Exclusive distribution for Spain
Fodera Yin Yang 5 Standard Special
Fodera guitars are without a question the big name when it comes to custom made high end electric basses. They've been leading the market for over 35 years now and have established many of the specs we consider normal on this instrument today, reaching a level of playability, ergonomics, consistency and pure quality of sound that is often imitated but never quite achieved by others.
All their basses are made at their shop in Brooklyn, NY. The level of customization they offer is impressive but they are aware that many customers don't need too many extras and would rather save some money. That's the whole idea with the Standard Series. These basses are made by the same people at the same place than the rest of Fodera basses but are closed spec instruments, meaning Fodera can build them in batches, optimizing the use of tools and materials.
This is the Yin Yang 5 Standard Special and it comes with some really cool features:
Hollowed out mahogany body (bass weighs in at just 4.1kg)
3 piece hardrock maple neck
Ebony fingerboard
EMG active pickups in PJ arrangement (inside soapbar housings)
Gorgeous Yin Yang pattern over the mahogany body
Vinnie Fodera and Joey Lauricella's signature at the back of the headstock.
We love the traditional 47mm nut and 17.5mm spacing at the bridge. Coupled with the 34" scale and a perfectly shaped body, this bass has that perfect balance when playing that is not easy to find. No need to stretch your left arm to reach the first frets, but at the same time you can easily solo in the high register. We stress this because some other basses look cool on picture but then when you sit to play them (or use a strap), you immediately find that balance is not right. But on this Fodera bass everything lies within reach and the bass is perfectly balanced. The compact dimensions of the neck are great for slapping as well as for playing fast lines with string shifts. And of course, it it absolutely perfect for chords, even extended ones, as you can reach all 5 strings with your left hand easily.
On top of that, this particular bass incredibly lightweight. We've had Fodera basses in the past that were pretty heavy but this one weighs in at just 4.1kg
Apart from the ergonomics we love the incredible consistency of volume and sound between strings. Again this one of those things that might pass unnoticed at first but we really think that this is what sets Fodera apart from many other brands.
A set of active EMG pickups in PJ arrangement (in soapbar housings) are loaded and these deliver as much power and detail as you could ever want.
This is one of these cases where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This bass plays like a dream and the tone is absolutely amazing: deep but clear lows, warm midrange and sweet treble. The notes just seem to jump out of the fingerboard. Play any Victor Wooten line and you'll be in heaven.
What's amazing is that if you are not into active pickups and don't care about tapping or slapping, this bass is just about perfect for any other style be it hard rock or trad jazz. The dynamic range is simply awesome. You can go to whisper-like playing to really heavy hitting, and the bass will just reproduce that perfectly. This is not a bass you have to fight against; quite the oppositte: it seems to play for you. Now, that's inspiring!
You can actually use any playing technique you can think of and the bass will respond effortlessly time after time.
Of course the low B is phenomenal as it's always the case with Fodera basses.
Passive mode is already incredible and there's a chance you might play the bass in that mode a lot. Apart from that the Active mode works just great with 3 very musical bands that really add to the sound. Please note: when we say "passive" we are talking about the circuit board as this can be activated or not. Pickups are active.
We asked Vinnie Fodera and Joey Lauricella to sign the back of the headstock for us. Just a nice touch that makes this bass a bit more special and exclusive.
To sum up: if you've been looking for THE 5 string bass, this might well be it, believe us. It has it all: comfort, playability, sound, consistency and looks.