I want to get the flea sound

[jmattbassplaya]

Why do people say this? They sound exactly like a stingray

As someone who currently owns both, they really don’t. Similar? Absolutely. But they behave differently and the high end is very different. A lot of the reason former, non-StingRay folks play Specials is because the new preamp does a very different thing.

 

[ElectricBass72]

Jazz or Stingray. Both will do. End of discussion.

 

[Jazzjames]

Please do tell us where, and your definition of "relatively inexpensive."

https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/98-ebmm-stingray-4h.1661694/

Literally first result for my search in the classifieds.

The OP mentioned a budget of 10k for his setup, so 1300 on the authentic instrument seems like pretty inexpensive to me. Also, you’re not going to lose money on that, unlike on a new bass from EB or indeed from Sterling etc.

In comparison to the new prices I would also say that USA made Stingrays from the 90s offer pretty decent value.

 

[waynobass]

The OP mentioned a budget of 10k for his setup...

I assumed that was a typo and he meant $1,000.

P.S. The bass in that ad is $1475 shipped.

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

As someone who currently owns both, they really don’t. Similar? Absolutely. But they behave differently and the high end is very different. A lot of the reason former, non-StingRay folks play Specials is because the new preamp does a very different thing.

Y’know what? I went and listened to some more comparisons, and you’re right. I was wrong. There are these crunchy/glassy highs in the old stingrays that the new ones can’t seem to replicate. Is it good or bad? Depends on the situation.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I'll just throw this in the punch bowl, a p-bass

*Edit- it looks like the GHS Boomers have red silks, and he's an endorser of those strings IIRC, so I am sure that's what these are. But it's still the only clip I think I've seen of him playing a Precision Bass.

 

[Pier_]

I'll just throw this in the punch bowl, a p-bass with what looks like TI flats

no, they are GHS Boomers (red silk at headstock, no silk at the bridge). he uses them since the first albums, except when he switched to GHS P flats on the Jazz for Stadium Arcadium.

 

[sethlow3]

Stingray is going to get you there, but also there are a couple of five string songs if you want to go that route. I owned a Modulus FBJ5 for a bit also and it was awesome!

However, what it really boils down to with his tone is light action and playing by the bridge. He’s played Jazzes, Stingrays, Wals, and Modulus and he always sounded like himself. It really more depends on having a good bridge tone and playing the heck out of it with force. He was heavily inspired by his step dad who would thwack the heck out an upright.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Y’know what? I went and listened to some more comparisons, and you’re right. I was wrong. There are these crunchy/glassy highs in the old stingrays that the new ones can’t seem to replicate. Is it good or bad? Depends on the situation.

The Specials still give the StingRay “bounce” to your notes, for lack of a better description, but the highs definitely are tamed. Still a good sound, just not quite the older, non-Special sound.

 

[GTHintz]

At least with a 10k budget you can find a Wal used so you're good.

 

[ACIDFORTHECHILD]

Hey,

I have been researching many things and I don't know what to buy.

I have decided Pedals, amps, strings
But do not know what to buy for my BASS.

There was a kind man who reached out with his beautiful Modulus, and I am interested in it.

But still I do not know. In my mind I got :

Modulus unlimited funk ,
Stingray ( or sterling )
Stingray built in the 1990s
Pre ernie stingray
Stingray retro 70s
Wal MKII ( ← this one'S very expensive )
Flea bass
American Jazz Bass

I highlighted the one which I am more interested than the others.

What do you think I should get??

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I have a Modulus FU4, StingRay 4H non-Special, StingRay 5H Special, and a Fender Ultra Jazz. I have others, but these are in the ballpark of what you’re looking at. Just my thoughts…

The Modulus has a very unique sound due to the carbon fiber neck. It’s an exceptional instrument, but it’s a bit of a one trick pony. If you have any interest in playing music besides RHCP, then I’d consider something else. It’s not that the Modulus can’t fit in other styles, but the bass does the Flea thing (circa Californication and By the Way) exceptionally well.

The non-Special StingRay also does the Flea thing very well, but there’s a bit more to unlock via the preamp. Roll off the treble, boost the bass, set the mids to taste, and you can get some nice blues or even reggae tones. Boost the mids and treble, cut the mids a hair, and it’s funk central. It doesn’t have to specifically be a 90’s Stingray, but it should be a 3-band non-Special, IMO.

The Special StingRay is more similar to the Retro 70’s and the older 2-band StingRay (could be either Ernie Ball or pre-EB era). They have a more mellow tone and don’t do the Flea thing as easily. They’re better situated to do pop, blues, old school funk, and other softer things. Their treble EQ just doesn’t have the same sizzle and grit as the non-Specials. Again, IMO.

The Fender Ultra Jazz, thanks to its preamp, can do both modern RHCP stuff (Stadium Arcadium and newer) as well as older stuff. It isn’t a StingRay or Modulus, but the preamp allows it to get aggressive and growly in all the right ways. A regular Fender Jazz or even a Flea Jazz can get you some of the more modern Flea tones, but the lack of preamp could make certain songs feel like they’re lacking something.

The Wal is just silliness to consider. Amazing instruments, but unless you have some seriously deep pockets they are a collectors bass. You’re not going to gig one unless you’re playing the biggest stadiums simply due to how expensive they are.

So which should you get? I’d recommend going to a guitar shop and trying both a MusicMan (could be a Sterling by MusicMan) and a Fender Jazz (could be a Squier, MIM, or MIA). The main thing to look for is which is the most comfortable in your hands. The MusicMan neck is more similar to a P bass in that it’s a little chunkier. The Jazz, by comparison, is a bit slimmer. You might not favor one immediately, or you might immediately discover one is much more comfortable than the other. Sound-wise, they do different things but either will get you where you’re going with decent enough overlap. Just figure out which you’d prefer playing on and go for that one. You’ll end up getting the other at some point down the line anyways

 

[ACIDFORTHECHILD]

Thanks!!!

I have a Modulus FU4, StingRay 4H non-Special, StingRay 5H Special, and a Fender Ultra Jazz. I have others, but these are in the ballpark of what you’re looking at. Just my thoughts…

The Modulus has a very unique sound due to the carbon fiber neck. It’s an exceptional instrument, but it’s a bit of a one trick pony. If you have any interest in playing music besides RHCP, then I’d consider something else. It’s not that the Modulus can’t fit in other styles, but the bass does the Flea thing (circa Californication and By the Way) exceptionally well.

The non-Special StingRay also does the Flea thing very well, but there’s a bit more to unlock via the preamp. Roll off the treble, boost the bass, set the mids to taste, and you can get some nice blues or even reggae tones. Boost the mids and treble, cut the mids a hair, and it’s funk central. It doesn’t have to specifically be a 90’s Stingray, but it should be a 3-band non-Special, IMO.

The Special StingRay is more similar to the Retro 70’s and the older 2-band StingRay (could be either Ernie Ball or pre-EB era). They have a more mellow tone and don’t do the Flea thing as easily. They’re better situated to do pop, blues, old school funk, and other softer things. Their treble EQ just doesn’t have the same sizzle and grit as the non-Specials. Again, IMO.

The Fender Ultra Jazz, thanks to its preamp, can do both modern RHCP stuff (Stadium Arcadium and newer) as well as older stuff. It isn’t a StingRay or Modulus, but the preamp allows it to get aggressive and growly in all the right ways. A regular Fender Jazz or even a Flea Jazz can get you some of the more modern Flea tones, but the lack of preamp could make certain songs feel like they’re lacking something.

The Wal is just silliness to consider. Amazing instruments, but unless you have some seriously deep pockets they are a collectors bass. You’re not going to gig one unless you’re playing the biggest stadiums simply due to how expensive they are.

So which should you get? I’d recommend going to a guitar shop and trying both a MusicMan (could be a Sterling by MusicMan) and a Fender Jazz (could be a Squier, MIM, or MIA). The main thing to look for is which is the most comfortable in your hands. The MusicMan neck is more similar to a P bass in that it’s a little chunkier. The Jazz, by comparison, is a bit slimmer. You might not favor one immediately, or you might immediately discover one is much more comfortable than the other. Sound-wise, they do different things but either will get you where you’re going with decent enough overlap. Just figure out which you’d prefer playing on and go for that one. You’ll end up getting the other at some point down the line anyways

Thanks!! I'll go try somewhere.

 

[YourGuitarist]

Stingray + GK but really any burpy low mid forward combination. His sound in the studio is burpy imo.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Far more attitude than instrument to sound like Flea.

 

[Barticus]

Ah I see, Thank you
I will try his basslines by myself and see how it will go,

But what bass would you choose if someone asks you to get that "Flea sound" if you know what I mean.

I know that it is bad to overrely on the gears, but I seriously want a new bass that sounds like flea and also forgot to mention but rage against the machine as well. I really like these bands ( also sound garden ).
Thanks

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...z-bass-shell-pink-road-worn?serial=MX24089282

 

[Mark Karwan]

As has been mentioned, Bassically, you are looking at jazz bass or (more likely) stingray-type bass. Or Ibanez ATK, for real. Not hard. You are completely correct that getting the correct “family” of bass will help, but the nitty-gritties don’t matter as much. At that point technique and ears take over.

 

[spufman]

Love and conviction is what you will need.

 

[smatanovic]

Early albums - lots of StingRay and Sabre MusicMan basses
Mothers Milk - Spector JJ
BSSM - Wal
One Hot Minute - Alembic Epic
Californication and By the Way - Modulus Flea/Funk
Stadium Arcadium and after - 60’s Fender Jazz

Flea might have had another bass make a “guest appearance” for a song or two, but this is largely what he used on each album. Which era do you want to sound like? Personally, although I hear some variances in bass tone from album to album, it always sounds like Flea because of his style and note choice.

He played a violin bass (Hoffner?) on much of the Atoms for Peace stuff:

 

[Michedelic]

What I would like to know is, how do you get the ACIDFORTHECHILD sound?

Or, more to the point, who was Flea trying to sound like?