What is it?

Modulus Genesis 5-string bass

Why does it rock?

It’s built like a beast, the neck is a carbon fiber composite (which is to say that the sound is even and smooth no matter where my fingers are fretting), and the tone is killer without having to fuss with the EQ knobs.

How did it become my weapon of choice?

My first bass was a used beat-up Fender Jazz bass. Red. It had character, but essentially sucked as an instrument. After playing for several years, and getting some lessons here and there, I felt confident enough to get something better. So I started researching and visiting a lot of guitar stores. I tried out a lot of good basses but nothing struck me as the one I was looking for so, for years, I just searched.

Three years later, I randomly found myself at the now defunct Mars Music store near Troy, Michigan. I did my usual round of trying out basses that I thought might have potential but was, again, disappointed… Until I saw the Modulus Genesis hanging real high on one of their walls (why do guitar stores do that? don’t they realise people don’t look up there?). After the employee climbed a giant ladder to get it down, I plugged it in and realized it had the playability and tone I was looking for. True, it was massively heavy and twice as much as I was hoping to pay for a bass, but I couldn’t turn it down - it was the end of an epic search. I managed to get a decent hunk of change discounted on it and drove home a happy man. That was seven years ago.

Geek specs:

- 22-fret, 35” scale

- composite carbon fiber/alder neck

- maple fingerboard

- 2 active Bartolini J-pickups

- quilt maple top/alder body

— Eugene Limb