hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 (edited) I recently received a flyer e-mail from Fodera giving details of their NAMM 2016 basses (more on that later) and within in it were details of the new Monarch P. I have to wonder how popular this is going to be at $4000! [url="http://www.fodera.com/monarch-p/"]http://www.fodera.com/monarch-p/[/url] To my mind it's less than half a standard Monarch. Just a split P and passive. I'm sure it plays well, but I can't help thinking if you're going to get a Fodera, you may as well get an active P/J. This leads me to one of their NAMM collection. I love a Fodera me and this is just obscene.... [url="http://fodera.com/instruments-in-stock/namm-2016-bloodwood-emperor-4-elite/"]http://fodera.com/in...mperor-4-elite/[/url] Edited January 7, 2016 by hiram.k.hackenbacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Nice, but it would have to be a really, really exceptional-sounding and brilliant-playing instrument... because for that money I'd rather buy a pre-CBS P. And of course I've been genetically programmed to expect a four-in-line headstock with a P-shaped body. A 2+2 just seems wrong!! Yes, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool stick-in-the-mud who wears large-tena-lady-pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1452210380' post='2947775'] Nice, but it would have to be a really, really exceptional-sounding and brilliant-playing instrument... because for that money I'd rather buy a pre-CBS P. And of course I've been genetically programmed to expect a four-in-line headstock with a P-shaped body. A 2+2 just seems wrong!! Yes, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool stick-in-the-mud who wears large-tena-lady-pants. [/quote] Yes, quite. I have a Fodera, but it is what it is and it's not trying to be anything else. It is an exceptionally sounding instrument and plays brilliantly, but it's purpose is not to convert fans of a particularly well known and legendary bass. It does nothing for me at all visually and I doubt how it plays or sounds would change my mind. P.S. I am however thinking of what body parts I can sell to fund the purchase of that bloodwood! Edited January 7, 2016 by hiram.k.hackenbacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1452210754' post='2947779'] It does nothing for me at all visually and I doubt how it plays or sounds would change my mind. [/quote] Me neither actually, I was just pretending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I have that pickup in my P-Bass. It's not a fodera 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1452210380' post='2947775'] ...I've been genetically programmed to expect a four-in-line headstock with a P-shaped body. A 2+2 just seems wrong!! [/quote] I'm totally with you there - the 2x2 just looks a bit strange on this shape. The actual bass looks quite beautiful - understated and yet elegant. Not that I would ever consider the prices of one of these, but then I would not be in the market for a Fodera anyhow. For those that love their basses and are looking for something a bit more classic and simple in style it might be just what they are after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxropSO0xl4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxropSO0xl4[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I think it looks pretty good... *sorry if that photo comes out massive... I did try and scale it down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Bet it sounds pretty good with flats and the tone rolled off... then again so did my old Jap P and that didn't cost $4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 (edited) Looking at that pic it's less P bass and more Spector/Warwick isn't it? And there's nothing at all wrong with that. I'm kind of warming to it a bit. Still wouldn't buy it though. Edited January 8, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 It's probably worth noting that Fodera players are quite a tight-nit community, I think that this is largely aimed at those players who want a simple Precision but want to play a Fodera. I don't think they're aiming to convert die-hard Fender players. Bear in mind a Sadowsky NYC ultra-vintage passive Precision will cost you around $4325 Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 My first thought was the body looked like a Yamaha RBX... not that there's anything wrong with a Yamaha RBX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 The Monarch shape has been built by Fodera since they started in 1983 Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I think it looks pretty nice. Would it look good reliced tho? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 I just read this in the description.... "Additionally the Monarch-P is built with a control cavity so that if you wanted to add a preamp down the road there is a place to do it." Well, if they had just got on and done that themselves, I would warm to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1452244961' post='2947903'] I think it looks pretty nice. Would it look good reliced tho? [/quote] LOL. I wish someone would buy one and send it to Sandberg to do their HCA thing on it. The Fodera lot would have a sh*t fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1452242862' post='2947880'] It's probably worth noting that Fodera players are quite a tight-nit community, I think that this is largely aimed at those players who want a simple Precision but want to play a Fodera. I don't think they're aiming to convert die-hard Fender players. [/quote] You're quite right - I'm just down on it because I can't afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 It's growing on me... I think it's quite elegant in it's simplicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1452243675' post='2947890'] The Monarch shape has been built by Fodera since they started in 1983 Si [/quote] Yes, but it normally doesn't look as... bare as that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1452248498' post='2947954'] Yes, but it normally doesn't look as... bare as that... [/quote] That's what I like about it, actually... a bass with three pickups and a control plate like Jodrell Bank gives me the heebie-jeebies. The basses I've had with extensive knobbage and complex onboard pre-amps led to endless knob-fiddling and less actual playing. I like to just plug straight in and get on with it. Fnarr, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 The pickup looks a lot closer to the neck than the fender position... IMO the positioning of the pickups on a bass has a huge effect on the instruments fundamental tone, more so than the woods used, so I'd be interested to hear how this sounds. The Fender P has just the right balance of plumby deep bass and low mid growl for my tastes, looking at this id be a little worried about it sounding too boomy without enough punch... then again it's a Fodera so I'd imagine they've thought it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1452250175' post='2947981'] The pickup looks a lot closer to the neck than the fender position... IMO the positioning of the pickups on a bass has a huge effect on the instruments fundamental tone, more so than the woods used, so I'd be interested to hear how this sounds. The Fender P has just the right balance of plumby deep bass and low mid growl for my tastes, looking at this id be a little worried about it sounding too boomy without enough punch... then again it's a Fodera so I'd imagine they've thought it out [/quote] A standard Preision is 20 frets and this is 22 frets, so the positioning is likely to be bang on (as you mention, they probably have done their due diligence), but the extra frets makes it look too far forward. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1452252857' post='2948034'] A standard Preision is 20 frets and this is 22 frets, so the positioning is likely to be bang on (as you mention, they probably have done their due diligence), but the extra frets makes it look too far forward. Si [/quote] ah fair enough... I did suspect they had worked it out properly as opposed to just plonking it wherever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Looks like something you could buy from Argos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
project_c Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I like this more than any of their other basses. There must be a market for it otherwise they wouldn't have made it. 4K isn't that much money to a lot of people these days, it's all relative. If you live in Manhattan, drive a nice car and have a decent wage, this is an ok price. It's like buying furniture. The divide between people's wealth, and the difference in what people consider to be normal is staggering these days. To me it's too much but I'm not the target audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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