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Post subject: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 9:44 am
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Hello,
I just disassembled my new tony Franklin fretless since i am going to Duncan antiquities (not a real fan of the TF jazz pass pickup..nice and clear and powerful..but i'm used to a different vibe..i may sell it..not sure and i like that combo of pickups

but i have a few questions.

first - i have ton tons of fenders apart and this one's pickguard underside..is discolored around the edges and just a mess underneath..I'll post pics on Photobucket today sometime..never have i seen that

also having owned a few MIM tele's and a Jazz Special (my fav with emg's added) made in Japan.. and i notice that Fender pucks a few holes in the body...not for lightening but i figured to prevent someone from trying to rip off someone..like yeah this is "real" vintage.....

so they drill one to two holes..on in the body (the holes are about 3/4" in dia.) and one is usually drilled on the neck plate area (under the neck not the plate)

so i take my FENDER list 1699.00- ...bass apart, find the weird and discolored pickguard and i find the same holes that the MIM bodies have...

i am confused are the bodies and necks being made in mexico for the TF and what is with the discoloration (almost looks like heat from soldering iron damage) -anybody seen this or know about the TF bodies? :? :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:45 pm
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Can't speak for the marks on pickguard underside. However, the holes you describe are there to serve as stabilization points for the CNC machine. The sunburst Tony Franklin has a 4 ply pickguard that looks to be pretty nice. Is that tortoise type guard the one that is messed up?

I really think I'd leave those pickups alone. One should not buy a Tony Franklin bass and pull the one of a kind pickups out of it. You do realize those pickups are what makes it a Tony Franklin right?

You might be better off selling it instead of hacking it up. Then buy something else cheaper to modify with whatever pickups you like. I think I'd leave that one as is. Once you take the stock pickups out then it isn't what it says it is any more.


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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 4:17 pm
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Looking forward to seeing the pick guard pics. How odd.....

I have to agree with Brother Dave on the mods.

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:42 pm
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Bro dave, yeah i agree since i really need a jazz bass neck on that pick up configuration the TF sounds fine..the jazz pickup seems "ceramic" sounding i am into a smoother laid back sound...would have left it alone...but once i started./...things started changing...still stock (except for a hip shot bridge..i always use them Mike Lull hipped me up to them)..love them better than the Quan's i used to use (since the late 60's) P-Bass PUP is fine (on the hip shots i drill and tap a 10/24 1/4" hole underside in the middle and "bolt" the grounding wired to the bridge...works great. the TF electronics and pick up cavities have conductive paint (shielding) very nice, the neck is really sweet...just too wide with the darn thumb issue (angry table saw)

i had a jazz bass special when was a made in japan fretless...it sounded good then i installed some emg's and it just sounded sweet....stolen.

truthfully HAD I thought it out better instead of impulsively i would have grabbed a Jaco...because i am thinking that where this bass is headed ..either a warmouth neck or i'll find a jb neck...

The pick guard i was just looking at a few seconds ago ...UGLY under side but fine top side..i'll post some pics tomorrow i -downloaded them off my phone so i can ..edit and crap..

soon now the holes i spoke of are not the smaller cnc holes we all know about (like that little devil on the face of a strat...but these are big holes in diameter..i'll go measure

two each 3/4" dia, 1/2" deep one on the neck pocket one on the body....just like my MIM's were...my custom shops and RI guitars don't have the holes (tele's jazzy and a jag couple strats and a fullerton CS strat...no holes..but my MIM tele's did

i have pics also..the old lady is stuck at the ferry ...when the beer gets here i'll go down and edit some pics put them up..thanks for the replies -R :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:36 am
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:shock:
Here is the link to the pics of the Tony Franklin i have apart, the holes, the pick-guard anomalies and the modified hip shot bridge (tapped for a ground strap)
the bass is nice and plays well just have to get another neck (jazz bass)

looks like the cutting tool fr the PG is a bit wild - eh?

Brotherdave look at the pick guard and the holes in the body - puzzled by the holes and burns on the pick guard NEVER have seen that

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t42 ... ad4b48.jpg

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:31 pm
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Rollo,

That is indeed interesting. The guard looks burned. I once saw one slightly browned, in spots, from sunlight in a display window, but nothing like your pics. Sorry I cannot be of any help. But I do have a Jaco...just for a few months... have not felt any mods necessary. Maybe a better way than modifying the Tony? If you get some resolution to the guard, I would certainly like to hear about it.
Image

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:38 pm
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affprod,
I just messed with the pickguard..the burns have no smell and to etch them is an effort, very puzzling. Another thing i noticed...the neck pocket of yours and other Jaco's, and basses have a nice curve cut...this bass isn't that way...it is like the person that cut the pocket was getting ready for lunch, 5:00pm or a hot friday night date because at each corner are two Micky mouse ears...so if i went pickguard less...it would show like sin...seems the person was in a hurry and made the two corner cuts too deep towards the first pick up...not the clean curve i am used to for the neck butt end....

just don't get these little anomalies...

well i am going to put it back together stock, take it to GC (i have a pro account and get great deals since the late 60's in S. F.) and get a freaking Jazz bass of some breed....fender of course....loyalist - but i can be a $@!&# and use other manufacturer's guitars...

btw the beveling and shape are perfect on the pickguard...my wife thinks it was laser cut and the burns are from that process....

well thanks for the input...just don't get it....

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:41 pm
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affprod wrote:
Rollo,

That is indeed interesting. The guard looks burned. I once saw one slightly browned, in spots, from sunlight in a display window, but nothing like your pics. Sorry I cannot be of any help. But I do have a Jaco...just for a few months... have not felt any mods necessary. Maybe a better way than modifying the Tony? If you get some resolution to the guard, I would certainly like to hear about it.
Image


your Jaco is nice....affprod! :mrgreen: 8)

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:33 pm
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Rollo,

Thanks to you, I learned something!

I made an assumption that your bass was fretless, I guess I just never pictured Tony Franklin using a fretted bass, which is why I posted the Jaco pic. But your comment about not liking the TF jazz pickup made me curious as to what made it different, better or worse, depending on your viewpoint I guess, and while poking around I found out he frequently used fretted basses for his studio work. Never would have guessed that. That is my trivia for today.

Good luck!

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:02 pm
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Those burns on the back of the pickguard are a first for me. The hole in the body top is a cnc hole.

I think as long as a bridge is stable and intonates properly it really doesn't matter much otherwise and any claims of improved tone are snake oil and blue sky. Actually one of my favorite bridges is the old Fender one with the screw threaded saddles. Surprised they don't use the reissue version as a stock part more often. I find the threaded saddles preferable to the slotted ones because they are more versatile in string spacing. The smooth (unslotted and unthreaded) saddles on a Fender type bass bridge allows some lateral string movement if you pull hard enough.

Ceramic sounding is an interesting choice of words as it is a ceramic pickup. I'm more partial to Alnico myself, however ceramic pickups can have a more up front tone.


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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:39 pm
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Had trouble to post the picture?

Image


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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:15 pm
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affprod wrote:
Rollo,

Thanks to you, I learned something!

I made an assumption that your bass was fretless, I guess I just never pictured Tony Franklin using a fretted bass, which is why I posted the Jaco pic. But your comment about not liking the TF jazz pickup made me curious as to what made it different, better or worse, depending on your viewpoint I guess, and while poking around I found out he frequently used fretted basses for his studio work. Never would have guessed that. That is my trivia for today.

Good luck!


Hilarious learn from ME???

wa state voc teacher of the year '91 while humping at Microsquish (mother ship), awarded by the Univ of Texas - Austin for same...trained the first Chinese high tech i didn't want to Prez Reagan said too...3 weeks...3 techs 4 watchers....CIA and FBI briefings and debriefings...what a PIA and i was stoned....

heck i enlightened Iranian RSO's in RF-4C's, Shuttle pilots and right seaters, and i was the pal, teacher and butt kicker for Iranian anti aircraft missile battery commanders (improved hawk) tracked the airlines headed to DFW or FLA, rolled augie bush's Cessna Citation over Peoria, partied hardy with ted turner cuz at the time he was flying dassault falcon 10's and i walked up to the craft because it was beautiful and asked the pilot if i could look in the avionics bay (you open the access hatch, then encounter NICE red leather and a brass zipper flap to access the black boxes...and freaking ted jump[s out (didn't know him or crap about cable tv) he sees me standing with a few dudes (we were at St' Louis to evaluate the F-15 against the F-4 (that was a blast)...anyway ted comes down i tell him i am impressed by the freaking plane and the leather....

dude hands us tickets to a falcons and St. Louie monday night game....2nd row 50 yard line on the St. Louis side.....killed ..dude came down and hung with the homies...for a long time and was a riot... (pre jane..."me Tarzan")

naw crap.... well that is cool about the knowledge you picked up..

i elected to drop in the Antiquity II jazz pick up and am right now setting up the bass...and fighting off thankful Schnauzers (they just got their own BBQ pig ribs...)

i tapped the hipshot and screwed in the wire for the ground...then i got really anal stupid...i have romex laying around cuz of a remodel #12awgso i stripped to copper and BUSED the copper and stared all at the jack, nuts...but there are a lot of fat electrons....


setting it up right now...pic's of all #12 idiocy also.... :shock:

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Post subject: Re: Tony Franklin observations-curious about things
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:47 pm
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21.264" is the 17th for a 34" string length...brought out the frog tape and a sharpie

However it would be cool to know (as a staring point) the heel measurement to string...

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