A Carl Thompson experience

[belinmad]

I've been trying to get my hands on a lefty Carl Thompson for a while now, but didn't want to go through the hassle/risk/nerve-racking experience of putting myself on the waiting list.

So, when this 1978 4-stringer popped up here not long ago, I jumped at it and bought it from Joe almost sight unseen (a friend when to check it out before I got it).

The bass is playable but has some neck issues, so I contacted Pete Hilton to get his help, and he set me up with Carl himself.

So today I got to meet Carl in person and discuss the bass. Being the perfectionist he is, he wants to replace the neck and a few more things on the bass (he wants to upgrade electronics, as the current pickups are pre-Kent Armstrong, and replace the old BadAss bridge and old tuners with HipShot ultralites). I spent more than an hour with him, listening to all sorts of anecdotes about the guitars he built for Lou Reed, and what was it like to build 8-string basses when there were no wide soapbars and the only pickup maker around was Bill Bartolini. The man is a legend. And I get to see him again when I pick up my bass in a couple of weeks!!

Here are some pictures of my visit to Carl's shop, and a video of himself playing his 38" fretless.

[superheavydeathmetal]

Man, that is so cool that you got to meet him and go to his shop!

[fivebass52]

Are you sure that wasn't Gandalf?! What a great story, and what a nice guy to personally take your bass back under his wing and restore it for you... Looking forward to your pics - and maybe audio? - of the completed project!

[andrew]

Very cool!

[AzWhoFan]

yes very cool indeed!
... and Gandalf is one of the kittehs in my profile pic.

[fivebass52]

yes very cool indeed!
... and Gandalf is one of the kittehs in my profile pic.

OK, now it's getting creepy in here....

[Addison]

WOW!!! So cool... What an awesome story.

[Lefty007]

Cool story, bro! And I mean that in the non-sarcastic way.

Do post pictures when the bass is done!

[belinmad]

Fast forward 45 days or so, and the story continues:
Yesterday I went to Carl's in Brooklyn to pick up my bass. And I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised! Carl decided to sand and re-oil the whole bass, re-do the electronics and its cover, and replace the tuners and the bridge.
It cost me a little more but the bass looks like new now. And plays like a dream!!


Carl with the bass, like new (front)


Same, back


Carl holding the old neck


This pic really captures the new finish


The bass at home, under a different light


detail of the head - Carl Thompson's signature


Detail of the new bridge - he had to put a piece of wood to raise it a bit


New electronics, and electronics' cover


When Carl took the bass apart one of the old bezels broke, and now the one on my bass comes from the first bass Carl ever built, the one shown in the first post!


The bass in its new home!!

[fivebass52]

Wow, that came out great! It's so organic looking, and looks like it could have come from Middle Earth! Plug it into a a big stack, and shake down the walls of Mordor.....

[superheavydeathmetal]

Excellent! A great story all the way!