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Whats the deal with Modulus?

#21
FYI, there's a Q6 Turbo listed in the classifieds right now.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=482515

KJung, as always, beautifully describes the sound and physical characteristics of the Q. Once running through my Epifani rig, I couldn't find a lot to like about the tone. My old tube preamp and Eden cabs really made the Modulus (mine had EMG's, too, but with a custom 3-band preamp installed by Gary Brawer) come to life.

From what recent feedback I've heard, the Q's are really popular with the hard rock cats, who love how the basses cut through the mix.
 
#22
I just bought a Q5 fretless after pining for both a fretless and a Modulus. I figured why not combine the 2 wants into 1!?
http://s384.photobucket.com/albums/oo290/ChrisPbass/

I've been listening to Quantums for longer than I've played bass through the works of Phil Lesh and Mike Gordon (Grateful Dead & Phish respectively) I do like Mike's tone but Phil's tone is what did it for me. I like his pre-Mod tone but his Mod era is just fantastic. Clear, deep, low and packing serious gravity. I wanted that tone. When I got the fretless, bought online, and plugged into my Eden 400 and grabbed a pick...boom, there it was. The sound I've been hearing for SO long in my head. It surpassed my expectations. So fat, so clear, so precise. 'Sterile' some say...I can understand why some say that. It is *not* like my p-bass at all, which is warm and thumpy. However....the p-does not cut like the Q. Totally present in the mix.....!

Yum a dum dum. I want more!
 
#23
edwinhurwitz said:
I used to hate the sound of Moduli, hearing them as plasticy. Then, one night in 1999, I was listening to an Aquarium Rescue Unit bootleg from the early 90s and all of a sudden lusted after the sound.=-
Click to expand...

The amazing thing about Oteil back then with ARU was watching him play his Modulus 6 stringer live with a Peavey Mark III and some kind of no-name 4x10 cabinet as his bass rig. That was his live rig for years.
 
#25
I've owned a couple of them over the years, a Q5 and a Q6, both with the Bart pickups and preamp. I found the EMG's to be too sterile sounding when coupled with the composite neck/board.

I believe Modulus is now offering a 19mm spaced 5 string as an option, so if that's true, I'll be owning another one some day. I absolutely love the Modulus Q's, I just have a strong preference for wider spacing at the bridge.
 
#26
Just set it up and its done-like basically forever. No messing with the neck due to temp changes etc. The tone of Oteil sold me on them. Physically I just love the feel of the carbon fiber necks..guess its just a preference after years of playing. They cut through the mix well as noted in previous posts too. The whole sterile thing just seems like old school bandwagon Modulus bashing.
 
#27
It is one of those things that once enough people say it, it starts to become fact, even to those who do not have any experience with it. Like, "What do you think of Modulus?" "Oh, I heard those graphite necks sound really sterile" Does that mean they can't sexually reproduce? Listen to Phish, Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident, Dispatch, etc. all those "jam" band guys play Modulus, and whether or not you are into that kind of music, you've got to admit, those bands, bassists, and BASSES cover a LOT of different musical styles during one 3 hour show.
 
#31
BigOldHarry said:
I've owned several Zon's, but never a Modulus. Can someone comment on perceived differences between the two?
Click to expand...

IMO and IME, the Zon necks have a much flatter profile versus the round 'C' of the Modulus necks (at least comparing the 'flagship' Sonus versus Quantum models). Both have relatively tight string spacing on the 5 string models. The inherent tone seems to be 'bright and modern', given Modulus use of active EMG pickups as their 'stock' offerings, versus more mid punchy and warm, given Zon's use of passive Bartolini's as their stock offering.

In short, Modulus seems to revel and celebrate the modern, unusual, non organic sort of make-up of their basses, while Zon seems to try as much as they can to make their basses sound more 'traditional', even though they also use carbon necks, etc.
 
#32
...that and the Zon's that I've seen have a dull satin finish on the back of the necks, whereas the Modulus has that cool-looking glossy exposed carbon-graphite look. I would imagine this affects the playability and "traditional vs. radical" thing that KJung was talking about. A major caveat is that Modulus necks DO NOT feel like wood.
 
#33
Steffan Lessard of DMB played them for years. I believe he's been bouncing around lately, but listen to "Listener Supported" (also with a Warwick Dolphin), "Before These Crowded Streets," albums around that era.

I personally play Warwicks and have wanted a Modulus forever. But whenever I played them, I couldn't really get into it. Then 2 years ago at NAMM, I played a beautiful Q6 fretless, and have been sold since. I certainly can't afford one right now, unless I parted with 2 of my Warwick Corvettes. We'll see. If a Q6 pops up, I'll have to take serious consideration.
 
#34
GradyBass said:
Steffan Lessard of DMB played them for years. I believe he's been bouncing around lately, but listen to "Listener Supported" (also with a Warwick Dolphin), "Before These Crowded Streets," albums around that era.

I personally play Warwicks and have wanted a Modulus forever. But whenever I played them, I couldn't really get into it. Then 2 years ago at NAMM, I played a beautiful Q6 fretless, and have been sold since. I certainly can't afford one right now, unless I parted with 2 of my Warwick Corvettes. We'll see. If a Q6 pops up, I'll have to take serious consideration.
Click to expand...

You can find used Q6s on thebay for good prices and planet bass has at least one used 6 on their website. I believe it's a sweet spot. and there is a nice Q6 on our forum, actually last I checked there was more than one.
 
#35
I have a couple of Q5s I bought years ago. If the Modulus serial number system holds true (A rep once told me that the first 2 digits of the SN are the year it was manufactured) they were made in '89 and '90. I'll post a pic later.

One is the standard Q5 with the EMG P/J setup and BTS EQ, while the other (the '89) has 2 EMG J pickups and a control scheme similar to a J-bass (V/V/T). I'm not sure why, but the '89 has the widest neck I've never played on a 5 (about 2"/5 cm at the nut), while the '90 is much more manageable (1.75"/4.4 CM).

I think I paid about $1550 USD or so total. I see some people take issue with the use of the word "sterile," here. I guess "brittle" might be more appropriate depending on what you're used to hearing. I've only owned/played a Modulus with EMGs, although I've had them for so long that whatever you think the tone sounds like, it's pretty much the standard for me - that's what I'm accustomed to. :)
 
#36
neuromancer said:
I see some people take issue with the use of the word "sterile," here. I guess "brittle" might be more appropriate depending on what you're used to hearing. I've only owned/played a Modulus with EMGs, although I've had them for so long that whatever you think the tone sounds like, it's pretty much the standard for me - that's what I'm accustomed to. :)
Click to expand...

yes, this is a bit of a different thread... But I used EMGs exclusively for years... until I discovered Bartolini's.... I have to think that Barts have been a big part of the sound my Zons - nice and warm, not so precise as to be, to use your word "Brittle". Perhaps a Modulus with Barts is the ticket?
 
#38
2001 Genesis 5 w/ Barts and 3-band Bart pre. Wife bought it for me brand-new went MARS went under. Great alternative for those who don't like the feel of a graphite neck.

ModGen5006.jpg


Riis
 
#39
I had the privilege of using a producer's fretted and fretless Q5s on a record back in 1999 along with my 'wick and my Bossa.

Those Modulus just killed. They had full tone with as much bite as I cared to roll in and the fretted 5 practically slapped itself.

Now that I've owned an instrument with a composite neck and known the joy of never having to set up my bass, I'd get a Modulus in a heartbeat.
 

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