• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Is Modulus still in Business?

Status
Not open for further replies.
#641
bassgod0dmw said:
Mine has been perfect since I've owned it. I've never touched the truss rod.
Click to expand...

I have to touch it once in a while whenever the temperature conditions change a lot or when I change strings... Otherwise, I don't really need it...

What impresses me more is that I almost never need to retune it, even when it goes in my double gigbag... which is absolutely not the case of my Spector...
 
#642
JFMusic said:
I'm really surprised the website came back, and with no new information - this leads me to believe it was an error with their hosting company, and not Modulus themselves.
Click to expand...



Maybe the hosting company is reading this thread and got worried. lol

Remember when Bass Central posted that thing about being the last Modulus basses available, now the website.

Maybe it is an attempt to raise the prices and get more money.:help:
 
#643
lang3735 said:
Debate on customer service to one side, their basses are second to none.
Click to expand...

Don't mean to kick a guy when he's down, nor to disparage Modulus instruments in general, since my main bass is a Modulus and you couldn't pry that instrument from my cold dead hands...but fwiw, their woodwork -- in terms of fit, finish, & precision -- is second to that of a lot of bass builders. There are seams and gluejoints on my bass that wouldn't get past the guy doing QC on the Ibanez student model assembly line, much less a boutique luthier selling multi-thousand dollar basses. Plus when I first got it (1988, original owner) the nut had been misscut (needed to be replaced) and the tone control was wired incorrectly!

Great basses, I love mine, will never sell it, would love to own another (or several!), and I'll be truly disappointed if they do go out of business...but "second to none"? Hardly.


Slowburn said:
how often do modulus necks go?
Click to expand...

Mine developed a problem several years ago, and a quick search of TB at that time easily turned up more than a half dozen folks who had experienced similar issues. I'll bet it's less than half of 1% of all necks they made, but if you're one of those few you definitely want to be rooting for Modulus to make it out of this intact & in business.
 
#644
I did look up their LLC status at the CA Sec'y of State website and according to that, they are still a going concern. Not that that is dispositive of anything, but it can reveal if they've gone into receivership or otherwise changed form.
 
#645
I hate pile on, as I was a Modulus artist, but the resale value of these basses was so bad it was depressing. Mainly because the QC was poor. I had noisy pups, seams and glue joints as well. I blamed it on the rigors of the road and took the financial loss, but then I read all the other experiences and realized I treated the bass just fine.

That being said, the Q5 is a classic and anyone who owns one should hold onto it like grim death.
 
#646
I'll also chime in and say that a lot of the work I've discovered in Modulus basses has not been first rate when it comes to the non-neck portion. My TBX is completely unshielded. That might be cool for a 60s Fender, but for a bass made in the 90s that was considered pretty high end, not so much. My Q6 body has pretty wide, glue filled seams. It's got beautiful woods, etc., but my feeling (given that the original body was a solid mahogany homemade affair) is that the resonance suffers from such use of glue, along with the thickness of the finish.

These issues have made me lust after a Modulus/Alembic bass. Those guys have been into shielding since the late 60s.
 
#647
Yep, had to shield my FU4 as well. And in the middle of refinishing the body I found bondo on the back of the upper horn. I was thinking about going natural and as I was sanding through the old finish this beautiful flamed maple started coming through, got to the horn and BAM, spongy white stuff. Luckily Pat W. came to the rescue and refinished it in a nice satin black.

That all said, it is still one of my favorite basses to play.
 
#648
Kinetic Shadow said:
Yep, had to shield my FU4 as well. And in the middle of refinishing the body I found bondo on the back of the upper horn. I was thinking about going natural and as I was sanding through the old finish this beautiful flamed maple started coming through, got to the horn and BAM, spongy white stuff. Luckily Pat W. came to the rescue and refinished it in a nice satin black.

That all said, it is still one of my favorite basses to play.
Click to expand...

Bondo? Not cool. I don't buy the concept that the body and it's inherent acoustic properties don't affect the sound of a solid body bass. I will agree that the neck is the primary component, but the body does contribute a significant aspect to the tone. Having switched bodies on my Q6 made that very clear.
 
#649
edwinhurwitz said:
Bondo? Not cool. I don't buy the concept that the body and it's inherent acoustic properties don't affect the sound of a solid body bass. I will agree that the neck is the primary component, but the body does contribute a significant aspect to the tone. Having switched bodies on my Q6 made that very clear.
Click to expand...

Same pickups and pickup positions when you changed bodies?
 
#651
edwinhurwitz said:
Bondo? Not cool. I don't buy the concept that the body and it's inherent acoustic properties don't affect the sound of a solid body bass. I will agree that the neck is the primary component, but the body does contribute a significant aspect to the tone. Having switched bodies on my Q6 made that very clear.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought at first, what the heck, a 2K+ bass and bondo is being used? :confused:

But I was "informed" that this is a common practice for solid color basses. Maybe, for a MIM, but a Modulus, c'mon. Still love it though :D
 
#652
elgecko said:
Same pickups and pickup positions when you changed bodies?
Click to expand...

Yup, exact same everything except body. I originally bought just the neck and made the rest, with a lot of expert help. Then, I did too many preamp experiments, resulting in too many holes drilled. It got away from me! So, I found a used Modulus body and simply transferred everything over. Still sounds and plays great, but it lost a little depth and complexity to the tone. IMHO, some of the sterility for which Modulus has a reputation can be attributed to the body.
 
#656
Corporate Boy said:
It would be hard to believe and I really doubt it. They just brought back the TBX version.

But to add fuel to the rumor, Oteil just posted on FB that he was using a new bass built by the guy from modulus who designed the TBX.
Click to expand...

Hm, I looked on his facebook page and his website and didn't see that claim. He said Joe helped to design his signature bass, but I didn't see anything about the TBX.
 
#658
Corporate Boy said:
It would be hard to believe and I really doubt it. They just brought back the TBX version.

But to add fuel to the rumor, Oteil just posted on FB that he was using a new bass built by the guy from modulus who designed the TBX.
Click to expand...

In the interest of accuracy, the Facebook post mentioned nothing about the TBX.

Facebook said:
Oteil just received this beautiful Joe Perman 5 string custom bass a few days ago and it made it’s debut last night during the bass solo in Liz Reed. It’s only the second bass that Joe has built under his own name (he was previously with Modulus for over 25 years). “For a long time I’ve abadoned playing the funk-slap style and am just now diving back into it. This bass is like going home for me. Thanks so much Joe!” -ob
Click to expand...
 
#660
sleepy_monkey said:
Not a bad company to move to either. I guess if I can't get another Modulus I can always get a Gould!!
Click to expand...

Geoff makes excellent basses. I have owned two, both with wooden necks. I always bring two basses to gigs my G. Gould GGi 5-string and my (Geoff era) Modulus TBX 5-string.

I don't think Geoff makes wooden neck basses anymore, the graphite necked one I tried was quite nice. No TBX style from Geoff yet.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back