Flea replica bass?
April 14, 2011 8:46 AM Subscribe
Is a replica of my dream bass made and sold anywhere? (It's Flea's [of Red Hot Chili Peppers].)
If the answer is no, can anyone tell me what technique i could use to decorate a plain bass to look like this? Thanks in advance!
If the answer is no, can anyone tell me what technique i could use to decorate a plain bass to look like this? Thanks in advance!
Best answer: Agree w/puritycontrol that it's probably a custom paint job on the Modulus bass that bears his name.
The rest of the decoration being stickers: Black Flag (x2), Fugazi, Devo, The Clash, Circle Jerks, Sex Pistols (x3? or once cut up), Joy Division, The Ramones, The Germs, and at least one other one I couldn't catch enough of to identify.
posted by safetyfork at 9:13 AM on April 14, 2011
The rest of the decoration being stickers: Black Flag (x2), Fugazi, Devo, The Clash, Circle Jerks, Sex Pistols (x3? or once cut up), Joy Division, The Ramones, The Germs, and at least one other one I couldn't catch enough of to identify.
posted by safetyfork at 9:13 AM on April 14, 2011
It's a Modulus FB4. I have the bass in a Blue Sparkle finish.
You could have any custom guitar painter do an FB4 for you like that. It would probably run about $400.
It's a fairly expensive insturment. I don't know how much they go for used but new they were around $2000 depending on the options.
posted by zephyr_words at 9:48 AM on April 14, 2011
You could have any custom guitar painter do an FB4 for you like that. It would probably run about $400.
It's a fairly expensive insturment. I don't know how much they go for used but new they were around $2000 depending on the options.
posted by zephyr_words at 9:48 AM on April 14, 2011
Response by poster: zephyr_words - 400 for the base paint job of the red, white, and blue, or 400 for the whole replication with the band logos and all? Or would I have to do that with stickers myself? Also, how do you like your FB4?
Does anyone know of any resources for finding good custom guitar painters? I'm in Atlanta.
Thanks for all the help so far!
posted by jitterbug perfume at 10:08 AM on April 14, 2011
Does anyone know of any resources for finding good custom guitar painters? I'm in Atlanta.
Thanks for all the help so far!
posted by jitterbug perfume at 10:08 AM on April 14, 2011
Best answer: http://www.wilkinsguitars.com/ is the best painter in the US. I've heard good things from both http://www.rsguitarworks.net http://www.martybellfinishing.com/ -- if you're not you should register on Talkbass.com. You might be able to get someone with first hand experience on local Atlanta painters.
The job is pretty simple though so anyone should be able to do it. I can recommend that you do not use simscustomshop.
I love my FB4. It's my main bass and I use it for everything I don't need a 5-string for. You're going to want to play one before making a blind purchase though. It doesn't play like much anything else. It extremely bright (made even brighter by the 18volt active preamp) and has a carbon fiber neck. You can tone it down a bit with flatwounds for an interesting sound too.
Really take your time to hunt one down or you'll end up paying up to $1000 more than you'll need to. If you can find a local shop you might be able to get one new with the Aguilar preamp a bit under $2000. As you can see from the link above a lot of places sell them for $2500-3000.
The blue\red\silver sparkle finish is so awesome looking in person I think you'd have a hard time sending it off to be painted. =D Maybe just coat it in your own stickers so you can revert back if you ever want to.
posted by zephyr_words at 11:06 AM on April 14, 2011
The job is pretty simple though so anyone should be able to do it. I can recommend that you do not use simscustomshop.
I love my FB4. It's my main bass and I use it for everything I don't need a 5-string for. You're going to want to play one before making a blind purchase though. It doesn't play like much anything else. It extremely bright (made even brighter by the 18volt active preamp) and has a carbon fiber neck. You can tone it down a bit with flatwounds for an interesting sound too.
Really take your time to hunt one down or you'll end up paying up to $1000 more than you'll need to. If you can find a local shop you might be able to get one new with the Aguilar preamp a bit under $2000. As you can see from the link above a lot of places sell them for $2500-3000.
The blue\red\silver sparkle finish is so awesome looking in person I think you'd have a hard time sending it off to be painted. =D Maybe just coat it in your own stickers so you can revert back if you ever want to.
posted by zephyr_words at 11:06 AM on April 14, 2011
Response by poster: So are you saying I have to get the blue/red/silver sparkle made custom, or is that a finish Modulus offers? Also, are you saying the painting place/person would be able to replicate the stickers (I'm sorry for the confusion, but it sounds like this is what you're saying)?
Thanks again.
posted by jitterbug perfume at 1:38 PM on April 14, 2011
Thanks again.
posted by jitterbug perfume at 1:38 PM on April 14, 2011
Flea doesn't endorse Modulus any more. Modulus still make the same bass, but now it's called a Funk Unlimited. Any significance to those initials?
posted by Wolof at 1:39 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolof at 1:39 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Does he not endorse them because of quality issues, or just so he could go make his own line of (shoddy) basses?
posted by jitterbug perfume at 4:03 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by jitterbug perfume at 4:03 PM on April 15, 2011
I have never heard even a whisper about quality issues with Modulus basses. Flea's Music Man endorsement also ended rancorously.
posted by Wolof at 11:17 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolof at 11:17 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by puritycontrol at 8:57 AM on April 14, 2011