AustinBassTraders : New Basses

F-Bass BNF-5

F-Bass BNF-5, beautiful flamed ash body with flamed maple center taper/ exhibition grade koa top, 5 piece flamed maple neck/ lined fretless ebony fingerboard, matching headstock and heel, F Bass deluxe gig case. 10 pounds, 7.1 ounces

List $8199. Please call for quote.

Fodera Emperor 5 Standard

Austin Bass Traders is proud to announce the availability of Fodera’s newest bass the Emperor 5 Standard. These basses will start delivering in April of ’12. Please contact ABT to find out more details, and to place your deposit to hold your instrument and ensure your place in the queue.

Fodera Emperor 5 Standard, 34” scale, 24 frets, medium weight ash body/ bi- colored flamed maple top, one piece hard rock maple bolt- on neck/ pau ferro fingerboard, Fodera dual coil pickups in black plastic covers, deluxe Fodera hardshell case. Selling price $5750.

(from Fodera Guitars website)
EMPEROR 5 STANDARD
The Emperor 5 Standard (E5S) was designed from the ground up to provide every ounce of playability and sonic performance we are capable of delivering based on our 28 years of handcrafting some of the finest electric bass guitars in the World.

By building just one configuration, with no options, we are able to offer the same legendary Fodera quality of our custom instruments at a very competitive price point. Every E5S is built right here in our Brooklyn, NY shop alongside our custom instruments by the very same people, using the same tools.

For tone woods we use a mixture of ingredients that we feel works beautifully on virtually any gig…medium weight Ash bodies, quartersawn Hard Rock Maple necks, and old-growth Pau Ferro fingerboards — all perfectly complimented by stunning 5A Bi-Color Flame Maple tops.

Rounding out the package is our Fodera / Pope 3-band Standard Preamp and our own Fodera Dual Coil pickups. The E5S delivers deep, tight lows, transparent mids and just enough top-end to make for an incredibly balanced sonic presentation.

Fodera Emperor II Elite 5 string

Fodera Emperor II Elite 5 string, swamp ash body/ 5A Masur birch top, 34” scale, 5 piece maple neck with bubinga stringers/ Select Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, Mother of Pearl block inlays, Seymour Duncan dual coils pickups in matching wooden covers, Fodera Pope preamp, flamed maple tone block, 24 frets, gold hardware, and Fodera custom hard shell case. Weight: 10 pounds, 14 ounces.

List $13,650. SOLD- identical model on order.

This Emperor II Elite 5 string is a very versatile bass with evenness of volume from note to note and string to string, and is very even in timbre from note to note and string to string. The low register is solid, powerful, balanced, and surprisingly responsive with its 34” scale length. You don’t have to “baby” this low “B”. It is alive, and responsive with a surprising amount of “tautness.”

The middle range is nicely balanced as well, and responds as one would expect from one of the most spectacular playing Fodera’s this bassist has ever played.

The treble is typical Fodera. Never becoming thin, or “shrill” as one climbs above the 12th fret on the “G” string. This body of the note is full, warm, and clear without becoming “puffy” or “muddy.” The highs are sweet and full, and always balanced with “appropriate” size.

Don’t be mislead by my description thus far. This bass has plenty of “snap” and quickness. It has surprising articulation, and the described warmth and fullness factor does not mean that this bass’ voice is overpoweringly dark, or annoyingly “anemic.”

If you didn’t read the description that was posted earlier this bass is a “re-creation” of a bass that ABT took delivery of at the January 2011 winter NAMM show. That bass was “virtually identical” to this one with the exception of having a Madagascar Kingwood fingerboard. Fodera has since run out of suitable kingwood, so this was commissioned with a fingerboard of premium Brazilian rosewood.

The “NAMM” bass was exceptional in its beauty, playability, response, sound, and versatility. Vinnie assured me that he strongly believed that this “re-creation” would live up to my expectations and have the superior characteristics of the earlier bass. I am thrilled to say that, without a doubt, this bass has surpassed the performance and sonic characteristics of “that NAMM bass.”

This bass is warm and round with great solidity, and “firmness.” It is articulate, and focused without being “harsh”, overly bright, or “strident.” This bass will without a doubt sit extremely well in the mix. Whether R&B, Gospel, fusion, AJ, solo bass, rock, funk, and even in more “legit” settings this incredible instrument just has the “right” combination of focus, dynamics, and a powerful “voice that will not be obscured” in a busy mix.

Fodera Imperial 5 (Richard Bona woods)

Fodera Imperial 5 (“Richard Bona woods”), medium light weight ash body, solid olive wood top, alder tone block, 3 piece maple neck/ birdseye maple fingerboard, abalone dot position markers, 34” scale, 24 frets, gold hardware, Duncan dual coils in olive wood wood matched matching wooden covers, Fodera/ Pope preamp, 2+3 headstock, deluxe Fodera hardshell case. This bass was delivered December 2011. Weight: 11 pounds, 3.5 ounces. List price $12,499.

This Imperial 5 has all of the woods used on a “Richard Bona Model.”
Many features have been “upgraded” to make this an exquisite, stunningly beautiful, and unique Fodera to own and play. We have selected a “Fodera Private Reserve” solid olive wood top that is absolutely breathtaking, and imparts an even higher degree of uniqueness, and desirability to an already “proven and potent” wood combination. This “Bona Woods” bass is a great sounding/ great playing instrument, and combined with Duncan dual coil pickups in olive wood top matching wooden cases will delight the eyes as well as one’s musical sensibilities.

(The following is from Fodera’s website- “Newborn Details”/ Olive Imperial 5 Elite)

“Unique Features
One of the more visually striking Olive tops we have seen in years…if not ever. This top was hand selected by one of our good friends and Dealers on one of his recent visits to the shop. Fortunately the rest of the bass is worthy of its gorgeous top.

Sporting the 70’s-vibe Ash body / Maple fingerboard with just a bit of added warmth and girth coming from its Alder Tone Block, this bass can be felt every bit as much as heard when any note in the first position on either the B or E strings is played. WOW, Joey was playing this during final check out and I was two rooms away and ran to see which bass was making that beautiful music…Wow.”

Fodera Imperial 5 Matt Garrison

Fodera Imperial 5 Matt Garrison, ash body, solid buckeye burl top, maple neck, birdseye maple fingerboard w/ abalone block inlays, Aero dualcoil pickups w/ matching wooden covers, Pope preamp, choice of gold or black hardware, Fodera deluxe hardshell case. Call for quote.

SOLD – Similar model on order. Please contact us for next available instrument.

Fodera Victor Wooten Yin-Yang 4 Standard

Fodera Victor Wooten Yin-Yang Standard 4 string, red alder body, flame maple top/ Yin- Yang, 1 piece maple bolt- on neck/ ebony fingerboard, 34” scale, 24 fret, standard Yin- Yang inlays, EMG P/J pickups, Fodera/ Pope NYC 3 band. Weight. (Approximately) 8 pounds, 8.5 ounces.

Victor Wooten Yin- Yang Standard serial #2, #7, and #10 have been sold.

ABT is proud to offer #73, available Feb. ’12.

Selling price $4750.00

Here is a review of Yin- Yang Standard #2:

Own a piece of Fodera “History.” Yin- Yang Standard #2 of 10. The action on this bass is set very, very low. The bass is simply astounding in that it plays very cleanly, effortlessly, and dynamically. Extremely quick slapping, tapping, and fingerstyle playing is inspired and enhanced by its excellent set up and perfect neck. The tone is everything you would expect from Fodera. Great focus, power, and clarity. The on board preamp controls are very responsive and functional ensuring precise shaping of the “size”, texture, and “voice” of the body of the note, and adds even more versatility and range to its inherent sonic voice. This bass retains a surprising amount of the character, personality, and dynamics of its more expensive sibling.

The neck is perfectly shaped (slightly modified “C”) and very solid. The controls are sturdy, and precise.

We expect the “collectibility” for this, and the first 10 “collectible’s” to significantly increase in value and desirability with the initial release of production run 1, and into production run 2. While not exactly “cheap” this bass has absolutely none of the “budget” characteristics one might be inclined to expect from an instrument that sells for approximately 1/3 of the carved Victor Wooten YY Signature.

When Fodera announced that they were going to build a bass in their Brooklyn workshop that would sell in the $5K range, and would be a version of Vic’s signature Yin Yang bass “this bass player” wondered “how might it turn out?” Questions such as “how can Fodera produce a bass in Brooklyn, let alone in the USA, that can come in under $5K street price with such expected high standards? How will it sound? How will it play/ feel? How will the fit and finish turn out? Will it be a ‘glorified’ NYC? Will it suffer from too many compromises, and shortcuts due to its sub $5K price tag? Will it be a production instrument done mostly by machine and very little ‘hand work’ to cut costs?”

Some of my initial questions were answered when I was in NY visiting Vinnie, Joey, Jason, Vadim, and crew in mid- May. Vinnie was hand carving the contours, and shaping the cutaway and neck pocket “junction.” It is always a treat to watch Vinnie work his “magic” with his assortment of knives and cutting blades. Very much the epitome of “old world” craftsmanship… I knew that these “Standards” were going to be built with Vinnie’s “hands on”… I just didn’t realize the extent of the amount of hand work, and degree of attention and time that is put into these “Standard” basses.

The answer to the remaining questions were answered with just one play. With the first notes I knew that these basses were everything that Fodera promised, and more. I hope that every player looking for a high quality, high performance, great sounding instrument will have a chance to play one. This bass has an excellent feel… Fodera quality. The overall look and feel of the finish is definitely “top shelf.” The playability is comparable to Fodera’s finest offerings, and the sound is very reminiscent of the signature YY’s. The Yin Yang Standard has exceeded “this players” expectations, and in fact I will say that with this instrument, at this price point, Fodera has “knocked it out of the park.” This bass “demands to be played”, “demands to be taken out”, and “demands to be“taken very seriously.”

Ken Smith 5 "White Tiger" Elite

Ken Smith 5 string “White Tiger” elite, 7 piece body wings, walnut core, flamed maple top and back, 5 piece maple/ walnut neck, Smith pickups and electronics, gold hardware, passive/ active volume, Smith custom hardshell case. Weight: 9 pounds, 12.3 ounces.

Selling price $6075.

This is an exquisite work by Ken Smith. Ken has cherry picked from his vast selection of tone woods some of the most stunning and beautifully figured flamed maple, subtly striped ebony, and claro walnut. The result is impressive visually, tonally, and dynamically. Classic Ken Smith quality, playability, performance, and tone. Available now… Call for more details.

Ken Smith BSR 5 TN- Black Tiger

Ken Smith BSR 5 TN- Black Tiger, flamed walnut top and back/ flamed maple body wing core, 5 piece maple/ bubinga neck with ebony fingerboard, series/ parallel selector switches, gold hardware, Smith custom hardshell case. Sold- Similar model on order. Call to reserve.

Mike Lull PJ 5 Olympic White

Mike Lull PJ 5 Olympic White with matching headstock, ash body, maple neck/ Madagascar rosewood fingerboard, Lindy Fralin PJ pickups, passive vol, blend, and tone controls, tortoise shell pickguard, with choice of Mike Lull custom cream Tolex hardshell case, or ProTec gigcase. Weight: 9 pounds, 1.6 ounces. List price $3950. Call for selling price.

MTD (NAMM 2012!) Andrew Gouche Signature 5

MTD Andrew Gouche Signature 5 string bass, alder body/ custom specification maple burl top, maple neck/ purple heart fingerboard, matching peg head veneer and truss rod cover, burgundy burst finish, MTD “A.G.” logo, dual toned (black and chrome) hardware, custom A.G. gauge/ Dean Markley SR2000 strings, MTD custom hardshell case.

Just arrived from 2012 NAMM! Call for details and pricing.

This Andrew Gouche Signature 5 string was “cherry picked” from the selection available at NAMM. This is a stellar “specimen” of the state of the art of Michael Tobias’ mastery.

This is Andrew’s new signature model, and is the result of years of collaboration between him, and Michael Tobias. This particular bass was hand selected by ABT, and has tremendous punch, excellent evenness of volume from note to note, and throughout the entire range. If you love Andrew’s sound, and “vibe” this bass is as close to having it “built into it”… and remarkably, it’s there even when played thru a variety of amplifiers/ cabinets. Michael really “dialed this one in”.

MTD (NAMM 2012!) Andrew Gouche Signature 6

MTD 635-24 Andrew Gouche Signature model. Alder body/ custom specification maple burl top, maple neck/ purple heart fingerboard, matching peghead veneer, and truss rod cover, dual tone (chrome/ black) bridge, and tuners, MTD “A.G.” logo. Custom MTD hardshell case. List price $8000.

Just arrived from 2012 NAMM! Call for details and selling price.

This bass was “cherry picked” from Michael’s NAMM offerings. It represents the state of the art of Michael Tobias’ mastery featuring stellar playability, responsiveness, evenness, and authoritative “sonic stature”.

MTD 535 Myrtle Burl

Offered is the 2154th bass in the MTD American series. This MTD 535-24, features a “mesmerizing” highly contrasting myrtle burl top and poplar body. Its beautiful tortoise shell border to almost clear center amber burst finish enhances the exquisite figuring of the myrtle. Its wenge neck and fingerboard provide immediacy and unsurpassed articulation with slight “constriction” or attenuation in the upper midrange making this an ultimate “slap machine”. This is the “quintessential” MTD played by such bass luminaries as Norm Stockton.

Fingerstyle playing yields quickness, immediacy, excellent articulation, and superior punch.

This bass features matching peghead veneer and truss rod cover. Also included are special side light activated Luminlay dots, Buzz Feiten Tuning System and custom MTD hard shell case.
Weight: 9 pounds, 9 ounces.

List price $6700. Contact us for additional details, and selling price

MTD 635-24 mango top

MTD 635-24 flamed ash body, figured mango top, flamed ash neck/ birdseye maple fingerboard, matching peg head veneer and truss rod cover, MTD “the World” logo, MTD custom hardshell case. Weight: 10 lbs 5 oz. List $7625.

This is a remarkable 635. Clear, warm, even, powerful, solid but with excellent transient response, excellent frequency balance (aggressive but still with a “curious” sweetness in the high end), and very, very “alive” are descriptives that come to mind.

It’s figured mango top is both beautiful and functional in adding to the sonic flavorings, and tailoring the dynamic and timbreal balance of its ash body and neck. Its body and neck are built from ABT’s select stock of flamed ash adding an extra touch of beauty and elegance to this fine instrument. From first pluck one realizes that this instrument is truly alive.

Sonically, this bass has a very defined and open response from its low range to its highest. Its low “B” is strong, true and balanced in volume, and timbre. It has excellent sonority, power, and focus of the “body of the note” which translates into an instrument that has plenty of structure, and “backbone” to stand very well in the busiest of mixes. There is plenty of dynamic response, and punch without approaching “hollowness” or lacking weight and substance.

Notes focus with immediacy, clarity and excellence of articulation.

Slapping yields the quintessential MTD quickness, openness, and sparkle without losing any strength or mass of the note. Its string tension, fretwork, and neck/fingerboard setup allow for extremely low action, and facilitating nano speed playing.

This wonderful instrument is inherently in the center range of the voicing continuum, but towards a lighter tonal shading rather than darker. This should be construed not as being more towards bright, or shrill, but possessing more of a clearer, open, and dynamic tonality RATHER THAN A darker or more occluded by too much growl.

In fact, its sonic properties reflect its ash like aggressiveness but not overtly so, and with just enough aggressiveness in the upper mids imparted by its maple fingerboard and ash neck and body. It yields a nice “dryness”, and cut thru slap tonality… a la “Marcus”, et al. The mango really tempers frequency response in a wonderful manner imparting exceptional roundness to the bottom without detracting from its firmness and authority. The mango adds pleasing evenness and contributes nice tempering to the mids, and softening what might typically be (for ash body/ ash neck/ maple fingerboard instruments) dominating highs that approach shrillness or harshness. This instrument is “magical” in this regard, and this player (read “I”) was greatly impressed by (read “fell in love with” its aliveness, tonal balance, and remarkable versatility.

ZON Sonus 5 Todd Johnson Signature fretless

ZON Guitars Todd Johnson Signature 5 string lined fretless, 34” scale, 19mm bridge, alder body, katalox tone plate, Madrone top, black hardware, flat satin finish, deluxe ZON gigbag, serial # 090607

Weight: 9 pounds, 9.4 ounces

List price $6800. Call for details and selling price.

This ZON Sonus TJ Signature fretless sports one of the most exquisite necks that this bassist has encountered. It’s flat, thin, and very comfortable played in any position on the neck. Joe Zon has taken full advantage of the stiffness, and rock solid stability of its graphite reinforced composite. No dead spots, no “soft” spots, absolutely no low spots, no high spots… just perfect. While its action can be adjusted extremely low without consequence it can also be adjusted up to medium low, and medium without losing the growl, and “mwahhh.”

Playability is unsurpassed, and fit and finish are impeccable.

This instrument has a pleasing balance of sustain, and punch. It is ultra responsive, and minute subtleties in timbre, and amplitude are revealed and tracked with perfection by its Bartolini pickups, and preamp.

With its comfortable sub 10 pound weight this bass is “alive”. Its preamp allows for subtle to major adjustments making this a very versatile instrument. Whether used for lyrical legato lines, or lightning quick staccato passages this fretless is “up to the challenge.”