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The Koa 6 String Bass

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The Koa 6 String Bass

Damian Coccio's custom Koa 6-string Fodera Emperor bass I am often asked "who makes your bass and what are the specs"? This article addresses those questions about the Koa 6 and provides a brief history of it's development. My Koa 6 string bass was made by Fodera Guitars in New York City and is the most important instrument I've owned. Damian Coccio as a teenager playing bass guitar The first bass I played was my father's old Fender Jazz Bass when I was very young.  Since then, I have always preferred offset bodies like Jazz Basses because of their balance and ergonomic playing angle.  Fodera's Emperor body is similar to a Jazz but with improvements like a lower horn shape that grips your leg and a deeper cutaway for better fret access. Layout of the Fodera 5-string bassThe woods I chose for this build were Hawaiian Acacia Koa top, chambered walnut body, ash tone block, ebony fingerboard and a maple neck.  This combination of woods produces a clear, full tone with rich mids ( read about tone woods ).  The 33" scale and 17.5 mm string spacing opens up chording possibilities and offers economy of motion. Fodera Guitars wood tap testThe Koa 6 has the sound and feel I've always dreamed of in an instrument thanks to Fodera working closely with me during the build. I am truly grateful to play this bass; it consistently inspires new music.  So far, I have used this wonderful instrument on my albums Year in Review, Peace Project, & Hypnagogery. [caption id="attachment_1478" align="alignnone"]Damian Coccio custom 6 string fodera emperor The Koa 6 Specifications (Click for High Resolution)[/caption] [gallery type="square" ids="1500,1490,1502,1494,1496,1512,1488,1486,1499,1501,1511,825"]

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