• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Modulus not Flea anymore

#150
Perhaps he counted his beans and realized he didn't need to endorse any bass builder at all. That would leave him free of pressure to play whatever he wants. It's funny how this seemed to come about after he started sporting that Fender. From a guy like him, anything he's seen playing is going to be taken as a big statement whether he's trying to make one or not.
 
#151
Sub5ound said:
Perhaps he counted his beans and realized he didn't need to endorse any bass builder at all. That would leave him free of pressure to play whatever he wants. It's funny how this seemed to come about after he started sporting that Fender. From a guy like him, anything he's seen playing is going to be taken as a big statement whether he's trying to make one or not.
Click to expand...

Nothing against his playing whatsoever, but Flea would endorse a McDonalds or Coca-Cola bass if they made one. Seriously. He is Mr. Hollywood.
 
#153
Changing his name to an 'X' is a bit out there ... the user's manual hasn't been changed (yet) though, it's still for 'Flea Bass'. This is a bit like the MM EVH sig vs. MM Axis and Wolfgang vs Peavey - popular instruments rebranded (and redesigned) after the Name has absconded ...

RCCollins said:
Nothing against his playing whatsoever, but Flea would endorse a McDonalds or Coca-Cola bass if they made one. Seriously. He is Mr. Hollywood.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but hasn't he actually only ever had one sig. bass, while endorsing the strings/backline he actually uses?!?
 
#156
StreamerDavid said:
After Chad Smith got something like $100,000 to do a signature snare drum, Flea demanded a deal like that from Musicman/Ernie Ball. They declined since the Stingray was such a signature instrument for so many players. He went to Modulus to do that bass and probably got money. Now he is probably moving on for money as well. It's a shame. His best playing was done on a Stingray and that is the tone for him. Listen to "Johnny Kick A Hole in the Sky" and that's the tone right there.
Click to expand...

Wasn't almost all that album done on a spector? (I liked that album best, not fond of the honky MM's for slap).
 
#157
From Invalid Link Removed - from about the nearest we'll get to the horse's mouth - Ian from SMART Distribution - the UK's Modulus distributor:

From the horses mouth - Flea had an extension to his long contract with Modulus that has now indeed ended on a positive note, nothing dire or acrimonious or anything between the lines with the new name of this instrument just that the contract after over 10 years came finally to an end and he and his management team decided to change direction. he still uses his Modulus basses live so it's nothing to do with the instrument or back-up from Modulus.

It is well known, that comments were made to Flea about his bass sound in recent years (or lack of it) when he started to use an old Fender 'J' bass on stage and so he reverted to his Modulus signature bass (Modulus in actual fact sent him the burst finish instrument that he has been seen using the last few years (remember the RHCP on 'Live at Abbey Road' last year?) immediately he realised this; they could have got really funny about him not using a Modulus during his Fender 'renaissance' but that is not really the laid-back Californians style in Novato.

Anyhow, all good things eventually come to an end, Flea has decided not to renew his Modulus contract and in all honesty that really does not change anything about what is one of the great 4-string basses in recent decades. Rumours on the grapevine is that he is likely to launch his own signature bass at a low-to-mid price point, something made in the Far East sporting a wooden neck. It will be interesting to see what this turns out to be if the rumours are correct at the NAMM show in January 2009.

Many of our customers were inspired to take up a Modulus Flea bass because of Flea's playing but equally many took to it simply because it is a bass guitar that can cover practically any genre of music you care to throw at it particularly when equipped with its Seymour Duncan Basslines MM pickup (only made for this bass a copy of the original Lane Poor pickup) and a superb Aguilar OBP-1 preamp.

So now the Modulus Flea bass is now the Funk Umlimited bass.

I suppose another positive about this is that players that took to the 4 and 5-string version of the Flea bass such as Stefan Lessard of the Dave Matthews band can now have a superb instrument without the moniker or fact that the bass is no longer a signature instrument but stands on its own 4 or 5-strings so to speak!

The Modulus Flea bass was one of our most popular models here in the UK. The Modulus Funk Unlimited will also be one of our most popular because it's a great bass, period.
Click to expand...

Nice to see it wasn't anything acrimonious. I'm kinda intrigued but also scared about this possibility of a new Flea Bass - I'm hoping it won't be another Cort TM Stevens. :D
 
#160
FLea does endorse strings but he's said him self he doesn't know what kind he uses. I liked the wal on BSSM although he did use his EB 5'er on there some. He also used an Alembic I think EPIC for one hot minute I thought he had a good rock thing going there (he said he used his EB in Aeroplane) after he got the flea bass though man he had the brightest crap tone I'd ever heard it fits sometimes with the band but by it's self WHEW!!!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back