Are you good enough to play a Fodera?

[4000]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

And the Fodera neck was too slim for me but that's just my preference.

 

That’s interesting as none of the Foderas that I’ve played have had what struck me as particularly slim necks. I love slim necks, FWIW. 

[AndyTravis]

26 minutes ago, SteveH said:

My basses are worth more than my car....... which is a 15 year old Ford Focus !☹️

My car is still worth a bit more than my basses…just. 
 

Im due to replace it soon…but…I like it, so I’ll wait until it dies on me and it’s worth £4

[Tdw]

20 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I think that a Fodera has become a shortcut to describe any expensive ‘boutique’ bass – it could equally apply to an Alembic, F bass, Ken Smith or whatever. 

 

FWIW, the best bass I have ever played actually is a Fodera. The build quality was out of this world, really impressive, it played like a dream and the preamp was ace and it just sounded great. I could easily afford one if I wanted to, I would just have to sell a few basses to do so. The thing is, as good as the Fodera is, do I need it? I have a £2.5k ‘super jazz’ that works great with most of the gigs I do and a 70s Fender that is really cool for other gigs. I’ve also got a nice Stingray that I really like – would I want to sell all three to afford a Fodera, as good as it is? 

 

I did once consider buying an Alembic Epic many years ago. However, when I went down to the old Bass Centre to try one, as soon as I picked it up I realised that the neck just wasn’t for me (purely subjective of course). I didn’t even plug it in! A guy I know does have an Alembic (Series 1, I think). A great bass. He had the opportunity to get it secondhand for £3k or so, so he sold a couple of basses and has since used it on a couple of hundred gigs or so, mainly pubs or clubs. If you were to try and tell him that he shouldn’t be using a bass like that on semi-pro gigs, he would think that there was something wrong with you!

 

I agree, the la fey /alembic were just examples of boutique basses that in my eyes are a bit more daring appearance wise and a bit less full on coffee table than say a fodera or a ken smith.

[Tdw]

20 hours ago, peteb said:

 

Oops double post

Edited February 14, 2022 by Tdw

[dclaassen]

I would never criticise Fodera or the person who buys/plays one, I have friends who are military musicians and always play these kind of basses,and they are all a lot better than I am. I’ve been around instruments and musicians for over 50 years. A vintage Selmer sax plays better than just about anything. Same for a Bach Strad trumpet.I have a decent flattop, but would grab a D35 in a heartbeat. 
 

most people would find that better instruments cost more, and play better, even in this era of CAD/CAM. It’s okay to say you don’t care for something, but that doesn’t mean someone else can’t see value in it.

[molan]

2 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

When I tried the Alembic, I found my fingers flying all over the neck. I tried a little fiddly bass run I've always struggled to play cleanly - the bass/synth run in Yes' Machind Messiah - and I did it! It's not all guff you know.

This is exactly it for me. There are certain basses that allow me to play things that I simply can’t on other ones. Fodera happens to be one of these. 
 

Ritter and Sei are the other two builders who do the same for me although, oddly, I tended to struggle a little more with my Alembics. 
 

That simple playability, in turn, increases my confidence and make my playing more fluent. 
 

 

[OliverBlackman]

38 minutes ago, molan said:

This is exactly it for me. There are certain basses that allow me to play things that I simply can’t on other ones. Fodera happens to be one of these. 
 

Ritter and Sei are the other two builders who do the same for me although, oddly, I tended to struggle a little more with my Alembics. 
 

That simple playability, in turn, increases my confidence and make my playing more fluent. 
 

 

I hope this is true. It will make all these years practising on a crappy Squier VM worth it. 

[dclaassen]

It is absolutely true…

[4000]

53 minutes ago, molan said:

This is exactly it for me. There are certain basses that allow me to play things that I simply can’t on other ones. Fodera happens to be one of these. 
 

Ritter and Sei are the other two builders who do the same for me although, oddly, I tended to struggle a little more with my Alembics. 
 

That simple playability, in turn, increases my confidence and make my playing more fluent. 
 

 

Alembic - well, some of them (Epics, for instance, are far too chunky for me) - and many Sei basses for me, of the boutiques. However as I prefer a neck that is narrow all the way along and pretty thin front to back, anything with that kind of profile, very straight, with very low action, works for me. I don’t like flatter radius fingerboards though. There was nothing exceptional - for me - about any of the Fodera necks I’ve played. Obviously others may feel differently as it’s all very personal and I’m sure many wouldn’t get on with the sort of necks I like. 

[molan]

1 hour ago, 4000 said:

Alembic - well, some of them (Epics, for instance, are far too chunky for me) - and many Sei basses for me, of the boutiques. However as I prefer a neck that is narrow all the way along and pretty thin front to back, anything with that kind of profile, very straight, with very low action, works for me. I don’t like flatter radius fingerboards though. There was nothing exceptional - for me - about any of the Fodera necks I’ve played. Obviously others may feel differently as it’s all very personal and I’m sure many wouldn’t get on with the sort of necks I like. 

I also like really thin and narrow necks. My Ritter is the thinnest I own. My Sei PJ is probably next. Interestingly, both are slightly shorter scale length as well, 33.3” & 33.5” respectively. 
 

With the higher end Foderas all being custom builds, I’ve seen all sorts of neck profiles. 
 

My old 83 and 86 were much narrower than ‘standard’ and great to play. The 83 was a JJ and I had a feeling it was based on a slinky early 60’s Fender. The 86 sounded nicer though. 
 

I also had one from around 2010 that had a very thin neck.

 

I did see Monarch with huge baseball bat of a neck ad well. I think Vinnie & Joey will build almost anything - although Joey told me they built something once they knew wouldn’t work but the customer insisted. As soon as he tried it, he realised they were right and it needed a huge amount of work to sort. Joey said there’s a kind of ‘invisible line’ that they wouldn’t cross after that experience. 

[Chris2112]

3 hours ago, molan said:

 

I did see Monarch with huge baseball bat of a neck ad well. I think Vinnie & Joey will build almost anything - although Joey told me they built something once they knew wouldn’t work but the customer insisted. As soon as he tried it, he realised they were right and it needed a huge amount of work to sort. Joey said there’s a kind of ‘invisible line’ that they wouldn’t cross after that experience. 

 

What was it that didn't work, out of interest? 

[Passinwind]

On 06/02/2022 at 10:55, Rayman said:

Here's a question.....

 

Have you ever felt guilty, or that you're really not good enough to own that expensive bass?

 

Thoughts?

Nope, my only thought is wondering if that expensive bass is good enough for me. I clearly deserve better but since you're only giving away a Fodera and not Glen Moore's Klotz upright, it'll  have to do I suppose.

[Passinwind]

Just now, Passinwind said:

. 😉

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Passinwind

[tegs07]

On 13/02/2022 at 08:55, Skybone said:

Am I good enough to play a Fodera?

 

Probably not.

Define good? Personally I’d rather listen to Jah Wobble, JJ Burnel, Aston Barrett than Jaco etc 

 

[4000]

10 hours ago, molan said:

I also like really thin and narrow necks. My Ritter is the thinnest I own. My Sei PJ is probably next. Interestingly, both are slightly shorter scale length as well, 33.3” & 33.5” respectively. 
 

With the higher end Foderas all being custom builds, I’ve seen all sorts of neck profiles. 
 

My old 83 and 86 were much narrower than ‘standard’ and great to play. The 83 was a JJ and I had a feeling it was based on a slinky early 60’s Fender. The 86 sounded nicer though. 
 

I also had one from around 2010 that had a very thin neck.

 

I did see Monarch with huge baseball bat of a neck ad well. I think Vinnie & Joey will build almost anything - although Joey told me they built something once they knew wouldn’t work but the customer insisted. As soon as he tried it, he realised they were right and it needed a huge amount of work to sort. Joey said there’s a kind of ‘invisible line’ that they wouldn’t cross after that experience. 

I defer to your greater experience of Foderas, but the Fodera necks I’ve played have all been kind of similar and not especially to my taste, although I’m sure that like you say they could build something that was. They’ve been ok, but nothing special. 

 

I do note your mention of an early ‘60s Fender though (I assume you mean a Jazz) and I simply don’t really get on that well with any Fender necks, from any era. The ‘60s Jazz necks are thin at the nut but otherwise not so much and I don’t spend a great deal of time around the nut. I don’t tend to like a pronounced taper either. I can play them, but they’re not my preference by any stretch. 
 

I tend to agree with what others have said re the sound too; the only Fodera guy I especially like sonically is Matt Garrison. I think Victor, for instance, has a horrible sound, no disrespect to his playing. 

[bassist_lewis]

I took a trip to The Bass Gallery yesterday and played a Fodera, a 6 string Monarch I think. It was nice, sounded pretty good, found that sound you hear from the classic Fodera players like Matt Garrison, Janek Gwizdala etc., though I definitely couldn't play the same lines! But honestly I wasn't that taken with it. I much preferred the Wilcock and Rob Allen basses I tried.

Doesn't matter how much you spend on your instrument, what you like matters more.

[funkypenguin]

50 minutes ago, bassist_lewis said:

I took a trip to The Bass Gallery yesterday and played a Fodera, a 6 string Monarch I think. It was nice, sounded pretty good, found that sound you hear from the classic Fodera players like Matt Garrison, Janek Gwizdala etc., though I definitely couldn't play the same lines! But honestly I wasn't that taken with it. I much preferred the Wilcock and Rob Allen basses I tried.

Doesn't matter how much you spend on your instrument, what you like matters more.

 

Was it this one?? That was part of the inspiration for my own build  

The Gallery nailing it there with the URL having it as a Fender monarch btw....

https://thebassgallery.com/products/fender-monarch-6

[bassist_lewis]

1 hour ago, funkypenguin said:

 

Was it this one?? That was part of the inspiration for my own build  

The Gallery nailing it there with the URL having it as a Fender monarch btw....

https://thebassgallery.com/products/fender-monarch-6

Yes it was! its not even themes expensive Fender I've ever seen! hope you enjoy yours!

[funkypenguin]

35 minutes ago, bassist_lewis said:

Yes it was! its not even themes expensive Fender I've ever seen! hope you enjoy yours!

Thanks! Mine has just started construction and is due for completion in early April, so not too long now  

 

[tauzero]

On 11/02/2022 at 16:43, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Owning a cheaper bass would stop auto correct changing your pride and joy into a hat every time you posted.

 

I feel an idea for a play coming on. "The man who mistook his bass for a hat".

[Japhet]

The roads are full of people who shouldn't be trusted with a lawn mower. 

[tauzero]

On 19/02/2022 at 11:29, Japhet said:

The roads are full of people who shouldn't be trusted with a lawn mower. 

 

They shouldn't be driving their lawn mowers on the road.

[Cliff Edge]

I think anyone here is good enough. No matter who made it or how much it cost, it’s just a bass guitar. 

[Johncee]

Coming from the insanely priced world of violins/violas/cellos I'd say Foderas and other premium bass brands look rather reasonably priced. Fill your boots if you can afford it!

[Zogworst]

On 15/02/2022 at 02:39, Cosmo Valdemar said:

When I tried the Alembic, I found my fingers flying all over the neck. I tried a little fiddly bass run I've always struggled to play cleanly - the bass/synth run in Yes' Machind Messiah - and I did it! It's not all guff you know.

Good day, everyone!

 

THIS, COMMENT, INDEED!

 

I tried my first Alembic last December: a rare custom SC here in Osaka that sadly sold whilst I hemmed and hawed…I am sold on Alembic.

 

The sounds, the fine tuning…the FIRST TIME I WASN’T STRUGGLING TO PLAY WITH A PICK nor “chase the G!”

 

I was doing Steve Harris three-finger runs for the first time!

 

must be the 17 mm spacing?

 

i am furiously saving and planning to get one very soon: no I am nowhere near worthy of one if I spend too long pondering it, but we live once, no? Lol

 

Foderas are great: I had a Yin Yang Standard and it was beautiful; I cannot fault it, because the craftspersonship  is outstanding. EMGs, man…EMGs….

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Zogworst