Dropped my Modulus Bass

[BBQisgood]

Hello,

I had a bit of misfortune with my Modulus FU today when the bass wall holder gave out, causing the bass to fall down vertically onto a plastic box, and then flip over onto the neck/fingerboard. I have attached some images to show you how I found it and the wall holes where the stand was placed.

I am concerned that there may be some neck breakage or damage resulting from the fall. While I have not noticed anything apart from some plastic bits on the strings and the bass plays fine, I am worried about possible "internal" damage. This bass means a lot to me, and this incident has shocked me quite a lot.

I would really appreciate your opinion on it, does carbon neck break easily? (easier than wood?) Would I be able to see it from the outside if there is some internal damage? Would I hear it?
As I said, on the outside, neck looks perfectly fine.
It is probably a bit of my OCD but just wanted to hear your opinion, because I was quite shocked when it happened :/
Thank you!

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I could be wrong, but I've had a modulus for years and years, and I can't imagine a short fall onto a relativey soft surface would even make your bass bat an eye from internal damage.

I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[carsbybigd]

Hello,
That carbon neck is way stronger than the plastic box it landed on . If the fretboard is ok , it should be fine .


I had a bit of misfortune with my Modulus FU today when the bass wall holder gave out, causing the bass to fall down vertically onto a plastic box, and then flip over onto the neck/fingerboard. I have attached some images to show you how I found it and the wall holes where the stand was placed.

I am concerned that there may be some neck breakage or damage resulting from the fall. While I have not noticed anything apart from some plastic bits on the strings and the bass plays fine, I am worried about possible "internal" damage. This bass means a lot to me, and this incident has shocked me quite a lot.

I would really appreciate your opinion on it, does carbon neck break easily? (easier than wood?) Would I be able to see it from the outside if there is some internal damage? Would I hear it?
As I said, on the outside, neck looks perfectly fine.
It is probably a bit of my OCD but just wanted to hear your opinion, because I was quite shocked when it happened :/
Thank you!

View attachment 5073588 View attachment 5073589

 

[DWBass]

My wife wants me to hang my basses. No siree bub. Not ever!

 

[slagbass]

On the other hand, if I were going on a counter-offensive, I'd probably choose the mighty Peavy T-40

It just occurred to me that if a T-40 had fallen off the wall, I'd be more concerned with the floor joists than the bass.

 

[perfektspace6]

I would say you are pretty darn smart to have positioned the box and filler the way you did underneath the bass. Can't see much damage coming from that fall into plastic and straight down without hitting the hard floor.

 

[tpaul]

So it's now a modular bass?

Kidding - I hope and trust that it's ok.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

If you insist on hanging a few basses...
Yep... find a stud, AND/OR be sure to screw into wood.

 

[Thegreatzambini]

Hanger had nothing to do with it. This is like placing your guitar stand on a waterbed and blaming the stand for falling over.

Agreed. Anything will give if you don’t mount it to something solid and look how many instruments are hanging from walls in music shops all over the world…

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Should be fine. But, your wall holder NEEDS to be in a stud. The hollow wall anchors are not reliable. Especially in later Sheetrock.

 

[fauxtoe]

Paging @ModulusFan to tell you just how strong these necks are considering he used the neck off of a SMASHED Modulus bass and mated it to a new body. The original body was ripped apart, but the neck survived to live another lifetime. Here's the thread to get you started - Smashed Bass

I suspect the neck is more than fine! I have several CF necked basses and they are the ones that I trust the most for this kind of (accidental) abuse.

 

[Hans Gruber]

That freaks me out. I'm a "steel is real" offroad cyclist! I abuse my steel gravel bikes (no suspension) on rocky singletrack all the time, but carbon components make me nervous

I ride carbon but also have an indestructible steel Bianchi from the 80s that I swear by. Steel is real for SURE.

 

[FatOwlBass]

That bass is built like a tank and the carbon fiber is way stronger than wood. If there is no external damage you shouldn't worry at all.
The plastic tub it fell into probably saved it from worse damage.

 

[eddybuzzard]

Look on the bright side;

-It didn't hit the clay flower pot
-The cat wasn't napping in the plastic bin
-The screws weren't driven into a water supply

 

[DaveParker39]

Are you serious... this post seems like someone trolling. But if you are being serious, plug it in and play it. Graphite neck... I'm sure it's fine!

its not trolling.. as someone with OCD I'm sure I'd be posting the same thing

 

[Fender_Bender]

Fortunate it fell on that thing, but you might have some good sized string imprints in your frets and board.

 

[majbass]

Yikes! Scary situation.

I never hang instruments up by their necks and I don't leave them on stands either. For me they are always safe in the case.

 

[kumimajava]

The neck is almost certainly fine. I'd check the heel/neck-body joint. If there's any damage/marks, it's most likely to be in this area (e.g. a paint/surface fracture).

Also, depending on the age/generation of the instrument, the clearcoat/varnish on the neck is quite brittle/fragile, so it's possible for the finish to crack, and the neck to be perfectly fine underneath.

Overall - I wouldn't worry; expect it sounds just as before, and now has certifiable bonus-mojo

 

[Dynacord]

Does anyone remember the story of Oteil Burbridge in the mid 90s? His Modulus fell out of a van and it ran over the neck in a soft gig bag. All it did was pop off the A string and he was good to go for the show that night.

That story was a huge boon to Modulus and their folklore. Heck it inspired me to get a first generation Flea bass and that thing was pretty much indestructible.

You're fine.

Similar, guitarist Michael Hedges was a good friend and while at SFO had a Steinberger Transtrem guitar in a gig bag fall off the curb and get fully run over by a taxi. Not only no damage but was still in tune!

 

[Hans Gruber]

Similar, guitarist Michael Hedges was a good friend and while at SFO had a Steinberger Transtrem guitar in a gig bag fall off the curb and get fully run over by a taxi. Not only no damage but was still in tune!

Man, what a terrible loss. What a brilliant man Hedges was.

 

[Stan_da_man]

Exactly why I leave my basses in their cases when not being played.