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Modulus flea troubles

J

Jim R

Mar 24, 2009
21
0
#1
I purchased a modulus flea from ebay. I believe it is a 96 from the serial #. The bass sounds unbelievable and looks great. My problem is 2 things. I have buzzes here and there, mostly on sustained notes. There is no truss rod for adjustment and the neck is as straight as it gets. Doesn't seem to need fret work either. The other problem is the neck is 1.75 at the nut (5 string width I believe and this is a 4 string). My question is can I replace the neck with a new neck that has a smaller width than the original? Also would the bridge have to be changed? Any info would be helpful at this point. Got the bass for a pretty good price so if I have to dump some more into it, it wouldn't be that much of a problem.
 
#2
Jim R said:
I purchased a modulus flea from ebay. I believe it is a 96 from the serial #. The bass sounds unbelievable and looks great. My problem is 2 things. I have buzzes here and there, mostly on sustained notes. There is no truss rod for adjustment and the neck is as straight as it gets. Doesn't seem to need fret work either. The other problem is the neck is 1.75 at the nut (5 string width I believe and this is a 4 string). My question is can I replace the neck with a new neck that has a smaller width than the original? Also would the bridge have to be changed? Any info would be helpful at this point. Got the bass for a pretty good price so if I have to dump some more into it, it wouldn't be that much of a problem.
Click to expand...

Neck width may be the same as a StingRay 4. Dunno, would have to look it up.
Second, it may need a little attention in the fret dept. It's 13 years old. I'd get it looked at by a professional.
It may need some fret leveling if it's been played a lot.
 
#3
I gotta say, the wide neck is pretty uncomfortable. I have a jazz and a rick I play also and this is a whole new world. If I could get a thinner neck on this it would make me very happy. I'm not going to get that sound out of the other 2 for sure. I noticed the newer fleas (now called funk bass or something) have thinner necks which is why I ask.
 
#4
Well, somebody has to say it....why don't you sell it and buy something a little more to your liking?

As far as the buzz goes, try a slightly heavier string gauge to induce a bit of relief. You described the "perfectly straight" neck to a T. After you pluck a string, it vibrates in an elliptical pattern until the axis is perpendicular to the fretboard. That's why the buzz evolves with the longer sustained notes.

Riis
 

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