Zon Vs. Modulus
Kevin McCarthy
Sonus Special 5-string bass with Bubinga top and Bart pickups (of course).
I took it down to play around with because I had heard so many people raving
about Zon guitars on this newsgroup. Wow, was I impressed. I hadn't ever played
a Zon guitar before, but man did I like it. It had great tone and was one of
the most playable instruments I have ever picked up. It just felt right in my
hands. The neck is awesome and the string spacing was just exactly right for
my monsterous thumbs (on many narrower basses, the strings are closer together
than my thumb is wide.).
So I started comparing it with the other basses in the store (on lots of
different amps, they didn't have my setup.) I played Pedulla's, Warwicks,
Alembics, even a Spectre that was used and twice the price of the Zon. None
of them felt like the Zon. If they were all the same price, I would have
taken the Zon right there over anything else in the store. BUT this store
doesn't carry Modulus and I haven't been able find one around here that has
one. (There are a few dealers around, but none of them have anything in stock.)
I've noticed that just about every band in my CD collection's bass player plays
a Modulus bass. Mike Gordon, Phil Lesh, (tons more)... I looked at the Modulus
web site a few months ago and liked the looks of the Q5 on paper, but I haven't
found one that I can just play anywhere around here.
So given that I really really like the Zon, if I were to go buy it tomorrow,
will I be kicking myself for not finding a Q5 to try out first? I guess I can't
try out every bass before I decide, but the Modulus has been on my list of
"to-try's" for quite a long time and I still haven't been able to. I want to
move on the Zon before it disappears from the shelves in the store, but I
don't want to rush into a purchase as expensive as this guitar...
What do you think? Can I skip the Q5 and just buy a Zon?
--
Kevin McCarthy
Billybob
pay off in a tighter "B" but if you *love* that guitar that much and
aren't just a G.A.S. victim....you could either buy it and be happy or
wait until you have a chance to try the modulus.....how patient are
you?--
-Billybob
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Len Sitnick
they are both wonderful instruments, but I also think you should try both. I
LOVE the Zons, and was the one that began the rave. I too tried the Sonus
Special, but was going to maybe get the Sonus Custom for a bit more
versatility.
However, I tried a Q5, and liked it too! And I ended up buying a Q5, mostly
because of the price. There is a huge sale going on now at BassNW, and they
had 3 Q5s in there for $1899! That's an incredible price. The Zon would have
probably run about $2,100 or so. As a matter of fact, they still have a Q5
there in "BlackStone" finish with EMGs and one with Spalted Maple with an
Aguilar pre-amp, which probably sounds killer.
The necks feel a teeny bit different. But both are very playable. Also, the
Modulus has lots of pickup options. The stock one has EMGs, but you can get
Barts or even Lane Poors. I also just liked the overall look of the Modulus
a teeny bit better. And the one I got is a "BlueStone" finish with a 5A top,
and is the most incredible looking bass I've ever seen.
This is going to be one of those tough decisions. They're both fine
instruments. They both play great. And, by the way, the folks at Zon are the
coolest!!!! The hard part will be that you don't have each bass side by
side. You're going to forget what each feels like as you go driving around
from place to place. I will say that the Sonus Special was the easiest
instrument to play I've ever experienced, and really fit my hands well, too.
I'm sure I just made your decision a lot easier ;-)
--Len
Peter Lufrano
if you decide that you want the Zon instead, at least you will not be
in a position to walk into a store a month after plunking down your
hard earned, only to pick up a Quantum and fall in love with it. It
will be time well spent. There is no substitute for auditioning an
instrument and playing on the one that feels right to you........
In article <j5y04.679$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>, Kevin McCarthy
<kmcc...@rorke.com> wrote:
--
Peter Lufrano -Owner
The Autophile
http://www.TheAutophile.com
***High End Car Audio!***
*Dynaudio*a/d/s*Genesis*Nakamichi*Milbert*Velodyne*Kimber Kable*ZAPCO*
*TubeDriver*Linear Power*Powerclass*Focal*CD Technologies*
Peter Duncan
I have 2 of em, a fretless and a fretted. (Sonus 5's). All things that
you say I feel the same way. Wait till you can actually get that Zon
home, put new strings on it, and get the action where you want it (all
you need to do is raise/lower strings on bridge, takes 15 minutes to
dial in your action, rather than days on a wood necked bass, AND it
never changes after that...you can go down as low as you want on a
graphite neck and still have negligible fret buzz, something I cannot do
on my Warcick Corvette 5.
If you spring for the Zon, I highly doubt it that you will regret it.
The modulus is just different, but they are both GREAT instruments.
Personally, I tried a modulus Q5, and I thought the neck a bit bigger
(deeper) than I was comfortable with. YOu can get a standard Swamp Ash
Zon for 1850 just about anywhere. The sound difference would be
negligible compared to the Bubinga top.
I also thought the Modulus somehow doesn't sound as "organic" as the
Zon.
The short of it, if an intrument "inspires" you to be a better player,
and it just feels right, drop the change and get it. That is what made
me make my decision.
Happy pluckin'
pd (proud owner of 2 Zon basses).
> Kevin McCarthy
--
check out:
http://peterduncan.net
Peter Duncan
for about 1699 from an internet dealer.
pd
Billybob
Peter Duncan <peter...@home.com> wrote:
> Careful! You may be accused of liking a "plastic" bass. LOL!!
I was waiting for that.... :*)><>
Kevin McCarthy
Secondly, it looks like the recommendation is to wait until I get a chance to
try a Modulus before I buy anything... My problem is that I have been waiting
to try a Modulus for months and I can't find one near me. The only dealer in my
area is MARS (according to www.modulusguitars.com) and they seem content to
carry only the <$1000 guitars in stock. (In fact it's hard to find anything
there in stock worth playing except the Rickenbackers... I still love the Rick
sound for some things...)
So how do I go about playing a Modulus? Am I going to have to drive to
Chicago or something? Would it be an out-of-the usual request to ask MARS to
get one so I can play it? I would assume they aren't going to order me a
guitar unless I plan on buying it, however I wonder if they might have one
already at another MARS that could be shipped to my local store?
Anybody got any other ideas? Maybe I can just go backstage during the next
Phish concert and play Mike's? Like that's gonna happen... (heh)
--
Kevin McCarthy
Billybob <dj90...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> In article <j5y04.679$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>,
> Kevin McCarthy <kmcc...@rorke.com> wrote:
> I had the impression that the modulus basses were 35" scale which may
> pay off in a tighter "B" but if you *love* that guitar that much and
> aren't just a G.A.S. victim....you could either buy it and be happy or
> wait until you have a chance to try the modulus.....how patient are
> you?--
Len Sitnick
and tell them your situation. Not that you'd want to do this, but I believe
they offer a 72 hour return policy. Their number is 206-622-BASS.
I've had little luck with MARS also. As a matter of fact, I called one of
the stores asking if they had the Modulus Quantum 5 in stock and they said
they had one. I asked whether it had Barts or EMGs and they said "a
Bartolini".
I drove about 40 minutes to get there, and they didn't have them in stock.
They had on Modulus Genesis in stock, which was marked (and PRICED!) as a
Quantum. Needless to say, I was a little perturbed.
You might also want to call Modulus and see if they know any dealers in your
area.
--Len
> From: Kevin McCarthy <kmcc...@rorke.com>
> Newsgroups: alt.guitar.bass
Billybob
everything).....
> Secondly, it looks like the recommendation is to wait until I get a
chance to
> try a Modulus before I buy anything... My problem is that I have been
waiting
> to try a Modulus for months and I can't find one near me. The only
dealer in my
> area is MARS (according to www.modulusguitars.com) and they seem
content to
> carry only the <$1000 guitars in stock. (In fact it's hard to find
anything
> there in stock worth playing except the Rickenbackers... I still love
the Rick
> sound for some things...)
>
> So how do I go about playing a Modulus? Am I going to have to drive
>to
> Chicago or something?
Where are you going on vacation?
> Would it be an out-of-the usual request to ask MARS to
> get one so I can play it? I would assume they aren't going to order
me a
> guitar unless I plan on buying it, however I wonder if they might
have one
> already at another MARS that could be shipped to my local store?
>
> Anybody got any other ideas? Maybe I can just go backstage during the
next
> Phish concert and play Mike's? Like that's gonna happen... (heh)
Len Sitnick
post-purchase dissonance (that nagging "what-if" feeling), but you said
yourself that the tone was awesome and the bass just felt right in your
hands. How many basses that you have tried fit that description?
> From: Peter Duncan <peter...@home.com>
> Organization: @Home Network
> Newsgroups: alt.guitar.bass
> Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 20:07:28 GMT
> Subject: Re: Zon Vs. Modulus
>
> Then just get the Zon. great bass. enuff said.
>
> pd
>
> Kevin McCarthy wrote:
>>
>> Ok, first of all, what's a G.A.S. victim?
>>
>> Secondly, it looks like the recommendation is to wait until I get a chance to
>> try a Modulus before I buy anything... My problem is that I have been waiting
>> to try a Modulus for months and I can't find one near me. The only dealer in
>> my
>> area is MARS (according to www.modulusguitars.com) and they seem content to
>> carry only the <$1000 guitars in stock. (In fact it's hard to find anything
>> there in stock worth playing except the Rickenbackers... I still love the
>> Rick
>> sound for some things...)
>>
>> So how do I go about playing a Modulus? Am I going to have to drive to
>> Chicago or something? Would it be an out-of-the usual request to ask MARS to
>> get one so I can play it? I would assume they aren't going to order me a
>> guitar unless I plan on buying it, however I wonder if they might have one
>> already at another MARS that could be shipped to my local store?
>>
>> Anybody got any other ideas? Maybe I can just go backstage during the next
>> Phish concert and play Mike's? Like that's gonna happen... (heh)
>>
>> --
>> Kevin McCarthy
>>
>> Billybob <dj90...@my-deja.com> wrote:
>>> In article <j5y04.679$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>,
>>> -Billybob
>>
>>> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
>>> Before you buy.
>
Peter Duncan
Kevin McCarthy
playing a Cort Curbow 4 string bass I bought when I decided to take up
bass playing again. I didn't know much about guitars at the time and I
just needed something that wasn't too shitty that I could learn on. I didn't
even realize that it was made of Luthite until after I bought it. (It didn't
even occur to me that it *MIGHT* not be wood, I'm not sure, but I think Luthite
is a new material since I stopped playing.)
Anyway, I've played it for a while now, and I think I am better at it than
before I stopped playing (I didn't play bass for about 8 years then picked it
back up again earlier this year.) but I think I have outgrown it. My band is
starting to do some recording and I can't believe how flat that bass sounds on
the recording. Live isn't too bad, but I think it's just less noticable. I
really don't think it sounds much like a bass guitar. More like a "bass-guitar"
sound for a keyboard or something. There are no harmonics, it's very dull.
Also many of our songs require me to tune the E string down to a D in order to
stay down low and hit the correct notes for the rest of the song. (The
guitarist just seems to love the key of D.) So I was out looking for a 5 string
so I would no longer be bothered by having to tune my instrument wrong, when
I saw the Zon. Love at first sight... Expensive love, but love all the same ;-)
What "plastic" bass were you refering to anyway? The Zon was Swamp Ash and
Bubinga, and I am pretty sure that the Modulus is also made of wood. Both
fretboards are artificial, but I think I like that better, It's a little
more slippery than rosewood or ebony, and seems hard as diamond. (Also
doesn't warp!)
--
Kevin McCarthy
Peter Duncan <peter...@home.com> wrote:
> Careful! You may be accused of liking a "plastic" bass. LOL!!
> I have 2 of em, a fretless and a fretted. (Sonus 5's). All things that
> you say I feel the same way. Wait till you can actually get that Zon
> home, put new strings on it, and get the action where you want it (all
> you need to do is raise/lower strings on bridge, takes 15 minutes to
> dial in your action, rather than days on a wood necked bass, AND it
> never changes after that...you can go down as low as you want on a
> graphite neck and still have negligible fret buzz, something I cannot do
> on my Warcick Corvette 5.
> If you spring for the Zon, I highly doubt it that you will regret it.
> The modulus is just different, but they are both GREAT instruments.
> Personally, I tried a modulus Q5, and I thought the neck a bit bigger
> (deeper) than I was comfortable with. YOu can get a standard Swamp Ash
> Zon for 1850 just about anywhere. The sound difference would be
> negligible compared to the Bubinga top.
> I also thought the Modulus somehow doesn't sound as "organic" as the
> Zon.
> The short of it, if an intrument "inspires" you to be a better player,
> and it just feels right, drop the change and get it. That is what made
> me make my decision.
> Happy pluckin'
> pd (proud owner of 2 Zon basses).
> --
> check out:
> http://peterduncan.net
Kevin McCarthy
> In article <LnA04.736$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>,
> everything).....
Oh, No... I just want one that will last me forever (unless I break or
loose it.)
------SNIP-----
>> So how do I go about playing a Modulus? Am I going to have to drive
>>to
>> Chicago or something?
> Where are you going on vacation?
What's a vacation???? You mean you don't have to work 18 hours a day 360 days
a year? And my employer told us it was common... ;-)
--
Kevin McCarthy
Peter Duncan
the Zon out there as one of the best basses around...cause it was a
"plastic" bass in *their* words, implying cheap, etc. I would take a
gander that it takes longer to make a Zon neck (by hand) than a Fender
Jazz or Precision (even the american standard ones). The rest of the
bass also enjoys being hand built/shaped, etc. I know for a fact that it
takes about a week from start to finish to manufacture a Zon neck, as
they do pretty much everything by hand. Defnitely not a "cheap" bass by
any means.
Got get it! You'll love it!
pd
Peter Duncan
EITHER bass is sooooo much better than the other. Also, if it is hard to
get it, imagine how hard service/support will be as well...just a
thought.
pd
wackee wrote:
>
> Go to the Modulus Dealers and ask them to ship one to the store. A lot of
> dealers will ship a bass for you from another store or warehouse, let you
> try it out, and if you dont want it they "may" ask you to pay the $20 or so
> to ship the bass back. That is really insignificant when you are talking
> about a $2000 bass.
>
> Sure the Zon is VERY nice, and feels great. But how will you feel if you try
> a Modulus 2 weeks after you buy the Zon and find out it is SO much better??
>
> Kevin McCarthy wrote in message ...
> >Ok, first of all, what's a G.A.S. victim?
> >
> >Secondly, it looks like the recommendation is to wait until I get a chance
> to
> >try a Modulus before I buy anything... My problem is that I have been
> waiting
> >to try a Modulus for months and I can't find one near me. The only dealer
> in my
> >area is MARS (according to www.modulusguitars.com) and they seem content to
> >carry only the <$1000 guitars in stock. (In fact it's hard to find anything
> >there in stock worth playing except the Rickenbackers... I still love the
> Rick
> >sound for some things...)
> >
> >So how do I go about playing a Modulus? Am I going to have to drive to
> >Chicago or something? Would it be an out-of-the usual request to ask MARS
> to
> >get one so I can play it? I would assume they aren't going to order me a
> >guitar unless I plan on buying it, however I wonder if they might have one
> >already at another MARS that could be shipped to my local store?
> >
> >Anybody got any other ideas? Maybe I can just go backstage during the next
> >Phish concert and play Mike's? Like that's gonna happen... (heh)
> >
> >--
> >Kevin McCarthy
> >
> >Billybob <dj90...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> >> In article <j5y04.679$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>,
> >> I had the impression that the modulus basses were 35" scale which may
> >> pay off in a tighter "B" but if you *love* that guitar that much and
> >> aren't just a G.A.S. victim....you could either buy it and be happy or
> >> wait until you have a chance to try the modulus.....how patient are
> >> you?--
> >> -Billybob
> >
> >
> >> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> >> Before you buy.
--
check out:
http://peterduncan.net
Robert Kloka
noted a few considerations:
1. The Modulus is 35" scale. Zon makes 34" and 35".
2. The Modulus now makes a wide spaced 5, which is wider than the Zon, the
normal spaced Modulus is a tighter spacing than a Zon.
r.
wackee
Kevin McCarthy
NG and decided to get a Modulus guitar to my local store...
Ok, here's the deal... I went to MARS yesterday to pick up a guitar case I had
back ordered and what did they have on the wall? (they JUST got it) A Modulus
Genesis 5 string bass with 2 Bart J style pickups..
So I pulled it down and messed around with it for about 1/2 hour. I think I
liked it better than the Zon. The tone that I was able to get out of it is
just unbelievable. I don't think it played quite as well or felt quite as
good as the Zon, but the tone made up for it twice over. It's also a Genesis,
not a Quantum, so maybe the Quantum will play better and have a similar tone?
Either way, I think I would take the Genesis over the Sonus just because of
the tone. The instruments both play REALLY well, so the Zon only feels
*slightly* better than the Modulus, but wow could I make some interesting
sounds with The Genesis.
The sales person at MARS had no idea what the knobs did, I'm pretty sure I
found bass/treble controls in the concentric pots at the bridge, the closest
knob to the neck was for volume. But that left two pots in between that had
a "stop" in the middle of the travel and seemed to effect the sound MUCH more
than the bass/treble controls. The sales person made some (really bad) guesses
about what they actually did. My best guess is that there is a crossover in
the guitar and the two remaining knobs were a high pass pickup fader and a
low pass pickup fader. Anybody know for sure? You could get some of the
best tone I have heard from a bass by setting them in opposite directions.
(One faded mostly to the front, the other faded mostly to the back or vice
versa)
As far as service, the guy at MARS told me that the Genesis I was playing was
the first Modulus guitar they had gotten in, but they would have a LOT more
in the coming weeks. I will be waiting eagerly to play a Quantum 5.
I also got an e-mail from Rich Lasner regarding this thread in the newsgroup.
(Rich is the president of Modulus) He offered to personally help me find an
instrument to play. He also informed me that MARS had only become a dealer a
few weeks ago, and that none of the sales people had been trained yet. He
assured me that the MARS people would know all sorts of stuff about Modulus
basses in the next month or two. That is what I call service!
So, I think my decision has been made. Between the tone of the Modulus, the
letter I recieved from Rich and the fact that MARS is where I would get a
Modulus and Guitar Center is the only Zon dealer around here (Guitar center
has WAY overcharged everyone I know at least once. They pull the
bait-and-switch crap all the time and they just seem really shady. I doubt
that I will ever buy anything from them again after last weekend :-( ) I think
the Modulus is the right bass for me...
Thanks to all for whatever info you provided. Now I just have to wait until
MARS gets their Q5s in so I can go A/B it against the Genesis.
--
Kevin McCarthy
Peter Duncan <peter...@home.com> wrote:
> Got to step in here...I am CONFIDENT that you will never feel that
> EITHER bass is sooooo much better than the other. Also, if it is hard to
> get it, imagine how hard service/support will be as well...just a
> thought.
> pd
> --
> check out:
> http://peterduncan.net
Peter Duncan
pd
--
check out:
Warwick Corvette Standard Active 5 string bass gtr on auction at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=210500661
Peter Duncan
i imagine that you are playing a new modulus with new strings? are you
comparing apples to apples with the Zon which probably had worn in
strings after being there for a bit? just wondering. Are you also
playing on the same amp setup?
Good luck!
pd
--
check out:
Warwick Corvette Standard Active 5 string bass gtr on auction at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=210500661
Kevin McCarthy
stores. They don't have my exact setup, and my rig will change in the near
future, so I played a LOT of different amps to try to get an idea what the
guitar actually sounded like regardless of amp.
The Modulus probably DID have new strings, (I hadn't thought about it having
just arrived.) and that MAY have made the difference, although I think it was
the preamp/eq and tone control knobs on the bass that made it a killer. It
seemed to be MUCH more flexible in terms of the types of sounds I was able to
get out of it. In fact, I was pretty confident that I wouldn't need to use the
EQ on the preamp in my rig much at all. I left them flat on all of the amps I
tried and I was AMAZED at how many different sounds you could get out of it.
I fiddled with those two knobs (That I still don't know what they are for) and
was able to get a great fingerstyle sound out of it (reminded me a little of a
Rick) and then with just a turn of two knobs was able to get the best ringing
slap tone I've ever gotten out of a bass before. (And I thought my technique
was the culprit on my slap tone.... Maybe it still is?) There were about
10 million different variations between those sounds and I hadn't even
touched the bass/treble controls yet.
Again, the Zon is a wonderful instrument, and I would be on my way to get one
if I hadn't played a Modulus now. But it just seemed a little less versatile
with it's tone and not "quite" the sound I was looking for. And for about
$2000 worth of instrument, I want one that is the most versatile I can get.
I don't want to have to buy another expensive instrument because I can't get
the right sound for the music I'm playing out of my bass...
Thanks for all the input... Now I just get to wait until MARS gets some other
Modulus instruments in so I can compare and decide if the Genesis is the right
bass or if a Q5 is the right one. I can't imagine how the tone on a Q5 could
be much better than the Genesis, but if it is, I'm there...
BTW, I *THINK* the Zon was a 34" scale, the low B was really floppy. The
Modulus was a 35" scale and the low B was nice and tight, not much different
from the feel of the E string. Maybe I need to find a 35" Zon? Maybe I'm just
afraid to spend $2000 on an instrument and trying to prolong the decision.
houstroy
For me I looked at all the basses I could find. The Zon Sonus Special
5 was the one that I chose to play. I love it. You can check it out
at my bands web site www.moriah.org. I think they are the best next
to fodera. I use my Zon everyday on the road and in the studio and it
is unbelieveable
Good luck and God's Peace,
Brandin
Brad Johnson
>Date: Mon, 29 November 1999 02:22 PM EST
>Message-id: <LnA04.736$Sz5....@ptah.visi.com>
>
>Ok, first of all, what's a G.A.S.
Gear Aquisition Syndrome. Better gear makes you a better player. Love them
specs.
Brad Johnson
hotGINGERman YUM
exchange next week.
they are profiling the new sonus lightwave basses.
glad i waited to buy.
f
On Mon, 29 Nov 1999 17:44:05 GMT, Peter Duncan <peter...@home.com>
wrote:
>> --Len
>>
>> > From: Kevin McCarthy <kmcc...@rorke.com>
>> > Newsgroups: alt.guitar.bass
>> > Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 16:46:07 GMT
>> > Subject: Zon Vs. Modulus
>> >