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Flea used Spectors?

wdinc01

wdinc01

Nov 19, 2005
2,791
44
Jacksonville, FL
#1
Hopefully this is the right area for this. I didn't know that Flea used to use a Spector bass. I found this video of the Chili Peppers covering Castles Made of Sand, and he's using what appears to be a four string Spector. Like an NS-2 or something, although honestly all their models look the same to me.



It's a good cover, too.
 
#6
Flea, while most known for using a EBMM Stingray, has rarely ever recorded with a 'Ray. I don't remember the first Chili Peppers album, but the second RHCP album (don't remember the name, but it was produced by George Clinton) and Mother's Milk were both recorded using a Spector NS-2. He then recorded most of Blood Sugar Sex Magic with a Wal (as seen in the Suck My Kiss video), most of One Hot Minute with an Alembic and got his signature Modulus model after that.

I think the Ray has shown up on 1-2 songs on every album, but he has never recorded with one as his main bass. However, it was very unusual to see him playing anything but a Stingray for their live shows until he got the Modulus deal.
 
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#8
Flea pissed off MusicMan royally with an interview he did in BP where he said he liked the Stingrays but thought he should use a better bass with more even response up and down the neck for recording. Shortly after that he was dropped as an endorser. Didn't seem to hurt him, though ;)
 
#9
Double Agent said:
Flea, while most known for using a EBMM Stingray, has rarely ever recorded with a 'Ray. I don't remember the first Chili Peppers album, but the second RHCP album (don't remember the name, but it was produced by George Clinton) and Mother's Milk were both recorded using a Spector NS-2. He then recorded most of Blood Sugar Sex Magic with a Wal (as seen in the Suck My Kiss video), most of One Hot Minute with an Alembic and got his signature Modulus model after that.
Click to expand...

I remember reading someplace that Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Mother's Milk were Spector, and the rest of your history is right. I think. I clearly remember that he liked the look of StingRays best but hated how the necks would move on tour.
 
#17
wdinc01 said:
Hopefully this is the right area for this. I didn't know that Flea used to use a Spector bass. I found this video of the Chili Peppers covering Castles Made of Sand, and he's using what appears to be a four string Spector. Like an NS-2 or something, although honestly all their models look the same to me.



It's a good cover, too.
Click to expand...


Thats an NS-2, and an old SVT hell of a combo. during the Spector/ Kramer yrs i think they strarted making affordable copies of that bass from all corners of the globe but i always felt like that was there flagship bass i have one just like it.

thanks for the video
 
#20
Bassmingo said:
isnt anything thats 5 string on BSSM his ray 5? ironically the one in the under the bridge video, which doesnt a low b anywhere in the song.
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Apparently, the Ray 5 was used on The Righteous and the Wicked which is based around a riff with a low B on it if I recall correctly. Plus, "Under the Bridge" is also supposed to be the Ray 5 even though there's no low B in it. I think it might very well be possible as the bass tone in it isn't as fat as in the other songs.

RHCP250 said:
Or how John never used a Jag on the album? (UTB video)
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Back in the day, we were always wondering how he got that smooth guitar tone (especially in the intro). The guitar player I used to play with couldn't pull it off with his American Standard Strat so we concluded he must indeed have been using a Jaguar. I take it he really used a Strat and my guitar player sucked at tone shaping?
 

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