danweb22 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hi all, Having heard some negative comments on Flea's own bass that he has released, I found this on youtube [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D45OMeDlALA&feature=channel_page"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D45OMeDlALA...re=channel_page[/url] Didn't think it sounded that bad? Anyone have some hands on experience with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lylodile Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 I played one a while ago and was reasonably impressed. Certainly wasn't awful. That vid sounds good probably also cause he replaced the pickup with an EMG35DC pickup as he says in the description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 they're fugly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashevans09 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='616371' date='Oct 4 2009, 11:39 AM']they're fugly[/quote] True dat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRadford Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 If you check out that guys other videos, he has a comparison with the original pickup and the upgrade... In fact, here it is.. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MonpZ0o0RuU"]Linky[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 (edited) I just happened to pop into Pooles in Grimsby to get a grade 2 violin book for a pupil & they'd literally just got three Flea basses in. Oh dear, oh dear... First complaint is that the finish is utterly awful on these three I've seen. The neck pockets didn't inspire at all and in fact, the necks didn't even look properly aligned to the body. The paint finish around the neck pocket is the worst I've ever seen & there was even some orange paint staining on the side of the neck near the join (on the orange/yellow one.) So either the necks are put on before painting, or added before the paint is dry. Either way, they're botch-tasticly made. To play they're okay enough, but they even sound cheap and nasty. Output from the single pickup is okay, but tone and any quality of sound is wilfully lacking. If it was priced at under £200 I could almost understand it, but at £399 they're seriously having a laugh. Interestingly, the shop owner was there with me and I played a (yes, you guessed it!) Squier CV Jazz against it and to say that the Squier is cheaper than the Flea, the Squier jazz buried it in terms of tone and quality sound with the same amp settings, let alone in terms of quality of construction. Fleabass - Don't do it! Edited October 15, 2009 by OutToPlayJazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickH Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Went to buy a set of straplocks from Fret Music in Southampton (awesome shop and staff BTW!) and saw these lurid monstrosities on the wall. Damn they're ugly. I'm talking so ugly you could make a new Yo Momma joke about them. "Yo Momma so ugly, she played a FleaBass and the bass looked good" would work. Sounded crap too. What's the deal with these? Has Flea sold his name to some anonymous Far Eastern chipboard bass manufacturer and that's it? Did he actually have a say in how the instruments sounded, looked, and are built? Is he sat in a grimy workshop crafting each one himself and learning the art of luthiery as he goes? The more he had to do with this piece of sh*t bass the less I like him TBH. Damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraktal Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='NickH' post='628456' date='Oct 17 2009, 02:18 AM']Has Flea sold his name to some anonymous Far Eastern chipboard bass manufacturer and that's it?[/quote] 1-Listen to One hot minute. 2- Then listen to Californication. and 3- Realize you just made a rhetorical question. They sold themselves long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashevans09 Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='Fraktal' post='628473' date='Oct 17 2009, 02:40 AM']1-Listen to One hot minute. 2- Then listen to Californication. and 3- Realize you just made a rhetorical question. They sold themselves long ago.[/quote] Ooo snap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickH Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) One Hot Minute over Californicaiton? What bullshit is this being spoken? Californication is the better album by far. Not only because John Frusciante was back in the fold and he pwns the hell out of Dave Navarro. The songs are better. One Hot Minute is maybe 2 or 3 good songs with a boatload of poorly written filler between them. This is why the fans hated it, the critics hated it, and it almost spent the end of the band.... I've got everything I can find that the Chilis have done on CD including OHM, but OHM is the only one I don't have loaded onto iTunes. I won't dignify it by taking up space on my iPod with it. Edited October 17, 2009 by NickH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I like OHM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) personally, i'm gutted these basses exist. I think they're OK sounding, but the quality is patchy to say the least. And they aint cheap. Go to fleabass.com, 'if it isn't right, it won't hit the stores, we'll set every single one up'. BULLSHIT! My Childhood hero is a bellend. Edited October 17, 2009 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='AndyTravis' post='629024' date='Oct 17 2009, 08:41 PM']personally, i'm gutted these basses exist. I think they're OK sounding, but the quality is patchy to say the least. And they aint cheap. Go to fleabass.com, 'if it isn't right, it won't hit the stores, we'll set every single one up'. BULLSHIT! My Childhood hero is a bellend.[/quote] Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmesa Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='NickH' post='628456' date='Oct 17 2009, 01:18 AM']"Yo Momma so ugly, she played a FleaBass and the bass looked good".[/quote] [quote name='AndyTravis' post='629024' date='Oct 17 2009, 08:41 PM']personally, i'm gutted these basses exist. My Childhood hero is a bellend.[/quote] [quote name='NickH' post='628990' date='Oct 17 2009, 07:46 PM']I won't dignify it by taking up space on my iPod with it.[/quote] Epic luls!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 are the RHCP done now? I'm so angry with Flea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 the new flea basses so disgusting. i feel sick when i see one. also people who prefer the John Frusciante written californication are off their heads. the Flea written OHM is so much better. also since John Frusciante rejoined he has ruined RHCP. he's an idiot and they are a different band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusknia Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Am I correct in thinking that he doesn't actually use this bass himself? He should stop his barney with Musicman and start using Stingrays again, his tone was amazing during that period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 or get a cheeky Wal on the go. the tone from his vintage jazz he has been using defo doesn't suit the chili's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 all about the BSSM tone, f***ing immense. However, despite an impressive performance from flea, i hated OHM and the whole Navarro era, cant stand that guy and hated the bands image whilst he was around. RHCP died in 1992. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Flea's not bad - but to be honest, those basses do look a little bit `Willie Wonka' to me! Check out `Burt Flee' on Youtube - now HE's da man! You never see his face though... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I really like the look of them, although not for me. I just can't believe how tiny they are when you see one in the flesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroman Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Well, I haven't seen one of these in the flesh yet, but seen the adverts in the magazines........ All I can say is, I've seen 70's wall paper that's more tasteful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='retroman' post='629172' date='Oct 17 2009, 11:44 PM']All I can say is, I've seen 70's wall paper that's more tasteful!! [/quote] My problem, and I know it's wrong, is I quite like 70s wallpaper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecowboy Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) I never knew anything about these until i saw them hanging in the less than inspiring music shop in Selfridges... my first thoughts i'll be honest were "what the hell is that monstrosity" I asked the girl to have a quick go on one and she plugged me through a little Hartke practice amp, so i'll have to be compassionate when i come to discussing the sound. The finish of the bass is terrible, if anything unacceptable, the neck felt unfinished, i swear there were rough patches all the way up the neck, the frets were razor sharp on the edges, the strings were at least 3-4mm off the fretboard, as discussed earlier the paint job was so so sloppy, it looked thick and it filled up the neck pocket where the wood didn't, now some of these things could be consequence of a poor shop set up but check out the website, Flea and his bass companies manifesto is that no bass leaves the factory unless its perfectly setup and ready to play...... hmm. The pickup sounded very weak, not alot of output at all, crackly pots, slack tuners, cheap bridge.... oh dear... The bass was however incredibly light, so people who prefer lighter basses might want to check it out, but apart from that, as someone before me stated for £400 they're having a laugh and playing massively on the name. Even if this bass was sub £200 it would be a joke compared to a Squier or Warwick Rockbass. Edited October 18, 2009 by spacecowboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 The distributors have tried hard to make me stock these, but I've been a bit reluctant. Their deals have improved every call, so they might be getting a bit desperate. I'm glad you guys have commented, as I'm now definitely going to avoid. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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