Chopthebass Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 I gigged with my new Vigier Passion iv 5-string and it is without doubt the best sounding and playing instrument I have owned. And I have had lots of high end basses. I have yet to see how a trussrod-less design stands up to Canadian climate. Time will tell! I am trying to figure out how I can afford to get another! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Congrats! Same here, I'm now on my 2nd Vigier Passion after a 32 year hiatus... the best basses I've ever owned. Stunning instruments. Play it healthy (I'm sure it'll take the Canadian winter in its stride). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Whilst the UK isn't as cold or variable as Canada, my Passion III hasn't shifted in 23 years.. I guess that bodes well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 I didn’t realise they had no truss rod! Curious 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 3 hours ago, Chopthebass said: I gigged with my new Vigier Passion iv 5-string and it is without doubt the best sounding and playing instrument I have owned. And I have had lots of high end basses. I have yet to see how a trussrod-less design stands up to Canadian climate. Time will tell! I am trying to figure out how I can afford to get another! After 15 years in the climates of Glasgow and the Orkney Islands and hauled around on tour, the neck on my truss rod-less Vigier Excess is still perfectly fine. Picked up a fair few dings over the years though. Also, Vigier USA did a 'torture test' by freezing and heating a guitar. While I am always suspicious of social media videos, I don't doubt that this one is real. The instruments are very very sturdy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Interesting idea, replacing the truss rod with a carbon block, for a rock solid neck that never needs adjusting. Sounds like the next bass "thing". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 22 hours ago, chris_b said: Interesting idea, replacing the truss rod with a carbon block, for a rock solid neck that never needs adjusting. Sounds like the next bass "thing". The only issue is that if you want to tweak the amount of relief on the neck, well, you can't. The interesting thing is that a lot of US reviews treat the lack of a truss rod as inherent design flaw in that 'even the fabled Modulus Graphite neck basses required a truss rod.' I think that the Bass Gear Magazine reviews score the Vigier basses very low on this basis. I really don't agree with that stance whatsoever. The amount of issues faced by necks Vigier basses and guitars is incredibly small, even compared to instruments with a truss rod. Of course, if a Talkbass favourite designer started using the same neck design, it would be considered as a revolutionary development in bass design. Edited December 10, 2019 by thodrik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I seem to recall Geoff Gould saying that Modulus' move to fitting truss rods was driven by customer demand even though they weren't needed. Same story with Status Graphite too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) On the series III, the two carbon rods (bars? - they look square in profile) run from the tail of the neck blank- so beneath the bridge - to beyond the nut, they near the surface just after the volute. They're visible (just) on my solid black finished instrument. On a translucent finish, they're very conspicuous. I'm not aware of the series II having any adjustment either. That's a full-on graphite through-neck. The series IV is bolt-on but still no adjustment AFAIK. I can't comment on the series I, though. One issue I don't understand is if any relief is introduced during manufacture, either by sanding a curve into the neck or by the rods not being straight themselves. Edit for- I purchased mine (partially) because it didn't have any truss rods to mess with, and they were one of the things I hadn't learned to adjust. (It's ok. I have now!) Also, it's the only bass that I own that doesn't undergo a subtle change in tone from having a "fat finger" clamped to the headstock. Edited December 10, 2019 by Lfalex v1.1 More info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 8 hours ago, chris_b said: Interesting idea, replacing the truss rod with a carbon block, for a rock solid neck that never needs adjusting. Sounds like the next bass "thing". Indeed however, Vigier have been building instruments in this way for over 30yrs. My Passion 3 is from 1990; the neck relief is still perfect, no dead spots, every single note is even and the sustain is incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Passion II is actually kind of a setneck, as the neck goes up to the neck pickup, not to the tail. I have had a MG Quantum ('91) that had no truss rod. It was introduced around 1995. What for, I do not know. I do have a Modulus Graphite Genesis ('99), which neck is a graphite skeleton topped with wood. There is a truss rod, but I think it is worthless. The neck is stable, like the other graphite necks I have, or have had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) In many decades of playing bass I have never adjusted a truss rod. I don't get into the "fiddling" thing with my gear. I have the bass set up when I buy it and never touch it after that. If the bass was set up at the factory then I wouldn't need to do that, or even think about micro managing the thing. I'd just play it. I have, very occasionally, altered the bridge saddles and that is all the adjustment I've ever needed to do. It's telling that Modulus and Status say their basses don't need truss rods. IMO it's disappointing that these manufacturers had to add truss rods when they weren't needed just to make Joe Public happy!!! Edited December 10, 2019 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I'm very sensitive to bass setup. On every bass I've had I try to get a pretty much flat neck (no relief) and seriously low action. If the bass can't do that, I can't get used to it and move it on. Series 2 Vigier basses are built to be almost flat whereas the series 3 with the 10/90 neck have a touch more as preferred by most players. I find it a tad too much so I did find the lack of adjustability an issue but then again the fact that they don't move is also a huge strength. As a result I think companies like Modulus and Status added rods to give the customer the belief that they could in fact adjust the relief to there preference, although adding truss rod arguably has sound and rigidity implications which go against the whole idea in the first place. I love the way Vigier stay making what they believe in and concentrate on delivering super high quality idiosyncratic basses. They've obviously expanded the range to cater for those who can't live without a jazz -ish shaped bass but there core range remains steadfastly individual and awesome. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 12 replies and no one has posted this emoji? Surely BC is slipping. Let me rectify the situation... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Sorry I'll start 1988 Vigier passion - bought as an empty chassis and with added Basstec pickups, Marleaux 3 band pre, Roland GK pickup and assignable knob + up/down buttons. I've had it eleven years now ❤️ I showed it to Patrice Vigier at a bass show a few years ago and he said 'thank you for looking after her' which was nice. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) Mine. A 1996 series III 5-string. Still as good as new! Those stainless frets seem to last forever! Still sporting the Kahler bridge, Benedetti single coils and the original Quasi parametric EQ. Edited December 10, 2019 by Lfalex v1.1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopthebass Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 Here's mine. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Oh, go on then... my newest, bestest bass.... 1990 Passion 3 5 string with all original Kahler bridge, Schaller tuners, Benedetti pups and flamed maple wings. Came in the Vigier case which was Alphonso Johnsons when touring with Santana too! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) My two Vigiers. Series IV Arpege. Bolt on design, independent three band EQ for each pickup(!), phenowood fingerboard, Delano pick ups and Glokenklang pre-amp (I think), monorail bridge rather than the previous chunky bridge used on the Series III. Great bass. Currently strung to a mad tuning of B, F, B, E, A (essentially drop B). Bought it in 2011. Excess II. Bought in 2004. A few dings. Very high output bass compared to the Arpege (in my opinion the output is nearly umm ‘excessive’). I tend to always have the EQ settings in cut mode, with the treble nearly turned off. I don’t know if this is the case with all Excess basses but I find the treble voicing to be very aggressive so boosting treble requires care, Benedetti pick ups which are great but are pretty noisy when playing with a bit of gain. Currently tuned to drop C with 120-50 strings. I used to tune it to standard tuning with really light strings as it was a great slap machine. No issues with the neck in 15 years. Can destroy buildings when plugged into the EBS Fafner and Mesa 6x10. Apologies for the rubbish pics and yes I am aware that a 6x10 is entirely impractical and unnecessary. Edited December 10, 2019 by thodrik 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Some old ones I had then sold on - the Passion 4 (above) has seen them ALL off - I got lucky the first time round! Passion 5 Series III - Not really a five string player, didn't do it justice Passion series 3 'Delta Metal' fretless - beautiful, realised I can't play fretless Arpege series 1 fretless five - great idea; I'm not a five string payer or a fretless player... I wonder how I'll be on a five string fretless? Arpege series 2 - amazing bass, sold to buy my dream bass. Couldn't quite get the action right somehow Passion series 2 - again couldn't quite get the action as good as my '88 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Just now, ped said: Some old ones I had then sold on - the Passion 4 (above) has seen them ALL off - I got lucky the first time round! The walnut one is my favourite. I would love it if Vigier re-introduced that finish on their basses. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Just now, thodrik said: The walnut one is my favourite. I would love it if Vigier re-introduced that finish on their basses. Such a sexy shape isn't it. Shame but I think the bass needed a refret really, or at least a fret dress to get the action how I like it (low low low!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifi2112 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Vigier Excess made passive :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Just to complete the set lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 1 minute ago, sifi2112 said: Vigier Excess made passive Really cool... love that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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