molan

I can't believe how many people were there yesterday that I didn't meet (or recognise)! We definitely need to have an assigned time for a BassChat meet & greet - maybe at the bar, lol. I was also 'working' for most of the day with Phil on the BassGear stand so didn't get a huge amount of time to wander around. I did think there was a slightly strange feel to the GB area. Couldn't quite put my finger on it but it felt a bit cliquey and I spotted quite a few people walk over and then away again without getting close to any of Bernie's lovely basses. We were next to the Shuker stand and Jon seemed to be running it as a demo facility with a few fine musicians - Dood, I can't believe that was you and I didn't put two and two together when you were playing! I did catch some of Anna's midi stuff very early on, really interesting stuff. It didn't seem as much of a slap fest as I expected but I did notice the usual phenomena of hardly anyone playing something that they'd ever use in a band environment. Everyone seemed desperate to show off their technical chops. There was a point early one when Anna and Jon's other demo player were duetting (either with some midi drums or a drum track) and it was so refreshing to hear people playing what I would describe as 'music' I only got to see Victor Baily and thought he had some really interesting things to say about this sort of thing. Loved the 'money frets' tale, lol. Loved his 'tone' on a few things when he was just noodling around too, maybe more so than when he was demonstrating the Weather Report / Jaco stuff. Shame to see how his illness is taking its toll on him though. Some form of muscular dystrophy I think

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='983912' date='Oct 10 2010, 10:58 PM']you mean this one?? [attachment=61020:luke___fodera_nyc.JPG] Now that was a great bass!! i agree with luke, it was the bass of the day for me.........[/quote] This is the bass that won the mini shoot-out round at my place with a couple of friends one day vs a Sadowsky NYC Will Lee & a Celinder J Update. It really is very nice to play & has a great sizzle & snap to it

I'm here - Mancunian way totally closed and traffic backing up already!

Was this from Indigo2? If so, then I've been listening to music from this today as well

Forgot to say - i'm driving up from Oxfordshire if anyone needs a lift. i'm getting there pretty early because I need to help Phil with set-up so that may not suit people not working on the day (public tickets don't get access until 12:00 & I'll be there about 10:30!). Could easily give someone a lift back though if that helps. I'll probably be leaving early evening, would like to see Billy S though - so maybe after that

[quote name='Born 2B Mild' post='981054' date='Oct 7 2010, 11:07 PM']Do mention your avatar name when coming up to the Bass Gear stand ...I always like clocking fellow BC'ers. I'm being helped out on the stand by the very kind Yorks5stringer and Molan. See you there! Phil[/quote] Yep - I'm definitely coming up early in the morning Have managed to arrange to collect a couple of cabs for myself on the way up & drop off a bass for Phil & pick up two in exchange on the way home - some good organising there, let's hope I don't screw it up!

How about a little Junior Walker Sound is a bit muffled but I rather like the bass man in this clip & there's even a little solo at around 3.30. . .

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='949026' date='Sep 8 2010, 12:31 AM']The AC shocked me today, i was very impressed with it and can confirm the Hype makes sense. I like the Alleva paddle headstock in the flesh too. Never thought i'd say that.[/quote] If it's the one I think it is then it really is a particularly nice one. Quite an early model and from the NYC shop made before Jimmy moved out to LA. It's also been 'breathed on' by Martin Petersen which, I understand, made a real difference to the final playability

My new Alembic has gone insanely floppy! First 5 frets virtually unplayable & everything buzzing & rattling right up to 12th! Admittedly the action was pretty low to start with but I've never seen a bass move quite this far in such a short space of time. The Alleva Coppolo seems to have moved a bit as well - funnily enough both of these have had real pro set-up jobs to get them as low as they'd go & now both are buzzing away too much for me.

[quote name='gelfin' post='977754' date='Oct 4 2010, 10:15 PM']Nice post. I haven't seen this one before. I am a complete Yes fan. Play a couple of Rics. Here's a pic of my Cs ltd edition Ric and my latest aquisition a set of the new Taurus 3 bass pedals to compliment my Taurus 1's.[/quote] That looks like a lot of fun! Not sure I've seen anyone with twin Taurus pedals before

[quote name='silddx' post='977092' date='Oct 4 2010, 01:50 PM'] Exactly what I have been doing for the last week and a bit, over and over and over and over. The bass sound is the best I've heard, wonderful! The mix is great, the sound quality, Jon's voice, the stereo field backing vox, the song, everything is fabulous![/quote] I have it playing right now Love Squire's tone on this - makes me want to go & buy a Ric - which would be a complete waste as I'd never get anywhere near his sound, lol.

Just watching this now. I love Carole King and actually quite like the way her voice has broken up over the years - seems to have added an even more plaintive edge to her slower, more emotional, songs. Doesn't work as well on the more up tempo songs though JT has kinda grown on me over the years but he does grate on me a little after a while. Whilst I like Lee Sklar as a player I prefer to hear Jimmy Johnson with JT. I've been watching out for interplay between the two of them and there does seem to be some contact from JT, just feels like he's a bit more reserved that CK to me.

[quote name='silddx' post='975202' date='Oct 2 2010, 05:34 PM']I can't stop listening to the version of Siberian Khatru from Keys to Ascension, it's sublime.[/quote] Ooh - I'll have to check that album out, slipped past me somehow. In fact the only live Yes album I've ever really listened to is my original vinyl copy of YesSongs & it's been so long since I played it that when i just reached out to grab it from the shelf I discovered that the 2nd album has disappeared. Given that I've lived in this house for about 6 years, & that no-one ever touches my vinyl, it must have gone a long time ago, lol.

Only experience I have on a direct comparison was in a lovely Roscoe SKB I had. It came as standard with, supposedly custom wound, Barts but the previous owner had bought some Nords & gave them to me with the bass. I swapped them over and really didn't like the Nords at all. To my ears they sounded very sterile & seemed to rob the bass of the nice 'organic' sound it had. The Barts seemed to really bring out some character from the bass & worked well without any on-board pre-amp adjustments but also responded well to the pre as well. The Nords seemed to over emphasise everything too much for me. Could just be that the Barts had been well matched by Roscoe of course. I have a '78 J with Lollar pickups - they sound rally 'active' in a passive bass

I think it's a standard Monarch headstock, looks fabulous in 'real life'. I have one sitting next to me right now & it looks totally in proportion to the body and neck of the bass

Wow - look at these two babies that are just about to emerge from the Fodera shop I'm loving the look of these and the workmanship looks amazing. . .

[quote name='Musicman20' post='970447' date='Sep 28 2010, 10:34 AM']I cant see why youd want a pickguard on it! If the wood is that expensive, show it. Not my cup of tea, but there we go. I dont even think as I get older, and progress in law, that ill be attracted to the uber boutique instruments. But, we all have our tastes. If I had 5-8K to spend on basses, Id just buy 3-5 fairly high end yet normal bass guitars.[/quote] Funnily enough I'd do the exact opposite, lol. If I had a fixed budget then I'd go for the very best single bass I could afford. I'm not exactly one to talk about this as I haven't been following this maxim. However my final plan is to work out exactly which of my basses are the ones I like the most & then I'll sell all the rest. Currently my Fodera stands head and shoulders above the others. My principal exception to this broad theory is that I'd like to own a pair of them. Ideally one high end custom build that I'd mostly use at home and another more 'workmanlike' one for gigging and rehearsals. Currently I believe I own the latter so have my eyes (and wallet) firmly targeted towards the former

Only just remembered - I ordered a bass that originally came without a pickguard and I asked for one to be fitted - they fitted a lovely tort 'guard it was free. . .

[quote name='dood' post='969613' date='Sep 27 2010, 04:09 PM']I'd love to be there! What a line up and a great networking opportunity for any bass player![/quote] Looks like I have a 'chat' set up with Vic Wooten already

So here's a little practical example of the Fodera pricing policy. To have pickup covers made in wood that either match the front of the bass or the fretboard there's an upgrade charge of $450. To perfectly match, cut, finish & fit the covers amounts to 5 hours of labour from either Vinny or Joey (and let's not forget these are two of the foremost luthiers in the world so their time is highly demanded). That's a charge of $90 and hour or approx £60. I recently saw a BMW man hour charge of £115 an hour and, whilst I accept that BMW have to cover some pretty heavy equipment costs, I have a sneaking suspicion that Vinny & Joey are going to be a shade more skilled than the guy who works on my car. In fact even an average service guy for the plumbing or gas is charging about £35 for half an hour around my way! Of course the argument here then becomes whether it should really take them 5 hours to do a job like this. My view is that if it ends up looking absolutely immaculate & that it takes 5 hours to achieve this level of perfection then you pretty much get what you pay for. If you want some beautiful matched pickup covers, which I'm sure have no sonic value whatsoever but make you feel more inspired (or even just make you smile when you pick up the bass), then why not pay to have them fitted?

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='969060' date='Sep 27 2010, 01:24 AM']No, I think claiming a Trabant is the automobile equivalent of a £1200 bass guitar (let's say, oh, a Sandberg or a Shuker) is actually the most ludicrous comment on here And some (not all) of those Fodera prices are effing ridiculous (truss rod cover?!). Of course anyone is entitled to buy such a status item and if it floats your boat great, but you can't have it both ways, everyone else is entitled to think what they like when they see it. You'd better play extremely well indeed if you don't want some of them to think you're a bit of a wally![/quote] Sorry - I thought the point was that if you were only buying things because they would 'do' the job they were intended for then you'd go for the lowest cost option. I'm a very average player so obviously I'm not allowed to buy nice basses because people will think badly of me I'm afraid I still think that calling someone a "bell end" simply because they own something expensive is a ridiculous way to behave, especially in a public forum where some of those people might see the comment and be offended.

[quote name='maxrossell' post='969082' date='Sep 27 2010, 07:12 AM']I know people who own £50 watches, £20,000 cars, £20 handbags and £1,200 basses, and they're people who work bloody hard, are very successful at their careers and are reaping the benefits. Most people would think that those things are very nice indeed. But everyone I've ever met who owns £5,000 watches, £200,000 cars, £200 handbags and £12,000 basses inherited their wealth and hasn't done a proper day's work in their entire lives.[/quote] Maybe that's why we differ in opinions - I haven't met anyone with a £200K car (there really can't be many of these out there?) but I do know plenty of people who've had £40K - £60K cars, £200 is nothing out of the ordinary for a handbag for a lot of people I know (the last one my wife bought was £350 in the sale!), £3K+ watches are definitely pretty common where I work and, mostly through BC, I've met quite a few people with basses worth loads of money. Without exception every single one of these people has worked very hard indeed have enough money to buy these things. . .

Booked my tickets yesterday - looks like a great line-up this year! Clinics from: Victor Wooten Anthony Wellington Darryl Jones Sean Hurley Matt Garrison Nathan Watts Billy Sheehan Mike Inez David Ellefson Alphonso Johnson Divinity Roxx Bootsy Collins Bunny Brunel Alex Al Steve Bailey Gig featuring: Andrew Gouche Alphonso Johnson Quartet Boosty Collins All-Star Band Special Guest Appearances By: Tal Wilkenfeld Nathan East Lee Sklar Verdine White Chris Chaney Bryan Beller Jimmy Earl Reggie Hamilton Mike Merritt Paul S. Denman Oskar Cartaya John Pena John B. Williams Mike Visceglia Looks like a fun weekend

I have to admit that this thread has actually renewed my interest in buying a new Fodera - watch this space for 'incoming' messages