roballanson
Well-known member
There is a lovely pic of the Fleameister in this month's BP mag - sporting a Ray.....old file pic?
- Thread starter roballanson
- Start date
Haven't seen it but it's almost certinaly a file pic.
Modulus make the Flea Bass......
http://www.modulusguitars.com/v2/products/flea/index.html
Modulus make the Flea Bass......
http://www.modulusguitars.com/v2/products/flea/index.html
JB1 said:
Yes. He a youngster in that picture. He even looks handsome. (and I mean that in a purely heterosexual way). Although I sometimes feel about flea the way that guy in HAIR feels about Mick Jagger.
I always wondered what happened with Flea and MM? Anyone wanna shed some light? I know he claims to have switched to Modulus because he wanted composite necks that he didn't have to readjust all the time, but I personally think that's a bunch of crap. I doubt he's ever had to adjust a bass in all his adult life.
bassmonkeee
Well-known member
I think the answer is fairly obvious--
Flea: "I want a Flea signature Stingray."
Ernie Ball: "We don't do signature basses."
Modulus: "Psst. Hey, Flea..."
Flea: "I want a Flea signature Stingray."
Ernie Ball: "We don't do signature basses."
Modulus: "Psst. Hey, Flea..."
fenderb
Active member
i agree with bassmonkee, ther comes a time in a rockstars life when they want a signature bass.
Mantaray
Well-known member
I totally agree with bassmonkee as well.
And I'm very glad that EB doesn't do signature basses. Those instruments are too good for any player to have his/her name on it
!
They should feel honoured for being given the opportunity to play a StingRay or a Sterling or a Bongo. I can't say the same for the Baritone bass guitar though
And I'm very glad that EB doesn't do signature basses. Those instruments are too good for any player to have his/her name on it
!They should feel honoured for being given the opportunity to play a StingRay or a Sterling or a Bongo. I can't say the same for the Baritone bass guitar though
rulyøngo
Well-known member
If that's the truth about Flea he got a really BIG ego!!!
bassmonkeee
Well-known member
rulyøngo said:
Well, I could be completely talking out of my butt, too. I certainly don't have any inside info, and it's pure speculation.
And, honestly, it isn't necessarily about ego. The fact that he appears to answer emails personally at the RHCP site certainly doesn't show a person full of himself (I'm not a RHCP fan, but I went to their website today).
Like it, or not, Flea's name is a "commodity." If he wants something from a musical instrument company, then his millions of albums sold and influence certainly give him some leverage to broker a deal. I certainly don't fault him for conducting business. He's made a lot of people besides himself a lot of money--otherwise, he wouldn't be plastered in 20 ads in every bass magazine, have his own signature strings, etc.
IF my scenario above is truly the case, I'm sure EB, et al, don't hold any ill will. Why would they? It's business.
PeteDuBaldo
Well-known member
Mantaray said:I totally agree with bassmonkee as well.
And I'm very glad that EB doesn't do signature basses. Those instruments are too good for any player to have his/her name on it
Meaning that the guitars aren't ?
bassmonkeee said:
Well put, Monkee. Damn you guys are so much more eloquent than I!
Perhaps we can email him at the RHCP site and see what he might divulge....
I'd love to say there'll be a day when I'll get a signature model, but it'll probably be a Ray with my name in magic marker on the headstck!
Bassmonkee's got a point about business, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if he did want a signature bass, but you have to imagine it Must have had Something to do with tone.
After all, he did only rarely use ray's in the studio, something about 'couldn't get an even sound' or something to that effect. I love ray's as much as the rest of yous and agree that that's more or less crazy, but if the man couldn't get what he wanted out of a MM then it seems to make sense to shop around. Though, it is a bit funny how similar the FleaBass and the Ray are in concept and design and such.
After all, he did only rarely use ray's in the studio, something about 'couldn't get an even sound' or something to that effect. I love ray's as much as the rest of yous and agree that that's more or less crazy, but if the man couldn't get what he wanted out of a MM then it seems to make sense to shop around. Though, it is a bit funny how similar the FleaBass and the Ray are in concept and design and such.
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Silhouette
Well-known member
I don't like the look of his sig. bass. Should've stayed with MM, got a custom vinyl to shred on-top if he really wanted it to be customised that much, or even do a sig. one-off secretly, to never been spoken of again; and then be happy with the money he already has. I think he has enough money already to justify not moving from MM to Mod as cgworkman suggested. I'd be happier having the image of "wow he plays Ernie Ball Musicman bass guitars" then "hmm, he plays, am, Modulus guitars." You know what I mean.
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Silhouette
Well-known member
Silhouette said:
At this point, I'd like to say I'm not slagging off another manufacturer. I'm just suggesting that Musicman are in that upper league. The kind that divides the likes of Metallica and Iron Maiden with your general metal bands that don't have the va va voom and additional energy.
bassmonkeee
Well-known member
cgworkman said:I'm sure $$$ had something to do with it...
Honestly, I doubt it. I think people overestimate the money side of endorsement deals. I mean--do you really think Modulus is paying him him that much? If you can afford a Masarati for each day of the week, are you going to care if someone gives you a Saturn? I'm sure he derives much more satisfaction from simply having a signature model than from whatever monetary renumeration he is getting from them.
I mean, this isn't an industry doing things like Nike paying Jordan $200 million dollars.
Disquieter
Well-known member
bassmonkeee said:
If i remember right.
flea wanted the stingray to be called the flea bass, and he wanted a cut of all future sales of the model and partial design control.
this all comes back to his name being a commodity, a lesser brand (cough;modulus;cough), would bow to these demands.
that's what I seem to remember hearing.
i could be wrong
joel
bassmonkeee said:
Apparantly you've not been around many rich people.
Most rich people are all about making money. Whether it be a couple thousand are several millions.
However, I do believe there is some truth in what you are saying.
