Hi everyone. I've been meaning to post this for some time. I wanted to dedicate a solid amount of time and thought to writing this post, as James' work deserves such treatment...between kids and work (maybe paying some attention to the spouse as well 
) finding a solid chunk of time is not always easy. In any case, here we go...
*Note, if you prefer to skip the backstory and go straight to the bass review, by all means please scroll down past the preamble to "The Bass"
** Also note, I am not in any way, shape or form compensated by anyone in the bass world. Quite the opposite. If Talkbass had a GDP ranking, I think I'd be part of the G20 meeting.
*** Final note, James has been building guitars for a long time and many of you already know of him. I don't intend this to be a 'look at this great builder I discovered' sort of post. He's been doing amazing work long before I met him, and as I said he's already very well known in the music industry. I am simply writing this post to relay my experience with The Guitar Shop NYC (which I will refer to as TGS NYC) and Carbonetti basses.
THE BACKSTORY
I had visited the old La Bella/Olinto showroom location in 2021 I believe, as the world was starting to resume regularly scheduled programming. At that time, I met Eric, Mitch, and Mas at TGS NYC. I want to make a note that they were (and are) all lovely people, who were very welcoming and just excited to discuss basses. On the strength of such a positive interaction, I decided that the good folks of TGS NYC were genuine and trustworthy, and I felt comfortable bringing my instruments to them for all future servicing needs.
I didn't have a chance to meet James Carbonetti that day, but I did speak with him on the phone a few days later. In his inimitable way, he said "Yeah man, come by any time. Bring your basses or just come to hang. I'm here for you." Side note - as I've come to know James a bit better, I can honestly and wholeheartedly say he means those words when he says them. In any case, the next chance I had to visit (many, many months later) I had loaded up some of my basses on a Saturday to go by the shop and have them looked over (do the frets on this one need dressing? how about some nice low tension flats on that bass? blah blah blah). I unfortunately, however, chose the *exact* day they were moving shop. This is when I met James in person...he was genuinely apologetic that he didn't have the day to look over my basses, even though I just showed up and he had nothing to be apologetic about. He (and Eric) extended an invitation to me for the opening party of the new shop, which was very kind.
Another side note - I'm a nobody. Nowadays, I play my basses when I get a chance for myself and my girls. The highest heights I've hit are playing in a band in med school, hospital fundraisers and community events. I do, however, LOVE bass guitars. I mean, I could sit and talk about them forever. I like to think I know a lot about bass guitars (nerding out on wood species, construction methods, nitty gritty details i.e. aluminum vs brass bridge, etc. ad nauseum) after years of trying out thousands of them. I think I have a pretty solid handle on what makes a good instrument, and I pick out a player from a stack...it's my Rain Man ability I say all this to get to the following point: James and Eric extended that invitation to me as though I was someone important, which I am not. But they made me feel that way because they meant it, and that is a perfect example of their character and why I am such a fan of them personally as well as their products.
I didn't have a chance to make it to that party (which I regret), but I did go by the new shop (again many, many months later) which brings us to...
THE EXPERIENCE
Despite not having seen James in some time, he remembered me. No sooner had I walked through the door than I was greeted by a warm welcome and James plugging in a bunch of basses to have me try them out as he looked over the few I brought to the shop for setup. Amongst the ones he suggested was a beautiful, curvaceous little short scale (seen in the photo, that exact bass). He mentioned that it was a hit at this years' NAMM and expected he'd be making at least a few more of them. I tried it on a lark, as I had made the decision to stick with 34" some time ago...I love 32" scale by the way, it's truly a Goldilocks, but I got roped back in to long scales as I waded my way into the vintage Fender world (which I had resisted for so long but eventually succumbed...I blame Scott Devine and Ian Martin Allison, with their damn charm and charisma, gah!).
Love. At. First. Note. The bass sounded lovely...full, thick, articulate, even. Even more so than the sound, however, was the feel of the instrument. It was a work of art in as much as it was something beyond the sum of its components (and they are some FINE components). The first thing that comes to mind may be a bit simplistic, but perhaps that's the best approach: Not all bread + cheese + tomato sauce = pizza. Sometimes it's just cheesy, saucy bread. Real pizza takes those simple things and transforms them into a singular, delicious and entirely separate entity. THIS is what that bass felt like...an amazing slice of REAL pizza.
I admit, I can be very difficult sometimes, to which my wife will attest. I don't love parting with money, but am happy to do so when it's worth it. Family experiences, children's education, things that give my wife and I enjoyment (though admittedly I spend much more on basses than she does on the few things she does buy for herself...I wish she would do that more, but I digest). I played that bass for no more than a few minutes, I unplugged it, carried it to the bench where James was looking my basses over, held it slightly aloft and just said "This. I want this." That's maybe the strongest I've ever felt about an instrument so immediately, so much so that I was surprised at myself. James let me know that particular bass was sold but he'd be happy to build a new one for me.
This brings us to...
THE BASS
The Moonphase. Cool name. Watch reference? Or maybe something to do with the push and pull of the tides? A quick google image search of "Carbonetti Bass Guitars" will show you that James likes swooping curves, and perhaps the name is meant to conjure that sort of swooping imagery? I'll have to ask James about that now that I think about it!
In any case, the curves are probably the first thing you will notice about this bass. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they are also quite useful. That big booty lower bout of the Moonphase encourages the neck of the bass to look up, which means the instrument sits in perfect position both seated and on a strap. Forget neck dive, this thing has neck ascension. I took notice of this immediately, especially since I am not the most comfortable on short scales to begin with. The Moonphase just felt like home from the jump.
Though the bass is compact, it doesn't feel at all cramped. The proportions are so well thought out that it simply feels natural...the reach is not as long as a standard scale so you do know you are playing a short scale, but it's not so tight that the upper register becomes a tightrope. This, as well as the way the bass sits make it a treat to play.
The bass I played had a lightweight, old growth Alder body, maple neck and a gorgeous, figured (almost quilted even) birdseye maple fingerboard. The finish was a deep and vibrant sunburst with an artful and tastefully done relic job. The fretboard was vintage tinted, which further accentuated the birdseye. A Claro walnut pickup cover housed a big 'ol scatterwound humbucker that James wound by hand. Hipshot hardware rounded out the quality appointments...The combination of the slightly more modern leaning Type A bridge on this bass and the decidedly vintage looking Art Deco topped Hipshot tuners was (I think) an inspired choice to evoke the feeling of something familiar yet fresh.
The sound of the bass is really something. Defined with great note separation, but a full and hefty note. The short scale lent it's characteristic "evenness" across the board, and there were zero (ZERO) dead spots. This bass was sporting La Bella low tension flats, and the thumpy, bassy character of the LTF was spot on for that pickup. I couldn't ask for a better bass tone. Controls were volume and tone, and the sound was useful across the entire range of the tone knob. Turn the tone all the way down, and somehow the bass still sounded articulate, even with all of that bass character and flatwound strings...a small miracle.
Another aside (which by now you see I am prone to), La Bella LTF are phenomenal strings...I'm a TI enthusiast and the La Bella LTF is the first string I've switched TIs out for...I just did it with my Stingray and it really does change the character. TIs are very middy strings, and La Bella LTF are in the same family, but dial down the mids and dial up the bass. With the Ray, the LTF leaned into that inherent scoop and really put it into fifth gear. Same slink as the TIs as well, which make the LTF absolute winners for me!
FINAL NOTES
James will build pretty much anything, and he's talented enough to make even seemingly senseless requests make sense. You want a mango body Moonphase with 33 1/3" scale neck and a yew fingerboard? I'm sure James will find a way. I also want to mention that any bass I've had James look over and set up has come back as a better instrument. The fretwork, setup and whatever magic adjustments James makes to the instruments he works on makes even somebody like me sound somewhat competent, which is another small miracle. His middle name might as well be Midas.
The day that I played the Moonphase James had Mitch’s sparkle burgundy mist finish Olinto jazz on the bench, and it looked awesome. Mitch is a sick player by the way. I’ve had the chance to try a few Olintos, all of which were fantastic. Definitely on my bucket list to order one!
All in all, I feel quite fortunate to have met the wonderful folks at TGS NYC, and I am just as fortunate to have as talented a luthier as James Carbonetti making a bass for me. I would encourage anybody visiting the NYC area to make the trip to TGS NYC, which houses the La Bella/Olinto showroom and Carbonetti Guitars. I know I felt like I was 7 years old walking into Toys R Us all over again, and I am sure you will feel the same way. I truly feel he has created something special with the Moonphase, and I expect that there will soon be a long waitlist for one.
All photos of the bass are from the Carbonetti instagram page, except the last 3, which my brother took when he visited the shop with me a few weeks ago.
Link to the page where you can check out some players infinitely more talented than myself play the same bass:
) finding a solid chunk of time is not always easy. In any case, here we go...*Note, if you prefer to skip the backstory and go straight to the bass review, by all means please scroll down past the preamble to "The Bass"
** Also note, I am not in any way, shape or form compensated by anyone in the bass world. Quite the opposite. If Talkbass had a GDP ranking, I think I'd be part of the G20 meeting.
*** Final note, James has been building guitars for a long time and many of you already know of him. I don't intend this to be a 'look at this great builder I discovered' sort of post. He's been doing amazing work long before I met him, and as I said he's already very well known in the music industry. I am simply writing this post to relay my experience with The Guitar Shop NYC (which I will refer to as TGS NYC) and Carbonetti basses.
THE BACKSTORY
I had visited the old La Bella/Olinto showroom location in 2021 I believe, as the world was starting to resume regularly scheduled programming. At that time, I met Eric, Mitch, and Mas at TGS NYC. I want to make a note that they were (and are) all lovely people, who were very welcoming and just excited to discuss basses. On the strength of such a positive interaction, I decided that the good folks of TGS NYC were genuine and trustworthy, and I felt comfortable bringing my instruments to them for all future servicing needs.
I didn't have a chance to meet James Carbonetti that day, but I did speak with him on the phone a few days later. In his inimitable way, he said "Yeah man, come by any time. Bring your basses or just come to hang. I'm here for you." Side note - as I've come to know James a bit better, I can honestly and wholeheartedly say he means those words when he says them. In any case, the next chance I had to visit (many, many months later) I had loaded up some of my basses on a Saturday to go by the shop and have them looked over (do the frets on this one need dressing? how about some nice low tension flats on that bass? blah blah blah). I unfortunately, however, chose the *exact* day they were moving shop. This is when I met James in person...he was genuinely apologetic that he didn't have the day to look over my basses, even though I just showed up and he had nothing to be apologetic about. He (and Eric) extended an invitation to me for the opening party of the new shop, which was very kind.
Another side note - I'm a nobody. Nowadays, I play my basses when I get a chance for myself and my girls. The highest heights I've hit are playing in a band in med school, hospital fundraisers and community events. I do, however, LOVE bass guitars. I mean, I could sit and talk about them forever. I like to think I know a lot about bass guitars (nerding out on wood species, construction methods, nitty gritty details i.e. aluminum vs brass bridge, etc. ad nauseum) after years of trying out thousands of them. I think I have a pretty solid handle on what makes a good instrument, and I pick out a player from a stack...it's my Rain Man ability
I say all this to get to the following point: James and Eric extended that invitation to me as though I was someone important, which I am not. But they made me feel that way because they meant it, and that is a perfect example of their character and why I am such a fan of them personally as well as their products.I didn't have a chance to make it to that party (which I regret), but I did go by the new shop (again many, many months later) which brings us to...
THE EXPERIENCE
Despite not having seen James in some time, he remembered me. No sooner had I walked through the door than I was greeted by a warm welcome and James plugging in a bunch of basses to have me try them out as he looked over the few I brought to the shop for setup. Amongst the ones he suggested was a beautiful, curvaceous little short scale (seen in the photo, that exact bass). He mentioned that it was a hit at this years' NAMM and expected he'd be making at least a few more of them. I tried it on a lark, as I had made the decision to stick with 34" some time ago...I love 32" scale by the way, it's truly a Goldilocks, but I got roped back in to long scales as I waded my way into the vintage Fender world (which I had resisted for so long but eventually succumbed...I blame Scott Devine and Ian Martin Allison, with their damn charm and charisma, gah!).
Love. At. First. Note. The bass sounded lovely...full, thick, articulate, even. Even more so than the sound, however, was the feel of the instrument. It was a work of art in as much as it was something beyond the sum of its components (and they are some FINE components). The first thing that comes to mind may be a bit simplistic, but perhaps that's the best approach: Not all bread + cheese + tomato sauce = pizza. Sometimes it's just cheesy, saucy bread. Real pizza takes those simple things and transforms them into a singular, delicious and entirely separate entity. THIS is what that bass felt like...an amazing slice of REAL pizza.
I admit, I can be very difficult sometimes, to which my wife will attest. I don't love parting with money, but am happy to do so when it's worth it. Family experiences, children's education, things that give my wife and I enjoyment (though admittedly I spend much more on basses than she does on the few things she does buy for herself...I wish she would do that more, but I digest). I played that bass for no more than a few minutes, I unplugged it, carried it to the bench where James was looking my basses over, held it slightly aloft and just said "This. I want this." That's maybe the strongest I've ever felt about an instrument so immediately, so much so that I was surprised at myself. James let me know that particular bass was sold but he'd be happy to build a new one for me.
This brings us to...
THE BASS
The Moonphase. Cool name. Watch reference? Or maybe something to do with the push and pull of the tides? A quick google image search of "Carbonetti Bass Guitars" will show you that James likes swooping curves, and perhaps the name is meant to conjure that sort of swooping imagery? I'll have to ask James about that now that I think about it!
In any case, the curves are probably the first thing you will notice about this bass. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they are also quite useful. That big booty lower bout of the Moonphase encourages the neck of the bass to look up, which means the instrument sits in perfect position both seated and on a strap. Forget neck dive, this thing has neck ascension. I took notice of this immediately, especially since I am not the most comfortable on short scales to begin with. The Moonphase just felt like home from the jump.
Though the bass is compact, it doesn't feel at all cramped. The proportions are so well thought out that it simply feels natural...the reach is not as long as a standard scale so you do know you are playing a short scale, but it's not so tight that the upper register becomes a tightrope. This, as well as the way the bass sits make it a treat to play.
The bass I played had a lightweight, old growth Alder body, maple neck and a gorgeous, figured (almost quilted even) birdseye maple fingerboard. The finish was a deep and vibrant sunburst with an artful and tastefully done relic job. The fretboard was vintage tinted, which further accentuated the birdseye. A Claro walnut pickup cover housed a big 'ol scatterwound humbucker that James wound by hand. Hipshot hardware rounded out the quality appointments...The combination of the slightly more modern leaning Type A bridge on this bass and the decidedly vintage looking Art Deco topped Hipshot tuners was (I think) an inspired choice to evoke the feeling of something familiar yet fresh.
The sound of the bass is really something. Defined with great note separation, but a full and hefty note. The short scale lent it's characteristic "evenness" across the board, and there were zero (ZERO) dead spots. This bass was sporting La Bella low tension flats, and the thumpy, bassy character of the LTF was spot on for that pickup. I couldn't ask for a better bass tone. Controls were volume and tone, and the sound was useful across the entire range of the tone knob. Turn the tone all the way down, and somehow the bass still sounded articulate, even with all of that bass character and flatwound strings...a small miracle.
Another aside (which by now you see I am prone to), La Bella LTF are phenomenal strings...I'm a TI enthusiast and the La Bella LTF is the first string I've switched TIs out for...I just did it with my Stingray and it really does change the character. TIs are very middy strings, and La Bella LTF are in the same family, but dial down the mids and dial up the bass. With the Ray, the LTF leaned into that inherent scoop and really put it into fifth gear. Same slink as the TIs as well, which make the LTF absolute winners for me!
FINAL NOTES
James will build pretty much anything, and he's talented enough to make even seemingly senseless requests make sense. You want a mango body Moonphase with 33 1/3" scale neck and a yew fingerboard? I'm sure James will find a way. I also want to mention that any bass I've had James look over and set up has come back as a better instrument. The fretwork, setup and whatever magic adjustments James makes to the instruments he works on makes even somebody like me sound somewhat competent, which is another small miracle. His middle name might as well be Midas.
The day that I played the Moonphase James had Mitch’s sparkle burgundy mist finish Olinto jazz on the bench, and it looked awesome. Mitch is a sick player by the way. I’ve had the chance to try a few Olintos, all of which were fantastic. Definitely on my bucket list to order one!
All in all, I feel quite fortunate to have met the wonderful folks at TGS NYC, and I am just as fortunate to have as talented a luthier as James Carbonetti making a bass for me. I would encourage anybody visiting the NYC area to make the trip to TGS NYC, which houses the La Bella/Olinto showroom and Carbonetti Guitars. I know I felt like I was 7 years old walking into Toys R Us all over again, and I am sure you will feel the same way. I truly feel he has created something special with the Moonphase, and I expect that there will soon be a long waitlist for one.
All photos of the bass are from the Carbonetti instagram page, except the last 3, which my brother took when he visited the shop with me a few weeks ago.
Link to the page where you can check out some players infinitely more talented than myself play the same bass:
Attachments
Last edited:
My wallet would be screaming....
