Official RU-vid channel of Tony Franklin, British bassist, musician, writer and educator, known as THE FRETLESS MONSTER. Tony Franklin has played alongside some of the greatest names in music history including The Firm (with Jimmy Page & Paul Rodgers), Whitesnake, David Gilmour, Kate Bush, John Fogerty, Roy Harper, Blue Murder (with John Sykes & Carmine Appice), Kenny Wayne Shepherd and many others.
In 2006, Fender released the Tony Franklin Fretless P Bass, modeled after Franklin's main fretless bass. In 2020 Fender added a new color to Franklin's signature bass line - Lake Placid Blue.
Thank you for being so nice to a couple of 15 year old kids in Little Rock, Arkansas. You, John, and Carmine truly meant so much to us. You were all so welcoming and encouraging!
This is a beautiful song, Tony. May those who were lost on September 11th of 2001, and in the spans of time afterwards because of the tragedy, rest in peace. Sending love to all.
What's so great about those showtune Melodies is that they are thoughtfully constructed in the phraseology they build up the question before answering it. Antecedent and consequent phraseology is handy in both prose and poetry
Sykes is vital to making "Whitesnake" David Coverdale, in a fit of ego and insecurity, fires the whole band, including Sykes Sykes comes back and makes an album that's fucking 10 times better than "Whitesnake"
@@FretlessMonster I understand.... however remember you inspired me greatly and now I own a number of fretless bases? acoustic Emerald is a beautiful rugged beast... also the electric bases Thunder like a modulus unplugged for a fraction of the weight... I won't tell the sponsors if you don't
@@FretlessMonster Philo fretless 6-string was a 36-inch scale very heavy Beast..... owned it for a while and then passed it along...... I thought of it cuz I wanted to tell you about how I've been hanging up my instruments for a number of years in the playing position using two nylon straps in a PVC threshold Arrangement going into two buckets with Quikrete and two metal pipe uprights to meet the PVC..... and all held together with Loop bungee cords...... my favorite baritone six-string has been hanging like that in the ready to play position for a number of years... no warping issues knock on wood. Then I have a second bigger one for Bass... zero is my favorite number lately with all the political statistics flying about
@@FretlessMonster it's a bold design the radius is interesting... hey what do you think of those nylon musician practice gloves have you ever used them?.. my bass calluses have gone slightly downhill since I picked up baritone
So what's the story with the bridge you can go up and down but there's not much opportunity for precision compensation?..... I'm quite mad about intonation
@@FretlessMonster I finally looked into the instrument apparently it's discontinued so rare so good job of getting one...... I found a good zoom on the saddle it looks plenty wide enough so never mind all of my speculation... I used to walk out of English class when they started doing the Latin parts that we didn't get tested on and walked down to the orchestra room and play upright Bass or cello even though I was a trumpet player....... I had an a average in the class but they flunked me because the teacher slowly added up 64 absences? That was cold
@@FretlessMonster I don't suppose anybody's tried to play a cello in the guitar playing position? I guess it's not good for shoulder mechanics..... impingement... you'd have to hang it real low metal style LOL... maybe some kind of compromise strapped on and still partially on the floor... supposing you'd have to be careful of the angular stress on the stand
Good to see you Tony thanks for convincing me to go fretless some years ago at a local music store in service.... thanks for your leg work and riding the harmonics of course
@@FretlessMonster I'm sure that you will get the intonation sorted out so those Harmonix really come alive for the true maestro💚... perhaps widen the saddle slot
@@FretlessMonster getting to meet you sir and shake your hand and be inspired was my karmic Justice for Jocko Pistorius standing us up at the Jabberwocky in Syracuse back in the 80s
I have been listening to John's playing and style since Thin Lizzys Thunder & Lightning album in 1983 and the Live Life album from the same year. Even though he came on the scene with Tygers of Pan Tang in 81, those albums didn't have the same sound that he's known for now, the song Cold Sweat just blew me away the first time hearing it, to be honest I wasn't a huge TL fan but he changed my opinion of that group so when everyone got word that he joined Whitesnake , every guitar fan was thrilled to hear about this but at the time all I could think of was it's bad enough having one ego in one band but now there's three (John, David, and Cozy) I knew this wasn't going to last long and eventually my instincts were right. When Ptolomy was my favorite track off the first Blue Murder album not just for powerful way it was written but the unusual timing like you said here and I wish you would convince John to come back together with you and Carmine and make another Blue Murder recording or at least release the one he's had on the shelf for years now, did Tony play on that album?and
John is a phenomenal talent for sure. A game changer. Nothing will happen with BM. But something else might but please don’t ask me what. We are in regular contact.
Its a shame about rocket man, he used to be admired but not now he is despised. Comrade rocket man supports ruzki and also is paying millions to support the orange turd. This makes him a total traitor
Jaco played portrait of Tracy on a fretted bass. so he couldn't slide them. Birdland is also played on a fretted bass btw. There's more brightness and better intonation in false harmonics with frets.
Take a tape measure and from the nut measure 43.2 centimeters and tie a fishing line at 43.2 centimeters, tighten the line and this way you can put each string in the correct intonation
Nice video, amazing bass. what kind of string are used on this? regular flat for electric? strings for double bass? or some kind in the middle of it? thanks!
Thank you. Honestly I don’t know. It’s the same strings that were on it when I got it in 2015. I tried some regular D’Addario flats but the length wasn’t good. I’ll probably try some upright strings or something in between. I still have the same strings on there which sound good.
@@FretlessMonster wow there must be some really good strings, almost 10 years! I live near the sea, its impossible to keep the same strings for more than a year (even taking good care). thanks for answering!
Not a fan. The thing I love about a passive Fender bass especially, is it doesn’t step on the toes of other instruments in the mix, either live or studio. Start adding low end and other frequencies, it’s gets into kick and guitar territory. One bass I had was the exception. My old JayDee was active. I used the bridge pick up and would add some low end to fill out the sound. No other frequencies though.
You are definitely right about the tuning. But being a man of free will I believe one simply does not have to look at the lines and still play the correct none-tempered scale ;) So maybe it‘s simply a psychological issue bass players have to deal with ? 😅
I used to play the trumpet in a big band. Playing the trumpet you have to LISTEN and make those subtle adjustments you are talking about. On the trumpet you have valves like the frets but over and beyond that your lips makes the small adjustments in pitch. If you don’t listen you can be way off (still just a little but it makes it sound sour like you illustrate - or worse). Your vid pulls me back to the -80’s and big band practice!! Miss it!
That’s great. I play the clarinet also, so I understand. Listening is essential. I think the trumpet is even more critical with having just the three valves. Thanks again.
I love hearing you teach, Tony. Especially on a topic where what works seems to negate a conventional standard or a common default. That’s how one detects experience is talking here. Your style of bass playing is so refreshing - it’s got fucking ‘tude. Such a privilege to just open up a RU-vid vid and see a seasoned master sharing a fragment of his mojo. You appear healthy, which health I’d like to think is rubbing off on me as you speak. 🕊 Thanks, Old Boy.
Thanks for your great comment. Very much appreciated. I work hard to take care of myself to keep healthy and productive. Thanks for saying. It’s not always easy - as you well know. All the best!! Cheers.
I remember buying The Firm on cassette shortly after graduating from high school, and wearing it out in my old Chevy pickup. Blue Murder came out while I was in college, but bought that one on CD. Great music and memories. Thank you Tony, you seem like a humble person!
Thank you. I truly appreciate that. Those albums we play during those years stay with us. Great times. I have albums that I grew up with that still inspire me. I’m happy they could be part of your journey!
Oh wow,😂 I didn't expect you to reply. Um, well. 🤯 🍻 Here it goes. For about 32 years, I have picked up and put away my bass. 4 kids, bricklayer, and um women, I can't play bass. I have never learned a song I like (or don't like) because I always wanted to play a feeling.? I have never taken a lesson because I didn't want to be book smart. Obviously, I've never played in a band or with a metronome.. I am the biggest bass loser. I say that because I absolutely love bass. I have come up with cool sounds but have never made a song. I say help me because I haven't understood the fretted and now I'm going fretless. 😂 I'm sorry for wasting your time. I still can come up with grooves, but it's not what I'm feeling. I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense when I read it, but it does while I write it. ❤. I just don't want to be a machine. I'm also not naturally gifted. My hands got crushed in 2000. There's a lot in the Grey area.right hand Ring finger gone, middle finger shaped like L (upside down and inverted) left hand tendons got redone and are like backwards and weak. Lol to hell with picks. Your thoughts, just as a player.
Hmm. I use rounds. It’s hard to get it clean from flats for me. Make sure you’re right on the harmonic. / fret position. Experiment with your technique. Little adjustments can make a huge difference.
