Question for Fodera Monarch P Owners

[BigBadBen67]

Hey all,

I have a question for anyone who owns or has played a Fodera Monarch P (standard or classic). Would you say that they sound like a P bass?

Here's the thing. I'm a P bass guy. Whenever I plug a P bass into an amp, especially an all tube amp I'm good to go. That's my tone, right there. But then I have a Fodera Monarch Standard Classic, the one with the two Seymour Duncan soapbar pickups. That thing just plays like nobody's business. The neck and overall feel of it are otherworldly. And in truth I love how it sounds but it isn't a P bass, even if I set it to dual-coil passive mode and solo the neck pickup. Great tone, but not a P bass. So I'm thinking that if the Monarch P has that classic P bass tone that it might be perfect for me.

So I'm looking for thoughts from people who have experience with them. I know it stands to reason that it would sound like a P, but there are a lot of factors that go into bass tone and maybe the build takes this bass in a different direction? Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who has played one.

 

[Beej]

I don't own one but have played one and to my ears, it sounded like a P should sound. Which makes sense considering Fodera's goal was to make a P sounding bass that plays like a Fodera

"The Fodera Monarch-P bass guitar continues our Standard Classic series, but available in a passive configuration featuring Seymour Duncan’s latest retrospec'd series of pickups providing accurate vintage tone with Fodera playability and construction." ​

Monarch 4 P Standard Classic - DEPOSIT

 

[pauliebass]

I’m also eyeballing one of these. I really like that it has 22 frets.

 

[Bald-N-Bassy]

I own a monarch P classic and have another on order.
Here’s my .02, I’ve been mainly a P player for decades. The monarch p definitely does the p sound. Depending on which pickup is installed. Since they’ve used several different manufacturers. My current one has the Duncan pu. It sounds like a spb1. But I’ve been told by a Fodera endorser that the pickups are made to Fodera specs and they’re not an off the shelf pickup. The one on order says nordstrand will be the stock.

The playability on the Fodera is much better than any stock setup fender all day long. The neck shape and nut width is different. Mine has the standard neck shape. They do offer a thinner profile.
The monarch P body shape is slightly larger than a standard monarch.

I also have a yin yang 4 and monarch 5. Recently sold my monarch 4 to fund the 2nd P.

If you like the P sound and the playability of your monarch 4. You’ll love the monarch P.

 

[Keithunem]

I know this is an older post, but I have this bass and love it. Mine came with Aguilar pickups and I swapped them for ‘62 Fender Custom Shop pickups. It plays like a dream and sounds like an older Fender…punchy, growls, and yet quite articulate!