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Carl Thompson

#103
emjazz said:
I had always been put off by the price tag and the longer scale length of the CT basses. A few years back I was on a Broadway tour that went to Tokyo for three weeks. I fell upon a magical bass shop in Shibuya. They had everything you could want to try bass wise. Apparently they are the biggest seller of CT basses in the world. Just for fun I tried a 36" scale 5 string with LaBella flatwounds.......by note one I was hooked. It was so natural and resonant and woody sounding. I was completely floored. I wasn't making enough dough to go and buy a bass like that, but it's an instrument that I'll never forget playing. Because of how I play I need a shorter scale length, but that bass made a huge impression on me (have been playing LaBella flats since then). Whatever CT came up with all those years ago, and what they are making in the shop now, it's really unique and something incredibly special. Really glad I got to try one for myself.
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That would be Bass Collection under the Ikebe Brand.. That is also where I tried, and bought, my first two CT's.. Absolutely amazing shop and Kenji the Manager is a great guy.. Check out the front of the homepage.. Through body rainbow basses.. http://www.e-basscollection.com.. The ordered 3 x 5 strings.. 2 fretted and 1 fretless.. I got to try the fretless before it was gone..
 
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#104
CutlassI said:
That would be Bass Collection under the Ikebe Brand.. That is also where I tried, and bought, my first two CT's.. Absolutely amazing shop and Kenji the Manager is a great guy.. Check out the front of the homepage.. Through body rainbow basses.. http://www.e-basscollection.com.. The ordered 3 x 5 strings.. 2 fretted and 1 fretless.. I got to try the fretless before it was gone..
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That's it. Magical place for a bass player! I was playing at the Orb Theater and was wandering around after an afternoon show one day when I saw the sign. The person working that day was so helpful and kind.
 
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#105
emjazz said:
That's it. Magical place for a bass player! I was playing at the Orb Theater and was wandering around after an afternoon show one day when I saw the sign.
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That is more or less how I found it as well.. Just read that there was a lot of cool instrument shops in Shibuya.. I have tried so many cool and rare basses there..

emjazz said:
The person working that day was so helpful and kind.
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If he spoke to decent English it would likely be Kenji.. He is the only one I ever met there who speaks good English..
 

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  • 03 Bass Collection - Bobby and manager Kenji Okasaki_preview.jpg
    03 Bass Collection - Bobby and manager Kenji Okasaki_preview.jpg
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#106
CutlassI said:
That is more or less how I found it as well.. Just read that there was a lot of cool instrument shops in Shibuya.. I have tried so many cool and rare basses there..


If he spoke to decent English it would likely be Kenji.. He is the only one I ever met there who speaks good English..
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It's unfortunately been a few years, so my memory fails me (can we please get past this terrible time and get back to playing amazing music in amazing places for amazing people??). I remember the person who helped me there struggled with English, so probably someone else. He was the one that suggested I check out the Carl Thompson. Very thankful for that! That moment quite literally allowed me to hear a sound that was closer to what I was looking for. Can't wait to get back to Japan, man. I miss it!
Also...great photo. Bobby Vega rules!
 
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#107
emjazz said:
It's unfortunately been a few years, so my memory fails me (can we please get past this terrible time and get back to playing amazing music in amazing places for amazing people??). I remember the person who helped me there struggled with English, so probably someone else. He was the one that suggested I check out the Carl Thompson. Very thankful for that! That moment quite literally allowed me to hear a sound that was closer to what I was looking for. Can't wait to get back to Japan, man. I miss it!
Also...great photo. Bobby Vega rules!
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Japan is absolutely awesome.. Travelled there a lot for work when I was living in China and was to go back to badly.. Just realized that one of the amazing basses that got away is the Spector hanging to the far left on the picture.. That bass was according to Kenji made by Vinni Fodera as Vinni's personal bass while he was working with Spector.. That would have been a cool instrument to own.. ha ha..
 
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#108
Japan’s a cool place: been here 28 years almost...funny how all the basses I had the pleasure of trying (Fodera, Sadowsky) over here, come from my hometown of NYC....I want to get a CT, but man, hearing about his age I guess I’d be better off hoping to get one in Osaka’s Ikebe near me or call Tokyo’s...yeah Bass Collection are nice guys when I went to Tokyo 3 years ago to hang.
 
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#109
Erithon said:
I've never heard of Don Sharp. Maybe he just took the one-week voicing class Ervin used to offer? I suppose that's technically "studied under," but then we'd have to say at least half of the luthiers out there have studied with Ervin :)
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I ran into Jason Kostal a few months ago. Don Sharp was in the same class with Jason. I think he technically won the best bracing of that class.
 

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