Russ Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've played a fair few Foderas in my time (including spending a couple of hours at the Fodera shop in NYC). They're alright. They look good, play quite nicely, but the tone didn't do it for me on any of them. Quite pingy and middy, not much in the way of "guts". Certainly no better than any other good custom maker. Personally, I think they've good instruments, but they've become rather overhyped, thanks to Wooten, Garrison, Jackson, Feraud, etc all playing and endorsing them. I think it's a "flavour of the month" thing, and these things seem to go in phases... for a long time, it was all about Alembic, then Carl Thompson, then Sadowsky, then Fodera, and it seems to be Alleva-Coppolo's turn now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkew Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I have just picked up my new Rumour from Bernie at Gb and it is the DB's. I spoke to Bernie 6 7 months ago as I needed some EBS info and we started talking Fodera. I asked him his opinion and after my phone had melted, we talked about the GB's. If you look at the pick ups and electronics in the Fodera a lot of it is bog standard that can be purchased anywhere. When compared to the GB, you can appreciate the difference in wizardry that the GB has. Maybe I am biased now that I own one, but the price and what you receive for your money is amazing. I will post some pics shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Makes you wonder if Foderas would be the price they are if they did not have some of the best names in bassplaying endorsing them. Now, there's two sides to every coin so.... If you saw a Fodera in a shop window having never seen or heard one before, would you rush in to try it out? There was a time in all of our bassplaying lives when none of us had ever seen one in the flesh or heard one. What probably draws us into looking at them in the first place is hearing, seeing, or reading that someone like the big Vic or Anthony Jackson uses one. It sounds great, 50% because of what it is, and 50% because of how good the player is. You're all probably thinking at this point that if those artists use them, then they must be great. True, however, they don't pay for them and the builders at Fodera are building it to their exact spec. Therfore, it's perfect for that player. Buying a Vic Wootten Ying Tong Yiddle I Po is always going to be a compromise of some sort if it wasn't built for you, to your spec. I recently bought a BN5. A fabulous bass that I'd always wanted. It's superb but it wasn't perfect. I don't mean the construction, quality or sound, the quality is second to none. I mean the feel. No way could I afford a personal build. I mailed George Furlanetto and asked if it would void my warranty if I took the back of the neck down by 1mm. He being the guy he is, mailed back with instructions on what, and what not to do the achieve what I wanted without a warranty problem and understood why I wanted to do this. So, I did, and now it's perfect for me. Bottom Fodera line is, if you love it and have the money, then it's worth it. To you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Having had the opportunity to try both a GB Rumour and a Fodera - see above - my comment about gigging a bass to really know it is even more relevant. When I tried them solo in somebody's house there was not a lot between them. They both played and sounded good. But when I used the Rumour with the band I straight away knew that something was wrong. The sound was dead. It now sports a new pre-amp because the original was, to use the technical term, f***ed. It would be interesting to compare them now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyparrot Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Never played one, but i cant see how any manufacturer can justify 5k + on a bass. No bass can trully be that expensive in materials unless made of gold?? 2k Is the max i would pay for a brand new bass, and whatever for a vintage fender. But good luck to thoses that have them, and can afford them. I would worry about gigging my CSFender jazz (100 made) let alone a 6k bass no matter how good it sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I tried on once and it totally wasn't my sort of bass. Are they worth the money? Well I have tried a few instruments over the years (not necessarily bass) that were so amazing that I had to have them, and what they cost didn't really come into the equation (other than the fact that I could somehow rustle the money up). So, yes - I'd say they are worth it if you really want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veils Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Music Ground in Manchester had one in a while ago. It was absolutely stunning. I'd say second best bass I have ever played and anything under it had a long way to catch up. It was effortless to play, so responsive to the dynamics of my playing, gorgeous tone, very pretty and felt really really well built. I couldn't actually put a finger on anything that wasn't quite right with it. At the time I was putting money aside for my Shuker so I couldn't afford it, but if I hadn't been saving I would have had it in an instant. In truth I haven't played as many custom built basses as a lot of people on here, but it was better than any Sei, Ken Smith, Status, Wal or Alembic I have ever tried and be a fair distance. Horses for courses though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 ...and the best bass that you have ever played? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Their Emperors look fantastic, but aside from that I wouldn't say they were the best looking of basses. I would however, love to try one. I saw a couple of their NYC's in the Gallery and they were hellishly overpriced. It's fine to charge what you want I guess but I don't think it's fair charging people over the odds for a name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote name='Ballie' post='418872' date='Feb 25 2009, 12:07 AM']At the same time, Hadrien Feraud owns a Beez Elite 5 custom built to the specs of his Burner 5 which he plays more often.[/quote] I've heard from one source that he's not that keen on his Fodera and is still shopping around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veils Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='450496' date='Mar 31 2009, 01:36 PM']...and the best bass that you have ever played?[/quote] Well that would be mine, but that's because it's built how I want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Any bass that you enjoy playing, like the sound and looks of and you can afford without getting into either financial or relationship difficulties, is worth it. Doesn't matter what the name on the headstock is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoombung Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Do they all sound like this? He's not going to charm anyone with a tone like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote name='Spoombung' post='450858' date='Mar 31 2009, 08:40 PM'] Do they all sound like this? He's not going to charm anyone with a tone like that.[/quote] As impressive as that clip is, that's a guitarist playing a bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Why is it a guitar player playing bass? More notes? Different technique? Why can't you play more notes or use those techniques on a bass? What would a bass player play it like? So far as I'm concerned it's all valid, as long as it fits the context of the music. When you're playing on your own, [i]anything[/i] is valid. It's a musical instrument; do with it what you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) [quote name='4000' post='450926' date='Mar 31 2009, 10:15 PM']Why is it a guitar player playing bass? More notes? Different technique? Why can't you play more notes or use those techniques on a bass? What would a bass player play it like? So far as I'm concerned it's all valid, as long as it fits the context of the music. When you're playing on your own, [i]anything[/i] is valid. It's a musical instrument; do with it what you will.[/quote] That's probably true. I'm not saying it's a bad thing either, it's very much a player's prerogative how they perform. However, despite this I would describe his playing as not particularly serving of what a bass's main function is, and probably not a good indicative of how a Fodera sounds. Edited March 31, 2009 by liamcapleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Hmm...interesting (and valid) as Di Piazza's style/technique/music is, I don't think the sound in the clip is typical of a Fodera MG Imperial at all. It would be interesting to see what he's playing through. The rapid flourishes don't seem to show off the sound of the bass particularly well (IMO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote name='liamcapleton' post='450915' date='Mar 31 2009, 10:01 PM']As impressive as that clip is, that's a guitarist playing a bass.[/quote] I found that rather soothing and quite pleasnt. It's nice to hear a flamenco stylee in that register. The bass sounds fine in that context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoombung Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 [quote name='lozbass' post='450969' date='Mar 31 2009, 11:13 PM']Hmm...interesting (and valid) as Di Piazza's style/technique/music is, I don't think the sound in the clip is typical of a Fodera MG Imperial at all. It would be interesting to see what he's playing through. The rapid flourishes don't seem to show off the sound of the bass particularly well (IMO)[/quote] That's what I thought. It sounds like a £65 bass. It could be poor technique, I suppose, as he sounds like he's struggling a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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