Not necessarily - Fodera's specs, the metal that they use, etc. can/will be different than what DR. The string can be entirely different, just made by DR.

Exactly. It's an over-generalization for someone to say "If DR is making Fodera strings, they're just DR" without looking at all of the information.

Granted, strings are simple products to make and competing brands are closer than they may realize.

 

[Ggaa]

Got the Fodera nickels, 45-125, a tad stiffer than Fats, what I was looking for. Just done one rehearsal with them, gig pending(different rig).

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

The DRxFoderas are a little darker than the Hi beams.... to my sight, touch, tension and ears, there was not much difference.---I will just keep repeating myself. Man only hears what he wants to hear.

The new Foderas are more expensive than the High Beams---that's all I am saying. They are also made in the DR factory with DR metals/cores.

Try them, then post your thoughts!

The new SS Foderas 45-105 were tested on my '98 Stingray, right after I took the High Beams 45-105 off of my Stingray. I wanted something brighter than the High Beam, but the FoderaXDR were too much like the High Beams.

 

[winegamd]

@Ggaa, how do the nickels compare to DR Pure Blues?

 

[Jon Moody]

They are also made in the DR factory with DR metals/cores.

Lol that second part of the sentence.

There are probably three wire mills in the US that supply metals/cores to all of the string manufacturers. One of those companies happens to be owned by D'Addario.

Are you going to make an argument that "Brand X is made with D'Addario metals/cores so they're a D'Addario product" too?

This is all still assumption as we don't know the facts, but is safe to say that the original Fodera strings and current ones were always made with the same metals/cores, because DR and Fodera bought them from the same manufacturer.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I am done with this thread that i created months ago, where guys show up every few weeks and mansplain sh*t to me.

You guys are welcome. For those that have found my info useful, I am glad that I could shed some light on the new Foderas.

 

[Ggaa]

@Ggaa, how do the nickels compare to DR Pure Blues?

They are a little stiffer than Pure Blues, too. Not super familiar with PB tone, but the Foderas have a bit of piano tone.

 

[Jon Moody]

I am done with this thread that i created months ago, where guys show up every few weeks and mansplain sh*t to me.

You guys are welcome. For those that have found my info useful, I am glad that I could shed some light on the new Foderas.

Definitely didn’t mean to mansplain, but offer some insight into an industry I spent a decade in.

 

[winegamd]

They are a little stiffer than Pure Blues, too. Not super familiar with OB tone, but the Foderas have a bit of piano tone.

Thank you @Ggaa. I love the Pure Blues, but wanted to try the lighter DRxFodera nickel six string set. I worried they might be too floppy, but most of the feedback on here says the new merger strings are stiffer/more controlled. Definitely looking forward to trying them now.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

Let us known how the Contact Cores compare!

So far they are great strings, my Gravity picks(acrylic) catches the string more, but the Prodigy picks(delrin) glide alot smoother when sweeping. Zero clank(med/heavy tension) and plenty of brightness. Both the FoderaXDR and GHS's are great strings for the price. Time will tell. I did not have to adjust the action or intonation at all with the GHS either, but did have to lower the pickups a mm or two on my Stingray Sp, but YMMV.

 

[winegamd]

Any warbling in the high register of the low strings from the GHS?

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

Any warbling in the high register of the low strings from the GHS?

I played only for about 20 min with obscene distortion. No clank or warbling that I noticed, and I was listening for that, but I will try tomorrow and back off the distortion and listen again. I do have them installed and setup down to the precise Stingray specs.​

 

[CadillacBass]

Here's a video of Laura, Vinny Fodera's daughter talking about the new strings. It's very informative.

 

[Ggaa]

K, just played a gig(and 2 rehearsals) with Fodera nickel 45-125. They don't sound or feel like Fats. They're stiffer(good thing)like Dadd nickels, could go lower than with FBs. Using DRs sound samples they sounded most like PureBlues when new, anyway(I suggested that they add Foderas to the sound sample page). Great B string.
Worth~45 bux, not sure yet.

 

[Wini]

I was a longtime user of R. Cocco Nickel... then switched to Fodera. All 45-105 Nickel. I was very happy with the original Foderas (on my 1999 Japan Precision with Fender 63 PU).

I recently switched to DR Pure Blues because there were no Fodera Strings around... Now I tried the DR x Fordera 45-105 Nickel.

In appearance Pure Blues and DR x Fodera look the same. They nearly feel the same. Sound can only be compared with new ones (and I don't have the money and time to test new Pure Blues versus New DRxFodera).

Time will tell if they develop different ... but in the first glance they are very near to each other. Maybe the DRxFodera are a touch brighter and stiffer... but to be honest – maybe this is in my head because they cost (in Germany) 4 EUR more ;-)