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Bass Guitars > Bass Guitars > 4-String Bass Guitars > Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass (3-Color Sunburst)

Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass (3-Color Sunburst)

Item ID: PBassTFfl3SB

4-string Electric Bass with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Fretless Ebony Fingerboard, and One Single-coil Pickup - 3-color Sunburst

2 models to choose from:
 

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From Our Research Team:

A “Best in Class” P-Bass Goes Fretless with Unique New Features!

Leo FENDER® designed and built the world’s first electric bass guitar in late 1951 and every electric bass made since then is unquestionably a direct descendent. Although the Precision Bass®, as it was eventually called, was almost flawless in its design, some players, like Tony Franklin, wanted the unique sound of a fretless bass plus the expanded tonal range available with an extra pickup. Not surprisingly, Fender was more than happy to build Tony a fretless P-Bass, and now you can own a Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass, too.

Fender Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass Features at a Glance:
  • Lightweight solid alder body and Hipshot Bass Xtender
  • Maple neck with modern “C” shape
  • Unfinished ebony fingerboard
  • Two specially voiced pickups
  • Black tolex hardshell case

Lightweight solid alder body
Bass guitars are big and that can mean heavy, too. This Signature Series Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass has a solid alder body, which is resonant, but relatively light, which you’ll appreciate after two or three hours up on stage. The sunburst version has a brown shell pickguard, while the Black version comes with a three-ply black vinyl pickguard. The Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass is equipped with the Hipshot Bass Xtender for “Drop D” tuning on the low E string.

Maple neck with modern “C” shape
Leo Fender wasn’t a guitar player, so he didn’t really know that guitars weren’t supposed to have maple necks. Eventually, the blond maple necks became a Fender trademark. The Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass has a nicely balanced maple neck with a modern “C” shape.

Unfinished ebony fingerboard
While Fender became quite famous for its blond maple necks and fingerboards, Tony Franklin wanted something more in keeping with the old traditional upright basses. So the Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass features an unfinished ebony fingerboard, which is the perfect complement to the maple neck and helps give this bass its distinctive sound.

Two specially voiced pickups
While the P-Bass has traditionally come equipped with just one split single-coil pickup, Fender equipped this Signature Series bass with an upgraded P-Bass American Series pickup plus a Tony Franklin Signature Series Jazz Bass® bridge pickup with hex screw lugs and ceramic bar magnets. This delivers a wide range of bass voicings, from vintage to modern.

Black tolex hardshell case
Naturally, when you build a bass guitar that’s as classy as this one, you want to be absolutely certain it will make it in total safety from gig to gig. So the Tony Franklin Fretless comes standard with a black tolex hardshell case with black plush lining.


Fender Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass Features:
  • Color: 3-color Sunburst
  • No. of Strings: 4
  • Body Wood: Alder
  • Neck: Maple
  • Scale Length: 34”
  • Machine Heads: Vintage ‘70s Fender open gear with Hipshot Bass Xtender
  • Fingerboard: Unfinished ebony
  • No. of Frets: N/A
  • Pickups: Two specially voiced single-coil pickups
  • Controls: Master tone, master volume
  • Pickup Switching: Three-way switch
  • Bridge: Vintage single groove
  • Hardware: Chrome
  • Case: Black tolex plush-lined hardshell case

The Fender Tony Franklin Fretless P-Bass true P-Bass vibe and modern features!
Specification Detail
Manufacturer Part Number 019-0085-800
What Does "Special Order" Mean?
A special-order product is one that we don't normally keep in stock. We order it from the manufacturer as soon as you order from us. We have great relationships with all the manufacturers we carry, so we can get your special order to you as fast as or faster than anyone else. Remember that special orders are non-returnable and non-cancelable, so make sure the item is right for you. A Sweetwater Sales Engineer can help you decide - call (800) 222-4700 for assistance!

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Additional Online Resources:

  • Bass Guitar Buying Guide
    4-string? 5-string? Active pickups? We help you sort them out.
  • Discuss this product!
    Ask questions, get answers about the Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass (3-Color Sunburst) in Sweetwater's Bass Forum.

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Reviews

based on 1 review

Great 4-String Fretless

by MJ from Dallas
August 12, 2009
Music Background: Hobbyist
I started to lock in on the American Standard Jazz Fretless, but I wasn’t quite sold. I found the Tony Franklin Fretless on the Sweetwater website, and I ultimately decided to go with it instead â€... read more [+]“ it had a lot of nice upgrades over the MIA Jazz Fretless for not much more money.

Switchable P/J pickups vs. J/J pickups
P Bass Neck is a little wider (to me, this is a plus)
Hipshot D-tuner installed
Chrome Knobs vs. Plastic
Ebony Fingerboard vs. Rosewood (Ebony is more durable)
Unlined Fingerboard vs. Lined (to me, a cosmetic plus)
Nitro Finish vs. Urethane

To me, the pickup upgrade is a real plus. This bass can sound just like a P bass or just like a Jazz bass. It can be played in a way that is punchy and almost does not sound like a fretless (P pickup). It can also sound very fretless (J pickup).

Also, the nitro finish is another big plus. I was a little worried that it would be sticky like a gloss urethane finish, but the nitro finish is extremely fast and smooth, and not at all sticky. This is now my preferred finish.

The bass is much better made than I expected it to be (maybe I didn’t have a fair opinion of Fender). There were some tiny cosmetic blemishes on the fingerboard and at the bottom of the pick-guard, but the overall construction is great – the nitro finish was done really well. For a P bass, this is surprisingly light and well balanced. It is very easy to play and sounds great.

I had Sweetwater install GHS heavy gauge brite-flats and strap-locks. They did a great job with these items as well as the overall setup.

On the downside, this is still a fairly expensive instrument that you will likely have to buy before you try. Still, I would highly recommend this bass if you are interested in a 4-string fretless. close [-]

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See Also: Fretless , Fender , Fender Fretless Basses , Fender 4-String Bass Guitars

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