funkypenguin

She's been completed and uploaded to the Fodera newborns!! I'm still processing a lot of the details but its safe to say I'm absolutely stunned.

https://fodera.smugmug.com/Newborn-Gallery-Vol-VI/Newborn-2165/

1 hour ago, Belka said:

Agree. I did the shop tour in 2015 on a visit to NYC. They really know their wood. At the time I had an idea of an Emperor with a walnut body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard and purpleheart top. What I ended up with was completely different.

What did you end up with??

6 hours ago, ead said:

Faced with that amount of choice in woods I feel that I be like a deer caught in the headlights; goodness knows it's hard enough at ACG.  I know what @AndyTravis means about wanting one though.

Their wood library is absolutely incredible, even after you've narrowed it down to a specific type of wood the selection and variety they present for you is insane!

Happy NBD!! I was one of the people that played this and while its really not my thing ergonomically, it's possibly the finest sounding passive bass I've ever played, I was really impressed with it!

8 hours ago, Machines said:

 

Imagine spending 2 hours sat next to him discussing life philosophy over a curry. Yeah that happened to me 😀.

Sounds like a great dinner companion!  

3 hours ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Sheldon is an absolute legend. If he humanly could, he would spend 30 minutes talking to each and every visitor to his stand (or BD's stand in this case), and that would include when he exhibits at NAMM and when he was with BD at the LBGS, both very busy events. At one of the past LBGSs he also gave an excellent luthiery masterclass on (tone)wood and the physics of making a bass, and spent time to continue talking to us after he had officially finished. I have the impression that he genuinely enjoys being with fellow low-enders.

That was definitely my impression of him  although I wasn't buying he was keen to know what I liked and didn't about his basses and he gave the impression that he's passionate about all the low end, not just his specific thing. Chatting with him was definitely one of the highlights of an otherwise disappointing show.

42 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

My Wallet needs more persuasive methods, it’s blagging me that it’s empty - I think it’s hiding the fortune I think I have.

Without wishing to encourage your wallet further, Fodera will still build you a classic J if you ask them  

3 hours ago, ambient said:

That’s going to be very nice. A Fodera 6 string is my dream instrument.

I hope it happens for you one day! AFAIK she's now been completed and started final setup on Friday so it shouldn't be too much longer now!

The whole thing came off as being half baked tbh....the plus points were running into people I know, and finally meeting people such as @Dood in person  the downside was basically being done with the stands in about 30 minutes, although on the second lap I ended up having a great chat with Sheldon Dingwall!

On 27/03/2022 at 06:22, Kiwi said:

Not characterless so much as adjusted.  Manufacturers who claim flatter response pickups will typically engineer the pickups so that the inherent peak that all pickups have is shifted to a part of the frequency spectrum which isn't as audible.  Alembic soapbar pickups (AXY but also Fatboy) also have low windings for a flatter and broader response and, while it means lower output, the idea was that the lack of gain would be boosted by the onboard active electronics.  Flatter response pickups are also ideal for filter based eqs so it all kind of ties together in a well thought out package, even if the actual engineering approach and some of the parts they use are getting a bit long in the tooth. 

A bit long in the tooth perhaps, but there is still nothing that sounds like those Alembic series basses  

3 hours ago, MJJS said:

What nut string spacing are you going for?

 

I ask as I’m about to set the spec on a custom build myself (different manufacturer)

9mm at the nut (I asked for the same nut width as my Warwick 6er  )

Hey guys

Short back story, I first played a Fodera (chestnut topped Garrison signature) back in 2011, and I came away from that experience thinking that that was just about the best instrument I'd ever played. I later had the chance to play a 33" scale monarch 6 string and a couple of days later I started saving....fast forward a few years, and alll the stars finally lined up in March of last year, and my bass went into production in mid Feb of this year! Specs are as follows

Monarch 6 string Elite

32" scale length 

3 piece red oak neck (thin profile)

Ebony fingerboard (blank)

Walnut body, alder tone block

Solid flame Koa top, matching headstock

26 frets (small)

16.5mm spacing

Ebony ramp and pickup covers

Fodera/Duncan dual coils

Pope custom shop preamp, Garrison control layout

Black hardware

I got my progress photos from Fodera yesterday and its safe to say I'm pretty thrilled with the way my bass is turning out thus far!  She's on schedule for final setup one week today, so assuming all goes well I'm hoping to take delivery sometime in the second week of April, at which point I'll add the unboxing/NBD photos!

UPDATE: She's been completed!!!

On 13/02/2022 at 08:46, graham1945 said:

Any suggestions for accessing individual bass scores online? My particular interest is Motown and Northern Soul. Thanks.

Graham

Tom Read has a whole library of quality bass transcriptions, some Motown tunes among them. They've been accurate enough for me to gig them with no rehearsal so really recommend them  

https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/transcriptions

3 hours ago, visog said:

Not sure MK had an endorsement with Alembic or GB as such but it's a good list.

I would class him having a signature model with Alembic as a form of endorsement but yeah, could go either way with GB  and yeah, he's had some really tasty gear over the years! the first boutique bass I ever saw was Mark's quilted maple Alembic series II!

Great story and congrats on finally landing the 6JM!! Scenes From A Memory and Live Scenes From New York were milestone records for me as a bass player, and I still come back to them 15 years after I first heard them!  

I'm not a particular fan of carbon fibre necks but of the one's I've played I liked the modulus Q6 the most (it sounded more organic than the Status and Zon basses I've tried), and its news to me that they're apparently not well regarded any more! I concur with what others are saying, I wouldn't dream of turning up at a rehearsal or a gig and giving my opinion on the guitarist's axe or the drummers choice of cymbals.. It's what works for them and lets them feel comfortable, and so it should be with you, its about what you enjoy playing and that allows you to express yourself, not what the others in the band think you should be playing. IME the only times that changes are if its a tribute act of some sort or you're playing in an artist's band that is going for a really specific look.

The East UNI pre should fix it based on my experience of fitting the older U-Retro, although that being said you might have a job fitting it into that control cavity  

Generally speaking the bridge saddles follow a slight diagonal from the lowest to the highest string, with the lowest string being further back and the highest further forward, so it makes some sense to mount the monorail bridge units to follow that diagonal from the start  

Great story, that's awesome that you've managed to find another Bongo in that awesome shade of orange Andy!  

Mark King - Jaydee, Alembic, GB, Status, Fender, Trace Elliot, Ashdown, TC, Markbass, Rotosound

38 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

I currently have a SEAT LEON and although not small, I cannot get everything in the boot. Now some cars, like the Honda Jazz, have legendary flexibility but other than a van, what is there?

 

 

What size/amount of gear are we talking about here? if it has to go in the boot rather than putting the seats down (which is what I do in my golf), then an estate car (Ford, BMW or Volvo would get my pick) would seem the ideal choice  

You might struggle to get an aftermarket ready-built neck made of wenge, Its heavy and IIRC really nasty to work with, both on tools and for the people building (the splinters are septic as I recall). your best bet might be to commission someone such as Jon Shuker to build you a replacement neck, I believe he's done this for a few members here

Ben

11 hours ago, Acebassmusic said:

 

That mail was from 2018......Fodera may now see a gap in the market and have OK'd new production? Best drop them a line to check. As others have said they are pretty good at responding.

Fodera are great at responding to emails, and although they might not offer authentication on a specific instrument, when it comes to asking if these basses are still being produced I'm pretty sure they will come back with a swift yes or no. 

AFAIK they were discontinued a long time ago in favour of the standard series of instruments, and everything that now carries the Fodera name is now constructed entirely in Brooklyn.

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  

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