itu

If @agedhorse and @Bill Fitzmaurice have nothing to say to this, there are very few left.

And adding a HPF to say 60 Hz, as well as a comp could help. Then you can cut excess from the low end, and push the channel better with a comp. It is not any louder, but may feel fuller than it is.

You make it look like this project would have been easy. Sure it is easy for you. Fabulous work!

How about a meeting with a local luthier for a pro setup? A wide strap might help a bit, too.

14 minutes ago, Bernmeister said:

I’m guessing just like any type of manufacturing, raw materials & labour charges are ever increasing

But as R&D costs as well as machinery have been paid decades ago, costs increase at a rate of inflation, or maybe less. Production costs are most likely as low as they can get. Of course there's always service work to keep the system working - every company has to do the same.

The speak about "ever increasing" is kind of contradictory. From the finance point of view costs have became lower: compare the price of a Jazz bass in the 1960's and today, and include wages to make a real comparison. My uneducated guess is that you can buy a decent instrument a lot cheaper today.

18 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

Maybe Fender needs to cheapen the brand with production cost cutting...

Maybe they just try to get back to their roots, where low production price and cheap parts were Leo's driving force in production.

If you can't justify two, buy a third one. One good looking Kingston, by the way.

Who made those CF necks? I have heard stories, but it would be interesting to hear the actual place. I still doubt, that Patrice would have done them by himself. But every news is good news.

The whole name of this bass is (was):

Modulus (Graphite) Quantum 6 SPi Custom.

SPi = bolt on neck

Custom = bartolinis, and that flame maple top

Black HW used to belong to custom options. The neck does not have fretboard dots which would have also been a custom option earlier.

I liked the thinness of the neck, but I never felt at home with my 5SPi, because of that 17 mm string spacing. Came from a rehearsal an hour ago, where I played my dear Genesis 5 which has 19 mm spacing. MGs are fabulous and flexible instruments. Except those rigid necks.

Two first numbers of the serial behind the headstock. There you have it. This particular bass is less than 30 years old, because of the truss rod.

@tomread: I admit that it was my turn for few coffees... I have used your transcriptions with success. Thanks a lot.

If you can play this ATLHG, All the things you are, and maybe a third song, you can play every chord available!

Passion's treble can be up to very harsh, but with the semi-parametric it is very possible to push out very different sounds. Try for example bridge PU, +15 dB @ 80 Hz, and treble accordingly. 

It was your preamp page. There you have few videos.

https://www.nitewalkerpreamp.com/details/

Wonderful!

I was wondering what's different, but there's no zero fret because this beauty used to be fretless.

I think we have discussed about this same topic earlier, and the conclusion then was something like not "upgraded" but "modified". "Altered" sounds good, too.

Well played and represented in just few minutes, thank you. You could adjust recording levels a bit, but anyway nice work.

Oh dear, this looks very interesting!

By the way, I found your pages, @nbtone. Are you using roundwounds, and if so, have you been considering tape or flatwounds? They might produce different feel, and you could (and should) try different gauges. Yes, trials cost somewhat, but that's the price we all have to pay. I think you should go to a store or a friend of yours and try different string types as well as gauges.

To get a set that is even close to a similar strings overall, I would start with the tension guide by D'Addario. I know it's an old one but gives an idea of what you are after. If this link does not work, find it with words: "daddario tension chart" and add that 13934 if needed.

You may use any brand strings, and this chart gives you the idea and ballpark of different tensions. Therefore this is usable with other string brands, too.

This tool is actually easy to read after you dive into it. I suggest you to write down tensions of your existing set of EADG, and fill it with an approximately similar tension C- or B-string.

https://www.daddario.com/globalassets/pdfs/accessories/tension_chart_13934.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoon9UF-qjBiCO7W25qfGAnh8Qgi16HlyVJtSFjRCVpWHV3TVHaZ

MG has used several brands over the years, like Villex, bartolini, EMG, and Lane Poor... I do not recall SD, but why not? After all the company is known from custom basses.

A '96 with a truss rod? Sure? Got a pic of your bass?

Do you play with very high action? If the bridge adjustments, and neck shimming do not help, you need to change strings. I've had no issues with graphite necks (2 x MG, 2 x Vigier, 1 x Status copy), truss rod or not.

I had the bridge changed in the factory when they planed the top of my then Q5. That Gotoh wasn't very good, but the Hipshot was. Easier to adjust and better adjustments.

On 18/02/2025 at 22:53, kodiakblair said:

Folk often cite set up issues with budget basses but they can be found at all price points. Thing is there's a weird guilt mindset with budget gear, buyers are desperate to find a fault; same faults get tagged as quirks with bigger ticket items. 

"It doesn't fit my playing style so it is faulty!"

The first thing after buying a bass is I change strings to my preference (and clean the fretboard). Then I check bridge adjustments (height, tuning, width). I play the bass one week and adjust truss rod, if necessary, and if there's one.

Cost: some time, and a string set.

I think (my opinion is purely subjective) that F-logo in the headstock means +20-40 % to the price, no matter how good or bad the instrument is. My choice is another - and qualitywise more even - manufacturer. Those so called vintage basses are already a joke to me: Leo's original idea was to make a very cheap instrument that is easy to assemble in a factory. And I don't like that surf aesthetics that much.

I love to see these!   (without price tags)