• 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.

Modulus Mob

#4,661
I feel that Modulus build quality is generally pretty high. If you are talking about an $18,000 bass from Alembic, or even a brand new Mark King for $9,000, you can hardly compare these two. With the Alembic you are getting a custom machined bridge, custom electronics, a neck through body with a beautiful combination of exotic tone woods. It really is tough to compare.

One thing is certain, I've owned several Modulus basses, and they are really the only choice for me. I only wish I hadn't had to sell my 1992 CocoBolo topped TBX6 though, it was an amazing instrument.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iriegnome
#4,662
If I had to compare Modulus basses to Alembic, I'd say the Quantum line is probably more comparable to the Epic series with Alembic, which I believe are priced well below Modulus's current offerings, and still feature neck though body and custom hardware and electronics...
 
#4,663
kyleivanblake said:
If I had to compare Modulus basses to Alembic, I'd say the Quantum line is probably more comparable to the Epic series with Alembic, which I believe are priced well below Modulus's current offerings, and still feature neck though body and custom hardware and electronics...
Click to expand...

Actually my Epic has a set neck rather than neck-through. Hardware and electronics are indeed typical Alembic but reduced to standard treble-bass configs. (doesn't have the filtering feature). To get perspective here note that I bought my Epic brand new ordered custom (unlined fretless, 6 string, flamed maple) from factory for about 2 grand. Current price lists it for $6,400 (though I'm not sure if street price is different). Anyway it gives a handle on how the prices custom basses are going. Today, Moses graphite necks are going for nearly a grand so part of the Modulus price is right there in a graphite neck.

It would be hard to compare the Epic to my Q6. They both are excellent basses but do completely different things, but they both do what they do magnificently. I will say, however, that the Q6 has a MUCH more stable neck and setup than the Alembic (which I suppose is to be expected)
 
#4,665
Not trying to start an argument, but the only real difference in cost to build between a modulus and, say, a fender deluxe jazz is the neck. Even the most expensive possible bridge and pickups are in the low triple digits. So they need to figure out a cost effective way to build the necks and scale up if they want to thrive.

Or they can stay tiny with way too high prices and count on a few loyal fans to keep the paychecks coming in.

IMHO they should hire an experienced tech manufacturing team for the neck blanks. Im sure the costs can be optimized. Seems to me in some ways the molded graphite neck has some advantages in manufacturing scalability.

Unless the problem is that there just isn't much demand since tastes have turned more vintage.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JFMusic
#4,666
pickles said:
Seems to me in some ways the molded graphite neck has some advantages in manufacturing scalability.
Click to expand...

Actually, my understanding of carbon fiber fabrication suggests that just the opposite is true: There's no way to "streamline" the process, reduce steps, automate it, or scale it up/down based on (anticipated) demand. Every neck requires N man-hours of layup work because every neck requires X pieces of prepreg in a specific orientation and then Z hours curing in the mold, followed by finish work. There's no CAD* equivalent that can revolutionize the graphite neck industry the way it did the wooden neck industry; you'll never see Warmoth Graphite™ any time soon.


*[edit: or is it CCR that I'm thinking of?]
 
Last edited:
#4,668
Well, i hope they can figure it out. You don't pay the expensive guys to make necks, you pay them to design a scalable process then amortize that cost across tens of thousands of necks. At 5k I predict slow sales, but if I'm wrong it would not be the first time.
 
#4,669
If you've ever worked with carbon fiber and a vaccum bag\autoclave you'd understand there really is no way to streamline the process.

Bob_Ross said:
Actually, my understanding of carbon fiber fabrication suggests that just the opposite is true: There's no way to "streamline" the process, reduce steps, automate it, or scale it up/down based on (anticipated) demand. Every neck requires N man-hours of layup work because every neck requires X pieces of prepreg in a specific orientation and then Z hours curing in the mold, followed by finish work. There's no CAD* equivalent that can revolutionize the graphite neck industry the way it did the wooden neck industry; you'll never see Warmoth Graphite™ any time soon.


*[edit: or is it CCR that I'm thinking of?]
Click to expand...

I think CNC is the acronym you're looking for. A lot of mass produced bass bodies and necks are cut on a CNC lathe.

There are some new 3d printers that actually print with carbon fiber strands and resin. Once that technology advances maybe we will see it applied to the bass world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob_Ross
#4,671
NBD... I'm a happy camper :)

Guess what's in the box...

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1416799866.129757.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: iriegnome, JFMusic and nickosjonsson
#4,674
Inertialsky said:
There aren't too many guys with the composite knowledge it takes to properly build these necks. Most of these guys make a lot more money working for aerospace than they could ever make building guitar necks.
Click to expand...
Carbon composites are not rocket science or something that only a few people have knowledge of. Vacuum bagging and room temperature curing epoxies makes it diy-able with basic knowledge about composites. If you look at carbon fiber bicycle frames their prices have come down a lot from the first ones. I'd say that necks could be made quite cheap and effective if they were made in larger quantities. It's about the design, not the manufacturing. It sure takes a lot more time to make a cf neck than wood neck.
 
#4,676
Pickles, you make some great points - and they don't come off as argumentative at all. The major difference is indeed in the neck. While I love my custom walnut-topped Q5, there's nothing unique about the body construction (besides a great piece of wood). If they used wood for the necks too, Modulus would be "just another great bass company", and theoretically, they could get by with charging less. Because I'm not sure who knows what concerning their build process on this forum, I won't delve into how much more difficult the neck construction is. For anyone that's interested, the original U.S. patents for both their traditional graphite neck and the graphite/wood hybrid Genesis neck are interesting reads that provide some more detailed insight into the process.

That said, I don't think Modulus has any interest in expanding to include a manufacturing team - especially at present, as they're just getting started again. I know their current business model doesn't work for everyone, but to me, there's something inherently special about a single luthier building with non-traditional materials seeing an instrument through from beginning to end.
 
#4,677
#4,678
bubba-b said:
um, did anyone notice the 6-string tbx on the gc website?
Click to expand...


110691922_th.jpg
110691922
Just_Arrived-Listings.png

SOLID BODY ELECTRIC QUANTUM 6
Used Modulus QUANTUM 6 Amber Electric Bass Guitar
icon_3.gif

Details »
Bass
Guitar Center Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909
719-591-9040
View Store's Used Inventory
Contact Store
Now Only
$1,999.99
BASSES | SOLID BODY ELECTRIC | QUANTUM 6
Available In:
location.gif
Invalid Link Removed Telephone:
phone.gif
Manager:
contact.gif
Ronald Renwick
Used Modulus QUANTUM 6 Amber Electric Bass Guitar

Typical useless GC description and pics, but it's an early TBX alright... and the price isn't bad either.
 
#4,680
Tobacco burst? Cherry burst? 2 or 3 tone sunburst? Link Removed

iriegnome said:
gone!!! Oooh... BTW - working on a birthday gift for myself.. working on details, but something pretty cool may be happening.. I am bursting, but nothing at all set in motion....
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BassOliverB

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back