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Fender Tony Franklin Fretted
- Thread starter I am Soma
- Start date
I've played one. The best P I've played. I have the Fretless. They are similar. It's bright and thumps. Very articulate in a way a Jazz isn't with both pickups on. Then it sounds like a P or a j bridge pickup when those pickups are soloed. I really want one but can't stomach the $1700.
Neck is ideal for me. It's a slim C, P Bass nut width. The build quality is fantastic. It's sounds so much better than the American Standard. The back of the neck is gloss, but if it's anything like my Fretless it will go satin if you play it enough. It's a nitro finish.
I've played both the fretted and fretless models at True Tone Music in Santa Monica, CA. I too found them all to be uniformly excellent in build.
The neck is fantastic. I think the ebony fingerboard is the prettiest of the available fingerboards, although I found that one a little "grabby" if you will.
But all in all I agree with TMARK, above, about the superior quality of this model.
The neck is fantastic. I think the ebony fingerboard is the prettiest of the available fingerboards, although I found that one a little "grabby" if you will.
But all in all I agree with TMARK, above, about the superior quality of this model.
Check out Tony's mad chops playing his own signature model.
I made a "poor man's Franklin" by wedding together a MIM fretless Jazz neck with a cicra 2000 USA Hot Rod Precision body.
This got me 'close enough' to the Franklin as I needed to get for about $600 -- I too ultimately balked at the $1700 sticker price on the Franklin, worth it as it may be (and it is nice indeed!).
This got me 'close enough' to the Franklin as I needed to get for about $600 -- I too ultimately balked at the $1700 sticker price on the Franklin, worth it as it may be (and it is nice indeed!).
Not to discount others' opinions, but neck profile feel is kind of personal and subjective.
Having a TF fretted myself, as well as a current ADPB and a few Am Special Ps, I wouldn't say the TF neck is slim. Of all my P basses, it has the thickest neck (front to back). It would seem to be slim, compared to some of the vintage-type "baseball bat" necks.
Regardless, the TF is certainly a beautiful and very well-made instrument, and it does make some serious thump.
Having a TF fretted myself, as well as a current ADPB and a few Am Special Ps, I wouldn't say the TF neck is slim. Of all my P basses, it has the thickest neck (front to back). It would seem to be slim, compared to some of the vintage-type "baseball bat" necks.
Regardless, the TF is certainly a beautiful and very well-made instrument, and it does make some serious thump.
I agree on your description of the Franklin's neck profile: "Chunky" is subjective, but that is how I recall it, due, I think, to the thickness as you have described it. One point of comparison is the neck on the original MIJ Steve Harris tribute Precision, which I find similarly beefy.
I think it is thinner front to back than my 75 Jazz or 95 Warwick Thumb. Going from memory it is similar to the American Special P Bass.
I bought a fretted Tony Franklin neck on eBay a few years ago. Hands down the best P Bass neck I've ever played. Perfect C shape with rolled finger board edges and a 1.625" nut. Not chunky at all. I'm a big fan of the modern Fender Bass necks. I also have a Fretless Tony Franklin Bass. The necks are similar, just great necks.
I think the usual definitive TB answer is, "go find one in a shop and try it yourself."
There might have been some differences from year to year in production neck profiles. Just for reference, my TF fretted has a 2005 serial number. My American Deluxe has a 2013 serial number. My American Special P necks all have 2012 and 2014 serial numbers.
My TF neck is slightly thicker than my Am Deluxe neck, but just slightly. My TF neck is considerably thicker than my Am Special "slim C" necks. Notice the contours from neck to peghead and heel (TF on left, Am Special neck on right). Both are 1.625" wide at the nut.
There might have been some differences from year to year in production neck profiles. Just for reference, my TF fretted has a 2005 serial number. My American Deluxe has a 2013 serial number. My American Special P necks all have 2012 and 2014 serial numbers.
My TF neck is slightly thicker than my Am Deluxe neck, but just slightly. My TF neck is considerably thicker than my Am Special "slim C" necks. Notice the contours from neck to peghead and heel (TF on left, Am Special neck on right). Both are 1.625" wide at the nut.
thanks for the side by side pic man! i think the whole find a shop and try approach is close to being extinct as most shops dont carry jack - especially higher end models unfortunately. this especially holds true now that the fretted version has been discontinued lol
I had a TF fretted for a little over a year. I can echo what others have said as far as the construction being top notch. The neck was extremely solid, and probably the best neck of the dozen or so Fenders that I've owned. The TF fretted neck is probably the chunkiest P neck I've owned. I also owned/own a 2008 Am Std P bass and when playing them side by side you can tell the TF neck is thicker front to back.
The TF fretted bass has a really nice rock tone going on and it's great for that edgy, aggressive sound.
The TF fretted bass has a really nice rock tone going on and it's great for that edgy, aggressive sound.
thanks all. so i found a new display TF for $1350 in gold/amber and was stoked. the dealer responded right away, but then dropped off the face of the planet. as i was waiting i found a brand new "demo" model 2015 american deluxe jazz for $1450 as my friend has this exact model and the neck fits my hands perfectly so i jumped on it. should be a great backup/alternate bass!
I'm thinking they must have changed the profile, because the one I played was very much like my 2012 TF fretless neck. Not thick front to back at all. It was a 2009, I believe.
It's possible they might have changed the profile throughout the years. I purchased mine new around 2009 and sold it around 2010, but I never checked the serial number to see what year it was manufactured. The one I owned just felt liked it took up more space in my hand compared to other P basses I've owned, I have no measurements to validate this claim though.
