Fodera Emperor Classic And Imperial Deluxe

FOR MOST OF ITS 34-YEAR RUN, FODERA has been known for its handmade basses—the choice of monster players such as Victor Wooten, Anthony Jackson, Lincoln Goines, Mike Pope, and others—while 6-string guitars popped up only on an occasional custom-order basis. Now this Brooklyn-based maker is storming the boutique guitar market in grand style, with two new standard models available in several variations and trim levels.

- Dave Hunter

On review here are the set-neck Imperial Deluxe with 24.75" scale, hardtail, and humbuckers; and a bolt-neck Emperor Classic with 25.5" scale, vibrato, and single-coils. Both guitars were tested through custom AC15, tweed Deluxe, and JTM45-style amps, with a selection of overdrive pedals for added dirt.

IMPERIAL DELUXE

This model’s basic format, as defined above, might scream “Les Paul” on paper, and it’s clearly Fodera’s alternative to anything you’d likely apply that single-cut classic to, but the Imperial Deluxe comes across as something very different both on the stand and in the hand. The Fodera aesthetic is revealed in the elegantly rounded lines, subtle use of wood-trimmed hardware and abalone inlay, and the overall shape and balance of the guitar. The body is a single semi-hollow piece of walnut topped with flame maple, while the neck is Fodera’s three-piece mahogany construction with an Indian rosewood fretboard. In a nifty piece of design, the mahogany neck seems to reach a dead-end right at the walnut body with no visible seam or overlap, creating what is essentially a heel-less dovetailed neck joint flowing into a scooped body section that further aids upper-fret access. The other end is bolstered by a volute behind the nut, and the top-matching flame-maple headstock overlay wears a colorful Fodera butterfly logo inlay of abalone and mother-of-pearl.