• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

SR5 or Modulus Q5?

G

Guinea Pig

Jun 23, 2005
122
0
52
i usually grow on cow dung
#1
pretty tired of having a korean made bass, quality and sound are not very becoming. I'm in the range for buying a new "good" bass. Was wonder what you guys would have to say about a Musicman SR5 vrs. a used quantum 5. I've played a sr5 at guitar center acouple days ago. It had a beautiful honey burst finish on it with a black pickguard that added some interesting contrast. It was a HH and had a nice rosewood neck. It was nice and had a great sound through an ampeg svt 4 pro that i hope to add to my arsenal aswell. I've heard alot of good talk on the modulus Qs due to their necks. I've had alot of neck problems with older basses.
The main reason i want a new bass. Is because my band recently recorded in a studio (free of charge, drummer is good friends with the dude) and listened to it afterward and wasn't quite happy with the tone and overal sound of the bass. I want something very studio proficient and it seems like a stingray or quantum would do the job right. What do you guys recommend?
 
#2
I'm not so qualified to speak on the Modulus but I my Stingray (honeyburst with maple neck) is fantastic. It has become my main bass for touring and sessions over my Jazz and also my Warwick Streamer.

Overall a really really stable and solid bass in every sense. No dead spots on the neck, beautifully easy and quick to play, sounds great always cutting through. Great in the studio too, it's blown my Streamer away every time. Plus the producers/engineers seem to pick it everytime aswell.

I often wonder if the Stingray and/or Sterling are perhaps the best 'off the shelf' factory basses one can buy...hmmm....i wonder. Maybe I'm biased.
 
#3
is your stingray a HH? If it's not, how is that sound with the single humbucker? I wasn't so inclined by the duel humbuckers so I'm sort of contimplating just a single pu if anything. I played a SR4 with a single humbucker and it seemed just fine the way it was.
Any problems with bowing or warps in the neck on the sr5s?

I've made stupid decisions in the past (don't we all) when it comes to buying music equipment. I'm trying to do as much as i can to prevent another unhappy purchase.
 
#4
I just recorded with my Q5 (Which is for sale) and it's by far the most "studio friendly" bass I have recorded with. Others include a Sadowsky UV70MB5, Stingray, Warwick Corvette, Lakland JO4. The Quantum has the cleanest sound of them all and does not bring out the little mistakes quite like my Sadowsky (Damn that bass for being better than me!). You can always count on the Q to be setup the way you left it last.

I'm not saying that the Stingray is bad, I loved the one I had. But the Q5 will never let you down, and it holds that reputation with a sweet sweet sound! :smug:
 
#6
If you do a lot of slapping, the stingray could be the better choice ... but for fingerstyle its the Q5, no doubt, as long as you like a modern tone. Since both of those basses sound pretty moden I'm guessing that you do. For a long time I played a Q5 and there was an SR5 sitting in its case next to the amp at the rehersal space. I could have used it anytime I wanted to, and almost never did.

Modulus are also seriously undervalued on the used market, so they're a great buy. For only a few hundred more than a new HH you can get a mint used Q5.

Then the only question is Barts or EMGs on the Q5. :ninja:
 
#7
If you're looking for the reliability and strong sound graphite can give you, consider a 4 or 5 string Modulus Genesis. The neck is built with a graphite spar inside that bears all the weight. Maple or other woods are fitted around the graphite to give the neck its shape. I've got a Genesis neck on a Frankenbass I made and it's great:
1. Not as "clanky" as a straight graphite neck
2. (see above) Has a woodier tone, but all the good things about graphite - even tone production across the board, endless bass fundamental, perfect (really perfect) intonation, never goes out of tune
3. Built like a brick sh*thouse. Beautiful fit and finish, great fretwork, super fast action.

Genesis basses typically go for a few hundred less used than Quantums. Harmony Central is full of great reviews. I've never talked to an owner who didn't love his. But I'd be curious if anyone out there who's tried or owned one found a significant fault.

Good luck with your upgrade. (SRs are good too, and maybe a little closer to the sound you've been getting.):D
 
#8
Guinea Pig said:
Any problems with bowing or warps in the neck on the sr5s?

I've made stupid decisions in the past (don't we all) when it comes to buying music equipment. I'm trying to do as much as i can to prevent another unhappy purchase.
Click to expand...

I'm going to go ahead and say probably not. I definitely never have. The neck on SR5's is a hoss cat...it takes a lot of abuse to do anthing to it, and the truss rod system is so easy that you can make adjustments on the fly.

I actually prefer the single humbucker SR5 myself...can't pinpoint it, but I do. It can suck to slap on a HH as well.
 
#9
Guinea Pig said:
pretty tired of having a korean made bass, quality and sound are not very becoming. I'm in the range for buying a new "good" bass. Was wonder what you guys would have to say about a Musicman SR5 vrs. a used quantum 5. I've played a sr5 at guitar center acouple days ago. It had a beautiful honey burst finish on it with a black pickguard that added some interesting contrast. It was a HH and had a nice rosewood neck. It was nice and had a great sound through an ampeg svt 4 pro that i hope to add to my arsenal aswell. I've heard alot of good talk on the modulus Qs due to their necks. I've had alot of neck problems with older basses.
The main reason i want a new bass. Is because my band recently recorded in a studio (free of charge, drummer is good friends with the dude) and listened to it afterward and wasn't quite happy with the tone and overal sound of the bass. I want something very studio proficient and it seems like a stingray or quantum would do the job right. What do you guys recommend?
Click to expand...
I had a Q5 for about 18months and bought a SR5,shortly after, i sold the Q5, as i found the SR5 to have a warmer more natural sound,and it does record better then the Q5,i personally prefere the 34" scale of the ray also,good luck whichever way you go.
 
#10
Guinea Pig, I don't know what kind of korean bass you have, but stuff like Skyline and Yamaha TRB basses are not junk.

That said, I have owned both, and they are both great. The SR5 is better deal financially, but both are great, and the Q5 has a trouble free neck. That is a big plus for set up challenged people like me who travel.
 
#11
pickles said:
If you do a lot of slapping, the stingray could be the better choice ... but for fingerstyle its the Q5, no doubt, as long as you like a modern tone. Since both of those basses sound pretty moden I'm guessing that you do. For a long time I played a Q5 and there was an SR5 sitting in its case next to the amp at the rehersal space. I could have used it anytime I wanted to, and almost never did.

Modulus are also seriously undervalued on the used market, so they're a great buy. For only a few hundred more than a new HH you can get a mint used Q5.

Then the only question is Barts or EMGs on the Q5. :ninja:
Click to expand...


Unless of course you can find a rare Q5 with Aero's... ;)
 
#15
I've been playing a Single H SR-5 for the past 10 years and have had 0 neck problems with it. I just purchased a cherry burst HH model and I like it as well. I wouldn't say that I prefer the HH over the H. They both have their own set of bass sounds and I love them both. I have no experience with the Q5 although I understand that it is the way to go if your constantly changing envirnments which cause a wooden neck to move around alot. Both are professional instruments and will give you years of good service.
 
#16
The Mule said:
Still bartolini is the way to go on a Q5! :smug:
Click to expand...

+1

The ONLY bass I've owned where Barts sound good to my ears. Usually I strip 'em out and put something in with better treble response and more midrange but in the modulus they cut the attack of the phenolic fingerboard a bit and fatten up the midrange.

I've got two Modulus Q5SS (fretted/fretless) and the EMG does sound a bit thin and brittle by comparison.
 
#17
this is kind of "i'm hungry, should I have an ice cream sundae or chili con carne?" questions.

I have a modulus 6 and a stingray 4--love 'em both but they're so different.

Both have great feel and a very articulate sound that cuts through the mix. I do think the SR has a more distinct, recogizable MM sound while the Mod is very hi-fidelity.

Wise choice would be to try and get some playing time on each.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back