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Flea Fender Custom Shop Bass

Dec 16, 2010
1,310
791
Orlando, FL
Disclosures
Endorsing: GHS Strings
Looks like Fender might be trying to get Flea on their roster now that Modulus has shut down.
 

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I always wondered why Flea didn' t have a signature model by Music Man. For so many years all you saw him with was the MM. He really forged his musical identity with that particular bass. Tons of people bought them because of him.

He asked EBMM to make the StingRay his signature bass, for the reasons you mentioned, but Sterling Ball declined, mainly because there were numerous other bassists before Flea to bring the SR to prominence (Louis Johnson, John Deacon, Pino Palladino, Tony Levin, Bernard Edwards, etc.) and that it would be a slight to them to give Flea that model for a sig. In fact, there is no signature Music Man bass at all, only guitars.
 
He asked EBMM to make the StingRay his signature bass, for the reasons you mentioned, but Sterling Ball declined, mainly because there were numerous other bassists before Flea to bring the SR to prominence (Louis Johnson, John Deacon, Pino Palladino, Tony Levin, Bernard Edwards, etc.) and that it would be a slight to them to give Flea that model for a sig. In fact, there is no signature Music Man bass at all, only guitars.

Wow! That was kinda dumb business wise. A Flea signature MM StingRay would have sold big time.
 
Wow! That was kinda dumb business wise. A Flea signature MM StingRay would have sold big time.

I don't think it is dumb at all. They don't need Flea to help sell the Stingray. Modulus just renamed their bass the flea bass because nobody was buying their products and are now out of business. Flea made his own basses which flopped in 1 year. Plus I don't see how any modifications he would make to have it be a signature improve the original Stingray. John Myung plays a 6 string Bongo with a 5 string neck. That would enough of a change to warrant a signature bass. Flea used a stock Stingray.

Now fender having a relationship with Flea could be a good move. They could make a signature model (hopefully American but not $2,000+) that could rival the stingray, modulus funk bass, etc. I know they have the dimension now in the lineup but as history has shown new models seem to fail while jazz and precision body models always thrive.
 
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Wow! That was kinda dumb business wise. A Flea signature MM StingRay would have sold big time.

I disagree. In fact, before Flea, MM were a real off-brand. Flea really is the father of that company in so many ways already. Folks may not remember how EBMM was before the RHCP hit. Hardly anyone played them. They were always fine instruments, to be sure - but NOT popular. The Fleaster changed that.
 
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I disagree. In fact, before Flea, MM were a real off-brand. Flea really is the father of that company in so many ways already. Folks may not remember how EBMM was before the RHCP hit. Hardly anyone played them. They were always fine instruments, to be sure - but NOT popular. The Fleaster changed that.

Hey, Mark from Blink 182 used to play one of those stingray basses!