Fleabass Model 32

4.5 (37)

1 Critic Review

6 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Fleabass

2 community setups

37 wishlisted

64 saved

Page last updated Dec 16, 2025

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Description

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Discover the Fleabass, a bass guitar designed with the flair and charisma of the legendary bassist, Flea. Crafted to meet the demands of both aspiring musicians and seasoned players, this electric bass delivers a harmonious blend of style and substance. At the heart of the Fleabass lies a solid alder body, renowned for its ability to produce a rich, full-bodied tone while maintaining excellent sustain. The dual cutaway design ensures effortless access to the upper frets, allowing you to explore the full range of the instrument with ease.

The Fleabass is equipped with a solid maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard, offering a silky-smooth playing experience. The satin finish not only enhances the playability but also adds a touch of elegance to the instrument’s aesthetic. Its chrome bridge and tailpiece are fully adjustable, giving you the flexibility to tailor the setup to your personal preferences.

A standout feature of this model is the matching headstock, adorned with Flea's autograph and distinctive doodles, adding a personal touch from the artist himself. Whether you're grooving in the studio or performing live, the Fleabass promises to deliver an unforgettable sonic experience.

Key Features:

Solid alder body with dual cutaways
Solid maple neck with a satin finish
Rosewood fingerboard for smooth playability
Fully adjustable chrome bridge/tailpiece
Matching headstock with Flea’s autograph and doodles

Videos

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FleabassMusic

Flea demonstrates how to "Slap" on a Fleabass!

FleabassMusic

Flea playing a Fleabass at Schmitt Music

FleabassMusic

FleaBass Model 32 Punk [Bass Review]

David Caraccio

Fleabass Model32 vs. Street Bass [Review]

Carl Engman

Fleabass Bass Guitar Review by Rikki's Music Shop, Edinburgh

RikkisMusicShop

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fleabass Model 32.

Build quality

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The neck isn't as slim as a Jazz Bass but not as chunky as a P-Bass; owners appreciate its fast playability.
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The poly finish may become brittle over time, particularly around sharp fret ends, leading to discomfort during play.
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Mods and upgrades

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Some users recommend installing a Lane Poor pickup and Aguilar preamp for improved sound.
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An EMG pickup is recommended by an owner for improved sound quality, particularly in the Orange Yellow model.
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User experience

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Owners have noted that the phenolic fingerboard can shrink over time, pulling the neck into a forward bow, usually after 20 years.
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Owners report that the bass is notably heavy, which can affect playing comfort over extended sessions.
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The short-scale version is praised for its quality and ability to hold a setup, with specific mention of its black & white color scheme.
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Value and pricing

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Although priced affordably at launch, current resale prices are considered high for the build quality.
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Despite initial affordability, current models are considered overpriced for the quality, with resale prices reaching unexpected highs.
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Despite its entry-level origins, the Fleabass now fetches prices upwards of $1000, contrasting its initial $299.99 package deal that included accessories.
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The bass's appeal seems largely tied to its rarity and the collector's market, rather than its performance or sound quality.
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Comparisons

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The Fleabass design was influenced by Modulus, yet distinct in its production and market positioning, offering a different experience from Flea’s Modulus signature models.
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Owners suggest a Sterling Sub Series Ray4 offers better sound quality akin to Flea's style, for the original retail price of a Fleabass.
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Setup and maintenance

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Some users experienced significant fret buzz, which may require professional setup adjustments to alleviate.
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Critic Reviews

Fleabass Street Bass review | MusicRadar

musicradar.com

The Fleabass Street Bass is a budget-friendly instrument that catches the eye and ear alike. Its simple yet striking design pays homage to classic basses like the Precision and StingRay, while offering a unique voice that stands out. The through-body stringing and distinctive sound make it a great starting point for slap players, thanks to its neck and string-spacing. However, the bass is a bit top-heavy, which might be a concern for some players. Overall, it's a well-priced, funky-sounding bass that's perfect for those looking to channel their inner Flea without breaking the bank.

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Full Review

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 6 Reviews and 37 Ratings

5 star

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1 star

oedipoes

1391

almost 5 years ago

Top beginners slap bass

Got me a Fleabass as I’m quite the peppers fan. Well built guitar with good materials. For the price, this was excellent value. The electronics quickly got me bored, so I replaced them with a LanePoor (from Legacy Pickups) and a Glockenklang pre-amp (as the Aguilar only boosts, this one cuts too). It’s transformed this bass into an instrument that can hold up with my original MusicMan. Sad that Flea pulled the plug early. Go get one while they’re cheap.

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Composer

Genres:

Rock Metal prog metal

From Gear Setup

diego_chang

437

over 10 years ago

Great slap bass.

This bass is mostly good for slapping. For normal playing it doesn't sound to bad (sounds a bit to muted/soft). And last but not least: its a great bass for harmonics and it has a great slap sound. If you want to improve the bass you can just put a seymour duncan pickup in it (for normal playing). Standard pickup: EMG-35 soapbar bucker (or something like that).

nicholas_poprocky

603

almost 10 years ago

Slap?

I bought this in 2012 when I thought I could play slap bass for a band I thought I was in, or, we thought we had formed, rather. Never panned out, fretting was not very good, sold it in 2015.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Pop Blues

ben_liss

346

about 8 years ago

Ben Liss

Ben played this on their 2034 tour and used it when covering RHCP songs

francisconunes

almost 12 years ago

Fleabb

Great bass. It has a powerful and funky sound and it was worth every cent!

ron_tyili

275

almost 10 years ago

"Red Hot" like chillie pepper

it gives an Awesome DEEP bass for all those hip-hop and reggae baseline

Roles:

Bassist Drummer Composer

Genres:

Rock Hip Hop Reggae

Artist usage

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Flea

Singer, Bassist

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Verified via Muzicosphere

Flea's own line of bass guitars. Inspired by the look of Modulus basses, and made to be affordable and approachable by beginners. Two models were available, one with a 34" neck and another with a 30" neck. They were available in four color schemes: "Sunny Bass"(yellow/orange), "Water Bass" (orange/blue), "Punk Bass" (pink/green) and "The Wild One" (white/black). These basses were manufactured in China.

Davie504

Bassist

Verified via YouTube

At around 0:34 minute mark, Biale shows his Fleabass. It is baby blue with a bright orage pickguard.

Davide Biale

Guitarist, Bassist

Verified via YouTube

At around 0:34 minute mark, Biale shows his Fleabass.

Murray Cook

Singer, Guitarist

The Wiggles

Verified via Photo

Murray Cook can be seen with a Fleabass in this promotional image for The Wiggles' 2011 tour. https://wiggles.fandom.com/wiki/Fleabass_Model_32?file=TheWigglesWorldTour2011TourProgrammePage12.jpg

Mark Andrews

Singer, Bassist

Junior

Verified via Photo

In this post junior drummer Si shows off one piece of gear from each member of junior. In this photo you can see the flea bass that mark owns. the bass is a blue finish with an orange pickguard

Jon Sidel

Guitarist

Thelonious Monster

Verified via reverb.com

Listed for sale on Reverb.com in 2017.

Here is a Flea Bass. (34"inch scale) Year: 2009-2011 Color: Black Serial number: N/A Weight: 9.75 Lbs. with gig bag 13.2 Lbs. Pickups: Standard pickup Neck at Nut (width) 1 1/2 Rosewood Finger Board Condition of frets/neck: Brand new. Overall condition: brand new. never played. White strap,gig bag, 3 sets of dr. high bean strings included (45-105 gauge)

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fleabass Model 32, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Gretsch G5013CE Rancher Jr. Acoustic-Electric Guitars

Legacy Pickups Lane Poor Legacy MM Style Bass Pickup 4 / 5 Strings Bass Guitar Pickups

Community setups

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oedipoes

Gear IQ 1391

oedipoes

Gear IQ 1391

Similar

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1 alternative for Fleabass Model 32, curated by the Equipboard community.

Music Man Stingray Electric Basses

$2,699.00 - $2,749.00

2 available stores

5.0 (149)

cheaper alternative

In 2009, Flea launched his own take on the slap bass with passive electronics. The Fleabass is designed as an affordable alternative to his high end instruments. Flea (Michael Balzary) is the legendary bassist of funkrock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. He is involved in making music education and playing accessible for everyone (e.g. founded Silverlake Conservatory in 2001). Throughout his career, he has used a myriad of high end basses, but is mostly associated with three basses: Music Man Sterling (very similar to the StingRay) for the early era (1980’s & 1990’s), Modulus Flea Bass (noughties-2015) and finally Fender as of 2016. He came to Fender after receiving a real 1961 Fender Jazz Bass from a fan. He loved that inspiring guitar so much, it changed his approach. Fender is now making Flea bass reissues according to Flea’s specs (Aguilar electronics and Lane Poor pickup). This Fender line of Flea signature basses is a lot more expensive than the Fleabass brand. Flea uses customised Fleabasses live on specific songs, they are fitted with the preferred Aguilar electronics and Lane Poor pickup.

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