GeoffGould
Commercial User
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Modulus Mob
- Thread starter rockstarbassist
- Start date
GeoffGould
Commercial User
sounds like a TBX. It was around '89 when the TBX arrived. The X denoted a wider neck than what we had been using before that.
GeoffGould
Commercial User
the first use of 'X' was when we went from the Quantum 5SP, which was a bolt-on adaptation of a Fender-style 4-string neck, to a new mold, with the wider neck, the SPX. It still had the blocky heel until I adapted the more streamlined neck joints that had been in use by Spector and Tune. Then the X turned into an i, for Integrated Neck Joint.
Thanks, Geoff
(Another quick update). The TBX 5 arrived yesterday. Looks and sounds great. Pat Wilkins did a great job on the neck. All glossed up and ready to rock. The seller (fellow TB'er) has been a great guy to deal with. I have a quick question. I'm considering swapping out the Hipshot tuners that are on here presently. What do you all recommend as a replacement? What does Modulus use for their stock tuners? Well, something that I can swap in as a direct replacement on an '89 TBX 5.
Modulus uses Gotoh tuners, GB707 on all mine, but my oldest is a '93. Not sure what they used in '89. Hipshot is good quality stuff, just as good as Gotoh, so I personally wouldn't change 'em over quality. But if you're wanting to switch for a color change, I'd get either Gotoh Res-O-Lites or Hipshot Ultralights. Even on basses that have no problem at all with neck dive, taking 5-6 ounces off the end of the headstock makes a huge improvement in comfort. Res-O-Lite's are a tiny bit lighter that Ultralights.
My recently acquired '01 Q6 will be getting Gotoh Res-O-Lites soon (GB350). It's currently got gold hardware, wanting to go black or cosmo black.
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I read somewhere that higher tension strings can help lower the action on a pre-truss rod Modulus (I have an '89 TBX 5). I understand that DR strings have some of the lowest tension of strings out there (no idea if that's true but DR sunbeams are on the bass right now and the action is at 3mm currently - from the bottom of the B to the top of the 12th fret). I could have someone sink the bridge another 1-2mm but I'd rather avoid that if possible. Otherwise, the bass is wonderful, I just prefer lower action.
Anyway, can anyone recommend a 5-string set of round wound strings with higher tension? Also, while I generally play with medium gauge strings (45-125) I can move higher or lower if it means lowering the action.
Anyway, can anyone recommend a 5-string set of round wound strings with higher tension? Also, while I generally play with medium gauge strings (45-125) I can move higher or lower if it means lowering the action.
Actually using higher tension strings will cause more bow on your neck and making the action higher than lower.
Interesting, thanks. I keep reading that the reverse is true. Makes sense though when I visualize it.
So, would the same hold true for lower gauge strings (meaning will using lower gauge string result in lower action)? I initially installed a new set of DR hi-beams 45-125, however, upon suggestion by the seller, I switched to the DR sunbeams 40-120 that were in the case and the action seems a hair lower now.
Ultimately, I'm looking for suggestions on how I can lower my action by switching string brands/gauges. The bridge saddles are already as low as they'll go and of course I don't have a truss rod to adjust (there is currently a tiny bit of relief in the neck). I understand I can have the bridge sunk a bit, but I'm hoping to avoid going down that road.
DRs round core strings (Hi Beams, Sunbeams, Fat Beams) are on the looser/springier feeling side, for sure. Their other strings with hex cores (Lo Riders) are definitely stiffer.
As Gwangi said, higher tension strings can pull a little more relief into your neck. But higher tension strings also flop around a little less, so you can often get lower action without fret buzz.
How is your necks relief? You might try checking it as-is, then tuning a half step or so sharp to see if the neck's going to move much.
I just put a set of Fodera stainless strings on my Genesis 5; haven't put a whole lot of playing time on them yet, but I like them so far. They seem a fair bit stiffer than Hi Beams/Sunbeams, really well-defined and focused tone. I'll get some more time on them this weekend.
Rather than going to the trouble of sinking the bridge, I would probably look at either filing the slots on the bridge saddles a tad deeper or filing a little off the bottom of the saddles, allowing them to sit a little lower. That way you're not quite so obligated to any particular set of strings. It looks like you've got a ABM bridge, which has separate small height adjustment blocks in each saddle; you should be able to pull those out to file either the slot or the bottom of them. This depends on how much break angle over the bridge you've got to play with, though.
BTW/FYI, Graphtech/Ghost makes drop-in replacement saddles with piezos for that style bridge, in case you were interested in that kind of thing. About $140.
Thanks, Bruce. With the DR Sunbeams (40-120) on the bass, the neck relief is spot on at standard tuning. The method I use it not exactly scientific, but it works. I add a capo at 2nd fret, press down on 24th fret and check the spacing at the 9th fret with a business card. When I tuned up a 1/2 step I noticed there was a hair less neck relief but nothing drastic.
Honestly, I'm not sure what's going on here. The neck relief is perfect or nearly so. It's pretty much the amount of relief I set on my Spector basses. That said, I can get my action much lower on the Spector compared to the TBX. With the Spector (same neck relief), I can get the strings down to where they're touching the fretboard. Of course it's not playable at that point, I'm just saying that the bridge saddles go that low.
I don't trust myself filing down the bridge saddles, but it's good to know that's an option (certainly less invasive than sinking the bridge).
I was just hoping to take the lazy way out (at least for now) and experiment with different strings. I was hoping to learn which brand (and gauge) strings would reduce the neck relief a tad and in turn achieve the lowest action. Should I try and find string (rounds, not flats) with the LOWEST tension? If so, what brand(s) should I consider?
My first Modulus I bought was in '92 or '93 and was a Quantum SPI5 and did not have a truss-rod in the neck, when I would tune to normal standard A440 tuning using .120, .105, .85, .65, .45 guage stainless steel rounds the neck would bow, if I tunned down a 1/2 step I would definitely get better lower action, the one thing I've learned is with the Modulus neck is the neck itself is very strong and impervious too a lot of conditions like humidity, dry conditions within reason, you don't want to put your Modulus in a car trunk in the summertime, the extreme heat would be bad, but the problem I was having with the necks was the phenolic fingerboard itself would shrink and cause bowing on the neck even with the ones with truss-rods in the necks would have the same problem, for me I've just never had any luck with there instruments staying stable, excellent quality instruments in the way there built, again for me I've just never had any luck, I'm playing a Zon Legacy Elite VI which has been very stable, it has a phenowood fingerboard and has been very stable so far.
GeoffGould
Commercial User
back in the day, Markley Blue Steels seemed to have a good mix of playability/low action. I don't know if they're still made the same way. But that doesn't really help for Quantum scale 5-strings!
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Funny, I just asked on here a couple weeks ago about whether putting my Modulus in the trunk would do any damage to the bass. Scary to hear about the phenolic board shrinkage.
I’ve heard great things about Zon basses.
Thanks, maybe I’ll check them out. I don’t want the tension so loose that it feels as though I’m playing a U-bass!
I just tried tuning down. The action is more reasonable at 1/2 step down and even more so a whole step down (though at the latter tuning the tension becones too loose). I’m in a two-piece original band right now (drums and bass) and I get to pick the tuning so maybe I’ll keep the bass tuned down a 1/2 step. Thanks
I've just ordered a set of T1 Jazz rounds for the TBX5. I've read great things about them and they apparently have very low tension and a slightly smaller gauge than the DR sunbeams I have on there now.
