AndyTravis Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 i've decided that i get these basses, sat down with one today again. Removing all prejudice, i think they're great fun. Qc issues will be gone by 2010, i've talked to fleabass about it. I'm into them, and they sound ok. The Emg dc is a winner for these. Trav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickH Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I've not purchased one, but spent some time in a shop messing around with one. I found the action and intonation poorly set up, the fret ends badly finished, and the plugged-in sound weak and thin. Of course if you're going to upgrade the electronics and give it a good setup some of those might go away. The whole thing just felt "cheap" to me - little things like how the neck sat in the pocket, and the quality of the paint job, just made it feel like it was put together quick and dirty. Of course, if someone at FleaBass says this is getting fixed soon... 1) they acknowledge there's a problem. Why have they been shipping them so long knowing this, given Flea's "These basses are going to be great" blurb? 2) Doesn't help you if your good lady has already bought yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmesa Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 [quote name='JJTee' post='689032' date='Dec 19 2009, 01:14 PM']I see they're looking for a new guitarist... [url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_10000000/newsid_10003500/10003514.stm"]http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/ne...00/10003514.stm[/url][/quote] Wow, I didn't know that. I guess playing banging Acid with Venetian Snares on the side has rubbed off on him. He was the only creative spark left in RHCP anyway..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 Been a bit bemused by one of the google ads at the top of the page during this thread..."Council Approved Pest Control", of course it was triggered by "flea"!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lylodile Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 [quote name='NickH' post='689577' date='Dec 20 2009, 10:42 AM']I've not purchased one, but spent some time in a shop messing around with one. I found the action and intonation poorly set up, the fret ends badly finished, and the plugged-in sound weak and thin. Of course if you're going to upgrade the electronics and give it a good setup some of those might go away. The whole thing just felt "cheap" to me - little things like how the neck sat in the pocket, and the quality of the paint job, just made it feel like it was put together quick and dirty.[/quote] Maybe that was just the one you tried? The action of my fleabass is spot on, i've never noticed any fret issues and I love the sound. And the looks are of course down to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashevans09 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 [quote name='Lylodile' post='689661' date='Dec 20 2009, 12:21 PM']Maybe that was just the one you tried? The action of my fleabass is spot on, i've never noticed any fret issues and I love the sound. And the looks are of course down to taste.[/quote] You're fighting a losing battle here mate never played one so can't comment on anything, but are you planning any mods to it? There are some videos knocking around here of a frenchman playing one with an EMG preamp (I think) in it and it sounds awesome . I'm sure someone will link it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonbass Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MonpZ0o0RuU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MonpZ0o0RuU[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfCDwlfbgZE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfCDwlfbgZE[/url] Shows what a good pickup can do for a 'cheap' bass eh? A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 ^^ very good. Also a great argument for active electronics in a bass. I just think though that the basses stock are too overpriced. Quality is poor, even if you do find one setup well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashevans09 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 tbh i think it sounds best with the stock pick up and EMG pre: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D45OMeDlALA&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D45OMeDlALA...feature=related[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) Well, it seems someone has not read this thread...£585 for a £379 Bass!!! Sorry, it comes with a lead as well...... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/signed-Flea-bass-sunny-model-32-gig-bag-jack-lead_W0QQitemZ320465245202QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4a9d379412"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/signed-Flea-bass-sun...=item4a9d379412[/url] Edited December 21, 2009 by yorks5stringer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I played one a few weeks ago in the Bass Cellar and I thought it was rather good, the 'board was a bit dry but it played well and seemed well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I like that he's promoting some cheap bass instead of that horrifically stadium-rock sparkly-finished Modulus he used to swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosebass Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 [quote name='Beedster' post='687856' date='Dec 17 2009, 11:24 PM']Says it all, what a load of wa*k. Of all the places to do a PA with a bass guitar... OK he wants to hit the youth market, fair enough, but how many of them shop at Selfridges? Despite my respect for his playing and what he and the band have given to music, I can't help thinking he's a sad parody of what he used to be, and, arguably, what he should still be. Lte's face it, Squier are doing a far better job for almost half the price. I rate Flea as one of my major influences, but my message to him now is this; have the balls to show up at a decent music shop, avoid the corporate crap and hang with real musos and you might sleep better at night and make better music than has been the case recently (did you really enjoy playing the sh*t you put down on stadium Arcadium)? You've got enough cash not to need to rip off the most naive sector of the market with sh*t instruments, so get back to MM or Modulus and develop a decent instrument. I'd love the idea of the economy Flea Bass if it wasn't a) too expensive, apparently not very good, and c) marketed through w*nk shops like Selfridges. C[/quote] Probably better than turning up for gigs pissed , if at all, and then also forgetting that you sold your bass so you could get pissed in the first place, then falling off the edge of the world and then dying a pointless death. On second thoughts maybe not. On reading this thread I have come to two conclusions. Fact is stranger than fiction and my prices are going up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 [quote name='Prosebass' post='692720' date='Dec 24 2009, 12:34 AM']Probably better than turning up for gigs pissed , if at all, and then also forgetting that you sold your bass so you could get pissed in the first place, then falling off the edge of the world and then dying a pointless death. On second thoughts maybe not. On reading this thread I have come to two conclusions. Fact is stranger than fiction and my prices are going up....[/quote] Fair point, but I kinda prefer Jaco's approach, bit more rock 'n' roll! Having re-read my post I must have been in a very bad mood when writing it; no doubt Flea's an OK guy just making sure his financial future is as secure as it can be. I read a really well written review of the Chilis a few years back, which although scathing, concluded "but Flea seemed a very nice guy", and that seems to be a common sentiment. Can't help thinking he should have gone to a couple of decent music shops as opposed to Selfridges though, although now Tesco are stocking guitars and basses, perhaps Selfridges is by comparison a decent music shop. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='692678' date='Dec 23 2009, 11:19 PM']I like that he's promoting some cheap bass instead of that horrifically stadium-rock sparkly-finished Modulus he used to swing.[/quote] That's a fair point also, although I suspect the Modulus basses he played on stage and the Modulus bass he promoted were relatively similar instruments in comparison to the likely considerable difference in spec between the basses he's currently using on stage and those on the shelves in Selfridges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Yeah, there's no way he'll use an off the shelf version of the Fleabass. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to getting mine tomorrow, and I'll be rehearsing with it a few days later, so I'll reserve judgement on upgrades until after then. If nothing else, it'll be a fun gig backup for the Sadowsky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 [quote name='Beedster' post='692841' date='Dec 24 2009, 10:58 AM']That's a fair point also, although I suspect the Modulus basses he played on stage and the Modulus bass he promoted were relatively similar instruments in comparison to the likely considerable difference in spec between the basses he's currently using on stage and those on the shelves in Selfridges?[/quote] That's a point actually, is he actually using those flea basses on stage or a funk unlimited or a stingray or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 [quote name='Beedster' post='692841' date='Dec 24 2009, 10:58 AM']That's a fair point also, although I suspect the Modulus basses he played on stage and the Modulus bass he promoted were relatively similar instruments in comparison to the likely considerable difference in spec between the basses he's currently using on stage and those on the shelves in Selfridges?[/quote] But how many kids could've got him to sign their new Modulus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.