Talk Me Into A MusicMan Rather Than A Modulus

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

Why should I pick a Stingray or Sterling over a Modulus Flea Bass?

Are Graphite necks worth it? I know I can get one for a stingray don't want to.

BESIDES THE PRICE, why should I pick a musicman over a modulus?

LOVE THE SOUND OF BOTH BTW..

 

[Dr Stankface]

Because this is a MM forum and most of us are biased.


On a serious note, why not?

 

[Charles]

Because Stingrays are the shiznit and because I think the pre-amp of the Stingray is insanely powerful. It sounds silly but over the years I've bonded with my Stingray like you would a person.

I've played countless gigs with mine and it beats any other bass I've ever gigged with. Get that Stingray!

 

[EBMM7181]

Of course, Im gonna tell you go with the Musicman.

But I have played Modulus, they are a nice bass..... but Musicmans are far more superior.

My personal opinion, is MM sounds better, feels better, looks better.... plus we have a cool forum

 

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

I have owned a stingray a sterling and a bongo and am looking agian...

There is just something about that Graphite Neck, I have played one.. Before and liked the sound, it was VERY similar to a stingray.. I like my action VERY low, and well I have noticed my neck change with the weather,

 

[EBMM7181]

Well, then it's just personal preference.

I dont like graphite necks, I dont like the feel of them. But thats just me.

 

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

Another thing please don't get on me for bringing this to a mm forum.. I want to be talked out of it due to the fact that I can buy 3 used stingrays for the price of the bass NEW....

However I am getting my self a gift for getting out of a rough time soon where I had no bass to play, and I want to be nice and satisfy me..[I guess we all know thats inpossible..]

I guess I just like the looks, the sound and the graphite Neck...

 

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

Well, then it's just personal preference.

I dont like graphite necks, I dont like the feel of them. But thats just me.

Didn't take the feel into consideration...

I will try that Flea at GC agian soon, if the neck has that sticky finish on it like this other bass I tried to play recently, there is NO way I will get it..

LOVE THE FINISH ON MY STINGRAYS..

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Wood is going to move; that's just the way it is.

I always wanted to like a carbon fiber bass neck but every time I tried a Modulus, it just didn't feel right to me. There's just something about the way wood feels and vibrates.

 

[EBMM7181]

When I wanted to by myself a top notch bass, I saved up my money, and I told myself that money would not be an issue, I would play several basses, and buy the one I liked best. I played basses cheaper than Musicmans, and I played ones that were alot more than Musicmans.

I bought a Musicman. I like they way they sound, feel, and look the best. Thats me.

 

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

I guess I would have to get both.. I guess owning a musicman would make me want a graphite neck, and if I got the modulus, I something would just not feel NATURAL... As if a bass has to be made out of wood. Ah.. the grass is always greener..

On another note, I found my favorite tone ever, took a friends stingray. Ran it flat, and ran it into my macbook through garage band. Hit the round bass effect, which looking at the grapic eq it has:

a boost from 80hz down of about 3 db,

cut at -25db @ 2750 hertz begining at about 400 hertz

and a 24db cut @ 24000 hertz little bit of compression.

Sounds SOO great..

 

[bovinehost]

I have played Moduli I liked and more that I didn't.

I owned a Flea bass for about 20 minutes once. I really don't know what I was thinking. I don't even LIKE Flea.

But people do like them and I can understand that.

So....from my point of view, one Flea bass for 20 minutes....and then five or so Bongos, two Stingray 4s, a handful of SR5s.....yeah, I'm okay.

Get the Music Man.

 

[sloshep]

Stingray

Wood isn't always perfect, but it will give you the ultimate tone.

Try a 30th Anniversary Stingray, it takes the the Stingray to a new level. There are still out there lurking with old strings at some Guitar Centers nationwide.

p.s. I am the proud owner of one.

 

[RobertB]

If you follow the agonizing over it through to the point where you find yourself owning both, you'll want to unload the Flea the first time you do a side by side comparison in the quiet comfort of your home. That happened to me. I bought a Flea several years ago when I was working away from home for a few months & had no other bass with me. I was pretty happy with it, all the way up until I got it home & played my SR again. At that time, I was convinced the Bartolini "MM-style" pickup was defective in terms of output level. Doing an A/B comparison with amp & onboard preamp levels flat, the Modulus was much quieter, and more ... "polite", as I've heard it put so well here on this forum. I even took it to a Modulus dealer to have it checked out - the output level was THAT much lower. But it checked out ok, and I drove myself crazy for a short time trying to remember if the Flea had always sounded like that ... then I promptly sold it, having become totally disgusted with it.

Another issue with them for me, is that you can't get a nice big, explosive "power chord" sound on the Flea, like you always can with an SR (and maybe any EBMM, not sure yet!). I do that here & there in my music, mixing aggressively attacked power chords with slap lines. I don't so much strum or pluck those chords as much as I "spank" the strings with a downward flick of my fingertips. SR's will bark an incredibly powerful and bright sounding chord when played that way & with certain eq settings, but I could never get anywhere near the same intensity from the Flea. That was no small part of why it wouldn't work for me. That may not be an issue for you at all.

So even though I was really attracted to certain features of the bass - a bass which I chose specs for, ordered & waited 6 months to receive - it got sold rather expeditiously once majorly outgunned side by side with my SR.

I'm just sayin ....

Robert

 

[syciprider]

Didn't take the feel into consideration...

I will try that Flea at GC agian soon, if the neck has that sticky finish on it like this other bass I tried to play recently, there is NO way I will get it..

LOVE THE FINISH ON MY STINGRAYS..

So there you go. Since this is GC, you can take the Modulus home (is it the blue sparkle or the white one?), live with it for awhile and then return it after you realize that the Stingray is better.

 

[FREAKYSTYLEY]

Its sparkly blue.. However I would definatly return it as I almost never buy anything bass related NEW unless I can't find it used..

 

[Caca de Kick]

And don't forget those awful Bartonlini pickups, nothing sounds more bland!
It's like putting a bark collar on a dog. The snarl and rawness is gone.

 

[roballanson]

There is no discussion really.....if you want a graphite neck look to buy a Status replacement neck - best of both worlds.

 

[oli@bass]

There is no discussion really.....if you want a graphite neck look to buy a Status replacement neck - best of both worlds.

+1
(this is something I'm probably going to do this year for myself...)

Or try to get one of those rare 100th NAMM basses... you get a very special StingRay in a vintage colour with a Status neck. Or try to find a mint Cutlas I, but those in good condition without neck warping problems are rare.


PS: All graphite necks have a glossy finish, which does feel stickier and not as "dry" as the oil and wax finish of the current StingRays. Having played oil/way finished necks for over 20 years, I wasn't sure if I would like the graphite neck at all, but after playing it a couple of hours the "odd" feeling was gone.

 

[tkarter]

If you really wanted to be talked out of buying the Modulus. Let us know where you are at we will send 3 or more MM players over to your house to convince you.

tk