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Modulus Flea basses. Why so unpopular all of a sudden...?


Beedster
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I was amazed to see this:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330384309739&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url]

A year back folks would have been all over this bass, especially in this configuration? MFBs are (generally) outstanding basses, so is the lack of popularity simply the result of Flea's rather public pull-out of Modulus?

C

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it's not unpopular, it's had 15 bids, i think the low price is down to buyers chancing their arm, basically being cheeky f***ers.
It'll creep up, one automated bid at a time...
Buyers are still under the impression they have the advantage, and sellers seem to still be touching their toes!

I'd give this guy a grand for that bass.

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[quote name='AndyTravis' post='684740' date='Dec 15 2009, 12:26 AM']it's not unpopular, it's had 15 bids, i think the low price is down to buyers chancing their arm, basically being cheeky f***ers.
It'll creep up, one automated bid at a time...
Buyers are still under the impression they have the advantage, and sellers seem to still be touching their toes!

I'd give this guy a grand for that bass.[/quote]
You do realise it ended on the 13th right? :)

That's seriously cheap for a Lane Poor fitted Flea Bass, but I think it's both a casulty of the recession and the fact Flea publically pulled away from Modulus.

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The strange thing is that anything Flea gets involved with, in terms of bass endorsement goes pear shape, he started with MusicMan and that one went t|ts up, then endorsed Modulus and they fell out too, and now... to top it all up his own line of Flea basses (which look and sound like utter sh|te) are being offered pretty cheap compared to their original price at the Bass Centre. Go figure.

Edited by bass5
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It's not just Flea basses and I'm not sure that it's 'significantly' affected by the time of year. Just a couple weeks ago I watched a MM Sterling (not the new 'Ray' model but a proper one) go for £510 and it looked tasty, bar a ciggie burn at the headstock (assuming that is an old scar :) ); I also watched a very rare late 80's Ltd Ed NT Streamer bass go for £610... that went the second time listed after failing to get £600 the first time!

However, I agree that a year ago that Flea would have been £1000 all day long. :rolleyes:

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Could not resist responding to this one...most of our sales of this bass are due to the bass being what it is and not just the fact that it was the Modulus Flea bass and continue to be so.

Flea was with Modulus for approximately 10 years, people move on, it was not a falling out of either of the two parties with each other. It's still our best selling bass since the end of the endorsement because it is an instrument that can cover most genres of music you care to throw at it.

So...not a dramatic public pulling away from Modulus, just the end of the endorsement deal 'cos he wanted to start up his new project with his new lower price point bass which he wanted to call the Flea Bass. It's that simple really...so the Modulus Flea had to change to the Funk Unlimited and now you have the new bass from Flea called the Flea Bass. Simples!

Just received a new order from a guy for a Modulus Funk Unlimited J5 because he really liked the shape of the body as well as the other features this bass offers not because it was the Flea bass.

Ciao

Ian


[quote name='Buzz' post='684745' date='Dec 15 2009, 12:38 AM']You do realise it ended on the 13th right? :)

That's seriously cheap for a Lane Poor fitted Flea Bass, but I think it's both a casulty of the recession and the fact Flea publically pulled away from Modulus.[/quote]

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Agreed, mine sold for £1250 in September last year and the specs weren't as good as this one. The silver and blue sparkles used to be really popular as well (there's a blue sparkle being offered at a rather optimistic price on ebay at present). I genuinely think it's the result of Flea's move away from Modulus, kinda sends a subliminal message saying 'there's something better come along' (the something better clearly isn't his new range but let's face it, he rarely played the Modulus in the studio and I'm pretty sure the same will go for the new line).

Just another expensive artist model no longer played by the artist in question I guess :)

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They were/are (depending on your perspective in time) great pickups but the Seymour Duncan Basslines MM pickup made only for the Modulus Flea/Funk Unlimited Bass is a copy of the original Lane Poor pickup that Modulus asked Seymeour Duncan to make after Lane Poor went sadly out of biz...

There's a lot of hype and voodoo/mystique about the original Lane Poors which can get to be a tad OTT so I would just honestly advise people to bear this in mind as the current MM pickup for the Modulus bass is as good as and a lot less expensive than the pre-owned Lane Poors being touted around.

But if a Lane Poor is what is wanted...the choice (very limited!) is always there.

Ciao

Ian

[quote name='Marcus' post='685740' date='Dec 15 2009, 09:26 PM']OMG......

Can't believe that didn't get higher bids....

I've hear of Lane Poor MM pickups going for $500 !!!

Mark[/quote]

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[quote name='SMART' post='686252' date='Dec 16 2009, 12:58 PM']They were/are (depending on your perspective in time) great pickups but the Seymour Duncan Basslines MM pickup made only for the Modulus Flea/Funk Unlimited Bass is a copy of the original Lane Poor pickup that Modulus asked Seymeour Duncan to make after Lane Poor went sadly out of biz...

There's a lot of hype and voodoo/mystique about the original Lane Poors which can get to be a tad OTT so I would just honestly advise people to bear this in mind as the current MM pickup for the Modulus bass is as good as and a lot less expensive than the pre-owned Lane Poors being touted around.

But if a Lane Poor is what is wanted...the choice (very limited!) is always there.

Ciao

Ian[/quote]

I posted a thread not that long ago about the revival of Lane Poor as a company - I believe one of their technicians has bought the brand name and is now continuing to make pickups to the same spec.

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[quote name='AndyTravis' post='684762' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:06 AM']oh wow, it's finished?

Gutted.[/quote]
The reserve wasn't met so looks like a case of the seller knowing the value and the punters not wanting to spend the cash. Maybe you could ask the seller to put it on as a 'buy it now' if they're happy with your grand, although by the looks of the other fleas out there, they'll be looking for a fair bit more...

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='Magnolia' post='695372' date='Dec 29 2009, 08:56 AM']What do you guys think this should be worth then? I have emailed the seller with an offer and got a reply saying he will accept it. Just want to see if my offer is fair (from my perspective) before i actually commit to it.[/quote]

Surely if you've made an offer then the offer must be fair from 'your perspective' as you generated the figure! :lol:

If people on here say it is worth £xxx or £xxxx will you go back and revise your offer? If you do and you offer less the seller isn't going to be impressed and if folks say it is worth more, then it'd be very gentlemanly of you to revise your offer up over. :rolleyes: :)

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[quote name='Beedster' post='684826' date='Dec 15 2009, 08:30 AM']Agreed, mine sold for £1250 in September last year and the specs weren't as good as this one. The silver and blue sparkles used to be really popular as well (there's a blue sparkle being offered at a rather optimistic price on ebay at present). I genuinely think it's the result of Flea's move away from Modulus, kinda sends a subliminal message saying 'there's something better come along' (the something better clearly isn't his new range but let's face it, he rarely played the Modulus in the studio and I'm pretty sure the same will go for the new line).

Just another expensive artist model no longer played by the artist in question I guess :)[/quote]

some of the drop will be, i know that i got my flea on the back of seeing flea play one.

but also he did use them in the studio along with his vintage jazz bass.

i hope he doesnt use his new flea bass in the studio or on tour! as i am inclined to agree that it sounds like ass! after playing one at a music show thru a good gk set up.

andy

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