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Modulus Mob

#9,784
Honch said:
From an old forum by another user back in 2008:

"Graphite necks will move, and anyone who says that they don't or can't is flat-out wrong. I had a Modulus Q5 a few years ago...one of the older ones without a truss rod. After changing strings from an unknown brand to DR HiBeams, the bass developed a pretty bad backbow and was unplayable. I called Modulus, thinking that I would need a new neck. I described the problem to their tech over the phone, and he replied by asking me if I was using DR's.

When I said "yes," he told me to throw another brand on the bass and assured me that the problem would go away. I thought he was either lying or crazy, but I did what he suggested and put a set of GHS Bass Boomers on the bass. Within 2 weeks the bass was back in perfect relief. I have since learned that DR HiBeams, which are great strings IMHO, have a much lower tension than most other roundwounds of a comparable gauge.
Bottom line: graphite necks move."

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I just saw that post, which was referenced in this thread a couple of pages back. That was my post, back in 2008! I still have that Q5, and since I switched over to Boomers on that bass all those years ago I haven't had a problem. I use Hi-Beams on all of my other basses, but they just didn't work on that Q5.
 
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#9,785
s_wood said:
I just saw that post from 2008 about a Modulus Q5 without a truss rod that developed a back bow as a result of using DR Hi-Beams. That was my post! I still have that Q5, and since I switched over to Boomers on that bass all those years ago I haven't had a problem since. I use Hi-Beams on all of my other basses, but they just didn't work on that Q5.
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If it was indeed a 2008, you also could have corrected the back bow by adjusting the truss rod and adding some relief.
 
#9,786
rogerbmiller said:
If it was indeed a 2008, you also could have corrected the back bow by adjusting the truss rod and adding some relief.
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IIRC we were discussing non-truss rod models. I've had issues using DR Lo-Riders. I thought it was due to the extra tension of the strings, but as others have pointed out, it may have been a neck that was going wonky. Delamination?
 
#9,788
MarTONEbass said:
IIRC we were discussing non-truss rod models. I've had issues using DR Lo-Riders. I thought it was due to the extra tension of the strings, but as others have pointed out, it may have been a neck that was going wonky. Delamination?
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Ah, that makes more sense. I got confused as Modulus basses have had truss rods since 1998 and I thought the one with the wonky neck was referred to as a 2008.

I have heard that lighter and/or lower tension strings have solved the problem of "too much relief" for some buyers of second hand non-TR Modulus basses. Personally I have had a couple I had to return because they could not be corrected other than we de-fretting, planing and re-fretting. I learned my lesson in the early 90s as an early Steinberger owner (got my XP2 in 1986) that no TR is a bad idea for any bass. I have since had a couple of non TR modulus basses but they make me nervous and as I mentioned already, some were torched.

Of course this is not everyone's experience. I think the key if you get a good one is 1) low tension strings and 2) detune after use.

Apologies for any confusion with my post. And I am glad to get more positive data points about the low tension trick. I am hoping they bring back the Sweet Spot model with a TR but if the G.A.S. gets the better of me, it's good to know a good one can have some staying power if cared for the right way.
 
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#9,790
I have 2 older non-TR Modulus basses and they are both rock-stable, excepting the problems caused by the low-tension Hi-Beams. Whether this is correct or not I leave it to others to decide, but it makes sense to me that if those older necks were designed to have a specified amount of relief in them there would have been an assumption made as to the amount of upward force produced by the strings. Change that assumption by changing to strings outside of that string tension design envelope and the system changes, which means the neck moves. Or maybe it was the phase of the moon...
 
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#9,791
s_wood said:
I have 2 older non-TR Modulus basses and they are both rock-stable, excepting the problems caused by the low-tension Hi-Beams. Whether this is correct or not I leave it to others to decide, but it makes sense to me that if those older necks were designed to have a specified amount of relief in them there would have been an assumption made as to the amount of upward force produced by the strings. Change that assumption by changing to strings outside of that string tension design envelope and the system changes, which means the neck moves. Or maybe it was the phase of the moon...
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This is always what I assumed to be correct. Not the moon phase part. lol
 
#9,792
Hey folks, I'm looking for a Hipshot A style bridge for a Q5. It has to be black and aluminum. I've searched and Bestbassgear is out of stock and Hipshot is not selling its full line of products right now. Modulus sells everything but the bridge and the jack plate on their website :\

Does anyone have any idea where I can source one, or does anyone have one lying around they can sell me?
 
#9,797
loveandbass said:
oh wow lol. ask and ye shall receive
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And I can say that .669" is correct with 100% certainty after replacing mine. You may risk running the strings off the side of the fretboard if you attempt to go too much wider. You get a little wiggle room to spread or narrow the strings with the lateral saddle adjustment, but going with a physically wider bridge might be problematic.

Just did a quick search of my usual sources and it looks like stock has been depleted everywhere.
 

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