Tony Franklin Signature Bass Club

[basstodave]

Here is my recent TB purchase of a 2009 Tony Franklin in sunburst. I just put on fresh Labella flatwounds and set it up. Like the bass so far. I'm not a big Fender fan and after a bit sell or trade them. I had 4 RB IV's, 2 Hot Rod Precision Deluxes, assorted others We'll see.

[Fletz]

Originally Posted by basstodave

Here is my recent TB purchase of a 2009 Tony Franklin in sunburst. I just put on fresh Labella flatwounds and set it up. Like the bass so far. I'm not a big Fender fan and after a bit sell or trade. I had 4 RB IV's, 2 Hot Rod Precision Deluxes, assorted others We'll see.

A Franklin is like no other Fender. Sorta being serious. I love mine to death. And I find I play it a lot. I love gigging it in my rock band.

[Zoomie]

Hey guys. I have been looking at one of these (fretted) for the last couple of months. They don't exactly grow on trees.

(Name drop only as it applies to the post)

I got to spend a few minutes chatting with Rodney O'Quinn (Pat Travers) after a show. He drags his all over the world and says that he gets great tone, even when dealing with back line gigs. It is his baby.

Here' a clip if you want to see the TF and Rodney at work. Not the best bass mix but there are some moments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG_Vdh-WuGY

[Fletz]

I find the jazz pup is the punchiest I've ever played, the p-pup is deep and combined - people will mock me - its almost a Rickenbacker tone. Love this bass. Put a fretted neck on mine for a few months but then went back to Fretless. I want to buy a white fretted one. One day...

[BrickBat66]

I am looking for a fretted TF if anyone wants to trade theirs + some cash for this, let me know

[tjnkoo]

I should hopefully be joining this soon! I found one in my basement behind a bunch of boxes a few weeks after my dad said one I found on craigslist sold. Now to wait and see if its a graduation or Christmas present! I messed with it though, and the thing is beautiful. I have a question for you guys though. Someone said that these have satin necks? Mine (or hopefully soon to be), has a gloss neck. Its stock for sure. It was originally bought new at the Atlanta Bass Gallery (according to the craigslist ad), and I know Jim and the guys in there, so I'm pretty sure it doesn't have any kind of sketchy background. Its a killer bass either way, and a definite step up from my $200 Stagg fretless, haha. I'll update you guys whenever I'm technically allowed to know I have it! Haha

[Ivan R]

The neck is glossy, and the board is unfinished ebony. No satin in the TF fretless.

[tjnkoo]

Thanks! I assumed so, but might as well make sure.

[Fletz]

A few things:

1. Ill be updating numbers shortly
2. After auditioning for a rock band yesterday using my Frankin Fretless exclusively and impressing the dudes I was playing with plus realizing - yet again - I LOVE this bass, I may be an all Fretless all the time guy.

[DaveMurietta]

I have both the fretted and fretless versions and can't be happier. When I try out other basses out of curiosty to maybe buy another I instantly recognize how superior the TF is and always pass on the new bass.

I was curious if you guys have a similiar experience with me. My TF Fretted is much more resonate than my Fretless. Both are better than my 12 year old P bass by a long shot, but the Fretted has a noticeably better resonance than the Fretless. When I hit the low E on the fretted, the vibration is almost shocking. It's to the point to where it rattles my belt buckle, loose knobs, or the strap locks. Even my band members noticed it when they were messing around with it and they don't know much about basses. The Fretless is still great but now it seems lacking compared to the fretted.

Do you guys have a similiar experience? Or did I just get lucky with the Fretted? I've read some other places that the TF models were very resonate to them as well due to how well the neck and body are connected. I want to figure out why it plays and resonates so much better.

[Pitter_Patterns]

Originally Posted by DaveMurietta

I have both the fretted and fretless versions and can't be happier. When I try out other basses out of curiosty to maybe buy another I instantly recognize how superior the TF is and always pass on the new bass.

I was curious if you guys have a similiar experience with me. My TF Fretted is much more resonate than my Fretless. Both are better than my 12 year old P bass by a long shot, but the Fretted has a noticeably better resonance than the Fretless. When I hit the low E on the fretted, the vibration is almost shocking. It's to the point to where it rattles my belt buckle, loose knobs, or the strap locks. Even my band members noticed it when they were messing around with it and they don't know much about basses. The Fretless is still great but now it seems lacking compared to the fretted.

Do you guys have a similiar experience? Or did I just get lucky with the Fretted? I've read some other places that the TF models were very resonate to them as well due to how well the neck and body are connected. I want to figure out why it plays and resonates so much better.

I can totally relate. Whenever I get the urge to buy a new bass, I bring one of my TFs and rediscover how phenomenally superior it is to almost everything on the market.

I bought the fretless used and fell so hard for it that I ordered the fretted version new. They are now my main players and I love them to death. I find that both of them resonate really well but my fretted version appears to have a tighter neck/body connection and perhaps resonately more fully. I'll try comparing them when I get home. If there is a difference, then it isn't noticeable enough for me to be conscious of it when I switch between the two.

[3234718]

Do you guys think the TF will be available for a while? Like for the next several years?

[Pitter_Patterns]

Originally Posted by 3234718

Do you guys think the TF will be available for a while? Like for the next several years?

I really couldn't say. If you're considering buying one, there's one for sale here in the Kijiji Ontario classifieds: http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ441960792 . St. Catherine's is a bit of a trek from NYC, though.

[Shoal of Time]

Hey Fletz,

Please sign me up for a membership in the TF club. Wonderful instrument.

Roaming through the posts on this thread, I noticed a question about intonation and aligning with the octave on the fretless. The "twelfth fret" has two side markers, which has encouraged some to set intonation for "between" the two markers. I tried this, too, but found that a better spot to use is the lower (in pitch) marker itself.

The neck initially seemed a bit wide, but now that I'm used to it it's preferred. Accustomed to what is familiar.

Off to practice.

[Tecate]

I love my TF fretless and have been playing it exclusively!

[tjnkoo]

Got one for a pre-college send off present for Christmas! Beautiful bass, and I recorded a local band's EP with it the past two says. Sounded great through my Ampeg PF500 and 115He setup.

Question though, have you guys ever noticed the fiberboard wears down very very quickly? I do have rounds on it, but they're DR sunbeams and I do play with a light touch. My teacher (very well known and reputable Atlanta bassist) also says my fretless technique is good, so anyone know what's going on? I have marks in the wood like my old fretless (a cheap-o Stagg with rosewood board) did after 2 or 3 years after just a few weeks. I'm a little concerned!

I love this thing though and can't believe how beautiful it both plays and sounds, especially for being a non custom shop type production instrument.

And the required picture!

[Fletz]

Originally Posted by tjnkoo

Got one for a pre-college send off present for Christmas! Beautiful bass, and I recorded a local band's EP with it the past two says. Sounded great through my Ampeg PF500 and 115He setup.

Question though, have you guys ever noticed the fiberboard wears down very very quickly? I do have rounds on it, but they're DR sunbeams and I do play with a light touch. My teacher (very well known and reputable Atlanta bassist) also says my fretless technique is good, so anyone know what's going on? I have marks in the wood like my old fretless (a cheap-o Stagg with rosewood board) did after 2 or 3 years after just a few weeks. I'm a little concerned!

I love this thing though and can't believe how beautiful it both plays and sounds, especially for being a non custom shop type production instrument.

And the required picture!

It's gonna mark up on the neck no matter what. Mine looks pretty well used but there are no grooves or anything of concern.

[tjnkoo]

Like I said, I've had fretlesses before. The problem is that I do now have grooves in the fingerboard after such a short period of time. I really am not sure if this is possible, but are there different hardnesses to ebony? Maybe I got a weaker piece of wood?

On a side note, I imagine fingerboard conditioner is a bad thing to put on it, right? I don't want to make the board soft of course.

[DaveMurietta]

Originally Posted by tjnkoo

Like I said, I've had fretlesses before. The problem is that I do now have grooves in the fingerboard after such a short period of time. I really am not sure if this is possible, but are there different hardnesses to ebony? Maybe I got a weaker piece of wood?

On a side note, I imagine fingerboard conditioner is a bad thing to put on it, right? I don't want to make the board soft of course.

My fingerboard started to have grooves as well when I was playing roundwounds. I changed to flats and tape wounds after a luthier smoothed out the grooves and I haven't had a problem since. I think it's just the nature of the roundwound string.

[basstodave]

Has anyone used Dean Markley FretMaster strings on their TF? How does the fretboard hold up to these strings? Any grooving going on?