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Is Modulus still in Business?

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#141
I really enjoy/ enjoyed my modulus basses and played my Q6 for 10 years. I called modulus and asked if they would make me a 19mm 6 string. They said no. Too much money to tool up. So I called Zon and they said sure we will build you one. So I sold my Q6 and now play my custom Zon.

Still love modulus, but my $ goes elsewhere now.
 
#142
Sheesh, who invited the Modulus employee?

Same "person" Who invited you, Motorheadbanger:rollno:

Ordered today for Fedex 2-day delivery Friday.

Glad to play a Modulus bass again.

After taking 2 seconds to re-read THIS:
They have had one of my guitars for almost 4 months and were updating me kinda regularly (usually a month after they promised), but I have had zero correspondence in almost a month.

Wow- a whole month!:rollno:

You're not Flea pal, sorry!

The OP has not a leg to stand on & the crap posted about Modulus not Kissing a consumer's A** was never warranted; just a pile-on.
Typical of some internet champs.

Looking forward to my new bass; thanks for the inspiration!:D
 

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#143
Mulebagger said:
I really enjoy/ enjoyed my modulus basses and played my Q6 for 10 years. I called modulus and asked if they would make me a 19mm 6 string. They said no. Too much money to tool up. So I called Zon and they said sure we will build you one. So I sold my Q6 and now play my custom Zon.

Still love modulus, but my $ goes elsewhere now.
Click to expand...

It's interesting that Zon gets mentioned in this thread. I love Zon basses but find them to be a very different beast. Despite the use of graphite in both designs, they are far from interchangeable. It's clear from the Zon and Modulus websites that they have different tonal goals, so it's not a knock on either company. If I want the Modulus sound, there's only one place to get it. Glad you're happy with your new bass. It would be hard not to be!
 
#144
JAUQO III-X said:
I fully understand the op's position on this but this thread has went in other directions as well. My post was pointing out how some times it's best that certain luthiers not deal with the customers and leave that to the dealers.
Click to expand...

I get that. When Bud was building my bass, there were periods of over two months when we didn't communicate for the very reason you pointed out - I didn't want to take him away from building the bass. Usually, he initiated the communication when he had reached a milestone. Same thing with Fodera, and I'm sure Jason'll back me up on this. Once the specs were finalized, I pretty much left him alone. I really don't like to be a pest during the wait.
 
#145
dmusic148 said:
Wow, hope not especially for the benefit of the OP, but frankly it wouldn't surprise me too much. It's tough out there these days, with all the 'boutique' brands now competing for our dollars. This board is ablaze with MTD, Roscoe, Dingwall, Sadowsky, Lakland, Fodera, Alleva-Coppolo, Ritter, Warwick etc.....you just don't hear much buzz about the 'old school' brands like Pedulla, Modulus, Alembic etc.....
Not sure why not(lack of innovation/marketing?)..I don't know. But those brands certainly have MUCH more competition than they did when they appeared.
Click to expand...

Why No love for the F bass?
 
#146
I think at the level of building at which we try to work, we fully expect (and desire) some communication back and forth with our customers. Working with people like Mike to help them realize what it is they are looking for tonally and aesthetically is one of the reasons that we enjoy what we do. It is a different business model and our prices and structure reflect that. We have far more "front office" staff than many builders our size because we are committed to having the resources necessary to provide this kind of service.

This was NOT always the case here at Fodera. As recently as 2009, Joey and Vinny handled EVERYTHING on their own. If you ask them (and our customers), the ability to interact in a thorough, detailed way about builds was spotty at best. We believe that, ay times, both the customers and instruments suffered because of it. And, the amount of stress placed on Joey and Vinny to do all of the customer interaction AND provide all customer communication left them stressed and unable to focus on building in the way they wanted to and now can.

And, yes, I will back Mike up in that he was completely reasonable in wanting to be involved in an appropriate way while we were working together to refine the specs for both of his builds...

Regards,

Jason

Munjibunga said:
I get that. When Bud was building my bass, there were periods of over two months when we didn't communicate for the very reason you pointed out - I didn't want to take him away from building the bass. Usually, he initiated the communication when he had reached a milestone. Same thing with Fodera, and I'm sure Jason'll back me up on this. Once the specs were finalized, I pretty much left him alone. I really don't like to be a pest during the wait.
Click to expand...
 
#147
Sorry guys- "SherwoodGreen" was a repeat troll/diva who we've banned multiple times. He doesn't even reach "internet champ" status, let alone something better in the real world, so disregard him :D
 
#156
20+ year marketing guy here. Always gets my goat to hear that small companies struggle because they're lacking some basic marketing capabilities.
You could fix the Modulus customer service 'problem' in ten minutes.
1) Set up a group customer service email box.
2) Online form for that email box with categories (so you can prioritize who to get back to first), with an auto responder that says 'hey, thanks for the inquiry. we're crazy-busy building awesome basses right now but we'll forward your email to the appropriate person this week.'
3) Have someone clear that inbox every 7 days.
4) Look at how many points of margin you're giving your dealers, show them this thread from TB, cut their margin by a point or two and ask them what they're doing to promote your product.
5) Find a good master distributor (online or national brick and mortar), use that agreement to shake things up in your sales channel.
Done, get back to your autoclave so you can wrap more carbon fiber.
PS. I'd typically charge a client well under a grand to do all this for them. So, there really is no excuse for their current level of responsiveness, customer service or marketing. Makes me sad when great products get tripped up by stuff that should be easy.
 
#157
It never ceases to amaze me how many guys on internet forums know how to run guitar making businesses better than the pros......I remember following the one about how much better it would be (for EBMM) if they made a 19 mm spacing 5 er - so they said yes......and 3 people ordered - and then everyone cried foul....but it wasn't because when EBMM offered a similar window on something people really wanted they got hundreds of orders.....such is the power of Talkbass!!

I feel very sorry for the people in this thread who are waiting for basses or work to be completed - the rest of the hot air merchants are doing nothing to help them and if criticism on internet forums was a barometer of whether a business failed or succeeded, will have certainly nailed a few more nails in the coffin of the manufacturer, to the potential detriment of their internet colleagues waiting for product....most helpful don't you think - NOT.

Fact is if I want to sound like Flea I'll still order a Modulus.

I just wish forums of this type were able to influence big musical instrument corporations (or the members spent as much time moaning about them in such a vociforous way). From what I've seen, individual CEOs and luthiers attract this sort of stuff on forums - sometimes for good reason, but most times because of a misplaced feeling of empowerment, and a lot of hot air directed at a named individual.

As someone mentioned earlier in the thread said, none of you guys are Flea - get over it - you won't get the same service (from anyone)

And someone else has clearly stated that MODULUS ARE STILL IN BUSINESS - so this thread is, beyond that somewhat worthless?
 
#158
Always interesting when people post in a thread on TB... To complain about how they don't like the direction that thread has taken.
Gets even better when the complaint is that the thread isn't valuable... Well neither are such complaints.
Fact of the matter is there's been little to no confirmation that the OP and others will get their basses, or that Modulus is, in fact, still in business. Why is that you may ask? Because of the business practices being discussed in this thread.
It may be 'hot air' to some, seems more like vented frustration to me. And that's what people do on TB sometimes... vent their frustrations in the hopes it leads to something positive.
 
#159
drTSTingray said:
It never ceases to amaze me how many guys on internet forums know how to run guitar making businesses better than the pros......I remember following the one about how much better it would be (for EBMM) if they made a 19 mm spacing 5 er - so they said yes......and 3 people ordered - and then everyone cried foul....but it wasn't because when EBMM offered a similar window on something people really wanted they got hundreds of orders.....such is the power of Talkbass!!
Click to expand...

I think you left out the part about dealers being able to place order for one window and not for the other. But that's a tangent.
 
#160
I will offer a positive on this. A few years ago Modulus unveiled the Vertex bass and a few guys on TB asked people their thoughts' on the design, in terms of cosmetics (the neck and hardware was / is the same I believe). I saw the thread and pointy design of the bass and made (my typical) wise-ass comment on how "cheap" and lame it looked to me; I was bummed because I thought they were "Jumping the Shark".

The next day I received a PM from Joe Perman stating that he was appreciative of my feedback, harsh as it was, and explained the thought process behind the design, etc.. We exchanged PM's and he was professional and prompt in each response. I felt bad about my sharp criticism of the bass, but gained a great deal of respect for Joe and the company due to his involvement in the discussion and openness to feedback. He gave me his contact info and told me to contact him in the future with questions about my Q5 or any other Modulus product. Cool guy.

I understand he has moved on, but maybe he is or will be, involved with the company which could be a good thing.

My 2 cents...
 
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