LLOYDWT

Someone on TalkBass already tried that and received this response — The one thing that email does show is that production had ceased. So where are these new basses coming from?

Thanks @bubinga5. Is there anything online confirming this? I can't find any info on it anywhere, and I can only find them for sale on eBay and nowhere else.

I get that, but these aren't used basses. These are "new" basses with slightly different finishes to the bulk of the Empires out there. And they aren't being sold by musicians, they're being sold by retailers with 1000s of sales. These are new basses, sold as new by shops.

Thanks @bubinga5, I had seen that thread but there's nothing there that addresses a batch of entirely "new" or "as new" basses. Am I the only person who thinks it's weird that a bass model that's been out of production for over a decade suddenly has lots of marketplace listings for "new" basses?

Yeah, AFAIK the original Empires were Japanese too, made in the same workshop that built Bottomwave and F Clef basses. As the Talkbass thread that @Acebassmusic linked to says, the aesthetic anomalies of these newer basses do, in Fodera's on words, conform to the design of the last Empires produced. It just seems unlikely that so many "new" basses would be popping up so long after production ceased. Either somebody has come across a container full of NOS basses, or somebody has been using the original CNCs/templates to reproduce the Empires in their entirety. £4K is definitely more than I'm willing to spend, even on a bass with excellent provenance, but whatever the story is here, I'd be interested to know.

I've always fancied one of the Fodera NYC Empire basses, so every now and then I browse the forums and marketplaces to see if I can find one that fits my requirements and budget. Recently, I keep coming across "new" or "unused" Empire basses from Japanese eBayers. Examples — Ash and Maple Red and Rosewood Gold and Maple Blue and Maple Sunburst and Maple I can't find anything on Fodera's website regarding a rerelease of the NYC Empire; and aside from Japanese eBayers, I can't find any mention of their existence anywhere on the internet. Aesthetically they look identical to the basses I know to be legitimate Empires, but the headstocks of these new basses incorporate the Fodera name in large font, whereas the older basses have "N.Y.C. EMPIRE BASS® by Fodera" in smaller font. The Fodera butterfly is also outlined in black unlike the originals and they've added a string tree. If they're fakes, then they're pretty good ones. From the photos they look as well put together as the ones I've seen in the flesh; and they're priced inline with what I'd expect to pay for a real one. I'm unlikely to buy a bass from Japan at the best of times, but there's a real red flag for me on these and I'm curious if anybody knows what's going on.

I'll try and take some better ones soon.

I hadn't seen this post before today, but I purchased this bass from Sue Ryder, so it remains in Suffolk. It is actually an AB-1, not an AB-3, so it has an imbuia back and sides, a mahogany neck and a satin spruce top. As opposed to the AB-3's maple back, sides and neck, and gloss spruce top. It is the nicest acoustic bass I've ever played, though Furch comes close. Its acoustic sound is excellent and reasonably loud, but it really comes into its own when it's amplified. I'd been after one of these since seeing Flea play one in the "Road Trippin'" music video and Victor Wooten playing one with Béla Fleck back in the 90s, though they were well out of my price range back then. I wish Taylor/Klein had made a five string version, as it's the only bass I play without a low B (though I imagine the lower notes would be useless without amplification). But it really is a faultless instrument. If an AB-2 or AB-3 came up for sale, I don't think I could stop myself picking one of those up too.

This one haunts me. I didn't have the money for it in 2010. It was listed again in 2015 around the time I got married. I had the cash, but was keeping hold of it just incase I needed it for unforeseen wedding/honeymoon expenses. I'd resolved to buy it if it was still available after I got back from my honeymoon. Alas, it wasn't to be, but I picked up a Jamerson style Mike Lull P5 from the Gallery instead which is a great bass that I still own https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/82303-alleva-coppolo-kbp5-traded-traded/

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1428852410' post='2745253'] You weren't confused at all Lloyd [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3][size=4]The S112 uses ceramic magnet 12s while the 1126/2126 have neodymium magnets. The ones with the grille cloth we set up first were the neo-equipped 1126's. The snakeskin 12's and the white 2x12 + 6 were the ceramic ones.[/size][/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3][size=4]The reason for the S series being lighter is that the neodymium magnet speakers used in 1126/2126 have a design that requires a larger magnetic force on the voice coil, Tommy uses neodymium in them to keep the weight down, but they still get heavier than the S version. It would be hard to make a ceramic speaker with the same capability, and even if it was possible it would make a ceramic version of the 2126 weigh maybe 40 kg or more.[/size][/size][/font] [/quote] Thanks for the confirmation Barrie. Just need to work out how to justify buying one now :-P

Got the opportunity to play through this head yesterday when Billie Apple brought it into Bass Gear whilst I was relieving my bi-annual GAS. We ran it through all the TKS gear as well a Berg CN212 and Billie Apple's EAD. Really blown away by it. The range of tones available from quite a small array of bells and whistles was impressive. Every combination seemed to create something usable. The cleans were suprisingly clean, not the hifi tone I was getting from the GK gear I was getting but they had a clarity that worked really well with the EAD and the TKS cabs. Hearing it played through the S112s with some dirt mixed in created a much rockier tone that suited the snakeskin finish of the cabs. Amazing bit of kit for the price and definitely worth checking out if you have the opportunity.

Hehe, Billie Apple might be right, it doesn't take much to confuse me. I thought the first TKS cabs we plugged the Orange into were Neo and the second ones were Ceramic, the first ones had a vintage 60s style front with cloth over the grill. I remember saying to Barrie I couldn't believe they were neos as they sounded very full. Sadly I left before the Jule Monique came out (probably best for my bank balance). It looked like a work of art. Massively impressed with the whole TKS range though as I'd heard so little about them before hearing them.

Played through these at Bassgear today with Billy Apple's Orange OB1 and Spector Helium when I went to pick up my new Berg HD112. Amazing cabs - Massively impressed with them. Completely different beasts to the Berg and if I thought the missus would let me have them too, I'd be ordering some as well. Fit and finish was top drawer and they where the first neo cabs I've played through that didn't feel like a compromise to me.

I should've probably started this years ago, but it's so infrequent for me to part with gear...

Just bought a Bergantino HD112 from Dunc, great price, great communication, fast shipping, exceptionally well packed. I wouldn't hesitate to trade with Dunc again. Thanks :-)