Talk Me Into A MusicMan Rather Than A Modulus

[rhythmCity944]

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.

i do need to sort of disagree with that...my 88 was loaded with a bartolini MMC pickup when i bought it, I have 2 other SR4's with the stock pickups and I think the bartolini (with stock 2EQ electronics) sounds great along side my stock pick ups...some dogs get the crap zapped out of them with those bark collars and still bark, haha like a typical jack russell (no offence)...it's always personal preference...i did wire in a series/parallel switch with the bartolini cause i didn't have the heart to change out the pickup in my favorite recording bass...i have played a flea bass with the bartolini and i was disgusted in less than a minute...EBMM electronics are way better in the end

 

[spencer]

i do need to sort of disagree with that...my 88 was loaded with a bartolini MMC pickup when i bought it, I have 2 other SR4's with the stock pickups and I think the bartolini (with stock 2EQ electronics) sounds great along side my stock pick ups...some dogs get the crap zapped out of them with those bark collars and still bark, haha like a typical jack russell (no offence)...it's always personal preference...i did wire in a series/parallel switch with the bartolini cause i didn't have the heart to change out the pickup in my favorite recording bass...i have played a flea bass with the bartolini and i was disgusted in less than a minute...EBMM electronics are way better in the end

I have to agree, I once played a friends jazz for a worship service with barts in it and i couldn't get it to NOT growl...

 

[Rano Bass]

Flea never sounded better than this [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Bap2Xrdbc&NR=1"]YouTube - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane live at David Letterman[/ame]

IMO of course

 

[Moondog]

Flea never sounded better than this YouTube - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane live at David Letterman

IMO of course

Thanks for that link. I'm a fan, seen him live a few times but I don't think he sounded his best there small boo boo @ 3:45 is something I might do

 

[spencer]

Thanks for that link. I'm a fan, seen him live a few times but I don't think he sounded his best there small boo boo @ 3:45 is something I might do

I don't see a boo boo..

Anyways you guys can let this thread die, I made up my mind..

 

[r goldsmith]

Slightly off topic, in that my comparison is with a Quantum 5 and a Stingray 5. OK, I own both and here's the difference. To me, the Modulus is not as good, for a range of reasons probably. My main gripe is with the bridge soapbar pickup, which just "barks" in a slightly unappealing manner when on its own - to sound decent it needs to be blended with the front pickup, however the front pickup soloed is also good. That issue aside, I found it sits really well in the mix, better than your standard Fender (yes even P-bass) much like a Stingray does (though different in tone) so no complaints there. However, the graphite thing really does take some getting used to, and you have to adjust your playing style. It's almost as if the bass has a built in compressor/limiter - the harder you hit the less happens. And though I don't like Barts generally for the same reasons espoused by others, they do seem to work well in this context because they tame the natural rattly growl of the graphite neck. While I've not heard one myself I've heard other Mod owners say that the Quantums with EMG's are just too much.

The bottom line is that the Modulus is getting used less and less these days, the MM just does it all so well, and so the fancy expensive bass is becoming a case queen. If I had my time over, I wouldn't buy the Modulus.

 

[Fred E.]

To me it's a simple no-brainer. Buy a MusicMan & a used Peavey G-Bass. You can pick up a G-Bass for almost nothing--i.e. cheaper than a replacement graphite neck (even a used neck). At one time I owned both a fretless 5 and a fretted 5Quantum Bass. They were okay, but nothing I ever really felt close to. IMO the Peavey G-Bass is every bit as nice, maybe nicer than a Modulus--& it will let you scratch your graphite neck itch. Spend your real money on a MusicMan.

 

[Joey SQUID]

The Modulus flea bass is not a good bass IMHO. And if you listen to the older chili peppers stuff where he used the Music Man & WAL basses compared to the Modulus you will see. The modulus always sounded sterile when he recorded w/ it. Even on the newest album he used an old Fender jazz and his old stingray much better tone

 

[REMUS]

(havn't had chance to read the thread so sorry if this has been posted before)

You can get a purpose built graphite/carbon neck for a SR4 can't you (non G bass)?

Best of both worlds me thinks

 

[RobertB]

Flea never sounded better than this YouTube - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane live at David Letterman

IMO of course

Hmmmm, kinda sounds like .... my bass!
Although I'm still partial to the studio version of [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuHkoc4FBHQ"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia].
Except I hate that in the single & video, the last 4 bars (the better half) of the bass solo was 86'd. LAME!

 

[Moondog]

I don't see a boo boo..

I'm being a picky ass I know...
He walked up too sharp @3:45
g-a-a#-b-c#-d
instead of
g-a-a#-b-c-d

mo better here 3:39
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuHkoc4FBHQ&feature=related"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]

 

[RobertB]

Yeah, I heard that too. You never know, though ... he may've done it on purpose. He definitely likes to play with dissonance sometimes. And you're far less likely to be bound by the "rules" of theory, when you don't know a lick of it - and Flea doesn't.

 

[PocketGroove82]

I don't have time to read 4 pages of musicman support, but I will post what I hate about modulus basses.

They don't sound warm like wood. Not even the semi-hollow ones.
They sound like a piano, not a bass.

 

[pudgychef]

Yeah, I heard that too. You never know, though ... he may've done it on purpose. He definitely likes to play with dissonance sometimes. And you're far less likely to be bound by the "rules" of theory, when you don't know a lick of it - and Flea doesn't.

really? I thought I read somewhere that he was originally a clarinet or trumpet player and was fairly well versed on theory etc as he, at one time, wanted to be a jazz musician like his step dad (or mom's BF)...I could be confusing him with someone else though...

 

[Hellboy]

really? I thought I read somewhere that he was originally a clarinet or trumpet player and was fairly well versed on theory etc as he, at one time, wanted to be a jazz musician like his step dad (or mom's BF)...I could be confusing him with someone else though...

I´ve read somehwere that he plays the tuba. And most likely other instruments too except bass.

//Jan

 

[spencer]

really? I thought I read somewhere that he was originally a clarinet or trumpet player and was fairly well versed on theory etc as he, at one time, wanted to be a jazz musician like his step dad (or mom's BF)...I could be confusing him with someone else though...

Yes he did want to be a jazz trumpet player...

No he doesn't know MUCH theory

And no that doesn't mean that he has to follow the rules of theory just because he knows some..

 

[RobertB]

I dunno, I just know that on the interview DVD he made with River Phoenix, he said:

"It'll be hard for me & you to talk about theory since neither of us know a damn thing about it. But see, we know about alot more other cosmic things that are floating around in the universe and in this very room today - things that are circling around - and hopefully we'll be able to be vehicles for these things, and let them come pouring through our nostrils today."

and in another part:

"That's all I know how to do is improvisation, because I can't read music at all, and I don't know anything about the letters and the numbers and stuff".

And when River asked him about his equipment:

"I love this MusicMan bass because it's a nice simple bass, and it feels really good. And for doing the thump thing, the funk thing - this action: (plays some nasty flea funk stuff) - it's really good for that, the MusicMan bass. It's really good for playing that stuff, and this is just a great bass, so I'm very lucky to have it. Plus, not only do I have it, but I got it for free because I'm a big pompous rock star. And the richer you get, then they start giving you stuff for free, like you really need it, right? Isn't that weird?"

 

[thunder]

what did you decide?

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

what did you decide?

Yeah? And post some pictures if you made the right choice.

 

[sloshep]

I don't mean to throw water on the fire. But we have been going on and on for 4 pages (myself included) about this topic. I looked and the originator of this thread hasn't checked in since 1/2/2008. That doesn't mean he hasn't been reading it. But I think he got his answer and moved on. And we the passionate can't let go of it. Just my 2 cents.