Carl Thompson

[jobu3]

Great watch! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Dean N]

He's from my hometown! I'd love to meet him and watch one of his gigs. And have of of his basses. I doubt that'll ever happen though.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I can’t get over the way they look, it’s just so off putting to me.

As I mentioned over on Facebook, where someone posted that exact same video from the OP here yesterday: I have never been a fan of the Carl Thompson aesthetic, but the one CT bass I ever played in my life (way back circa 1979) was without a doubt the most comfortable bass I have ever laid eyes (and hands) on. Incredible ergonomics, the instrument just became one with the player, luxuriant to the touch. Looked like someone's 7th grade Shop project, but felt like a dream.

 

[brianrost]

Cool, my number one fretless has an EMG pickup but a passive tone control. My old Guild Pilot V was like that too.

That's actually the way the EMG P and J replacement pickups come from the factory with a passive tone harness. The original Steinbergers also have the passive EMG wiring. I prefer it over the multiband preamp options. The resistance value is quite low (25kohms?) because of the output impedance of the preamps inside the pickups.

 

[scowboy]

I’d say Carl Thompson should be looked at as an American treasure.

Wow, thanks for posting this.

 

[J Gold]

I have a semi-frills 36” 4 string and it is perfect in every way. It made me realize I like 36” for 4 strings much more than 34”.

He charges a lot more to make prettier versions, but even stripped down, not much can beat that bass.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

After seeing and hearing him play, it seems his goal is to build a bass that sounds like an upright, and it sounds like he’s pretty successful....

 

[Ross Davis]

For lack of a better word, I Carl Thompson basses as idiosyncratic. They certainly seem to be expertly crafted, but the tone does not make a strong impression on me.

This guy demos numerous $10,000+ basses and unfortunately they all sound pretty bad. If you can't get good tone with your fingers first, a boutique bass won't help.
Here's some clips by a bassist from brazil who can get some great tones from his Carl Thompsons (vintage and modern). He has a few videos with varying levels of processing. Enjoy!

 

[Matty Koff]

Les's CT sounding pretty beefy here.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

This guy demos numerous $10,000+ basses and unfortunately they all sound pretty bad. If you can't get good tone with your fingers first, a boutique bass won't help.
Here's some clips by a bassist from brazil who can get some great tones from his Carl Thompsons (vintage and modern). He has a few videos with varying levels of processing. Enjoy!

Nice! Your point is well taken.

 

[Lackey]

You know, watching that short interview with Carl made me really want one. Not willing (or able!) to commission one now, but if the right opportunity ever comes up - I'd be a fool to turn it down. What a cool cat. Thanks Dr. !!

 

[Flaked Beans]

Mike Bendy used to play his 36" thompson live with felix pastorius and that band sounds awesome (saw them playing at the 55 bar couple of times). And CT is totally awesome!

 

[Obese Chess]

Les's CT sounding pretty beefy here.

Les has the absolute most unbelievable live tone I have ever heard. It's so hard to describe but this video is probably the best I've heard it on recording.

 

[bench]

Cool, my number one fretless has an EMG pickup but a passive tone control. My old Guild Pilot V was like that too.

I thought your number one fretless has two bartolinis and a preamp...

 

[ElMon]

Les has the absolute most unbelievable live tone I have ever heard. It's so hard to describe but this video is probably the best I've heard it on recording.

Saw him in 2004 (?) when they were touring the ‘Sailing the Seas if Cheese’ album. Performing it top to bottom like the album.

I concur.

GINORMOUS bass tones, and in particular that 6-string fretless he’s known for amd that was in the videos. I know a huge part if it was the man himself, who IMO is on a Bootsy Collins level of being singular/completely in a category if his own, but I never forgot that tone.

I was just starting to play bass when ‘Pork Soda’ hit my radar and so I guess Carl Thompson’s work has been in my head ever since.

I know I could ‘do a search’ but isn’t there an Al DiMeola album where Anthony Jackson used his Carl Thompson 6 or did I drama that? I know AJ went to a Ken Smith and then the Fodera-path.

 

[cnltb]

Those I tried all sounded very 'organic' and were relatively light weight, which I like.

 

[ardgedee]

He certainly knows his craft.

It's definitely worth watching the other two videos in that series, where he segues from talking about the neck joint he came up with to a surprisingly moving talk about the nature of creativity. I never had an opinion about Thompson or his basses before watching these videos but now I kinda love the guy.

 

[coyote1]

For lack of a better word, I Carl Thompson basses as idiosyncratic. They certainly seem to be expertly crafted, but the tone does not make a strong impression on me.

Same here. Some years ago, a local shop got three of them in. I’m not a fan of the scroll, and the sound is not exceptional enough to justify the $$$ IMO.

Where I am a fan of it is when Les Claypool was playing it with the Claypool Lennon Delirium. That was some cool - and kooky - music.

 

[Scarysharkface]

I'm certain they are wonderful instruments, but I've yet to hear one produce a tone that does it for me.

John

 

[subtlestew]

I have seen Les both with Primus (multiple times, once from the front row) and with Claypool Lennon Delerium, and his CT tone is indeed to die for. I have tickets to the tour that was postponed last summer in which Primus was to play the entire A Farewell to Kings album by Rush. It's been postponed to this coming July, and I really hope it happens so I can hear his approach to that material - most likely using his CT basses.