| Author | Message | ||
| Timothy G.Green (tim_green)
New Username: tim_green Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2002 |
I have a bass called "Bass Star" It is a hybrid Modulus/Alembic at least thats what it ssays on the peg head. I contacted Alembic and they say they did not produce it. It does carry thiere logo next to the name on the peg head. I bought it fifteen years ago and have never seen another one. I would love any info I can get. Mica W. put me on to a David Fung that may Know about them. Some one tell me what this thing is! Thanks , Tim | ||
| Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)
Junior Username: jlpicard Post Number: 50 Registered: 7-2002 |
To the best of my recollection, the Bass star was first, a replacement neck made by Modulus for P and J basses and then later whole instruments became available. I had an early Modulus catalog that listed the first graphite necks for approx. $600! A princely sum for a neck back in those days! I believe that Alembic had something to do with the R & D of the graphite neck concept but Modulus did all the fabrication. Mike | ||
| Timothy G.Green (tim_green)
New Username: tim_green Post Number: 3 Registered: 11-2002 |
Mike, Thanks for your input. I'll try to dig a little more but that's very interesting. Thanks for the reply. | ||
| David Fung (dfung60)
New Username: dfung60 Post Number: 8 Registered: 5-2002 |
Sorry I didn't write back sooner... I saw your post a couple of days after it went up, and was going to respond, but thought I'd fact-check a bit with Geoff Gould, who founded Modulus Graphite (now Modulus Guitars, but he's no longer with them). We talked, then I got busy, but here's some answers. Today, you can go to any sporting goods store and buy graphite golf clubs, tennis rackets, bike frames, etc. In the 1970's, back at the dawn of composite technology, it was really rare and exotic stuff. Back in those days, Geoff worked at Ford Aerospace in the Silicon Valley (of course, it wasn't the Silicon Valley yet!) fabricating graphite parts, mostly for deep-space satellites. He also played bass and envisioned building a bass with that same satellite technology. Geoff was a big Deadhead as well, so, given the interests and geography, it was probably only a matter of time before he connected with Alembic (as you're probably aware, Alembic and the Dead spring from somewhat common roots). Geoff made some proto necks, but the first instruments you could buy with graphite necks were Alembics. As you may know, the Modulus neck is hand fabricated out of epoxy-impregnated graphite fabric in a mold, then cooked at high temperature and pressure. Alembic built forms that some of these early molds were made from, so they could be joined into what you'd call a Series bass these days. Rick Turner, who was at Alembic at that time worked with Geoff to file the US Patent for the monocoque (hollow) graphite guitar neck. Geoff/Modulus fabricated the graphite neck blanks to Alembic and later other companies as well, but the two companies were always separate. Alembic did the assembly and finishing of the graphite necks in their shop. Most of the other instruments that have used Modulus necks get completed and finished necks directly from Modulus. A through-body graphite-neck instrument was Geoff's ultimate goal, but they are expensive and only a handful of players would be able to own them. So, Modulus created a line of P-, J-, and Strat replacement necks, which were called BassStar and BlackKnife. They were still tremendously expensive at $600, but much more affordable than a $3500+ Alembic. Because Modulus had an ongoing business relationship with Alembic and because Alembic had a very positive aura around high-end instruments, Modulus licensed the Alembic name for these necks for a number of years, but they were produced and distributed independently from Alembic's channels. Modulus hasn't really produced these replacement necks as a regular product for many years now, although the current all-graphite necks are created using basically the same process and materials (the Genesis stuff is different). Later, "BassStar" generally meant a 34" scale instrument vs. 35" "Quantum" basses. By this time, most of the necks just say "Modulus Graphite BassStar". Over the years, Modulus has used three different types of graphite fabric. The original instruments look like tiny crystals. In the early 80's most of the instruments were made using a fabric with a checkerboard material. Since the mid 80's the fabric has a straight pattern which is cut into polygonal "chips" (that's only for the surface, under this appearance layer, it's long sheets that run the full length of the neck). The crystal finish is exactly the same stuff that was used in the aerospace stuff; the latter fabrics were commercial stuff that started to become available because of golf clubs and tennis rackets! I've got a lot of Modulus instruments including two BassStar J-necks on P-bodies, a fretted and fretless (as well as a graphite Alembic Series II). Only the fretted is "Modulus/Alembic". I love 'em, they're really great, as they combine the great sound and feel with classic pickups and appearance. David Fung |
