I.D. this bass ...a Modulus?

[Born 2B Mild]

Please help! I've enjoyed listening to, and watching live, Hutch Hutchinson play this particular bass with Bonnie Rait over the last 10 years. I think it is a Modulus, but I can't quite match it to any I see on the Modules website. It's like a VJ but the knobs look different. Duh?

[Born 2B Mild]

oops. I put up the same pic twice. Here's the one I should have uploaded,

[budget bassist]

That's not a modulus, modulus jazzes have their controls all in a straight line. Not sure what is but it's no modulus.

[Kiwi]

Could be a jazz with a status or moses neck on it? Hard to tell anything without a clear look at the headstock.

[budget bassist]

It's not a fender jazz because the pots are in the wrong positions there.

[dub_junkie]

most likely a modulus. he lists his kit in this interview 3rd page down

[url="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iSCzJpjetGYC&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=Hutch+Hutchinson+&source=web&ots=hdV9MDYOns&sig=V_Lh7m-jzcnfaFrVO1W29HGySVM&hl=en"]http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iSCzJpj...GySVM&hl=en[/url]

[Born 2B Mild]

[quote name='dub_junkie' post='170995' date='Apr 6 2008, 09:32 PM']most likely a modulus. he lists his kit in this interview 3rd page down

[url="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iSCzJpjetGYC&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=Hutch+Hutchinson+&source=web&ots=hdV9MDYOns&sig=V_Lh7m-jzcnfaFrVO1W29HGySVM&hl=en"]http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iSCzJpj...GySVM&hl=en[/url][/quote]

Good link. Thanks for that!

[SMART]

[quote name='Born 2B Mild' post='171005' date='Apr 6 2008, 09:45 PM']Good link. Thanks for that![/quote]

Modulus don't make a Fender headstocky neck, their 'P' and 'J' type replacement necks or those used on the Modulus VJ have the Modulus headstock design, same as on the Flea bass.

The first few photos you posted have a blurred image around the headstock, the last one posted definitely looks like a Fender style headstock. Shame the photos lack definition and focus otherwise it would be easy to tell.

Hope that helps!

Ciao

Ian

Edited April 7, 2008 by SMART

[SJA]

Modulus P and J style necks used to have fender style large headstocks.
Hutch Hutchinson also has a precision style bass made by Stars Guitars with a Modulus Graphite neck- and that definitely has the full size headstock and elephant ear machineheads (seen in an old Bass Player interview). in that interview he also mentions 2 jazz style basses with Modulus graphite necks.

also Sting had a p-bass with a Modulus neck around the time of 10 summoners tales.

I presume the big F forced them to change it.

Edited April 7, 2008 by SJA

[Kiwi]

I doubt Sting needs anything that Fender can throw at him - even money.

[SMART]

[quote name='SJA' post='171799' date='Apr 7 2008, 09:49 PM']Modulus P and J style necks used to have fender style large headstocks.
Hutch Hutchinson also has a precision style bass made by Stars Guitars with a Modulus Graphite neck- and that definitely has the full size headstock and elephant ear machineheads (seen in an old Bass Player interview). in that interview he also mentions 2 jazz style basses with Modulus graphite necks.

also Sting had a p-bass with a Modulus neck around the time of 10 summoners tales.

I presume the big F forced them to change it.[/quote]


Thanks for the filler-in, we've only been with Modulus 10 years and the question of the headstock design has never come up until I saw this thread so thanks for the backgrounder. We've only ever dealt with the current design and you're probably absolutely correct about the big 'F' getting them to change design.

There's always something new to learn!

Ciao

Ian

[Born 2B Mild]

[quote name='SMART' post='171778' date='Apr 7 2008, 09:26 PM']Modulus don't make a Fender headstocky neck, their 'P' and 'J' type replacement necks or those used on the Modulus VJ have the Modulus headstock design, same as on the Flea bass.

The first few photos you posted have a blurred image around the headstock, the last one posted definitely looks like a Fender style headstock. Shame the photos lack definition and focus otherwise it would be easy to tell.

Hope that helps!

Ciao

Ian[/quote]
Thanks for that Ian. I was hoping you would help! Hutch is listed on the Artists page of the Modulus site. Sorry about the pics, but the DVD of "Road Tested" is where you can see th whole gig. Here's a clip found on You Tube where this bass (just about) features. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMsVLdeorFc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMsVLdeorFc[/url]

[bassaussie]

Early Modulus graphite necks had a Fender headstock, and were called "BassStar". Originally they were produced as a part to be added to other instruments, then Modulus starting producing full instruments using these necks. I think this all happened around the late 80s, early 90s. From what I understand, Hutch's instruments are a pair of the complete instruments I mentioned.

I actually had one of their necks for quite a while. Absolutely brilliant neck, I really regret selling it, to be honest.

[Alemboid]

The early Fender-like Bassstar graphite necks go back even earlier in fact, dating from the late 70s onwards. Here's mine (1979-ish, neck number 53):

[attachment=7456:bassstar_head.jpg]

Just to add to the confusion, at this early stage they were sold as "Modulus/Alembic" in a licensing arrangement Geoff Gould had with Alembic. Although these Bassstar necks had nothing to do with Alembic as such, the period overlaps with the short time Modulus made graphite through necks for Alembic series instruments. Cue a pic from CrazyKiwi....?

B

[bassaussie]

[quote name='Alemboid' post='173723' date='Apr 10 2008, 10:16 AM']The early Fender-like Bassstar graphite necks go back even earlier in fact, dating from the late 70s onwards. Here's mine (1979-ish, neck number 53):

[attachment=7456:bassstar_head.jpg][/quote]

I didn't know that, I thought it was a bit later. I also didn't know the part about the Modulus/Alembic logo - I've never seen one before!! Thanks for the picture, that's great. Other than that, the logo looks pretty similar to what I had (at least from memory).

Thanks for the info!

[Alemboid]

And just to add further to the confusion (and Modulus anoraksia), there are at least three types of construction the Mod necks have: this earliest chopped strand "Polane" finished sort; an intermediate weave which looks very similar to Status necks and the current, challengingly named, 'thousand ladies dancing" type. There's a school of thought that the earliest ones, which were very overbuilt, sound the best. Having had this one and some later Moduli, I would probably go along with that.... <anorak now off and hidden>.

B

[quote name='bassaussie' post='174035' date='Apr 10 2008, 05:32 PM']I didn't know that, I thought it was a bit later. I also didn't know the part about the Modulus/Alembic logo - I've never seen one before!! Thanks for the picture, that's great. Other than that, the logo looks pretty similar to what I had (at least from memory).

Thanks for the info![/quote]

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Alemboid' post='173723' date='Apr 10 2008, 10:16 AM']Cue a pic from CrazyKiwi....?[/quote]

Ahem! Sorry for being late Sir!

Pics duly supplied:


Status MM neck (woven fabric)


MM Cutlass neck (similar woven fabric)


Alembic Series 1 graphite (lots of chopped strands)


Modulus "Thousand Ladies Dancing"


Moses neck (mostly resin, designed to sound like maple)

Of course the outer appearance is not necessarily an indicator of how the neck has been built inside. As I've stated in other threads, the big issue with the Musicman Cutlass necks and the Modulus fretless bass I owned was the lack of a rigid fingerboard. The phenolic resin recipe used on some of the necks was critical to their rigidity.