Modulus BASSSTAR Fan Club

[GeoffGould]

The back cavity cover, made out of brass, really looks like one of our early ones. It is not typical though. Looks maybe like it's koa?

 

[Bugspray]

Definitely Koa. I really like the back cover!

 

[Bugspray]

It's a Schecter body. When I removed the P Bass pickup there was the branded Schecter logo. Originally it was just the single pickup and the original owner added the 2 Jazz bass pickups with on off switches for each one.

 

[GeoffGould]

That's the way it worked back in the day. Companies like Schecter, Boogie, or Karma made bodies, and we would put necks on them. We soon moved into making our own bodies.

 

[Bugspray]

Just a heads up that I returned the bass to Guitar Center. As nice as it was it's just too heavy and the added pickups aren't original to the bass. I managed to find another one that will arrive next week. It's not as old but it's an original example. It's at the Guitar Center South Austin for $1249.

 

[Bugspray]

The pots date the 17th week of 1982 and the stamp on the neck heel is 0204. Weight is a comfortable 9 pounds and 6 ounces and the neck profile is much flatter front to back than the Modulus Alembic neck. It has definitely been played judging by the buckle rash on the back of the body. I love it!!

 

[karmaking]

I owned the California Bass at one time. A truly spectacular bass that had the best action and tone of any bass (50+) I've owned. Also the heaviest bass I've ever played. Great in the studio but torturous onstage.

One of those basses you regret selling but in my case I don't regret it at all. Had I kept it it would no longer exist. All my basses, some really nice ones including another Bassstar necked jazz were vaporized by the Camp Fire on November 8, 2018. I have another Bassstar that was fortunately near my front door after rehearsal the night before that I grabbed when we were running for our lives. I saved that one and am sure glad I did.

It's wonderful to know the California Bass lives on. Say 'Hello' to it for me.

 

[Swerve]

Is a Modulus Basstar what Sting is playing in this video? I absolutely love the look of it.

 

[GeoffGould]

We just made him a neck

 

[Robert Trumpy]

post a pic!

Kind sir. I have an interesting Modulus (BassStar graphite) from around 1985 and people are telling me it might not be an original Modulus body, but I think it is. Please comment as here are three pictures. It's got one Bartolini pick-up, active electronics, and no truss rod. Plus, no serial number. Thanks, Bob Trumpy, 509-929-2136.

 

[GeoffGould]

From this temporal distance, it's hard to be 100% sure. It looks to me like it's either an original body that someone decided to customize a little bit (I'm referring to the sharp edges.) or someone could've had Danny Ransom here in San Francisco make a body for a neck they had. Hard to say. Have you taken the neck off to see if there's a serial number on the heel?
It also might be one of those gray market things where an employee did something on their own time at night,…

 

[Robert Trumpy]

Taking off the neck is the next step. Any thoughts on what it might be worth? Oh, who's Danny Ranson? But the Bartolini, active electronics, with the three position switch could be one of yours? Thanks for the info.

 

[GeoffGould]

yes, but there are some possibilities it didn't roll out of the factory looking exactly like it looks now.

 

[Robert Trumpy]

yes, but there are some possibilities it didn't roll out of the factory looking exactly like it looks now.

Danny Ramson just responded and confirmed he built the body. Thoughts?

 

[GeoffGould]

I'm not surprised. There are many cases of necks and bodies intermingling.

 

[Robert Trumpy]

He didn't want to say much, other than to confirm he built the body. His quote was "I built the body, that's all I can say." Anyway, thanks for your help and I'll be having the neck removed this afternoon.

Oh, assuming there's a serial number there, how do I interpret it? Good luck with all your endeavors.

 

[GeoffGould]

at a certain point, the serial# started with the year. For example, an early neck could just be something like "254" or past a certain point, "890546"
I'm not sure what reason there would be for not having a serial#.

 

[Robert Trumpy]

OK, thanks. I'll keep you updated on what we find. It should be mid-late 80s.

 

[Lo-E]

There are many cases of necks and bodies intermingling.

Isn't that illegal in some states?

 

[GeoffGould]

I have no idea if the bass was or wasn't originally sold as a Modulus instrument. Remember, we used to sell replacement necks.