NJE Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 According to what I believe is a trustworthy source on social media, this is the new Flea American Artist series active bass. As lots of us commented a while ago, it’s the signature bass we thought fender should have released. No news on preamp and pickup but is looking good. 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggy Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Im sure that neck is going to be too small for me, but that sure is a fine looking bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 So it's essentially a Stingray masquerading as a Jazz Bass. Oh, and two too many knobs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 As a stingray owner and as someone who struggles immensely with Jazz width necks, this has very little interest for me personally, but I thought it would be nice to share. I actually think it looks quite smart after being quite uninspired by it initially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyuuga Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 56 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said: So it's essentially a Stingray masquerading as a Jazz Bass. Oh, and two too many knobs. Two too many knobs? It's supposedly like a Stingray - one knob for volume and two for active EQ. It's as simple as you can get for an active bass. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I like that a lot. No doubt it will be the wrong side of £2000 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Altogether very meh... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 You can’t blame Fender for putting this out there. I’m not a RHCP but this is something different for Fender. Yes it has a MM pickup but that’s why it’s a more worthy signature model than Flea’s Jazz. I’m not sure why Ernie Ball didn’t offer him something (maybe they did) but Fender were smart to get him as an artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Oh dear. That is all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Does make me laugh, I wonder what Sterling Ball thinks. Flea moves from EBMM to Modulus and gets them to essentially make him a Stingray (well, Cutlass), and them moves to Fender and gets them to essentially make him a Stingray. IME Fender make great basses (all two of them) but often pretty crap active circuits, certainly compared to those that go into Stingrays and Moduli. Interesting to see how this lands..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burno70 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I really like it - but it's Fender so will be overpriced. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I really like this. At least Fender are doing something different. But Fender are damned if they do and damned if they don't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 4 minutes ago, bubinga5 said: I really like this. At least Fender are doing something different. But Fender are damned if they do and damned if they don't. It's really nothing different in the true sense - it's still just a pink Jazz (50+ years old), with a different/Stingray-cloned pickup option. I do wonder whether people are in love with the shape or that it might sound like a Stingray (that pickup could just be a P-bass one under the cover), because there's nothing radically new about it - Sandberg have been doing similar stuff for yonks. The guitar business is all so incestuous; limited designs and everyone copying everyone else. In reality, no one is producing anything that's really unique and for that reason it's disappointing. When was the last time anyone really saw a production instrument, that bucked Fender or Gibson designs, that was new and truly head turning? Kubicki Ex-Factor? Maybe a Spector NS2. Something by Status? Steinberg? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 8 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said: When was the last time anyone really saw a production instrument, that bucked Fender or Gibson designs, that was new and truly head turning? Kubicki Ex-Factor? Maybe a Spector NS2. Something by Status? Steinberg? Yep. The Spector NS2, designed by Ned Steinberger.. Warwick have built their entire company off the back of it and Ibanez etc have taken aspects of the design to adapt into their own instruments too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 13 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said: It's really nothing different in the true sense - it's still just a pink Jazz (50+ years old), with a different/Stingray-cloned pickup option. I do wonder whether people are in love with the shape or that it might sound like a Stingray (that pickup could just be a P-bass one under the cover), because there's nothing radically new about it - Sandberg have been doing similar stuff for yonks. The guitar business is all so incestuous; limited designs and everyone copying everyone else. In reality, no one is producing anything that's really unique and for that reason it's disappointing. When was the last time anyone really saw a production instrument, that bucked Fender or Gibson designs, that was new and truly head turning? Kubicki Ex-Factor? Maybe a Spector NS2. Something by Status? Steinberg? +1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Not my thing, but good on Fender for producing it. Sure they'll be hordes of Flea aficionados queuing to grab one, many some non-fans too, as with the other sig bass of his. I'm not a Flea fan, but I had one....cracking basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I like it, I'd consider one if they made a five string, I'd want to hear it first though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I think it looks different although not my cup of tea. I do really love the MIM Fender Flea Jazz as it looks so beaten up. Would love one in a different colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 That’s nice how much are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) I'm not normally too comfortable with sig models, but I do love Jazz basses and this looks like it could really provide something different tonewise to Fender's current models. Ideally I'd like to see an MiM or even a Squier version so it would be more economically viable to upgrade the pickup and preamp to something as close to a genuine ray as possible. Edited June 21, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: That’s nice how much are they? I don't think we're 100% sure that Fender are going to put them into production yet, let alone which price range it would fall in to. Edited June 21, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 To me it looks sleek fairly simple and active and shell pink I’d pay 2k all day long if it sounds as good as it looks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 12 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: That’s nice how much are they? It is an American artist series apparently, so judging by the other two Jazz basses (Geddy and Adam Clayton) I would guess around £1900 in the shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I'd guess at about the £2000 mark as well. Seems to be the average for artist (non custom shop) US models. So as with most 50 year old designs with a new paint job and a different pickup - it's over priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I think the quality of the top end sig stuff is pretty near to Custom Shop....seriously well made quality instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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