thebassist

Great resource. Thanks - I'll definitely use that a lot.

"Total import duty & taxes due: £738.70" - scandalous amount isn't it.

Isn't import duty and VAT the same thing? While Jason at Fodera tell me they have these available to ship now, I've since decided that I definitely don't want to take a risk buying a bass like this without playing it first so I'll go down to Bass Gear, test it and if I like it I'll try to work out a deal there.

I've played a four Fodera's before and I've loved all of them but I’ve never actually owned one. Brilliantly bassgear.co.uk have the example I want available in stock so I'll be getting down there to have a test this weekend. It is however priced £4190 whereas the same bass will cost about £2895 directly from Fodera. Even considering import duty, £1295 is a considerable mark up. I suppose I could wait for a used one to crop up but I’ve not found one of these become available second hand yet.

I don't want or intend this thread to get into any kind of debate about whether a Fodera is value for money, etc. but I'd appreciate some opinions from people.

My budget will enable me to purchase either:

1. A Fodera Monarch 4 Standard
...or...
2. A combination of these:
Fender American Deluxe Precision
Fender American Standard Jazz
Fender American Standard Precision
Music Man Stingray
Music Man Sterling
Suggestions?

I've never bought a bass without playing it first and unfortunately I wouldn't be able to try the Fodera before actually buying it so it's a bit of a gamble if I went that route. That is my biggest concern with the Fodera - A LOT of cash on a bass I can't play before buying.

I checked out a taster lesson there and wasn't really enamoured by Nathan East's overly genteel (in my opinion) approach. Now if John Patitucci had done the electric bass version too I'd have gone for it.

Anybody tried tonygreybassacademy.com, labasslix.com or any other online bass tuition courses?

Mental price. I wish this had a RW fingerboard!

[quote name='JamesFlashG' timestamp='1385135927' post='2284888']
i have one for sale in the market place for £650 ;] case tools and original documents included
[/quote]

Got a link to the sale page?

I can't remember a playing a bad USA Precision Bass. I have one next on my list.

That '64 doesn't look right? Had clay markers?

What a bargain!! If this had RW fingerboard is have snapped it up. Badass III too!!!

[quote name='EddieG' timestamp='1384457313' post='2277033']
Yeh, I really did and John said a while back that he would strip the epoxy and fret it for me. But when it came down to it I felt that the bass was built to be a fretless, and it should stay that way. The fella who bought it was really impressed too, but because the fretboard followed the shape of the '62 Jazz closely he couldn't get the action down where he wanted, so sold it on but the buyer is over the moon with it, so I think it's found a permanent home.

And if I had the money that John's asking [i]now[/i] I think I'd get a fretted one built. His work is unrivalled in my opinion.
[/quote]

I agree. I'd probably have a 10/10 condition one though. My genuine beat up '64 Jazz did look different to my beat up Bravewood. I don't think you can fake the tobacco filmed body and the thousands of hours playing time put on the neck.

[quote name='EddieG' timestamp='1384388057' post='2276238']
I previously owned a Bravewood "Jaco" fretless, it was the first that John ever built. I've never owned or played a Fender CS relic, but based on pictures I've seen John's work smokes the Custom Shop in my opinion. For instance, the Jaco Pastorius relic was about £3.5k when I ordered my Bravewood, and the wear patterns looked like they'd been masked off with a stencil and sprayed around! They might have improved now, but they looked very amateurish back then, and nowhere near worth that much.

My Bravewood was a great sounding bass, the neck was absolutely amazing, the back looked like the neck of an old cello or something, and if it had been a fretted bass I'd still have it.
[/quote]

I had a Bravewood Jaco fretless too - I wish I'd kept it and had it fretted now. Did you ever consider doing that?

I hear you and agree entirely. I was essentially forced onto eBay when I had no bites here...mind you, in a way I'm glad because I had it up for £350 here and didn't sell it but got £412 on eBay.

I also offered free shipping and sent it via interparcel.com. Think it cost about £16 which I was quite happy with.

Hello mate - I sold my cherryburst Fender Jazz 24 on feeBay. Started at 99p with no reserve and sold for £412 in the end. May be worth a try there?

I just imported a Bass valued at $499 and got stung for £93 import/handling costs! I'm not sure I'd bother importing again.

This is 100% subjective of course and I've never had a Fender Custom Shop but I've had two Bravewood Jazz Basses and used to have two all original 1964 Fender Jazz Basses. I've since sold both the Bravewoods and my least favourite Fender – I don't intend to ever sell my remaining '64 Jazz.

[b]Looks: [/b]I think the Bravewoods do look very good indeed but when you have a real one sat next to it you can definitely tell the difference in my opinion.

[b]Feeling/Playability:[/b] Although very good, the Bravewood necks didn't feel like my '64 Jazz Basses to play. They were quite close but not as smooth – personally, I just don't think that anybody can really recreate the thousands of hours playing time that has been put into an old bass.

[b]Price:[/b] I think Bravewoods are great value for money. I've no idea what a genuine '64 Jazz Bass goes for nowadays but I'm guessing it's going to be upwards of £5000 whereas I noticed a Bravewood Jaco Jazz Bass on the forum today available for around £1350. That's bloody reasonable in my opinion.

Nice bass - can you tell me when it was built and is that a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard?

I stand corrected. Apologies and best of good luck with the sale mate.

I'm just saying I don't believe Fender offered a natural finish Jazz Bass in 1972 did they? So, as a customer, why would someone pay all original money for a non-original instrument?

Not meaning to be rude mate but someone here sold an original finish '72 Jazz for that amount.

I've owned an all original '64 Jazz Bass for about fifteen years and regardless of the value I'd never sell it because of my love for it. Having said that I don't gig it anymore because I don't want to risk it being stolen and I don't record with it because my 2010 American Deluxe Jazz Bass has so much more range.

[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1383584465' post='2266206']
Sounds like my situation too. I'm looking to begin tutoring and I'm thinking that using the grades would be a good way to go. When I started I went straight in at Grade 4 but I think that the way the books work is that they take you from the ground up, so would be useful for absolute beginners.
[/quote]

Exactly, while I'm not a beginner myself I think I'll be able to better relate to what my students are embarking on if I've done all of the grades myself.

I spoke to a guy who skipped grades 2 and 4 and regretted not doing them. I'll talk to my tutor again - I plan on becoming a tutor so my intention is to complete all of the courses so that I have firsthand experience of them myself.

Superb - Trinity it is gentlemen. Thanks for the input.

My tutor has said he'd be happy to start me at grade 3 but I think I'm leaning towards starting from the beginning so I've got no gaps anywhere.

Trinity Grade 8 has Havona too