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| Yin Yang Standard |
FODERA BASSES HAVE LONG BEEN THE
stuff of dreams for most bass players—their reputation
as exquisite instruments and their association
with some of the bass world’s baddest players
(Anthony Jackson, Victor Wooten, and Matt Garrison
among them) make them among the most
coveted basses on the market. But their hefty price
tags—up to $20,000 for some models—and the time
it takes for Fodera’s small crew of builders to crank
out custom creations are major obstacles keeping
the basses out of the hands of would-be Foderaphiles.
[For more on team Fodera, flip back
to Meet Your Maker, Holiday ’11 issue.] With its
Standard series of basses, Fodera seeks to
chip away at that barrier from both sides;
Standard basses are far less expensive than
their custom counterparts, and customers
can take delivery of their basses faster than
ever before. After launching the newest bass
in the series—the Emperor 5 Standard—at
Bass Player LIVE!, Fodera sent its two Standard
demo instruments up to the BP offices
for closer inspection.
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| Emperor 5 Standard |
VIC’S PIC
The Yin Yang Standard is a somewhat more
modest take on Victor Wooten’s instrument
of choice, the Yin Yang Deluxe, which features
a meticulously inlaid two-piece holly
and ebony top and dovetail neck construction.
Aside from the Standard’s painted top
and bolt-on neck, there’s not a whole lot
that separates the two models—aside from
a price cut of close to $8,000. Admittedly,
I was initially wary of slinging a bass so
closely connected with a player of Wooten’s
stature; I can’t double-thumb my way out
of a wet paper bag. But once I cut myself
enough slack to try to play like myself on the
Yin Yang, I instantly understood its appeal.
The slim satin neck felt perfectly proportioned,
and the fretwork was flawless. The
combination of the P/J pickups and Fodera/
Pope preamp offers a huge range of sounds,
from beefy and big-bottomed to throaty and
taut. The 3-band EQ is voiced well, and the
preamp’s passive tone option made it easy
to flip the vibe from hi-fi to old school. The
control cavity itself was tidy, but it required
one minor tweak: after hearing one of the
preamp’s two 9-volt batteries knocking
around when I shook the bass, I had to go
in and bend a bracket back in place for a
tighter fit. With its light-gauge Wooten signature
strings, the Yin Yang Standard is a
slapper’s delight, but its versatile pickup
and preamp configuration make
it a righteous bass for just about
any kind of gig.
GOLD STANDARD
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| The Fodera/Pope Standard 3-band preamp (from left): Midrange, active/passive switch, concentric bass/treble, coil-tap switch, pickup blend, volume/passive tone |
Since its introduction in 1984, the
Emperor has been one of Fodera’s
most popular models. Outfitted
with two dual-coil pickups, the
Emperor 5 Standard has all the
versatility of the Yin Yang Standard,
but has the added bonus of
a coil tap. In humbucking mode,
the Emperor sounds smooth and
creamy, with a buttery midrange
bump. Flipping the coil tap engages just
the outer coils of each pickup (neck-side
on the neck pickup, bridge-side on the
bridge pickup), giving the bass a more raw
sound and adding sparkle to the high end.
The Emperor 5 Standard’s shallow neck
profile felt great down low, but the string
spacing in the upper register is a bit wider
than I’m accustomed to. Ergonomic preferences
aside, I found the Emperor 5 Standard’s
sound pretty magnificent.
By eliminating customization from the equation—
both these Standard models come as
they are—Fodera has found a way to allow
more people into its elite cadre of players.
To be sure, the Standards aren’t cheap by
any stretch. But these Brooklyn-built beauties
are every bit as hip as any Fodera I’ve
played, and cost about half as much. If
you’re looking to drop a chunk of change
on a bass that’s a cut above, start saving
those ducats and consider a Standard. It
just might become the way you measure a
bass from there on out.
FODERA YIN YANG STANDARD AND EMPEROR 5 STANDARD
FODERA YIN YANG STANDARD
Direct $4,750
Pros Versatile P/J pickup configuration
Cons None
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| Fodera gives you wings! |
FODERA EMPEROR 5 STANDARD
Direct $5,750
Pros Smooth like butta
Cons None
Contact fodera.com
TECH SPECS
YIN YANG STANDARD
Construction Bolt-on
Body Alder
Top Maple
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Ebony
Fingerboard inlay Pearloid
Scale 34"
Frets 24
Pickups EMG P/J
Electronics Fodera/Pope 3-band
Controls Volume, passive tone, pickup
blend, preamp on/off switch, bass,
treble, midrange
Strings Fodera Victor Wooten signature
(.040, .055, .075, .095)
Tuners Gotoh
Bridge Fodera
EMPEROR 5 STANDARD
Body Ash
Top Maple
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Pau ferro
Fingerboard inlay Mother-of-pearl
Scale 34"
Frets 24
Pickups Fodera Dual Coil
Electronics Fodera/Pope Standard
3-band
Controls Volume, passive tone, pickup
blend, preamp on/off switch, coil tap
switch, bass, treble, midrange
Strings Fodera
Tuners Gotoh
Bridge Fodera
Made in U.S.A.