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NBD! Fender Tony Franklin Fretless
- Thread starter bmac314
- Start date
great, new ax!
- not because it's fretless
- not because it's a PJ
- not because it's black
- not because you're playing it so well
--- i just think it's great! congratulations on your new instrument!
- not because it's fretless
- not because it's a PJ
- not because it's black
- not because you're playing it so well
--- i just think it's great! congratulations on your new instrument!
I was the opposite, I thought the black was just ok, but when I heard rumors of the LPB it really piqued my interest. I just didn't expect to buy one.... mine ships in a few days...
I have converted a couple basses to fretless, and I'm putting together a couple Tele-Gibson fretless basses for less than half the price of the Franklin, but the Franklin looks like you get more than what you pay for.
I have converted a couple basses to fretless, and I'm putting together a couple Tele-Gibson fretless basses for less than half the price of the Franklin, but the Franklin looks like you get more than what you pay for.
I picked up a 78 Fretless P a few years ago, it had LaBella flats on it, which I had never played. They were nice, but I had become a TIJF convert with the Jazz bass, so after a few months put a set on the P. Amazing!
One further reflection, I think you need a SECOND TF so you have one with rounds
"Just one last bass"
Yeah, that's the problem with those videos of TF, he makes me want to put rounds (and a J pup) on my P.
Great bass, and you sound great playing it! I just bought the exact same model a couple of weeks ago and am loving it so far. Mine comes in at pretty much the same weight as well.
Congrats!
Congrats!
Congrats, @bmac314!
Got my eye out for a TF in LPB, now that I've got an Oly White P in the collection.
Always interesting to find the right strings for a particular bass;
I've got Chromes and bridge mute on the '74 P FL, Sunbeams on the '78 wine P FL (you'll know which one
)
Pressurewonds on a Jaco tribute, and on another 5-string J-style FL.
I hear the Roto 66 Chromes aren't too bad either - just bought another set!
Got my eye out for a TF in LPB, now that I've got an Oly White P in the collection.
Always interesting to find the right strings for a particular bass;
I've got Chromes and bridge mute on the '74 P FL, Sunbeams on the '78 wine P FL (you'll know which one
)Pressurewonds on a Jaco tribute, and on another 5-string J-style FL.
I hear the Roto 66 Chromes aren't too bad either - just bought another set!
Tony. Franklin came very close to being the bass player for Pink Floyd after Roger Waters departed. David Gilmour asked Tony to join PF but he had just signed a contract with Blue Murder just a few days earlier. He went to a lawyer to see if he could get out of that contract. The only out he had was if Blue Murder released him of it but they said sorry but you already signed with us. So to avoid an expensive law suit he stayed with BM. Timing is everything.
It's a Frankenbass. Warmoth, MightyMite, Seymour Duncan, Wilkinson, etc. Had it assembled and had cool wiring done to it so I have a Series option.
Finding the right combo can be quite the challenge sometimes! It's fun to explore.Congrats, @bmac314!
Got my eye out for a TF in LPB, now that I've got an Oly White P in the collection.
Always interesting to find the right strings for a particular bass;
I've got Chromes and bridge mute on the '74 P FL, Sunbeams on the '78 wine P FL (you'll know which one
Pressurewonds on a Jaco tribute, and on another 5-string J-style FL.
I hear the Roto 66 Chromes aren't too bad either - just bought another set!
Bmac:
1) Congratulations on the new purchase. That is one GREAT looking and sounding bass. You made the right choice.
2) I REALLY enjoy hearing fretless bass played 'straight' and in tune, as you've demonstrated so capably here. Well done my friend.
3) See 1) & 2)
Thanks @PJ Muzikmansky !! Really appreciate the kind words! I'm loving this bass! Thanks again!Bmac:
1) Congratulations on the new purchase. That is one GREAT looking and sounding bass. You made the right choice.
2) I REALLY enjoy hearing fretless bass played 'straight' and in tune, as you've demonstrated so capably here. Well done my friend.
3) See 1) & 2)
Yes, what could have been. I think his style would compliment David Gilmour's. I also think he would match up really well with Jeff Beck.
He told us that story at a bass clinic he did at the Replay Guitar store in Tampa last year. He's a really nice guy, very talented and I'd like to see him in concert but he's been focusing on studio work lately.
He also told us he never listened to Led Zeppelin's music until the second year of him playing with Jimmy Page. It was an eye-opening experience for him. You'd think he'd already know their songs but it wasn't until he'd been playing with the Firm for a couple of years already that he actually listened to LZ. The record company the Firm signed with gave him a whole collection of LZ's albums and that's when he really discovered LZ and Jimmy Page's legacy.
I had a black TF bass but I recently traded it to buy a NYC Satin Sadowsky. I will be adding another one to my collection and I like the black but I'm gassing for the new LPB. I already have a Frankin-fretless with flats but I'll have to try stainless rounds on a TF bass. I think you'd get more Mwah that way.
Also, he added the Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup to the precision because it was hotter than most others. I didn't miss not having the tone knob and liked the switch instead. I can adjust tone on my amp, pedal board or DI as needed.
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So cool, and a great pic! He's definitely super nice ... I've never met him in person, but we've chatted on Facebook a few times, and he was kind and friendly. I first reached out to him because looking at his career was something that had influenced me ... Just seeing that someone can play fretless in a rock setting and have it fit wonderfully was a revelation, as fretless is what I truly love. Pino's 80s stuff was my melodic inspiration, and Tony was my rock inspiration.
The bass I'm holding in the picture is a prototype neck from when he was working with Fender on developing the signature bass. It's stamped Prototype on the base of the neck and stamped Fretless Monster on the back of the head. He confirmed that with me on Facebook and again when I met him. I also had him sign it for me. He also has some Youtube vids playing riffs and a very good lessons on playing fretless at Trufire.com Free Fretless Bass Lessons from the Master, Tony Franklin - TrueFire Blog - Guitar Lessons. These lesson focus on how to convert from a fretted bass to fretless. He doesn't get into music theory, it's all about things you need to know to be proficient on the fretless. I don't think there is anything else like that on the internet.
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