Fender Tony Franklin fretless - any in shops anywhere?

[franzbassist]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1386242221' post='2297538']
I know someone who has one - he's got a zillion basses so may be persuaded to sell. I'll give him a shout and see what he says
[/quote]

Thank you Barrie!!!

[franzbassist]

Any more spotted anywhere?

[franzbassist]

Looks like I'll source one from the US in the new year.

[dmz]

Stick a J pickup in one of these ?

[url="http://www.theguitaremporium.com/Fender-Japan-PB62FL-FJ-PB62-FL.htm"]http://www.theguitar...-FJ-PB62-FL.htm[/url]

I bought one of these from Ishibashi in about 2006 for oh about half the price above and stuck a neck from another Japanese P Bass - (PB70US ?) with an unlined maple fingerboard - see below.

Could look out on e-bay or "nearly new" from Japan I guess.

I prefer my fretless P Basses to have the "TV" decal on them - don't know if that would be a biggie with you ?

[JapanAxe]

Will no other fretless P (with added J) sunburst/torty fit the bill?

EDIT: Not looking to sell anything btw!

Edited December 13, 2013 by JapanAxe

[franzbassist]

[quote name='dmz' timestamp='1386977915' post='2307244']
Stick a J pickup in one of these ? [url="http://www.theguitaremporium.com/Fender-Japan-PB62FL-FJ-PB62-FL.htm"]http://www.theguitar...-FJ-PB62-FL.htm[/url]

Could look out on e-bay or "nearly new" from Japan I guess.

I prefer my fretless P Basses to have the "TV" decal on them - don't know if that would be a biggie with you ?
[/quote]

That's a good shout.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1386978811' post='2307254']
Will no other fretless P (with added J) sunburst/torty fit the bill?[/quote]

Yes, I guess so, but I've read so many good reviews of the TFs it's hard to resist one!

[wateroftyne]

The buffered J pup is pretty characteristic. I don't know how easy it is to replicate...

[franzbassist]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1386980432' post='2307266']
The buffered J pup is pretty characteristic. I don't know how easy it is to replicate...
[/quote]

That's a very good point Michael.

[Dingus]

I know I might be playing devils advocate to some extent asking this question , but are you sure you can handle an unlined fretless board? Are you an experienced fretless player ? I've been playing some fretless lately after a long layoff from it , and I am [u][i]extremely[/i] [/u]grateful for the fret lines on my bass for a variety of reasons. I nearly bought an unlined bass, but I realise now that would have been a mistake . These look like lovely basses , but that lovliness would be negated if you can't play it in tune properly. Not much sounds worse than out-of-tune fretless playing.

[franzbassist]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387028749' post='2307559']
I know I might be playing devils advocate to some extent asking this question , but are you sure you can handle an unlined fretless board? Are you an experienced fretless player ? I've been playing some fretless lately after a long layoff from it , and I am [u][i]extremely[/i] [/u]grateful for the fret lines on my bass for a variety of reasons. I nearly bought an unlined bass, but I realise now that would have been a mistake . These look like lovely basses , but that lovliness would be negated if you can't play it in tune properly. Not much sounds worse than out-of-tune fretless playing.
[/quote]

I've played an unlined fretless for almost every gig I've done over the last six years, so I think I'll be okay

[Dingus]

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1387029013' post='2307564']
I've played an unlined fretless for almost every gig I've done over the last six years, so I think I'll be okay
[/quote]

O.K my friend, I didn't know that, it's good to know you won't be phased by one of these then . I'm not trying to be provocative in any negative or hostile way, it's just that I've seen a fair few wonky -sounding fretless players over the years and it's something I'm a bit paranoid about for myself . I remember what a shock it was when I got my first fretless how hard it was to play it in tune. Now , thirty years later, it's still a struggle! I'm getting up to speed a bit with it now, though, but, for me, it's always a stretch.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Dingus

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387028749' post='2307559']
I've been playing some fretless lately after a long layoff from it , and I am [u][i]extremely[/i] [/u]grateful for the fret lines on my bass for a variety of reasons. I nearly bought an unlined bass, but I realise now that would have been a mistake
[/quote]
Strangely enough I have never had any difficulty playing unlined fretless basses..of which I have owned several.

I must admit though that I find myself becoming bored playing fretless after several months, gravitate back to fretted...then once again long for another fretless. Fickle or what!

[Dingus]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1387032695' post='2307617']
Strangely enough I have never had any difficulty playing unlined fretless basses..of which I have owned several.

I must admit though that I find myself becoming bored playing fretless after several months, gravitate back to fretted...then once again long for another fretless. Fickle or what!
[/quote]

I have always gravitated towards lined fretless ,( mainly due to cowardice and an a lack of ability), but I expect if I was stuck on a desert island with nothing but an unlined fretless to amuse myself with ( unlikely scenario, I admit ) then I am sure I could get acclimatised to a plain board. I always find locating the proper position for the first and second fret a problem on an unlined bass. From the third fret to the twelfth I am relatively O.K , and then things get a bit tricky.

When I got my first fretless bass , I was so naive that I thought because it had lines it would be just as easy as a fretted bass to play in tune. What a mistake. I remember spending the whole summer holidays trying to get to grips with the intonation . Back in those days it seemed like half the records in the Top 40 had fretless bass on them . Ah , those were the days...

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387034903' post='2307645']
... I always find locating the proper position for the first and second fret a problem on an unlined bass. From the third fret to the twelfth I am relatively O.K , and then things get a bit tricky...
[/quote]
The Tony Franklin has a side dot at the first fret.

Above the twelfth fret is more like playing a violin. Don't go there.

[Dingus]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1387035593' post='2307653']
The Tony Franklin has a side dot at the first fret.

Above the twelfth fret is more like playing a violin. Don't go there.
[/quote]

Do you know, I have played bass for well over 30 years, and I have just realised at this very moment that some basses have dots/blocks/ markers at the first fret...and some don't ! I have literally never noticed that before right here right now . Presumably, some unlined fretlesses have side dots at the first position and some don't.

[gareth]

there is something truly beautiful about an unlined board especially one in dark ebony

[Old Horse Murphy]

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1387118952' post='2308329']
there is something truly beautiful about an unlined board especially one in dark ebony
[/quote]

+1

[White Cloud]

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1387118952' post='2308329']
there is something truly beautiful about an unlined board especially one in dark ebony
[/quote]
Dead right...you're on the money with this!

[Legion]

MMmmm, unlined dark ebony...

[Dingus]

Unlined ebony boards do indeed look beautiful.However, not much is more ugly l to listen to than an out-of-tune fretless bass player. I have seen a fair few in my time ,( especially back in the days when fretless was fashionable) , including one moderately well-known player I saw recently who will remain nameless who was particulaly bad , not least of because he thought he was particulaly good. He was playing a lined fretless, but he seemed to pay no attention to the lines because he thought he was good enough not to need to do so. He wasn't, and we got to suffer as a result.

The truth is that very few people have good, solid intonation of fretless bass. It's a very difficult skill to aquire. Most people who tell you it's not that hard are not very critical of playing in-tune, because , unless you are gifted, it is hard.

[Telebass]

Years ago, I played an unlined Precision.
I recently purchased a lined Squier.
While I'm grateful for the lines, I'd still like another crack at an unlined board...

[franzbassist]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387036536' post='2307666']
Do you know, I have played bass for well over 30 years, and I have just realised at this very moment that some basses have dots/blocks/ markers at the first fret...and some don't ! I have literally never noticed that before right here right now . Presumably, some unlined fretlesses have side dots at the first position and some don't.
[/quote]

When I read this post pre-gig on Saturday evening I thought to myself, "my current fretless doesn't have a dot on the first fret", but then when I got it out of the case I realised it does!

However, to get back on thread, I have just spotted (new in a shop in the US) a fretted Tony Franklin bass in sunburst; I thought the fretteds only came in amber or white.

Edited December 16, 2013 by walbassist