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Modulus Mob

Forgot i was captured in the wild a few weeks ago playing my Q5 at a local blues jam… pretty energetic set, and the bass sounded great w/ fresh D’addario XL’s
 

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Was not intending to come home with a new Modulus tonight but wheeling and dealing was happening and my Spector magically transformed into a 2003 Flea J5.

Haven't seen many of this configuration floating around. Bartolini Js with a Bartolini NTMB 3 band EQ (I have these in 3 basses so I guess they're my thing).

Too busy noodling on it to get a good picture.

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So I think the time has come to replace the EMG preamp in my 95 Q5 SPi SS (sweet spot). Original EMG 40-DC and the BQC (stacked bass and treble, stacked mid and sweep, volume) pre amp wired 18v. Deoxit has worked a few times but now nets diminishing returns. Wouldn’t mind taming the highs more, my only real thorn with the Moddy is the amount of high end information. What are everyone’s suggestions, I read you either love or hate the Barts in em but may just be in my interest. What and why’s please and thank you. Appreciate you all.
 
So I think the time has come to replace the EMG preamp in my 95 Q5 SPi SS (sweet spot). Original EMG 40-DC and the BQC (stacked bass and treble, stacked mid and sweep, volume) pre amp wired 18v. Deoxit has worked a few times but now nets diminishing returns. Wouldn’t mind taming the highs more, my only real thorn with the Moddy is the amount of high end information. What are everyone’s suggestions, I read you either love or hate the Barts in em but may just be in my interest. What and why’s please and thank you. Appreciate you all.

If you stick with EMG one thing to consider is swapping the DC pickup for the CS. I did this on one of my Gould basses that's in a sweet spot turbo configuration (MM sweet spot + bridge pickup) and it helped.
 
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If you stick with EMG one thing to consider is swapping the DC pickup for the CS. I did this on one of my Gould basses that's in a sweet spot turbo configuration (MM sweet spot + bridge pickup) and it helped.
Can’t speak to it on a Modulus but I did this with a Spector to tame the bridge. Swapped the 40DC for a CSX and was happy with the results.
 
Was not intending to come home with a new Modulus tonight but wheeling and dealing was happening and my Spector magically transformed into a 2003 Flea J5.

Haven't seen many of this configuration floating around. Bartolini Js with a Bartolini NTMB 3 band EQ (I have these in 3 basses so I guess they're my thing).

Too busy noodling on it to get a good picture.

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Somewhat decent pic. One thing I think every Bart NTMB preamp needs is the mid selector switch. They cut so much better IMO when the mid boosts 800hz. This is going to get a push pull on the mid shortly. Right now the mid knob seems to be operating on 250hz and the low end is massive but honestly too much.

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I love the narrower string spacing (I play a Stingray 5) and the weight is pretty good on this one - 9.2lbs.
 
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Added the mid push/pull to the Flea, will pretty much leave it on 800hz as the mid freq. Really dialed up the punch and presence of this bass IMO.

Also strung it up with the NAMM special edition Bubby Lewis "Alien DNA" silk wrapped strings. Have to have some fun sometimes.

Got some intonation to dial in today, the Modulus bridge is not my favorite when it comes to fine tweaking.

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I’m not a fan of the ABM locking bridges either, it must be a german thing as another company- ETS- makes a similar design (their “tuning fork” bridge) and several very nice european brands use them (including my otherwise wonderful deGier bass).
 
Just put a final price drop on my Modulus Q4 for $1950, with plans to remove the ad if the bass doesn't sell by April 7 2025. Lowest price I've seen for a Quantum, especially in this condition. Too nice to give it away. If you have interest this is the time. Let me know by personal message if you have questions.

 
I am about to swap pickups and preamp in my Q5. EMG is what's currently installed... original stuff. All I hear is Bartolini's over EMG. What came factory when Bartolini's were installed? Is there a better option? I am wanting a warmer tone with some growl when pushed. Maybe it's the Modulus in general... maybe even with the mod, I might not like the tone. It plays great and I really want to love it lol, just not there yet,
 

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I am about to swap pickups and preamp in my Q5. EMG is what's currently installed... original stuff. All I hear is Bartolini's over EMG. What came factory when Bartolini's were installed? Is there a better option? I am wanting a warmer tone with some growl when pushed. Maybe it's the Modulus in general... maybe even with the mod, I might not like the tone. It plays great and I really want to love it lol, just not there yet,

Probably 80% of the Modulus basses I've played -- and 100% of the two Modulus basses I've owned -- had EMG pickups.
The other 20% of those I've played had Bartolini pickups.
Based on that, I think you would like Barts...they're definitely a bit warmer and growlier.
But they also have a very distinctive sound, whereas to my ear the EMGs have no sound, they're just neutral, so transparent as to allow the bass to sound like what it is.

If I owned three Modulus basses, I would definitely want one (maybe even two) of them to have Barts.
But if I only owned one (which I currently do) I'm not sure I'd want to commit to that Bart sound. With the EMGs I can eq them to sound a little Bart-ish, whereas I don't think you can eq a Bart bass to sound as clear, transparent, and un-warm/un-growly as an EMG bass.
 
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I am about to swap pickups and preamp in my Q5. EMG is what's currently installed... original stuff. All I hear is Bartolini's over EMG. What came factory when Bartolini's were installed? Is there a better option? I am wanting a warmer tone with some growl when pushed. Maybe it's the Modulus in general... maybe even with the mod, I might not like the tone. It plays great and I really want to love it lol, just not there yet,
I think Barts and different strings could get you closer. My Flea JJ5 (a different beast than the Q5) with Barts can go there.
 
I am about to swap pickups and preamp in my Q5. EMG is what's currently installed... original stuff. All I hear is Bartolini's over EMG. What came factory when Bartolini's were installed? Is there a better option? I am wanting a warmer tone with some growl when pushed. Maybe it's the Modulus in general... maybe even with the mod, I might not like the tone. It plays great and I really want to love it lol, just not there yet,

I found the opposite when I had my Q5. It was a full Bart setup from the factory that I never really got along with, and when I went full EMG it was significantly better for my needs. I used the CS pickups in both positions and the BQC 3 band preamp with the mid control and sweep. The problem with the EMG setup from the factory is that they likely used the DC pickup in the bridge and that's where a lot of the brittleness comes from. That pickup is made to be used in the MM sweet spot further away from the bridge.
 
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I am about to swap pickups and preamp in my Q5. EMG is what's currently installed... original stuff. All I hear is Bartolini's over EMG. What came factory when Bartolini's were installed? Is there a better option? I am wanting a warmer tone with some growl when pushed. Maybe it's the Modulus in general... maybe even with the mod, I might not like the tone. It plays great and I really want to love it lol, just not there yet,

I can't tell you what pickups will get you the sound you are looking for but for me, a Q5 w/ EMG DC and a EMG BTS or BQC system is a perfect marriage. But I know a lot of folks love their Barts so it's all preference. But I also prefer a modern, clean, clear and bouncy bass sound.

In my 2003 these were the Barts:

The preamp was an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp, as VOL / BLEND / MID / BASS-TREBLE stacked, and 18v.

Is that your regular amp? Looks like a single 12" combo? If so, that could be limiting your sonic possibilities or flavoring things significantly.
 

Selling my super rare Modulus Semi Hollow Wide 5 over here in Europe :)
 
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