Are you good enough to play a Fodera?

[Munurmunuh]

19 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

are you good enough to drive a super-car. I’m sure everyone that buys one thinks they are but hardly any of them have the skills to get the best performance from the car. 

 

If I play a knackered old piano, I sound awful. If I play a nice Yamaha U3 piano, both the basic tone is better, and I'm able to play with much more control, and it's not too awful to listen to. But if I play a Steinway, then its power and clarity show up the non-existence of my technique, and it's embarrassing. 

 

Is a Fodera like the Steinway, rewarding quality and exposing deficiencies?

 

(If these boutique basses are indeed harder to play, requiring superior control, then people aren't talking about it much)

[AndyTravis]

The law of diminishing returns.

 

the difference between a £75 Amazon starter bass and a good £400 Ibanez should be a huge difference…between the good £400 Ibanez and the £4000 Fodera will most likely be noticeable but less so.

 

Essentially you pay more and more for smaller incremental changes - wood choices etc.

 

It’d be interesting to compare that Ibanez SR300 and that Fodera I put up earlier…

 

I suppose Scott Devine did a similar thing with the Sire/AJ presentation…I thought the Low B was better on the Sire…but the overall tone was “nicer” on the Fodera.

[tegs07]

7 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

If I play a knackered old piano, I sound awful. If I play a nice Yamaha U3 piano, both the basic tone is better, and I'm able to play with much more control, and it's not too awful to listen to. But if I play a Steinway, then its power and clarity show up the non-existence of my technique, and it's embarrassing. 

 

Is a Fodera like the Steinway, rewarding quality and exposing deficiencies?

 

(If these boutique basses are indeed harder to play, requiring superior control, then people aren't talking about it much)

I have no idea. Never played one and TBH have no real inclination to own one. If we go back to the super car analogy I am glad other people buy them. I appreciate the engineering and  aesthetics but I would never want to own one. I’d rather have a garage full of eclectic vintage vehicles and a modern reliable run around. Same with instruments.

[Munurmunuh]

9 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

If we go back to the super car analogy I am glad other people buy them. I appreciate the engineering and aesthetics but I would never want to own one.

 

The Steinway reference was intended to be connected to the supercar analogy: I was once (and once only) given a lift to a performance in a supercar. It was uncomfortable just to sit in, and an even more uncomfortable ride. 

[Mokl]

Re. the Jaco comments,  I'm guessing he stuck with the Jazz Bass as he had so many thousands of hours of play in it that he was totally dialled in to it. 

 

I'm not sure that people were exactly throwing money or endorsements at him,  particularly in the latter part of his career,  which may have had something to do with it too. I'm sure I heard a story about him turning up to sessions and having to borrow a bass as he didn't have his own (maybe someone more informed can elaborate if this is true).

 

Re. Ownership anxiety and being scared to ding it or play the local Dog n Duck, I can understand this if you're planning to sell the bass on. For me, I'm so sure I'm not going to part with my Fodera and had it long enough that I'm way past caring if it gets dinged, lives on a stand by my desk,  gathers a bit of dust etc. The only ownership anxiety I have is around not getting good use of it or replacement if it were stolen(I couldn't )  but that applies to all my basses. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Mokl
Autocorrect gone crazy

[dclaassen]

9 hours ago, Misdee said:

The phrase " If we're paying teachers that kind of money how come they are always complaining about everything?" comes to my mind, to be honest with you.🙂

Teachers EARN  whatever they are paid. "always complaining about everything"......sounds a bit like you are trying to be offensive. Perhaps you would like to home-school your children?

 

Yup, I am a teacher, with a Master's Degree and lots of experience. I don't complain about what any skilled worker or professional earns. 

[andybassdoyle]

I think it's totally subjective.

 

In my experience of pedigree vs cheaper instruments there are certainly differences in the quality. Fact, no question. What is that difference worth and how much does it impact what you can do with it, well everyone will have a different view on that and rightly so.

 

I've heard great tone and playing come out of cheaper instruments and mediocre from high end stuff. Ultimately I'd say the main difference is how the instrument feels to you physically and via the tone your hear, the people at the back of the village hall will generally care much less (unless there are any bass spotters in the audience). There is no guarantee you'll get a better experience just by paying more!

[AndyTravis]

57 minutes ago, Mokl said:

Re. the Jaco comments, 

 

I'm not sure that people were exactly throwing money or endorsements at him,  particularly in the latter part of his career,  which may have had something to do with it too.

 

 

Guild Pilot and an affiliation with Ibanez were definitely in the running in about 1984-7.

 

Guild advert was 1986

 

The Ibanez was when he was playing in 1984/5

 

Also Hartke.

 

Just a shame it was all a bit late.

 

 

[EssentialTension]

10 hours ago, Misdee said:

The phrase " If we're paying teachers that kind of money how come they are always complaining about everything?" comes to my mind, to be honest with you.🙂

Posts complaining about other people complaining are always a pleasure to read.

[Misdee]

1 hour ago, dclaassen said:

Teachers EARN  whatever they are paid. "always complaining about everything"......sounds a bit like you are trying to be offensive. Perhaps you would like to home-school your children?

 

Yup, I am a teacher, with a Master's Degree and lots of experience. I don't complain about what any skilled worker or professional earns. 

I should have known better than to make a light-hearted and humorous remark about teachers. I only did so in the hope that my levity would offer a moment of light relief to anyone engaged in that most noble of pursuits. That was an error of judgement on my part. I can only offer my sincere apologies and hope you will be able to forgive me. It must be very difficult to be engaged in a line of work that has been in a perpetual state of crisis and " at breaking point" for at least the last 40-odd years, if you believe what teachers say anyway. 

 

I don't have any children, by the way, so your home schooling threat is wasted on me, I'm afraid. If you can think of another form of punishment for me just let me know.🙂

Edited February 11, 2022 by Misdee

[Misdee]

35 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

Posts complaining about other people complaining are always a pleasure to read.

Yes, you are quite right. Teachers almost never complain about anything. I should have known better.🙂

[BigRedX]

I think the more important question we should all be asking is "Is a Fodera good enough to be played by me?"

 

In my case the answer is "no". Its far too boring looking.

[EssentialTension]

7 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Yes, you are quite right. Teachers almost never complain about anything. I should have known better.🙂

 

I very nearly complained myself, but I hope I just about got away with it.

[FDC484950]

9 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I think the more important question we should all be asking is "Is a Fodera good enough to be played by me?"

 

In my case the answer is "no". Its far too boring looking.

Is anything not boring to you?

[EssentialTension]

I've got to say that if I was spending that kind of money on a bass it woudln't be a Fodera, which doesn't appeal at all.

[leschirons]

45 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

I've got to say that if I was spending that kind of money on a bass it woudln't be a Fodera, which doesn't appeal at all.

+1  For that sort of money you could buy a whole bass player.

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, FDC484950 said:

Is anything not boring to you?

 

I have opinions, I would like to make people think.

 

Surely that's the whole point of posting on a forum like this.

 

Alternatively I could just passively absorb all the crap on TV and Facebook...

[EssentialTension]

1 hour ago, leschirons said:

+1  For that sort of money you could buy a whole bass player.

 

Maybe ... but I couldn't eat a whole one.

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, FDC484950 said:

Is anything not boring to you?

 

Duh, Gus basses, synths and providing alternative views. Have you not been paying attention?

 

[EssentialTension]

Actually those Gus basses have grown on me, although I still wouldn't buy one.

[tegs07]

3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I think the more important question we should all be asking is "Is a Fodera good enough to be played by me?"

 

In my case the answer is "no". Its far too boring looking.

Yep they are pretty bland:

[Machines]

5 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

Yep they are pretty bland:

 

 

 

Rarely bothered by Fodera's, but that is a work of art.

[tegs07]

Just now, Machines said:

 

Rarely bothered by Fodera's, but that is a work of art.

Nah it’s boring

[Machines]

Just now, tegs07 said:

Nah it’s boring

 

Actually, it's Nautilus Fibonacci

[chris_b]

7 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Is a Fodera like the Steinway, rewarding quality and exposing deficiencies?

 

 

I discovered this when I bought my first "good" gear. Every fluff, squeak and fumble came through very clearly. I was shocked. Stuff I'd been getting away with for years stood out like a sore thumb. I had to reassess my playing to bring it up to the level of my gear.