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Putting a badge on to double the price? Fodera P & J


MuddBass
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I can't imagine spending that much for any bass, really, but I'd certainly expect something a bit less standardised for that price. And I have to say, the body shape reminds me of something you'd get from a mildly inventive budget brand.

Nice to hear they treat their workers well, though. That's certainly a factor I would weigh in when determining whether or not to pay a bit extra for a certain piece of kit.

Edited by ZilchWoolham
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In any case, I think their target market are Fodera players (of which there a great many who happily spend the money), who want a P bass by Fodera. Not necessarily a player who isn't already 'in the fold' who's after a P bass.

Si

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[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1484180260' post='3213423']
In any case, I think their target market are Fodera players (of which there a great many who happily spend the money), who want a P bass by Fodera. Not necessarily a player who isn't already 'in the fold' who's after a P bass.
[/quote]

^^This

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I'm not saying this would be THE bass for me, but if they do:
5 string version of this,
19mm spacing,
45mm nut
sings with the clarity of a Warwick,
Weight of 4-4.5Kg
Empty pre-amp cavity
Right looks (and the blue version looks good to me.

I'll place my order today. I could sell most of my collection. It would save space, I'd free up some money and I'd enjoy looking into pre-amps to go in there rather paying for and then putting up with what the manufacturers give you.

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[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1484141775' post='3212965']
About £2.5k, then? (Plus another few hundred to get it sent to the UK?) I think the Monarch P looks gorgeous and, if I had the money, would gladly buy one.

I would definitely rather spend the cash on this, a new instrument of the highest quality, than a 40-50 year old piece of crap that should really be put in the bin. I wouldn't buy anything with failing frets, failing electronics, failing and rusting hardware, flaking paintwork, and very ordinary construction.
[/quote]

You missed out saying that the ones in good condition have possibly spent years in a cupboard because the owner couldn't get on with it and didn't like it, but simply didn't need to move it on.

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[quote name='Grahambythesea' timestamp='1484091075' post='3212699']
I think the design is hideous, looks like a really cheap model that's avoiding getting sued by fender.
[/quote]
There are 101 other look-a-like makers to go for before Fender go after Fodera.

On the subject of the empty electronic cavity:
Back in the 60s and 70s BMW and Mercedes cars had radios fitted as an optional extra. The thinking being that you don't pay that kind of money for the car, only to be forced into having a cheap radio screwed in the dash.

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I just wonder how much these new models and the last couple of years' standard models dilute the brand image of Fodera.
They have been always known of makers of individual, customizable instruments of the highest quality.
What they do with the Standards and these newer models makes complete sense from a business point of view but takes away the magic for some, I think.

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I don't think so.

Lakland, Sadowsky, MTD, Overwater, Fender, Musicman and many other quality manufacturers have "cheaper" lines that are highly rated in their own rite and these haven't impacted the reputation of the main brand.

I don't see why Fodera will be adversely affected. These new basses will cost less than the custom models but with the focus on quality they will still be amazing instruments. That they are double the price of some other bass is pretty irrelevant.

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It's all largely irrelevant to me, as I think they're two of the worst bastardisations of the Fender design I've ever seen. If you gave me one I'd sell it immediately. Fodera owners may well love them, and will probably be able to afford them. Good luck to em, it's their money. :)

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Why the gripes about it being passive?

If you buy a nice James Tyler Mongoose guitar that'll set you back the same kind of money and it's essentially a Les Paul'd Tele. But it is the best guitar I've ever played in my life.

These basses are going to be out of reach for lots of people and some people can afford it and won't pay either. But I'd like to try one out before I'd slate it for being Fender inspired. You don't need a preamp for a bass to sound amazing and they cost next to nothing to make.

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[quote name='nash' timestamp='1484307544' post='3214516']
You don't need a preamp for a bass to sound amazing and they cost next to nothing to make.
[/quote]

IMO if you need a pre-amp in a bass to make it sound good (other than basses like Wals where the pre-amp works in a very different way to normal tone controls) then there is something wrong with the rest of your rig.

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I have no doubt that it's an excelent bass and will play and sound wonderfully but i can't see there enough material/hardware/hand labour that would be worth the price tag. It's another case of Fenderitis... as long as people are willing to pay the price they'll keep selling.

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[quote name='nash' timestamp='1484307544' post='3214516']
Why the gripes about it being passive?

[/quote]

I think at that price point people expect all the whistles and bells.

Also there's a preamp cavity fitted to the bass, just no actual preamp.

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[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1484322310' post='3214705']


I think at that price point people expect all the whistles and bells.

Also there's a preamp cavity fitted to the bass, just no actual preamp.
[/quote]

It's just rear routing for the controls. Of course it could be tighter but then everyone would moan that you'd have to make permanent mods to it to put a preamp in. Much like a Fender USA Deluxe Tele. They're SS pickups and routed SSH. It's cheaper without it being detrimental to the instrument and helps with not perminetly changing the instrument.

Fodera are expensive but that enables wood to be picked with more care, fretwork to be perfect etc. IMO who needs an onboard pre when most of them can be found in pedal form, Aguilar, Sadowsky etc.

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I have to be honest and say that, regardless of price, this design doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Not my taste. However, in the wider context, the problem I have with most of these "super-Fender" basses is that they sound too refined, missing the essential grit and grunt which is the heart of the Fender tone. Adding a preamp usually only makes matters worse. Marcus Miller has a great sound, but I'm not sure about the thousands of bad imitators he has inspired.

In the right hands a good Fender bass sounds as satisfying as any other bass on the market, whatever it costs. A Fodera at whatever price, will sound different and some may prefer that tone. But in terms of the sound coming out of your speakers, can you say that it is demonstrably better than a Fender? I almost always prefer the rawer tone of a Fender, but that might be my eccentricity in old age.

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People will buy these. They've made a good business decision to try and get in on the vintage thing.

Me personally, I'd rather spend my 4k on a mid 60s refinished P bass which has been well looked after and maintained. But that's just me.

You've got to be pretty crackers to order one of these and not play it before you pay for it.

You can guarantee that at this price level the workmanship is going to be incredible. But you can't guarantee that it will sound amazing. Some basses are just really average. Foderas too. Best wait a few months for some to crop up second hand and go and try one and see if it's worth it.

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Devils advocate...

A new Fender Elite Precision in 3TSB is just shy of £2000. That's not far off the price of a custom spec build from a number of U.K. based luthiers! Fodera are far more established than some of the smaller UK builders and as mentioned earlier, costs are much higher and profit margins are slim (unlike Fender, who give slim margins to resellers rather than taking the hit themselves) but for an extra £1200, the extra time, effort, love and upgrades on tonewoods, hardware and electronics over an 'off-the-shelf' Fender is definitely worth it IMO (even more so if you choose a U.K. builder whose price is almost comparable to the Fender Elite range!).

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