EddiePlaysBass Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I recently sold my Ibanez BTB405QM, and am in the process of selling the cheap fretless because in both cases I literally hadn't played them in over 8 years. I wanted a better fretless, I wanted a P/J configuration and I wanted a Precision. Started looking around a bit and I realized the Tony Franklin would cover all those basses in one It helps that I've wanted one since 2009. Looked around for a second-hand one but the only one available had a suspicious crack in the fretboard, right above the truss rod. Then I looked at the website of the shop where I bought my Fender Jazz and my Squier Precision, and not only did they have one in stock but they offered me a 20% discount! Still a hefty price for an amateur like myself but I took a deep breath, promised my significant other I'd pay back every penny (loaned money from myself) and placed an order. It arrived over the weekend - roughly three weeks earlier than expected! Went to pick it up and got a guitar maintenance kit while I was there. I need a strap too, but didn't like the ones they had in store so I will make due with the one on the Squier. This bass plays like a dream... It's really everything I ever wanted, and more. The neck is less chunky than my Squier Precision, and feels very comfortable. The setup was damn near perfect - very low action. It is strung with roundwounds (anyone know which brand - I assume Fender - and what tension?) which I want to swap for flats or tapewounds, once I have some spare cash. There's a great tonal variety thanks to the three-way toggle, and I am obviously still in the "getting to know each other" phase. Two days ago I managed to only get the mwah when I selected the bridge pickup, but yesterday it was mwah all the way, regardless of what I tried :grin: My technique needs some polishing. Having said that, I found it fairly easy to play in tune a lot of the time. Definitely a lot of clams, too, but I can see myself taking this bass to the next rehearsal (which is 2 weeks from now anyway). This could very well end up being my main bass for the foreseeable future ... I am extremely happy :grin: "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 ... would cover all those basses in one. I see what you did there. Remember, it doesn't exist until we see pics. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 Nice! I'm not a P-bass guy, but if I had to, that would be the one I would pick. Enjoy! "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 To be honest, Dan, it does not feel like a P-bass to me. Definitely sounds like one, though! I seriously love it. Neck felt instantly comfortable, playing fretless IS a challenge but it does "work" for me; I have the idea that I am fairly in tune a lot of the time. Somewhat to my surprise, I don't miss the low B-string either, and coming from roughly 16 years of playing 5-string basses almost exclusively, that's saying a lot In a sense, this bass feels like coming home. When I got my Jazz bass all those years ago, I was seriously contemplating a Fender MIJ fretless bass they had in store, and decided against it in favour of the Marcus Miller. And yes, I will try and post some pics "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamy ALB Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 No Pics no bass!! Health to play!! ... would cover all those basses in one. I see what you did there. Remember, it doesn't exist until we see pics. http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Bitter/185235472447 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Congrats! Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemtone Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 Yep, gotta see it so I can ratchet up my jealousy factor. Oh, and congrats on the new fish! Play. Just play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted December 15, 2017 Author Share Posted December 15, 2017 Sorry guys, I have been unable to connect to my old website (for some reason FileZilla fails to connect) so still no pix online ... "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 Health to play it David. I play almost nothing but fretless these days. I have my Overwater Perception Pro Plus and the RD bodied special I built myself when at a week's tutoring with John Shuker. I try & play them alternately. G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Yesterday I played my Jazz bass again for the first time since I got the Tony Franklin. My oh my, what a difference. It's decidedly heavier, and having frets took a second to get used to. The B-string still felt natural, on the other hand I will try and make a habit of alternating between the two, but fretless just feels so ... right. Still have a LOT of work to do, intonation-wise because I think I am always slightly off. But within tolerable levels, to my ears :grin: "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 Listening to recordings from last Monday's rehearsal. A few things I notice: 1. This bass sits in the mix very well. 2. I have pretty decent intonation on some songs. 3. I have terrible intonation on some songs. Overall, playing fretless does seem to add something to our sound. We're a bass/drum/guitar/vocals + blues harp four piece and I am slowly getting the hang of the mwah-aspect. It's tons of fun to play, and I don't miss the low B quite as much as I would have expected. "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Looking forward to hearing more reports as the band gels and you start gigging. And the intonation will get better as time and rehearsals go by. until that first gig, and the third beer... then all intonation goes out the window. I've been playing my fretless Jazz in the latest band on several songs. As the guitar player drop-tunes to a low D, I do miss that low B string. I've tried dropping to D myself, both here and in another band; I'm just not digging it. Time to win the lottery so that I can get the fretless 5 string I've been saying I'll get for far too many years. "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 As the guitar player drop-tunes to a low D, I do miss that low B string. I've tried dropping to D myself, both here and in another band; I'm just not digging it. Indeed. But I've never been a fan of the tone of a low B. If I were to re-calibrate my internal chakra, I'd tune my basses D, G, C, F, Bb. B is too low and E isn't low enough. Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Imagine the fun of one of my past band, where the guitar player did everything tuned down a half step; often with the lowest string dropped another full step; and occasionally on 7-string guitar with the lowest dropped to Ab, as well. Yes, at times I felt obsolete, and just a rumbly, muddy splotch in the sonic landscape. "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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