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Modulus Mob

#11,221
JuanB said:
Wow, that’s really bad. I have one Q5 and one Funk 4 that bowed. They were built around the same time, probably same batch of fingerboards. Both have truss rods. The Q5 needed a replane but the Funk is just barely hanging on with the truss as tight as I am willing to go. My older Funk 5 (2006) is doing just fine. Rock solid.
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You know what's strange is I have a friend of mine who has a Quantum 6 from I think about 2009 and he has never had a issue with that bass but I remember back in I think it was 1992, I turned him on to Modulus and another bass player friend of mine as well and they both went out and bought Quantum 6 strings and both necks bowed really bad. I love Modulus basses but I had to give up, it was seriously bumming me out with the neck issues so now I play Zon Legacy Elite VI string basses, and I haven't had any issues with them at all.
 
#11,224
Hi and sorry if this has been discussed before. My friend has this Quantum 5 which seems to be from 1990 and the serial starts with "90". He bought it used in late 90's.
The only quirk is that it only has 5 digits instead of 6. Is this common?
I wrote to Modulus but haven't got an answer yet.
20240507_135526.jpg
 
#11,225
PhR75 said:
Hi and sorry if this has been discussed before. My friend has this Quantum 5 which seems to be from 1990 and the serial starts with "90". He bought it used in late 90's.
The only quirk is that it only has 5 digits instead of 6. Is this common?
I wrote to Modulus but haven't got an answer yet.
View attachment 5443010
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your serial number should be six digits. the first two digits are the year the bass was manufactured:

IMG_2583.jpeg


guess it's possible one of the digits could have been removed or rubbed off after 30+ years.
 
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#11,226
bubba-b said:
your serial number should be six digits. the first two digits are the year the bass was manufactured:

View attachment 5443032

guess it's possible one of the digits could have been removed or rubbed off after 30+ years.
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Thanks. I was thinking about it could have been rubbed off. Here's the back of the headstock:
20240507_135541.jpg


Does the bass look like it's from 1990? I'm not a Modulus expert but some of the features (no trussrod, the bridge) helped me to date it. And if the missing digit has been rubbed off from the end of the serial then it is of course from that year.
 
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#11,227
PhR75 said:
Thanks. I was thinking about it could have been rubbed off. Here's the back of the headstock:
View attachment 5443037

Does the bass look like it's from 1990? I'm not a Modulus expert but some of the features (no trussrod, the bridge) helped me to date it. And if the missing digit has been rubbed off from the end of the serial then it is of course from that year.
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yup, definitely early. before 1992, modulus would sometimes use emg pickups that were 3.5" wide (like yours).

modulus didn't start installing truss rods until around 1997 (transition year).

the kahler bridge was used sparingly throughout the nineties. my 1992 modulus has one.
 
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#11,232
Modulus 96 said:
Those might be the strings that cause the neck to bow.... I don't remember the brand though, but I do recall posts on the topic. Seems impossible but there it is.
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DR Sunbeams are pretty low tension and I've used them to keep my non-truss rod Moduli from bowing. Other types with a hex core might increase the tension but no more than any other brand. I wouldn't shy away from using them.
 
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#11,235
wyzzlord said:
I asked because I've seen some stories on the forums that DR's weren't recommended by some guy from Modulus in 90s. To be honest I dunno what is the possible reason for this might be.
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It'd be a little more believable if the rumor was "high tension strings are not recommended for Moduli" but to say an entire brand of string is not recommended, regardless of construction, gauge, etc., is dubious as hell.

I believe you read the thread here where someone was was asking for strings similar to DRs because their "tech" told them DRs caused Modulus neck problems...this is how misinformation is spread.
 
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#11,236
For sure there are a few posts in this thread about some strings that were a problem, something to do with forward bow. I just didn't recall which specific strings. It does have something to do with higher tension.

If you have a Modulus neck with a truss rod I would think it wouldn't be a problem.
 
#11,237
wyzzlord said:
I asked because I've seen some stories on the forums that DR's weren't recommended by some guy from Modulus in 90s. To be honest I dunno what is the possible reason for this might be.
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I am that guy. A long time ago, I put a set of DR Hi Beams on my 1996 (pre-truss rod) Q5. The neck lost its relief and developed a back bow. When I called modulus to make a warranty claim and explain the problem to them, the customer service rep immediately asked me if I was using Hi Beams. When I told him “yes,“ he told me to try something with a higher tension. I put a set of GHS Boomers on the bass, and the problem was solved, never to reoccur. I now use DR LoRiders on that bass without any problems.

I don’t think Hi Beams would be a problem on the basses with truss rods, btw.
 

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