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NBD Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision


EliasMooseblaster
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My journey into fretless bass began a couple of years ago, and today I think I might have reached the endpoint I hoped for:
[attachment=225052:frontFull.JPG]

It began with a Warwick/Rockbass Corvette, which, after a year or so, I part-exchanged for a MIM Fender Jazz. Much as I liked the Jazz, I always saw it as a step between the rather budget-priced RB and this. I had heard wonderful things about the Franklin, and tried it in the shop a couple of times, so at least I knew I wasn't just deluding myself with the name and the price tag! After sensibly suggesting that I patiently save up for this one, Mrs Mooseblaster completely changed tack when I quoted the RRP, told me that it was a much smaller sum than she had previously thought and that I should therefore go and buy it post-haste, if that was what I so desired. So after phoning ahead to make sure it was still in stock, I arrived at Wunjo's to find they'd already got it out of the back room for me, case and all.
[attachment=225053:bassInCase.JPG]
(Excuse the JJ Abrams levels of lens-flare in that one, but hopefully it gives some idea of the hallowed feeling as I laid eyes on it!)

In an attempt to keep the bass herd under control, I traded in my Jazz for this, and compared them both in the shop to be sure I was making the right decision. There are several obvious reasons why I expected this to sound and feel quite different:
[attachment=225055:hardware.JPG]
^ Of course, it's a Precision, so a big chunky Precision split-coil where you'd expect one to be. The neck profile is a deeper C-shape, which also felt quite different. However the first big surprise, tonally, was the difference between the bridge pickups: the Franklin's J-pickup is fuller and more bassy; not a million miles away, but still quite a lot less "burpy" than they tend to be on a Jazz.

The Precision pickup has been a bit of a surprise as well. The tone control seems to offer a very wide variability; not just "woolly" and "clanky" but plenty of shades in between. The brightest tones are remarkably similar to the metallic bark of a fretted Precision. I'd got used to my previous fretless basses offering differing variations on a theme of "mwah," but this offers tones both within that spectrum and far outside of it.
[attachment=225056:board.JPG]
This probably has a lot to do with the roundwound strings and low action, of course! I was very cautious when I first put rounds on my Jazz, for fear of knackering the rosewood board, but I'm led to believe that the ebony board on the Franklin was chosen specifically to cope with the more abrasive nature of rounds. (And it is a beautiful bit of ebony!)

It's surprised me just how different this bass is, but then I remember that it took me a while to get used to the transition from the Corvette to the Jazz, and despite looking more similar, these two are also very different beasts. So I shall see how I get on - I might raise the bridge saddles a touch (the action is very low, even by my usual standards) but otherwise I thoroughly enjoying becoming acquainted with my new arrival.

(The most reassuring thing has been the lack of trouble going from a lined board back to an unlined one - if we ignore a few funny micro-intervals up at the dusty end, my intonation has not been nearly as bad as I had feared!)

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1470579226' post='3106849']
Mrs Mooseblaster sounds like a good'un! I tried a similar thing with mine, fishing for a Series I Alembic. It didn't work.
Bravo on the new bass!
[/quote]
Oh, if I were aiming for something with an Alembic-sized price tag, she might well have told me to keep saving! But I remain delighted that she encouraged me to go out and buy the thing.
[quote name='merlin' timestamp='1470768577' post='3108328']
Oh my dream bass,still saving the pennys here, :D
[/quote]
Keep saving. It will be worth the wait!

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[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1470819769' post='3108654']
The TF is a terrific bass. I had two, a fretted and fretless, and only sold them because I wanted to go back to 5s.
[/quote]

I must admit, I initially thought the fretted version seemed a little pointless - in a "surely it's just a glorified Am Sp P/J bass?" way - but having found how tonally versatile the fretless is, I have promptly eaten those poorly chosen words!

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[quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1471347325' post='3112302']
Was in the shop when you were trying this out. Sounded pretty good to my ears!
[/quote]

Now there's a curious coincidence! (And very reassuring that I'm not the only one who was impressed with the sound of it!) You weren't the chap trying a bass out in the other corner when I came in, by any chance?

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[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1471349790' post='3112339']
Now there's a curious coincidence! (And very reassuring that I'm not the only one who was impressed with the sound of it!) You weren't the chap trying a bass out in the other corner when I came in, by any chance?
[/quote]

Nah I don't think so. I was chatting to one of the Tom's. There was an Asian guy ripping some Level 42 lines if I remember.

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