Bass of the Week: Fodera Anthony Jackson Presentation II – Honoring a Legacy of Innovation
In light of Anthony Jackson‘s passing, we’re dedicating our Bass of the Week to his indomitable spirit by featuring one of his finest collaborations with Fodera Guitars. The Anthony Jackson Presentation II was introduced in 2013 and marked the first re-working of the Presentation model since its inception in 1987. It was upgraded with changes to the pickups, bridge, nut, wiring, frets, tuning machines, spacing, and set up. Maybe most notable is the introduction of the “Hybrid” design body.
“Vinny and Joey’s discussion in 2006 with Anthony about plans to build a full (as opposed to a ‘semi’) hollow body instrument stirred a frenzy of planning–and dreaming,” Fodera writes. “The first instrument using this build was made for Matthew Garrison and the transition from 33-inch to 36-inch scale and numerous other design refinements took place over the next 6 years – resulting in a transitional, ‘Hybrid’ proof-of-concept contrabass guitar. After our ‘heel-less’ method of attaching a neck to hollow-body instrument was granted a U.S. Patent, the construction of the Presentation II began.”
The six-string contrabass’s alder body is fitted with hand-carved Holly for its top and back. Its three-piece red oak neck is fitted with an ebony fingerboard devoid of any fret markers. And if that neck looks big to you, it’s because it is. The Presentation II got a new neck profile with an increased thickness, not to mention the bass sports an extended 36-inch scale and 28 frets.
Jackson was also a proponent of letting your fingers make the sound. The Fodera/Duncan dual coil pickup is wired directly to an XLR output. Finally, the bass is built with titanium hardware.
This bass was a reflection of the thoughtfulness and dedication that Anthony Jackson put into his craft. His steadfast approach to the bass reshaped its role in music, and for that we’ll always be grateful.
Fodera Anthony Jackson Presentation II Specs:
| Construction: | Proprietary Hybrid Fodera neck construction |
| Scale: | 36″ |
| Body: | Alder |
| Top and Back: | Carved Holly |
| Neck: | 3-pc. Red Oak |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Frets: | 28 Large Frets |
| Position Markers: | Blank Fingerboard, side dots at 7 and 19th fret |
| Pickup: | Fodera/ Duncan Dual Coil |
| Electronics: | No Electronics, Pickup wired directly to an XLR jack |
| Hardware: | Titanium Bridge, Truss Rod and Tuners (on AJ’s personal instrument only) |
| Strings: | Anthony Jackson Signature String Set |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
