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Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass - 3-Color Sunburst

4-string Electric Bass with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Fretless Ebony Fingerboard, and 2 Single-coil Pickups - 3-color Sunburst
Item ID: PBassTFfl3SB

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Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass - 3-Color Sunburst
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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.

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.

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

NOTE: This product is available in the United States only - no international sales.

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Tech Specs

  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0190085800

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It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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