Are you good enough to play a Fodera?

[NJE]

In answer to “are you good enough to play a fodera” then yes, I believe anyone is good enough. After all it’s just an instrument, a tool to make sounds on and crest music, I think even the guys who make Fodera basses would hate to think that anyone would be judged negatively for playing their instruments.

 

Let’s face it, it’s not like putting a learner driver in an F1 car where they could hurt themselves or someone else, playing a bass is at worst going to give someone a headache.

 

In response the the question of guilt for owning/playing expensive gear, then yes, over the years I have often had pangs of guilt that I should not be spending so much money on kit when no one cares and I can get just as good of a tone out of a Squier.

 

This however is all about me as a person and I wouldn’t care less if someone else was using a £90 Harley Benton or a £6000 Fodera down the Whore and Trumpet on a Saturday night.

 

I had a good but modest upbringing and despite having a stable job etc, I still feel guilty about owning expensive things, like it’s just uneccsary expense when something cheaper would do. I have sold expensive basses like Overwaters and gone to Squiers and actually found it hugely liberating playing a cheap bass I don’t mind bashing about and getting a great sound.

 

I have reached a good balance whereby I have a USA made Stingray which was an extremely good price secondhand, and it’s a lovely bass I listed after as a kid, but I don’t worry about the amount of money tied up in it.

 

I would love to treat myself to something expensive for my 40th but in all honesty I think I would start getting that weird feeling of guilt that the money would be better off invested elsewhere.

 

[Boodang]

33 minutes ago, Cato said:

I've always really liked the aesthetics of Ritters.

 

But I also think I'd look utterly ridiculous playing one.

 

They look like they should be wielded by some sexy individual in one of Prince's backing bands, not some middle aged man in a pub.

 

No 0ffence to any middle aged men playing their Ritter down the Dog and Duck.

The bass I drag out for our Status Quo tribute band gigs down the Dog & Duck.

Edited February 7, 2022 by Boodang

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[SumOne]

I'm not sure about the 'a Bass is a Bass - it's all about the player' or 'it's all in the fingers' cliche's, they seem a half-truth from my experience. For starters, they don't apply for situations like wanting to play a low B on a standard tuned 4 string, or to do fretless slides on a fretted Bass, or to do tapping with Tapewound strings etc. 

 

And discounting those technical limitations, my first £200 Squier Jazz Bass was heavy, needed a high action to stop fret buzz, had a fairly severe dead spot, it had some clanky steel strings, the bridge pickup control was all or nothing, and it had a noisy hiss. I'm sure putting it in the hands of a great player it could sound good but it'd be lot more effort to do so than if they used my current USA Fender Jazz which has none of those issues. I imagine going from a Jazz to a higher end things like a Fodera would be another step-up in playability and ease of making it sound good.

 

 

[Paul S]

I think how much an instrument costs and ability to play it is a non-issue.  'Cost' is a relative thing anyway.  The price of a Fodera would be off the scale for some of us, for others just loose change.  When it comes to buying anything at all my mantra is if I can afford it, will enjoy it and want it I will buy it and I see it as no-one's business other than my own.  Well, apart from my wife  

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Grimalkin]

Who appointed Fodera as King of the bass world anyway... There are lots of top level names who don't play them.

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, SumOne said:

I'm not sure about the 'a Bass is a Bass - it's all about the player' or 'it's all in the fingers' cliche's, they seem a half-truth from my experience. For starters, they don't apply for situations like wanting to play a low B on a standard tuned 4 string, or to do fretless slides on a fretted Bass, or to do tapping with Tapewound strings etc. 

 

And discounting those technical limitations, my first £200 Squier Jazz Bass was heavy, needed a high action to stop fret buzz, had a fairly severe dead spot, it had some clanky steel strings, the bridge pickup control was all or nothing, and it had a noisy hiss. I'm sure putting it in the hands of a great player it could sound good but it'd be lot more effort to do so than if they used my current USA Fender Jazz which has none of those issues. I imagine going from a Jazz to a higher end things like a Fodera would be another step-up in playability and ease of making it sound good.

 

Agreed. But there's definitely a law of diminishing returns as you head up the price scale.

Playability is something that I've not paid enough attention to vs focusing on tone - but I've realised that drives how much I want to pick up and play a bass and it won't simply boil down to price. Getting a bass properly set up is obviously key, but how comfortable the bass is to wear, which will vary for each of us with our non-identikit frames, it's weight and how well it's balanced, the string spacing and neck profile are things inherent to a particular bass.

I love my sub-£500 used Yamaha BB 2005, I also love my Ken Smith: both really great basses.

[Rayman]

1 hour ago, NJE said:

In answer to “are you good enough to play a fodera” then yes, I believe anyone is good enough. After all it’s just an instrument, a tool to make sounds on and crest music, I think even the guys who make Fodera basses would hate to think that anyone would be judged negatively for playing their instruments.

 

Let’s face it, it’s not like putting a learner driver in an F1 car where they could hurt themselves or someone else, playing a bass is at worst going to give someone a headache.

 

In response the the question of guilt for owning/playing expensive gear, then yes, over the years I have often had pangs of guilt that I should not be spending so much money on kit when no one cares and I can get just as good of a tone out of a Squier.

 

This however is all about me as a person and I wouldn’t care less if someone else was using a £90 Harley Benton or a £6000 Fodera down the Whore and Trumpet on a Saturday night.

 

I had a good but modest upbringing and despite having a stable job etc, I still feel guilty about owning expensive things, like it’s just uneccsary expense when something cheaper would do. I have sold expensive basses like Overwaters and gone to Squiers and actually found it hugely liberating playing a cheap bass I don’t mind bashing about and getting a great sound.

 

I have reached a good balance whereby I have a USA made Stingray which was an extremely good price secondhand, and it’s a lovely bass I listed after as a kid, but I don’t worry about the amount of money tied up in it.

 

I would love to treat myself to something expensive for my 40th but in all honesty I think I would start getting that weird feeling of guilt that the money would be better off invested elsewhere.

 

+1 to all of the above 

 

Where’s the Whore and Trumpet? I really want to go there. 

[casapete]

Think I’m probably guilty of inverted snobbery to some extent, as I usually seem to enjoy basses that haven’t cost the earth. My main bass is a Fender Precision Lyte, which I’ve used for over 10 years now. I’d be gutted if it got stolen, despite having an identical back up. Other regular gigged basses include a Dano Longhorn, Jazz bitsa and an Ibanez short scale electro acoustic, all of which have been sub £300 IIRC. I’d just feel wrong playing a Fodera or anything boutiquey, don’t know why but probably do think I wouldn’t do it justice doing what I do. To use the car analogy, the same reason I wouldn't pay a small fortune for a Ferrari etc, although I’m a better driver than bass player....😆

[matski]

I did it the other way around, most of my basses I bought ages ago for not too much money and, lo and behold, 25 years later they are now vintage and expensive! Result!

[RhysP]

Good enough? Yes.

Rich enough? Not a f*cking chance.

[Muzz]

Having had a go* of a fair amount of high-end (in cash terms) maker's output (stuff like Alembics, etc), I know what would suit me and what wouldn't, and a Fodera wouldn't. I'm sure they're beautifully made, but I don't like the aesthetics enough (at all, really) to warrant even a try...plus I don't have Fodera money to chuck about on the off-chance I'd like it to play.

 

Good enough? How's that gonna work, then? Who's judging? I'm certainly not...depending on the night and the context, I might be onstage with a £250 BB or £2.5k Dingwall...it's still me...

 

 

* Mostly in the sense of 'bought a second-hand one, tried it for a while, sold it on for pretty much the same money...'

[fretmeister]

I had a Zon Hyperbass.

 

I really enjoyed playing it.

 

I sold it when I realised I was never going to get a bass only gig in the East Midlands.

It was an amazing bass and very very high quality.

 

I do miss it, but I also know that it would probably come out of its case 2 or 3 times a year just for a couple of hours.

 

[NJE]

2 hours ago, Rayman said:

+1 to all of the above 

 

Where’s the Whore and Trumpet? I really want to go there. 

Apparently it’s from Blackadder according to a good friend of mine, but despite watching all of them many times I have never come across the quote.

 

Regardless I think it’s a brilliant name for a Pub.

[BigRedX]

I have owned many expensive high quality basses (and guitars) over the past 30 years and currently own 2 basses that are close to being up there in Fodera price range.

 

Do I have the technical ability to match those basses? That's irrelevant.

 

The only things that matter is 1. I enjoy playing them and 2. I cannot blame any short-comings in my bass playing on the instruments.

[Russ]

18 hours ago, visog said:

Good question. But in reality, the question is 'are you loaded enough to play a Fodera'?

 

Jaco never played an Alembic or a Fodera. He changed the world on a second-hand Jazz. I think if the instrument improves your music, then go for it. But, in these days of wonderful Sire instruments, simply doesn't matter. 

His son does. A six-string, no less. And he's turning into a better player than his dad ever was. 

[NancyJohnson]

It's an odd question.  You should never somehow feel inadequate/inferior/unworthy because your gear doesn't costs thousands of pahnds.  Play what you want on whatever you want and if anyone looks down on you, just punch them in the throat.  Simple.

[oldslapper]

My own skewed view on this subject is, “if you like wearing fluorescent orange rugby boots on a Sunday morning down the local rec, it helps if you’re either built like Joe Maler, or can run faster than Joe Maler”

 

[dclaassen]

43 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I have owned many expensive high quality basses (and guitars) over the past 30 years and currently own 2 basses that are close to being up there in Fodera price range.

 

Do I have the technical ability to match those basses? That's irrelevant.

 

The only things that matter is 1. I enjoy playing them and 2. I cannot blame any short-comings in my bass playing on the instruments.

This....

 

When I play a clunker on my Pedulla, I have only myself to blame. I have become a much cleaner player due to this, I think.

[oldslapper]

I understand the sentiment about guilt or (possibly) “imposter syndrome”. But ultimately if you like something, it’s affordable to you, and you’re not harming others by your choices, then why not? 
I wouldn’t, but I’m stuck with a poverty “make do” mentality that refuses to spend over £500 on an instrument or piece of back line even if I could afford to spend more. I’m probably missing out. It’s not based on reverse snobbery, or sending low expectations to others. Just an upbringing that’s hard to shake off. 😎👍🏻
 

 

[BigRedX]

I don't think any of the people on here with expensive instruments have them simply because they want to show off. 

 

I would be overjoyed if I could find cheap musical equipment that does what I want in terms of how it looks, how it plays and how it sounds, but the fact of the matter is that to have all 3, to what even a mediocre player like myself considers to be an acceptable, standard costs money. Luckily for me because I like playing and writing music and I have at various times had sufficient disposable income, I have the gear that does what I need and I haven't had to make compromises.

 

There are other (more mainstream) consumer items that I just "don't get" and therefore I have spent as little as possible on them.

[AndyTravis]

See, I like this recent Instagram post…but really - looks a bit like an Ibanez Sr300 (albeit hand crafted in USA)

[AndyTravis]

Anyone got a butterfly sticker 🥴

[oldslapper]

9 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I don't think any of the people on here with expensive instruments have them simply because they want to show off. 

 

I would be overjoyed if I could find cheap musical equipment that does what I want in terms of how it looks, how it plays and how it sounds, but the fact of the matter is that to have all 3, to what even a mediocre player like myself considers to be an acceptable, standard costs money. Luckily for me because I like playing and writing music and I have at various times had sufficient disposable income, I have the gear that does what I need and I haven't had to make compromises.

 

There are other (more mainstream) consumer items that I just "don't get" and therefore I have spent as little as possible on them.

Good post, ref what’s important to us.

 

I spend more money on white goods (Washing machine, fridges, etc) than most of my peers, some of who earn more than I ever will. I’m sad, I know. Certainly spend more on a dishwasher than any bit of musical kit I’ve ever owned. 
I know, I know,… a cheaper washing machine will get my skid marks out! 💩