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Modulus Mob
- Thread starter rockstarbassist
- Start date
that's ok. i'm sure it would look better than my current plan. picked up a sheet of carbon fiber vinyl from an auto store online with the plans of cutting patterns out and sticking them over control covers and battery doors on my basses. but my skills with an exacto knife aren't as pretty as i'd like. 8p
It's strange... I have always felt that my Mod acted a bit weird. When I bought it brand new the saddle for the G-string was very sharp and snapped the string very often. Then at some point, half a year ago probably, I changed strings but during that I heard a snap from somewhere on the bass. And after that, the bass had a horrible amount of string buzz - even when I put the action as high as possible, and added as much relief into the neck (even tho that didn't seem to change the curve on the neck at all). It has gotten better since but when I adjusted the intonation I started hearing some kind of rattling from the neckheel again... I should maybe contact Planetbass.com for help?
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Sounds like your truss rod snapped or the threads stripped out. Contact Planetbass.com or Jerry Dorsch.
A co-worker and I bothcame to the conclusion ( he plays bass also ) that the reason Modulus used that particular pattern of carbon on the necks , is when laying either uni or a fabric in a mold , unless you get it perfectly straight , someone is going to look at the neck from behind and see that the material might not be perfectly straight and have a tizzy ! Thus with a pattern like that , there is no reference as to it being a degree or 2 off .
Yea, those guys would be the ones who could help you the most. Tony at planet bass is very helpful and informative. That doesn't sound good, you definitely shouldn't get any kind of rattle from any bass, let alone a moddy. Hope nothings broken man!
Btw the truss rod doesn't actually function as a normal truss does since the graphite necks are so stiff. They call it a "relief adjustment bar." all it does is either slightly raise or slightly lower the fingerboard to/from the strings. I mean very slightly. There is a middle position where it's neutral, and the truss bar feels like it wobbles loosely, then if you tighten clockwise you're raise the fingerboard and if you tighten counter clock wise, you are lowering it. It could be that the truss is in neutral and that it's a bit rattley. If this is the case, Try giving it a couple turns in one direction until it's not loose anymore and maybe it'll stop the rattle?
Hope this helps! Good luck!
I feel like I should mention, got that bass for a cool 350$. I'm assuming its a bastardized m92, but I'm not sure. the input is on the bottom rather than the front, but I suppose that could easily have been moved.
The "truss rod" feels normal. Loose in the middle, gets tighter as you add or remove relief. I have sent an e-mail to Tony and waiting for responce.
Btw, Ballin'Bass, I have already given the relief adjuster as many turns as possible (without pushing hard risking it to break). So I'd expect it to be tight...?
Btw, Ballin'Bass, I have already given the relief adjuster as many turns as possible (without pushing hard risking it to break). So I'd expect it to be tight...?
Remember , carbon fiber is WAY stiffer than wood . I read somewhere ( probably on here ) that you have to adjust these necks a little at a time , for changes to take effect . ( like a couple of days or so )
Yeah... It probably has changed so slow that I didn't notice it 
Tony replied in a very short time that I should just make sure that every bolt was tight. I'll do that later when I change strings
Tony replied in a very short time that I should just make sure that every bolt was tight. I'll do that later when I change strings
none of my graphite necks have truss rods.. They have all been refretted and adjusted by my luthier to allow for any movement if it ever happens. Since I have a very light touch when I play, I have super low action, so my bridge is set for that. My luthier knows exactly how I play and how I prefer my basses, so they are always set up exactly like I like them. Usually about once a year I bring my main player to him for new strings, cleaning and a check. Since there is no truss and I always use the same strings, rarely anything will need to be done to keep its acuracy.
Yea that probably rules out the relief bar.The "truss rod" feels normal. Loose in the middle, gets tighter as you add or remove relief. I have sent an e-mail to Tony and waiting for responce.
Btw, Ballin'Bass, I have already given the relief adjuster as many turns as possible (without pushing hard risking it to break). So I'd expect it to be tight...?
Btw, I have slapped the new set of Ken Smith compressors on my fretless moddy.
Sound: They are noticeably less bright and snappy than the DR lo-riders I had originally put on it. I think this might be a good thing considering the graphite neck. They sound quite literally like a middle ground between rounds and flats, with a true thuddy sound yet just enough twang to give you a crisp sound. They are also nps so they are less sparkly than ss strings. I still am deciding how much I enjoy their response, but it seems to just be a bit softer.
Feel: GREAT. They have a bit more tension than rounds but not as much as flats. Again, middle ground. They are still totally easy to move around on, not really slick but definitely not grabby. I like how they feel, very predictable and really what I was hoping for. I can definitely say I'm less worried about hurting my fingerboard.
Overall I would recommend them to any one on a fretless. Still im interested in trying the ghs pressure wounds at some point.
Well there ya go. My review. Hope you guys found it intriguing enough to try them sometime.
Sound: They are noticeably less bright and snappy than the DR lo-riders I had originally put on it. I think this might be a good thing considering the graphite neck. They sound quite literally like a middle ground between rounds and flats, with a true thuddy sound yet just enough twang to give you a crisp sound. They are also nps so they are less sparkly than ss strings. I still am deciding how much I enjoy their response, but it seems to just be a bit softer.
Feel: GREAT. They have a bit more tension than rounds but not as much as flats. Again, middle ground. They are still totally easy to move around on, not really slick but definitely not grabby. I like how they feel, very predictable and really what I was hoping for. I can definitely say I'm less worried about hurting my fingerboard.
Overall I would recommend them to any one on a fretless. Still im interested in trying the ghs pressure wounds at some point.
Well there ya go. My review. Hope you guys found it intriguing enough to try them sometime.
So, guys... I ordered a pair of nordstrand big splits to replace the stock barts in my q4 turbo. The barts just had no depth or shine to them. It took a month (custom ordered in emg35 covers) but they finally arrived today and I installed them. It appears that the E and G strings are a bit off center on the ss pickup. But not by too much. I wired it together anyway to see if it would be a problem and in the process I accidentally snapped the solder of one of the wires to the battery clip. 
Dang it! I don't own a soldering iron myself but I can at least still run the bass passive and get sound for now. So I have tested them running passive and let me just say...
WOW. The big splits are fantastic! Even with the slightly off-center E and G strings it sounds great. I use a John east u-retro preamp in this bass because I am a tone freak and I had to use all the tweakability it had available to get the old bartolini pups to even sound decent. They are fat but have no definition. And running them passive?... Forget it! Totally weak, lifeless sound.
The big splits in passive mode sound as good or better than the bartolinis did with the preamp running in full gear. Without the preamp, the nordys inherently possess the character of the best setting I could achieve with the barts, using the preamp. Bright, snappy, punchy, and real fat as well. Totally happy so far.
For now, that's all I can say but I can't wait to borrow a solder gun so I can fix the battery clip and run them active and see how good it can REALLY get. But damn, color me impressed!
Nordstrand, you've done it again!
Here's a couple pics for your viewing pleasure/reference:
Dang it! I don't own a soldering iron myself but I can at least still run the bass passive and get sound for now. So I have tested them running passive and let me just say...WOW. The big splits are fantastic! Even with the slightly off-center E and G strings it sounds great. I use a John east u-retro preamp in this bass because I am a tone freak and I had to use all the tweakability it had available to get the old bartolini pups to even sound decent. They are fat but have no definition. And running them passive?... Forget it! Totally weak, lifeless sound.
The big splits in passive mode sound as good or better than the bartolinis did with the preamp running in full gear. Without the preamp, the nordys inherently possess the character of the best setting I could achieve with the barts, using the preamp. Bright, snappy, punchy, and real fat as well. Totally happy so far.
For now, that's all I can say but I can't wait to borrow a solder gun so I can fix the battery clip and run them active and see how good it can REALLY get. But damn, color me impressed!
Nordstrand, you've done it again!
Here's a couple pics for your viewing pleasure/reference:
Is that a Turbo?? Also, more explaining on that bridge!! She is beautiful!!!drool
Yup! Turbo indeed! From '96. Thank you sir, I agree she's gorgeous .
The bridge is a 2tek. It goes through the body and... Well, as if moddys don't have enough sustain and resonance already, the 2tek gives it even more! Also this thing is the epitome of a "butter bass". So easy to play, the action is so low my fingers sometimes trip over each other because of how fast they can move on it
. Here's a pic of the back plate:
IIRC, it was a one-off custom job from modulus, which is something they didn't do very often. It gives the bass a super distinctive tone and feel. And now that I have nordy big splits in it with a John east preamp.... I think it could rule the world one day.
. The bridge is a 2tek. It goes through the body and... Well, as if moddys don't have enough sustain and resonance already, the 2tek gives it even more! Also this thing is the epitome of a "butter bass". So easy to play, the action is so low my fingers sometimes trip over each other because of how fast they can move on it
. Here's a pic of the back plate:IIRC, it was a one-off custom job from modulus, which is something they didn't do very often. It gives the bass a super distinctive tone and feel. And now that I have nordy big splits in it with a John east preamp.... I think it could rule the world one day.
