GHS Bass Boomers Flea Signature M3045-F (.045–.105): the RHCP signature roundwound

Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team · 2026-04-29

GHS Bass Boomers M3045-F is the Flea-signature 4-string bass roundwound set. Nickel-plated steel on hex core, long-scale, .045 to .105. The standard Boomers gauge with Flea's name on the package, sold and stocked as a signature SKU on the GHS roster page. Same family as the workhorse M3045 Boomers, with packaging and identity tied to the Red Hot Chili Peppers low end. Pick this set when you want the slap-friendly attack and steady fingerstyle pocket Flea uses across Stadium Arcadium, Californication, and the band's recent catalog.

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Anatomy

Model: GHS Bass Boomers M3045-F Flea Signature (long-scale)
Standard family: M3045 (Bass Boomers)
Variants: L3045 light (.040–.095), ML3045 (.045–.100), M3045 medium (.045–.105, this gauge), M3045-5 5-string (.045–.126)
Gauge: .045 – .105 (Standard medium)
Gauge set: .045, .065, .085, .105
String count: 4 strings
Core wire: Hex steel
Wrap wire: Nickel-plated steel
Coating: None, uncoated
Winding: Standard roundwound
Intended scale: Long-scale (34") fits Music Man StingRay, Modulus Flea, Fender Precision and Jazz
Intended tunings: Bass E standard primary; handles Drop D and Eb standard
Tension behavior: Medium tension; slap-friendly attack with steady fingerstyle pocket
Made in: United States
Package: Single pack, signature artwork

Why this is the funk-rock default

Signature SKU: GHS lists Flea on their artist roster with this exact set as his production model. Active, documented, current, not historical.
Slap-friendly attack: Nickel-plated steel with the Boomers wind profile delivers bright pop on the slap thumb and clear pull on the snap, without the harsh stainless top-end that fights mid-range.
Fingerstyle pocket: Same set carries the steady eighth-note pocket on tracks where Flea sits behind Anthony Kiedis's vocal pocket. Versatile across the slap-fingerstyle continuum without a string change.
Predictable supply: GHS is a small US manufacturer with consistent stock through every major guitar retailer. Signature pack is the same price tier as the standard M3045.

Tone

The M3045-F sounds like the canonical slap-funk roundwound: bright but not piercing, harmonically rich on the snap, mid-range punch that locks into a drum kit's kick and snare without fighting. The signature gauge is the medium standard, .045 to .105, which is the gauge most working bassists would choose for a versatile set across funk, rock, and slap technique.

Compared to the other Tier-1 bass roundwound sets:

	GHS Boomers M3045-F	Fender Super 7250	Rotosound Swing Bass 66
Wrap material	Nickel-plated steel	Nickel-plated steel	Stainless steel
Brightness	7/10	6/10	9/10
Slap response	High	Medium	Medium
Best for	Funk, alt-rock, slap	Pop, punk, country	Rock, prog, metal
Price tier	$	$	$$
Documented users	Flea (RHCP)	Mike Dirnt (Green Day)	John Paul Jones, Steve Harris

Best for

Funk and slap-driven rock where the bass carries the harmonic weight under a vocal-forward mix (Flea's lane on the Red Hot Chili Peppers catalog).
Alternative rock with melodic bass lines that need both slap pop and fingerstyle pocket without changing strings between songs.
Players who want a slap-friendly nickel-plated set without stepping to brighter stainless rounds.

Worst for

Vintage Motown or jazz fingerstyle where you need flatwound thump (use La Bella Deep Talkin' Flats).
Aggressive metal or prog where you want the upper-harmonic content stainless rounds provide (use Rotosound 66).
Players who prefer a darker, more compressed feel under a pick (use Fender 7250 for that lane).

Who plays them

Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers): documented signature artist on the GHS roster page, the M3045-F is the production SKU built around his standard gauge. See the Flea rig page for full sourcing.
Working session bassists who track funk, alt-rock, and pop sessions from a single set without changing strings between sessions.
Slap-technique players at every level from beginner to working pro; the Boomers wind gives the snap and pop slap players want without specialty tension.

Install and break-in

Set the bass on a neck rest or padded surface. Loosen all strings evenly before removing.
Wipe the fretboard with a dry cloth.
Install top-down (E first, then A, D, G). Leave 2 to 3 wraps per tuning post.
Bass strings need more stretching than guitar strings. Tune, push down hard at the 12th fret to stretch, retune. Repeat 5 to 8 times per string before they hold.
Break-in: 1 to 2 hours of playing before the set settles into its working brightness. Slap players will feel the wind soften slightly across the first session.

Verdict

The M3045-F is the slap-funk equivalent of the universal-default bass roundwound: the signature pack with Flea's name on it, but tonally identical to the workhorse M3045 standard pack at the same price. If you want the Red Hot Chili Peppers low-end voicing on your bass, this is the answer. If you want a brighter or warmer set, see the comparison row above and step to Rotosound or Fender respectively.

GHS Strings

Bass Boomers Flea Signature M3045-F (.045–.105)

.045 – .105

Price tier: $

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The bassist on this set: Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist since 1983.
Brighter alternative: Rotosound Swing Bass 66 review.
Same-gauge stock-Fender alternative: Fender Super 7250 Bass review.
Vintage flatwound alternative: La Bella 760FL Deep Talkin' Flats review.

Frequently asked questions

What gauge is GHS M3045-F Flea Signature?

.045, .065, .085, .105. Long-scale (34-inch) standard. The same medium-light gauge as the standard GHS M3045 Boomers, packaged as the Flea signature SKU.

Are these the same strings Flea plays?

Yes. GHS lists Flea on their artist roster with the M3045-F as his signature production set. The signature SKU exists because the relationship is documented and current, not historical. See the official GHS product page.

Buy on AmazonGHS M3045-F Flea Signature on Amazon

How does this compare to the standard GHS M3045 Boomers?

Same alloy, same core, same gauge, same wind tension. The signature pack is a rebrand of the standard M3045 with Flea's name and packaging. Tone is identical between the two.

How does this compare to Fender Super 7250 or Rotosound Swing Bass?

Boomers sit between the warm Fender 7250 and the bright Rotosound 66. Nickel-plated steel like the Fender, but slightly more aggressive top-end and more harmonic content. Rotosound 66 is brighter still and stainless. Pick by genre: Fender for stock pop-punk, GHS for funk and alt-rock with slap-friendly attack, Rotosound for prog and metal cut.

Will these fit a Modulus Flea Bass or a Music Man StingRay?

Yes. Long-scale 34-inch fit covers both, plus standard Fender Jazz, Precision, and most production 4-string basses. Flea has played both Modulus and Music Man across his career; the M3045-F is the strings constant across his rig changes.

How long do these last?

Nickel-plated rounds dull faster than stainless. Daily player: 4 to 8 weeks of bright tone. Touring bassist: per-show or every 2 to 3 shows depending on slap intensity. Slap technique accelerates wear; pure fingerstyle players can extend the cycle.

What other gauges does GHS ship in the Boomers family?

L3045 (.040 to .095, light), ML3045 (.045 to .100, medium light), M3045 (.045 to .105, this set), M3045X (long scale plus), M3045-5 (.045 to .126, 5-string medium), and the Round Core variant RC-M3045. Flea's signature is built on the M3045 medium gauge.