lozbass

I think Alembic (Moody-manufactured?) do a very wide, laminated and reasonably padded strap - not cheap but very nicely made. Good to hear there's another vegetarian on here!

You could have a look at a Wechter 9400: [url="http://www.wechterguitars.com/customs/9400_bass"]http://www.wechterguitars.com/customs/9400_bass[/url] Abe Wechter has an extraordinary pedigree and has built instruments for Hellborg among many others. The basses are beautifully constructed, fairly unusual in design, sound amazing, and look gorgeous. I picked one up recently on BC in a deal - it was originally commissioned by a friend of mine in the Fylde area, then went on to 6stringbassist here, and on to me. There should be some photographs in the 'marketplace' section here (around 6-8 weeks ago). Mine started life as a fretless but was then fretted by Martin at the Gallery (superb job - the action is far lower than most electric basses!) I think the 9400 is around $4800 with the Fishman preamp (probably about £3200 - £3500 imported to the UK). I'm having a massive clear out in the coming weeks and will let you know if the Wechter is going (if you're interested)

Melody Maker (about 1979) - 'tragically apalling'. Not entirely meaningless: in fact, fairly direct

It looks like you're in Manchester so getting hold of a box shouldn't be a problem. Dawsons on Portland St have obliged in the past (a nice big Gibson box with all the internal airbag packaging materials) and I'm pretty sure Music Ground (Oxford Road) will do the same. Good luck with the whole saga - I'm fairly convinced you'll achieve suitable resolution (though the wait is a bit irritating)

[quote name='4000' post='428206' date='Mar 7 2009, 08:10 PM'] Seriously, it's about art, not just function. Personally I value art very highly, in spiritual terms if nothing else.[/quote] Couldn't agree more but head firmly beneath parapet on this one!

You're not too far from Manchester - of the music shops in the city, I'd only ever use Music Ground: Adie there has done a couple of terrific set-ups for me (he's very well-known in the industry and has a wealth of experience). If you can make it to see Ged Green in Cheadle (just to the south of Manchester), that would be my recommendation: his work is superb. I don't have his number at the moment but PM me if you need it. Wherever you go, you'll be looking at around £30-35 plus a new set of strings (I'd advise having new strings fitted if you're paying for a set-up). A lot of people on BassChat will probably advise that you should learn how to do your own set-ups. Taking heed of this will save you a lot of money in the long-run but the learning process can be difficult and frustrating (especially if you don't have someone to convey the basics). I set-up my own less expensive basses, but for anything higher-end I go to Ged Green or the Gallery.

I don't know the bass, but if it strings through the body, this could be the source of the problem

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='419330' date='Feb 25 2009, 03:13 PM']In the old days, some in the gay community would indicate their preferences by sporting different coloured hankies in their back pocket. Silks fulfil the same function among bass players - e.g. : 3 Yellow + 1 Blue = GAS-ing for a fretless Red and Yellow = Will play country for cash All Red on a 4 string = 5-curious[/quote] 'Nearly pi**ed myself!

That's nothing like as hideous as I might have thought, in fact, I'm rather drawn to the idea. I think significant scaling-down of the body would be useful

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='415906' date='Feb 21 2009, 12:18 AM']I still wonder if they are that much better than Wal, Sei, GB etc etc etc[/quote] I don't think they're any better - a 'good' one will be as good as a 'good' example of anything mentioned (but obviously, it will have its own characteristics and appeal more to some players than others in terms of playability, sonic potential, aesthetics etc.) An earlier post raises a useful point for anybody considering a Fodera - there is something a bit 'old school' about the examples I've tried - string spacing is often fairly wide, neck dimensions can be chunky, and there's a degree of solidity and general 'chunkiness' that a lot of high-end, custom builds don't exhibit

I've found the Epifani compbos to be pretty marvellous but I've only had experience of the ul112 - I suspect the ul210 might fit your needs but they're extremely expensive (moreso in the last month or two given the crash of sterling)

Hi Mike, Nick, I don't think there's too much space between us. You've both played more Foderas than myself - I've been very impressed with three higher-end models, much less so with two less expensive basses. I haven't yet played one that I didn't think couldn't make the grade - in terms of playability - with a bit of tweaking but hear what you say (Mike) about the bass at Musik Messe (and a friend had some finish issues with one of his Fs). I am surprised to hear about experiences with less than perfect neck joinery - I really haven't come across this with any F. I agree that Fodera's are as individual as any other boutique bass and that (i) they stand or fall on their own merits, and (ii) not every Fodera is going to be stunning (I don't think my post could be interpreted as indicating otherwise?) The points I was trying to make are: first, there aren't that many Fs around so it's difficult for a majority of players to make up their own minds with respect to the question at the heart of the thread; and second, 'good' Foderas can compete with pretty much anything else (though of course, personal tastes and playing styles will shape the reaction of individual players). The core of my argument is try before you buy (and for as long as possible - as with many basses, a period of mutual accommodation is required). Nick - I agree that it's possible to find a builder whose ideas match closely with your own and then the co-creation of a 'perfect' instrument (albeit the perception and associated emotions can be transitory!) might transcend consideration of price. On to Seis, I'm currently selling the singlecut that you commissioned - it is indeed a nice bass but the scale-lengh and width of the board defeated me in the end. Cheers, Loz

I don't really have the time to get into detail - another busy day! However, I find this a bit of a difficult thread: there simply aren't enough Foderas around in the UK for players to get to try them and form a realistic, personal judgement. I've been fortunate enough to play a good number of very high end UK, US and European basses over the years. Among these have been a few Foderas (a couple of which have been superb instruments IMO). How do the 'good' Foderas compare with the competition?...I'd say at the top end of the bunch (but the quality at this stratospheric level is generally amazing and preferences really are a matter of personal taste). Are Foderas worth the premium price? Another difficult one and down to the individual's preferences, perceptions and desires. I think there's some hype in the equation and the exclusivity factor appears to exert a powerful influence at the level of collective and individual psyche (triggering both positive and negative reactions). However, an honest - and hopefully reasonably objective - opinion is that a good Fodera is as good as any other 'good' bass from a top luthier (with some possibly important and individual or defining characteristics, of course). Whist Fodera - as a company - doesn't need any help in justifying its prices, I can say that its basses are very complex instruments and attention to detail, build quality, jointing, timber choices and finishing is generally very high. Indeed, it's clear that a lot of thought and work goes into each (higher-end) Fodera - take a look at one if you get a chance and work out the 3D jigsaw of pieces! As to sound, I haven't found Foderas to be as 'polite' as many other boutique basses - indeed, I've been very impressed by the fat, comressed, very 'present' tone and by the ease with which an aggressive growl can be achieved. On playability - a good set-up is important - but I'm pretty sure that any Fodera can be tweaked to play superbly well. In sum, I'm pretty sure too that Foderas can match almost anything in terms of quality - it's a personal preference issue. They're not to everybody's taste (sonically, visually, aesthetically or ergonomically) but if you're attracted, try to get to play one (or a few) - it's just a real pity there aren't more around (and that the scarcity adds to the mystique and hype that we all need to move beyond).