molan

[quote name='Shane' timestamp='1349517626' post='1827222'] Right around the time I was ordering my bass, about six years ago, it was still just Vinnie, Joey and Mika in the shop. I was in and out of there quite a bit checking on my bass. They were having some serious financial and backordering issues though. I don't know who actually owns the company anymore, but I know they got loads of money from some Japanese company, and that's when they started pushing their "NYC Series" cheap-ass basses. Whatever his involvement is nowadays, I'm positive Vinnie doesn't work on the basses from start to finish like he used to. I'm not saying your not gonna get a quality bass if you custom order a new instrument from Fodera today, I'm just saying it's not gonna be what it used to be. [/quote] Well - I'm not really sure where to start in replying to this. The principal thing to say is that the majority of it is simply not true. I happen to know several people at Fodera personally and, In the interests of accuracy, I'll list out a few points of simple truth below: Vinny (note how he actually spells his name by the way) and Joey did not sell out the company to a Japanese investor. The pair of them own the, controlling, majority of the business. A further percentage is owned by Jason De Salvo who runs their front of house operation (amongst other things). He began working with Fodera in 2009. Virtually all of the balance is owned by other members of the team who invested in the business at this time and almost all of whom are enthusiastic musicians - there is no big anonymous third party company involved in any aspect of their business. Vinny, Joey & Jason work at Fodera every day. All three of them work 60-80 hour weeks as standard. This includes the summer months when the temperature soars in the workshop and they have no air con so they start work around 6:30AM. Vinny carves wood and Joey installs all electronics and circuits - every day. Vinny will openly state that the quality of instruments built by the company is better than it has ever been. Jason and his front of house customer service team have allowed Vinny & Joey to concentrate on what they do best - build amazing bass guitars. Of course you could say that Vinny would obviously say that his company has better quality control just because he stands to earn more from it. However, if you've met the man (and Joey for that matter) then you'd know he is one of the straightest and most honest people you could wish to meet. You may well be right that a new Fodera won't be the same as on older one, according the people who make them, it will be better. . . N.B. I'm in no way trying to say that the bass you have for sale isn't an absolutely fabulous instrument, it certainly looks it, but simply that your statements about the Fodera business and it's owners are not correct.

[quote name='XB26354' timestamp='1349417738' post='1825985'] If someone in the UK buys it the VAT is liable upon arrival at UK Customs, so US$ price (including shipping) converted into GBP, 3.7% import duty then 20% VAT added to the sum of UK price, shipping and duty. [/quote] So that works out at: $8,750 for the bass $200 shipping $2,121 duties and VAT $11,071 in total Dependent on prevailing exchange rate and cost of buying currency that's about £7,100 in total? Just wanted to check as the forum rules say that everything listed should show a price

Do you know how shipping, import duties and VAT would work? Also, how would the Fodera warranty operate?

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1349283427' post='1824299'] That's the most 'headed' headless bass that I have ever seen! [/quote] That's exactly what i was just thinking

[quote name='k-sad' timestamp='1349196910' post='1823159'] "before they were bought out" U sure of your infos mate? STUNNING monarch btw [/quote] I'm with you on this one - surely Fodera is still a private company and Vinny works, at one stage or another, on everything that goes through the workshop?

Have you checked TalkBass? There's a guy there looking for exactly the reverse trade! Perfect match . . .

Looks really nice - what scale length is it?

Oh my word - build time on a new one of these is crazy!

[quote name='eubassix' timestamp='1348477753' post='1813930'] Could happen .. but will take an eternity. Any Cheque would have to be signed in blood and accompanied by a Contract for your soul...(man).... [/quote] I'm fine on the signing with blood element but not sure mu soul is worth much any more

[quote name='Platypus' timestamp='1348436458' post='1813710'] Barrie, I think it's fair to say that you have had one of everything at one time or another! [/quote] I've never had a Dingwall

I spy a trend in pricing - does this mean it may eventually be available for an, appropriately devilish, £666

I had one of these for a while, great basses