£11,000 bass guitar.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1428237491' post='2739415']
i wonder why the other bass makers in New York don't price there basses in the same way.? I'm sorry but Fodera price there basses very high, because they have very cleverly developed a name for themselves, and a reputation. There is no way Vinnie and his team make an instrument so superior to Roger Sadowsky or NewYork Bass Works, that they need to charge so much more, its just nonsense. they charge that much because they know they can get away with it.
[/quote]

If you don't get the difference between a Fodera and Sadowsky bass then you're probably not in the target market for either.

Edited April 6, 2015 by BigRedX

[molan]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1428263347' post='2739754']
Seems this bass isn't £11k.

The BGM review takes place at BassGear who've brought the bass into the UK.

In the back cover of the same issue, BassGear are advertising it for (only) £8,750.

Slightly lame for BGM, given they're running the whole '£11,000' schtick on the cover.
[/quote]

It is £11,00 new. The £8,750 is listed as a pre-owned and ex-display instrument.

[Lozz196]

An 11k bass isn`t for me, but that`s because I get what I want from a Fender Precision. If I were in the position to be able to afford 11k for an instrument, and it did what I wanted/needed, then sure, I`d buy one. Tools for the job - you get the ones that work best for you, at the price you can afford.

I never thought I`d spend over £500 on abass - and then I joined Basschat and the rest is history...................

[neepheid]

If you don't get/understand the price tag, fine. I don't get it either, but I don't question it - it's not relevant to me and there's no need to get all judgemental and preachy about it.

If they were doing it wrong, they'd go bust.

[BigGuyAtTheBack]

Your money, your choice. It doesnt look that special to me but what do I know. I rock an 80's Westone Thunder 1A, £80 off evibay! For £11000 I'd want it made from a super duper Unobtainium material, not some old bit of stick. Anyhoo if you've got the dough and it floats yer boat, jist buy it!

[juliusmonk]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1428313467' post='2740044']
If you don't get/understand the price tag, fine. I don't get it either, but I don't question it - it's not relevant to me and there's no need to get all judgemental and preachy about it.

If they were doing it wrong, they'd go bust.
[/quote]
But that's the fun of it... Working class sense of humour is about the last option we have... I can be ironic about a 1000£ business class flight ticket or a 500£ surplus on Fender purely for a matching headstock and 'period correct' features all the same, can't I? Yet there will be people buying them, nothing wrong with that. We're talking here about an extreme, just discussing the subjective perception of value in a market where the vast majority of high end items go new for half the price. There is nothing apparent in these basses that justifies the price tag, that's all. If they have some obscure magic, then the one I tried was devoid of it.

Edited April 6, 2015 by juliusmonk

[neepheid]

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1428317518' post='2740102']
[b]But that's the fun of it...[/b] Working class sense of humour is about the last option we have... I can be ironic about a 1000£ business class flight ticket or a 500£ surplus on Fender purely for a matching headstock and 'period correct' features all the same, can't I? Yet there will be people buying them, nothing wrong with that. We're talking here about an extreme, just discussing the subjective perception of value in a market where the vast majority of high end items go new for half the price. There is nothing apparent in these basses that justifies the price tag, that's all. If they have some obscure magic, then the one I tried was devoid of it.
[/quote]

I'm not seeing much fun in it, and there's definitely no joy.

[ahpook]

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1428317518' post='2740102']
Working class sense of humour is about the last option we have...
[/quote]

What's a 'working class sense of humour' ?

[Happy Jack]

I find myself wondering how much Fodera would have had to pay in advertising and PR to attract this amount of coverage, discussion, and controversy.

So by making a 'special' version of one of their standard basses and putting a slightly silly pricetag on it, they've managed to hook a well-known bass mag plus the largest bass-related website outside America. And for no money at all. These guys aren't stupid, y'know.

As to the high cost of their New York operation, their workshop is in the equivalent of a run-down part of London's Docklands. We're not talking Manhattan here, and the place itself is absolutely not glitz & glamour ... check out Bluejay's blog from last year.

Compared to a cup of coffee, an entry-level Chinese-made bass, or a carbon-fibre bicycle, that Fodera pricetag is huge. Compared to a university education, a high-end car, or a flat in London, that Fodera pricetag is trivial.

Which end of the telescope do you want to look through?

Edited April 6, 2015 by Happy Jack

[Norris]

I think I'll buy me three to hang over the mantelpiece. Those ceramic ducks are looking a bit dated

[ahpook]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1428320049' post='2740143']
I think I'll buy me three to hang over the mantelpiece. Those ceramic ducks are looking a bit dated
[/quote]



Much better than ceramic ducks too - you can burn the Foderas when you're bored of 'em...

Edited April 6, 2015 by ahpook

[juliusmonk]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1428319742' post='2740136']


What's a 'working class sense of humour' ?
[/quote]

I don't know - the kind people spending 11k on a bass don't have, perhaps 😊

But, seriously, I think this kind of debate is necessary - I can imagine people (not necessarily rich) easily thinking that these are the best basses in the world - and saving every penny in pursue of that holy grail. I too have considered it. There is nothing wrong with some of us saying it is just as likely to be your perfect bass as any other well-built, quality bass.

[Drax]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1428312783' post='2740037']


It is £11,00 new. The £8,750 is listed as a pre-owned and ex-display instrument.
[/quote]

Thanks for clarifying, that makes more sense.

The BGM review was as good as it gets. I assume this won't hang around long?

[molan]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1428325970' post='2740205']
Thanks for clarifying, that makes more sense.

The BGM review was as good as it gets. I assume this won't hang around long?
[/quote]

It's had one offer already!

[uncle psychosis]

It might take a while but eventually the world will realise that the price of something does not necessarily need to correlate with the cost of the parts and labour used to create it.

[ead]

I don't have a problem with it per se. I find it odd that it got 8/10 on the value for money though. I'd be interested to know how BGM determine what the appropriate score for that is as, per above, some folks will find £11k less of an issue than the other 99% of people.

When you look at some of the £1,000 to £1,500 basses that have have been reviewed by BGM and received the same VFM score (I know that price point is a bit down market for the mag) why is this particular bass 11 times better?

[molan]

I thought people might find it interesting who is actually buying the higher price ticket Foderas in the UK.

We've sold just three basses in the £10K area (two in the past year and one a couple of years ago).

The first went to a full time professional player. I don't think it's his main gigging bass but it certainly gets used a lot. He teaches every day and is out playing several nights a week. Not a 'name' player but definitely a proper working pro.

The next went to a university student. It's his only instrument so he uses it every day. He's also a very regular functions band player and teaches every day. In order to pay for it he took on more gigs and more students. He's now at Berklee and his Fodera travelled with him.

The third is a teacher. He's an 'everyday' state school teacher and plays in a couple of bands - one originals and one covers. He already has one, very nice Fodera Standard model and his custom build is due for completion soon.

All three of these guys are regular working people and not big money earners buying something as a status symbol. They are are all universally nice blokes as well who just wanted something to inspire them and chose a Fodera to do so

[ahpook]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1428334153' post='2740320']
I thought people might find it interesting who is actually buying the higher price ticket Foderas in the UK.

We've sold just three basses in the £10K area (two in the past year and one a couple of years ago).

The first went to a full time professional player. I don't think it's his main gigging bass but it certainly gets used a lot. He teaches every day and is out playing several nights a week. Not a 'name' player but definitely a proper working pro.

The next went to a university student. It's his only instrument so he uses it every day. He's also a very regular functions band player and teaches every day. In order to pay for it he took on more gigs and more students. He's now at Berklee and his Fodera travelled with him.

The third is a teacher. He's an 'everyday' state school teacher and plays in a couple of bands - one originals and one covers. He already has one, very nice Fodera Standard model and his custom build is due for completion soon.

All three of these guys are regular working people and not big money earners buying something as a status symbol. They are are all universally nice blokes as well who just wanted something to inspire them and chose a Fodera to do so
[/quote]

Thanks for the info !

[yorks5stringer]

How dare they go out and spend £10k+ of their own money on a Bass Guitar when they could have had a Deco Harley Benton for £50 or less....!

[skankdelvar]

£11,000? Is that all?

Was not the Ritter Royal Flora Aurum a princely $250,000? Diamond encrusted board and a gig-bag made from 10,000 year old mammoth's foreskin?




Frankly, I think it's marvellous that people make these things and other people buy them. And it costs us [i]nothing[/i] to look at them.

Even better that it pisses off those who'd have us all driving round in identical beige Trabants, the better to [s]enforce[/s] express the fraternal comradeship of the proletariat.

[juliusmonk]

Ah, we all know in a perfect world we would all be playing sunburst Squiers. You'd be able to choose one Behringer pedal too. Only one.

[Drax]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1428334153' post='2740320'] I thought people might find it interesting who is actually buying the higher price ticket Foderas in the UK... They are are all universally nice blokes as well who just wanted something to inspire them and chose a Fodera to do so [/quote]

Really interesting to hear this Barrie. Would be good topic for Bluejays upcoming BGM column!

And fantastic post Skank.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Drax

[throwoff]

The old saying is true, you pay your money, you take your choice.

I spent what someone referred to as 'a decent second hand car' on a couple of watches recently. Many people would think I am mad to spend that on something so trivial but I like it. If I had 20k going spare I would buy a 20k Breitling or Patek Phillipe.

Anything in this world is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.

[jonnythenotes]

. After you get your new wonder bass, do you then have to upgrade your amp and cab. No good putting aa £11000 bass through a Laney combo. Then are you going to find a new band, where all their gear is as good as yours....don't want to lose all that quality in a mess of lesser instruments. Then there is the PA.... That will have to be pretty good to show off the full potential of the bass. Also, make sure you have a top notch engineer... You cant mix something like that without a bit of expertise... you don't want it sounding like a run of the mill Fender. What about boomy stages, funny shaped rooms, and stuff that changes the sound you want that you have no control over. Then there is living in the fear of theft or damage. These mega basses sound great on there own, but once you introduce all the other countless things that make up a band, and the things that make a bands sound, your £11000 investment won't sound too different to instruments at a fraction of that cost. I use a Yamaha Bb2024....cost £1400 new... Not everyone's cup of tea, but It's a great bass that can take a few knocks, built like a tank, and out Fenders most new build Fenders in terms of sound. If you have the cash or desire...why not buy a super bass,, but don't forget that it won't sound like it did in the shop when you start gigging it.
.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1428415526' post='2741059']
. After you get your new wonder bass, do you then have to upgrade your amp and cab. No good putting aa £11000 bass through a Laney combo. Then are you going to find a new band, where all their gear is as good as yours....don't want to lose all that quality in a mess of lesser instruments. Then there is the PA.... That will have to be pretty good to show off the full potential of the bass. Also, make sure you have a top notch engineer... You cant mix something like that without a bit of expertise... you don't want it sounding like a run of the mill Fender. What about boomy stages, funny shaped rooms, and stuff that changes the sound you want that you have no control over. Then there is living in the fear of theft or damage. These mega basses sound great on there own, but once you introduce all the other countless things that make up a band, and the things that make a bands sound, your £11000 investment won't sound too different to instruments at a fraction of that cost. I use a Yamaha Bb2024....cost £1400 new... Not everyone's cup of tea, but It's a great bass that can take a few knocks, built like a tank, and out Fenders most new build Fenders in terms of sound. If you have the cash or desire...why not buy a super bass,, but don't forget that it won't sound like it did in the shop when you start gigging it.
.
[/quote]

Some people like to buy luxury items just because they derive pleasure from having nice things. Its not always about practicality.

People buy supercars but they still have to drive on the same roads and at the same speeds as the rest of us. The user above you likes expensive watches but they won't keep time significantly better than something that costs £10. Some people like to buy designer trainers for £££ even though they aren't much different to the ones you can buy in Schuh for £50.

People spend £thousands on paintings---literally just paint on a canvas. Why not spend similar money on a bass?

Disclaimer: I think people who spend Fodera money on basses are nuts. But thats cool, they can be nuts about Fodera and I'll keep being nuts about my own luxury purchases