But neither temperatures nor economic
worries have seemed to slow Fodera. Here,
the priority is art over money, craftsmanship
over numbers, and tone before anything else.
Founders Vinny Fodera and Joey Lauricella
have approached things that way since they
met. Although they've been building custom
guitars and basses for 30 years now (they
also do small production batches), they're
primarily known for their rumble machines.
And for many iconic bassists—including
Victor Wooten, Anthony Jackson, Janek
Gwizdala, and Oteil Burbridge—Fodera 4-,
5-, and 6-strings are the bass to own.
Bright Lights, Big City
“My life has been a series of these flash
moments," says Fodera. “[When I was a kid],
the Beatles on Ed Sullivan hit me like a ton
of bricks and introduced me to rock 'n' roll.
A couple of years later, I saw a neighborhood
kid sitting on his front stoop, strumming a
red electric guitar. This thing was so cool.
When I held it, something clicked, and I had
to have it. Even though he just bought it for
$15, I convinced him to sell it to me for $20."
Fast-forward to 1975, when Fodera took
a part-time job as a stock runner back in
the days when physical stock-market tickets
were delivered around lower Manhattan.
While on one of those stocks runs, Fodera
noticed a flier for a 12-week class on classical-guitar construction. It was another light
switch moment. Not long after walking
into the class, he knew crafting guitars was
what he wanted to do.
“I think I was the only student who
really took the class seriously," he says.
Instructor Thomas Humphrey—who later
built the Millennium guitar that's now
licensed to C.F. Martin & Co. — could tell
the young Fodera showed genuine interest,
because he was the one who stayed
after class and asked a hundred questions.
Humphrey quickly took a liking to the
aspiring craftsman, who would come to
his shop after hours and on the weekends,
becoming more and more enthralled in the
guitar-making process.
In yet another twist of fate, one of
Fodera's school classmates had a friend
who'd just opened a small guitar shop in
Brooklyn. Knowing of Fodera's new-found
passion, the classmate introduced him to
the owner—who happened to be the innovative
and highly influential bass builder
Stuart Spector. After taking a tour of the
shop, the young (and very nervous) Fodera
humbly asked Spector for a job doing
anything—sweeping, toilet cleaning …
whatever. Two weeks later, Spector called
and asked if he knew how to cut mother-of-pearl
for headstock logos. Though he had
no experience with it, Fodera didn't hesitate.
“Absolutely," he replied. He then asked
Spector to cut one so he could observe the
process. The astute future luthier landed the
gig, and the part-time work soon moved
into full-time production. Thus began his
bass-building career.
Spector's shop was part of a woodworking
co-op made up of fledgling furniture
designers and craftsmen. Astonishingly,
under one single roof were such bass luminaries
as Spector, Ken Smith, Fodera, and
a young furniture designer named Ned
Steinberger, who eventually designed one of
the most unique basses of the last 40 years.
In a short time, Fodera became the primary
builder at Spector, making basses for the
likes of Jack Bruce and Gene Simmons.
Eventually, Spector had an offer to work for
Ken Smith, and though it was a difficult
decision he did make the move. He crafted
about 100 basses for Smith.
At the same time, Joey Lauricella, a
professional local bassist and sales rep, saw
someone come out of the anonymous shop
with a gig bag. Out of curiosity, Varicella
popped in, introduced himself, and became
friends with Fodera. In the process, he discovered
that the Ken Smith basses he'd been
selling were made in that very neighborhood.
Lauricella convinced his new friend
to partner up, and before long they made a
deal with Smith to build basses in exchange
for eventual ownership of the tiny Avenue O
shop. Fodera Guitars had spread its wings.
The Buckeye Burl Monarch 4 Deluxe
The Lowdown
Today, Fodera is known worldwide as a
premier builder of fine basses considered
Holy Grails to a lot of discerning players.
Although the prices—$4,750–$20,000—may
initially raise eyebrows, many happily pony
up the cash for what they consider to be the
best basses they've ever held. Each custom
instrument is handmade and tailored to the
customer in every way, down to playing style
and technique. The intense building process
assures that the bass is as individual as the
player, and as masterful as a piece of rare art.
There's no secret formula to building the basses,
but Fodera says every nuance—from wood
to electronics and hardware—is pored over.
Naturally, the luthier's products have
evolved over the years. In fact, Fodera's
first project was a 6-string guitar. He and
Lauricella built Fodera #1 as a custom order
for a friend. It was loaded with intricate
inlays and featured a body with flamed and
bird's-eye maple. In retrospect, Fodera says
he would use different woods if he were to
build that guitar again today, but experimentation
and evolution have helped define
his instruments over the years. Besides,
that first guitar was more of a showpiece
to drum up orders for the fledgling company.
It turns out that lots of orders came
in—but for basses, not guitars. There wasn't
much of a boutique-guitar market then,
so Fodera became known as a premier
bass builder. Today, roughly five percent
of guitars made by Fodera are 6-strings,
but they're hoping to change that with
the introduction of a guitar line at winter
NAMM 2013.
Although Fodera has crafted more than
3,000 instruments, his most popular bass
is the Monarch, which is based on Fodera
#2—the bass that launched the company
into folklore. Fodera recalls that the instrument
was made of bird's-eye maple with
an ebony fingerboard, and that it served as
the basis for the Yin Yang bass (see the sidebar
“The Yin and Yang of It All").
He now offers an extensive line of basses,
split into the Standard and Custom series.
Some feature more traditional lines like the
Monarch and Emperor, and others resemble
works of fine art, like the Imperial and
Matt Garrison Signature, which feature a
unique single-cut design that was originally
intended to stabilize the neck on a 36"-scale
bass. But though its origins were in function,
not form, the modern appearance of
that single-cut has attracted even more fans.
As far as electronics, pickups are chosen
according to what will sound best for each
instrument. For example, the Yin Yang
Standard uses EMGs, while the Emperor
and Monarch Standards use locally wound
pickups. Custom Fodera basses use 99
percent EMG or Seymour Duncan pickups,
as well as some Kent Armstrong and
Nordstrand units. The preamp used in the
Standard basses is a Mike Pope design that's
based on his Flex Core technology. Hours
of collaboration based on player feedback
went into the Fodera-requested tweaks of
the preamp.
Whether it's the Custom or Standard
Series, the build process begins with wood
selection. Every shipment brought in to
Fodera is tap tested and kept in stock based
on weight, look, grain pattern, and, most
importantly, sound. Between 20 to 30 percent
of wood is sent back, and the rest is
stored for up to two years (depending on
build orders) in the Brooklyn warehouse.
From there, the mosaic composite is carefully
constructed.
Necks, bodies, and fretboards are all tone
drivers and are therefore carefully matched
for tonal characteristics and aesthetics.
Brighter woods are matched with warmer
necks, and vice versa, to create tonally balanced
basses. Although Fodera says they try
to find the nicest pieces of wood for every
build, once again, tone trumps all.
In working with exotic materials, there is
always the ethical question about its origin.
The CITES (Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora) agreement ensures that materials
come from sustainable sources. While
there will always be unscrupulous wood
dealers who don't provide proper CITES
credentials, Fodera is adamant about using
sustainable resources and non-endangered
hardwoods. But DeSalvo says the process of
verifying this isn't always easy.
“The last batch of Brazilian rosewood
that came in was a 19-month process from
the first phone call to the actual shipment,"
he says.
Due Process
When someone places an order with
Fodera, they call the shots from start to
finish. An outline of the bass build is established.
After choosing a body style comes
wood selection, and the options are virtually
limitless. You can even come in to select
your own wood—some Fodera customers
have spent as much as 20 hours picking
through materials to find the perfect foundation
for their dream build.
LEFT: Anthony Jackson setting up a customer's
AJ Presentation.
RIGHT: Jackson's personal
Anthony Jackson Presentation.
Though spending an entire day sifting
through the wood selection may seem
excessive to some, it's not even close to the
amount of time invested in the development
of the Anthony Jackson Presentation, a
$20,000 5-string contrabass dreamed of by
the great jazz bassist when he was only 13.
Fodera says this was the most involved bass
build in the company's 29-year history,
by far. Jackson spent literally hundreds of
hours at the shop, refining and sculpting
what would become his signature model.
But he's not picky just about the actual
instruments he uses himself: Whenever
Jackson is available—and without compensation
from Fodera—he comes in to
personally set up each of the signature
model basses being sold to clients.
But just how do you sell a $20,000
instrument? According to DeSalvo,
it's not as hard as you may think.
“Remember this is not a production
instrument situation," he explains. More
than 30 hours can go into a single bass,
with some requiring 80-plus hours of
labor. So despite selling basses that are as
much as a decent car, Fodera isn't flush
with cash. In fact, the business ethos
at Fodera is not entirely intuitive—but
that's because it's about the art and craft
of luthiery, not business efficiency. The
company could raise its profit margins
and cut corners on construction to get
more basses in the hands of more players,
but Fodera refuses to sacrifice quality
for profit. DeSalvo says the “wow" factor
a customer gets when he/she plays
a Fodera bass is more important than
bottom line.
“We figured out that we were actually
losing money on some of our models,"
DeSalvo says. “With materials and build
times, it really was a difficult road in that
we had these amazing instruments, and
the business side of the operation was
falling short. It's no secret that our customer
service was not the best. Our build
times were at the 39-month mark for a
custom bass. That was tough. We had to
get that number down to a reasonable
amount of time and heal the reputation
of the company." Since then the company
has delegated office and customer-service
duties away from the shop floor,
and build time for a custom bass now
hovers around 14 to 15 months.
Part of this move toward efficiency
and sustainability the introduction of
the Standard line, which consists of
handbuilt instruments that are made
in small batches with standard features
and options. Fodera says this approach
is a nice way to close the divide between
mass production and custom builds.
The several hundred instruments they
produce a year positions them closer to
“boutique" than “mass-produced." Of
course, they would like to see sustained
growth, but in a way where they can have
enough skilled artisans coming up through
the ranks to continue the rich building
tradition. “It's funny, we don't worry about
things like product mix or pushing demand
or sales forces," says DeSalvo. “A lot of our
time is spent assuring that our products can
be made at this level after Vinny and Joey
have stopped building."
The NYC Pipeline
Vinny Fodera's Brooklyn connection aside,
keeping the Fodera factory in NYC has
been vital to the company's growth, progress,
and development. There is obvious
sentiment attached to having always been
based there, but the real value is that New
York is a massive touring and entertainment
hub. “Not a week goes by where we don't
have a pro player come by," DeSalvo says.
“When they play in town or close to us,
they pop in and try some things, and we
listen to their feedback." Players have been
known to sit for hours in the shop, and
everyone at the factory welcomes it. Factory
tours aren't available, but with enough
notice, a bass player can come by the shop
to test new offerings.
It is this constant evolution that fuels
Fodera's success. When it comes to ideas on
design or build techniques, DeSalvo says
every one of the 17 employees has a voice.
Feedback from the aforementioned visitors
isn't taken for granted, either. Luminaries
such as Marcus Miller, Reggie Young,
and Victor Wooten have given input that
altered new models. “That's why we'll never
move," says DeSalvo. “Sure, we could be
in Pennsylvania for a lot less money, but
we wouldn't have these crossroads that are
invaluable to us."
Fodera prides itself on following instinct,
not trends. The company has never been
fashion conscious—it's more about making
a difference than making a lot of instruments.
Building a bass that helps bring out
the best in a player is the primary focus.
“People have asked us why we haven't built
a factory and started making 50,000 basses a
year," says Fodera. “But that's already being
done. It's relatively easy to make tons of anything.
Small batches are the hard part."
In all, it's a soul-stirring process for the
luthier. “It's a full-circle type of thing for
me, knowing that I've created something
that will, in turn, inspire someone to create
their art," he says. “That's extremely satisfying—
that's why I do it."
Building a Fodera Bass
LEFT: Joey Lauricella handles the installation of all
electronics in Fodera basses. RIGHT: Vinny Fodera
carefully carves a bass body.
LEFT: (top) Vinny handcarving, (bottom) Working on a Standard neck. RIGHT: A quick check on the tuning.
TOP LEFT & RIGHT: Sanding
a bass body and neck. BOTTOM LEFT: Prepping a bass
body for the glue press.
LEFT: Using a pin router in preparation for inlaying
the Fodera Butterfly logo.
RIGHT: Reviewing
bass necks in their early stages.
LEFT: Spraying
a Yin Yang Deluxe. RIGHT: Every inside cavity is
handlined with copper foil in preparation for the
electronics.
LEFT: Vinny Fodera tightening clamps
on a newly glued headstock. MIDDLE: Vinny doing
some fine detail carving. RIGHT: Joey Lauricella
sanding a bass.
TOP: A Fodera employee assesses his
workbench as he prepares to wind strings. BOTTOM LEFT: Every Fodera string is handwound. BOTTOM RIGHT:
Fodera opened a small operation in a rural
Pennsylvania barn where all of its strings
are made.
No Strings Attached
Fodera has painstakingly crafted
basses with every nuance in mind,
and it makes sense that eventually
they would get to winding strings as
well. Although they were previously
wound at the Fodera factory in New
York City, each set of strings is now
handwound by three talented string
winders working in a discreet barn in
rural Pennsylvania.
Rather than have a big factory
make strings and put the Fodera label
on them, the concept behind Fodera
strings is congruent with everything
they do: The goal is to make the best-sounding
bass possible, regardless of
the steps needed. Winding strings is
just another piece of that puzzle. “If you
look at our string business as a whole,
as a separate economic entity, it makes
no sense from a business standpoint
to keep making our own strings," says
Fodera partner Jason DeSalvo. “But
until we can find other strings that we
think complement our basses as well
as ours, we'll keep doing it."
The roundcore strings are nickel-plated
steel, but Fodera winders take
the extra step of wrapping the entire
string—not just the outermost wrap.
But are they really that unique? “Other
than attention to detail, using the finest
materials, controlling the process
ourselves, and making them by hand,
no, there's nothing really unique,"
jokes DeSalvo.
1. Victor Wooten's
original Monarch
from 1983, nearly 30
years later.
2. Even the Standards
have the
trademark inlayed
Butterfly in the
headstock. 3. The
Yin Yang Standard.
4. The very first Yin
Yang Standard, first
announced at the
2011 Winter
NAMM Show.
The Yin and Yang of It All
The Wooten Connection
Arguably one of the most
famous bass players
associated with Fodera is
Victor Wooten. His Monarch
bass has become as popular
in bass folklore as James
Jamerson's Funk Machine or
Marcus Miller's Jazz bass.
It's Wooten's Monarch that's
heard on the groundbreaking
A Show of Hands, and he's
rarely seen without a Fodera-crafted
bass in his hands.
His relationship with Fodera,
however, started off as simply
and serendipitously as
the company's beginnings.
In 1983, a 19-year-old
Wooten found himself in
Bloomfield, New Jersey, at a
recording session. The producer
didn't like the sound
of Wooten's bass, and,
through another musician on
the session, the upstart bass
builder Vinny Fodera was
contacted to bring in a new
bass. Fodera showed up
with two Monarchs, and after
playing Fodera #37, Wooten
was instantly attached.
It's a common misconception
that Wooten
has been on some sort
of endorsement payroll
ever since. But according
to Fodera, Wooten never
received any compensation
from Fodera up until the
introduction of the Yin Yang
Standard. The relationship
between player and builder
goes much deeper. Some
of the modifications to the
bass—such as a lower
string action and thinner
neck—evolved directly from
Wooten's techniques, and
conversely, his style evolved
around the instrument. This
symbiosis has pushed both
parties to do things that
they might not have on their
own. Wooten's Fodera #37
served as the inspiration for
the 30th Anniversary Monarch—
of which only five
will be made. However,
eventually the model will
be the basis for the new
Monarch Standard.
Wooten's jaw-dropping
Yin Yang was born when the
chops master simply asked
for a yin-yang inlay on a
bass. Fedora and Lauricella
took the concept a step
further and came up with
a design that spread the
symbol across the whole
face of the instrument. When
finally completed in 1995
and presented to Wooten,
he (along with legions of his
fans) was floored.
The Yin Yang features an
alder Monarch body with
two contrasting, seamlessly
joined pieces of wood for
the top, with the graceful
curves flowing over onto
the fingerboard. The initial
Yin Yang was a fretless
bass constructed of holly
and ebony, which made for
a striking contrast. Subsequent
custom versions
have been made with exotic
woods such as purpleheart
and pau amarillo.
Since its introduction,
the Yin Yang has been
Fodera's most-requested
bass—which is sometimes
a double-edged sword. Because
it requires twice the
labor of other basses, the
Deluxe model is now limited
to only six a year. But
demand from Wooten fans
remained, so he approached
Fodera about making a
more affordable production
model Yin Yang. The Yin
Yang Standard—which is
part of the new small-batch
production approach and
features a catalyzed-paint
yin-yang design rather than
a sculpted wood top—offers
the same handcrafted care
as the custom models.
