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CP Thornton Club

Hey All,

I asked Chuck what he installed on my bass and he got back to me this morning.
Here is what he installed:
Lindy Fralin Split Jazz pickups, passive circuitry, Gotoh bridge, Hipshot Ultralight tuners.

Glad to see people sharing here.
 
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So, the pickups are Nordstrand NJ4SV's and the outer edge knobs starting neckside are Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, and Tone. Flip the Passive/Active switch and inside knobs offer Treble Cut/Boost, Mid Cut/Boost, and the last one is Bass Cut/Boost. Brilliant set up if you ask me, it's why I have no pedals.
 
I think we can all agree we have the best basses on the site

I agree!! And we are few in number, as well. Chuck builds far fewer basses than he does guitars.

So, I have all, but one, of my basses hanging on one wall in my music room across from my desk. I get to admire my basses from one vantage point. Without over spending on one particular bass, I think I have a nice collection of real nice basses. The one bass that just stands (or hangs) out due to its design and craftsmanship is my CP Thornton.

I get to take it out for its second gig this Friday. I suspect it will perform well, but my guess is it's going to make me have a different respect for my other basses.
 
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Hey All,

I asked Chuck what he installed on my bass and he got back to me this morning.
Here is what he installed:
Lindy Fralin Split Jazz pickups, passive circuitry, Gotoh bridge, Hipshot Ultralight tuners.

Glad to see people sharing here.

DITTO!!

Chuck is such a great builder and he has very good people skills. So quick about getting back to you.
 
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So, the pickups are Nordstrand NJ4SV's and the outer edge knobs starting neckside are Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, and Tone. Flip the Passive/Active switch and inside knobs offer Treble Cut/Boost, Mid Cut/Boost, and the last one is Bass Cut/Boost. Brilliant set up if you ask me, it's why I have no pedals.

It makes since now, but I never would have guessed it! That is a very logical and balanced layout, too.
 
Dear Nightman,
Carlostito here, I have two CPThornton basses. One is a 4 string active/Passive (011-B) and one 4 string passiv (B-023). I brought Chuck my 65 fender jazz to evaluate and when I wouldn’t sell it to him he made a bass that’s even better and sold that to me!
How do I join your Chuck group?
I have an instagram “CPThorntonbass” and should have photos on there. I am glad to post photos of your specific chuck bass if you send me the specs also.
@Carlostito, Welcome to the CP Thornton Club and to Talkbass.com!!

Just post your CP Thornton bass(es) in this thread and you are a member of this Club!

I'll update my CP Thornton post in this thread with the specs and you can post on instagram.
 

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Took me a few minutes to figure out how to post the pictures but above is my first chuck bass that my wife had bought for me when I turn 50 . This his a Honduran Maple with 5A western maple top. Bubinga neck and headstock. Pau farrow finger board. I was able to go to Chuck’s and sort/pick woods with him guiding me.
I had originally picked a gorgeous Tasmanian Blackwood top but it wasn’t thick enough to allow him to use it because this bass has the raised thumb rest. Brilliant, usefull, and comfy!!

This one is active or passive. Both molds are stellar in different ways
 
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Looking good, @Carlostito!! So, your 011-B is the last of the Set Neck basses, based on my understanding! That's the third CP Thornton Set Neck to show up in this thread! That raised thumb rest just accents the bass so well!! I wonder why he stopped making them that way?
 
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Okay, so I'm starting a CP Thornton Club thread for owners, old players, previous owners and want to be owners of a CP Thornton bass!!

I just got mine last week and am totally impressed with the quality, the workmanship, the feel, the sound and the look!

So, show us about your CP Thornton and join the club!!

NOTE: Your Club number is your CP Thornton serial number!!
I found out some interesting info on the CP Thornton serial numbers:
1) The serial number scheme changes with every design change.
2) From 1988 through 1992 50 Through-Neck basses all serialized by the number of the bass 'NNN', the month 'XX', and the year 'YY' it was finished.
3) Starting In 2012 11 Set Neck basses were built and were serialized 001 through 011 and
the new Bolt-On Neck basses are serialized B-01 through B-030.

I'm #B-030!!
- Torrefied Swamp Ash with Torrefied/Flame Maple top
- Torrefied Birdseye Maple
- Torrefied Birdseye Maple fingerboard with Black Ovals and white side dots
- 5 string through body, 34'' scale, 22 frets
- Hipshot hardware
- Nordstrand NJ5SV
- Oil/varnish sealer w/Nitrocellulose top coats
- 8.4 lbs
- By far the best playing bass I own!!

View attachment 2999968
Oh my god THAT is just gorgeous!! His new torrefied basses are just incredible!
 
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@Carlostito, Welcome to the CP Thornton Club and to Talkbass.com!!

Just post your CP Thornton bass(es) in this thread and you are a member of this Club!

I'll update my CP Thornton post in this thread with the specs and you can post on instagram.
Your bass is on the CPThorntonbass instagram account. If anyone else would like please send me a few nice pictures of your base and the stats and I’ll put them on the side thanks if you have an a CPThorton guitar, same thing as i am starting an instagram for him.
 
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Looking good, @Carlostito!! So, your 011-B is the last of the Set Neck basses, based on my understanding! That's the third CP Thornton Set Neck to show up in this thread! That raised thumb rest just accents the bass so well!! I wonder why he stopped making them that way?
It may be my fault!! We first went to Maine to meet Chuck around my birthday two years ago. I wanted to select the woods personally for my once in a lifetime custom basses!
But I brought with me my first love, my wife, and my first bass love: a 1965 Fender Jazz with badass bridge and bartolini pickups. They are wired in with a switch that allows two distinct sounds, but to be honest I don’t actually know what the switch does. However I let Chuck play this and he ripped the poopie out of it as he is a phenomenal bass player, but he fell in love with it instantly and wanted to buy it. It wasn’t for sale unless someone has a LOT of money then let me know !!
But as I stated in an earlier post, when I wouldn’t sell this to him he just decided to make his own. Of course he made it better and loved it so much that is what became the B01-B 30 line!!
Then there is the price difference I think his current basis and the prices are listed online are better than some bases that sell for 2 to 3 times that price. I haven’t played all bases or brands but I’ve played some of the best and these are the best of the best.
 
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So, the design change is from your influence?!?!? Actually, I really think his earlier models with the raised thumb rest are more unique and very attractive. I would imagine the sound of the bass is not related to the body style, and I can understand trying to make his line more appealing.

So, whatever happened to that 1965 Fender Jazz bass?
 
I would have to confirm this with Chuck but I think the reason for the design away from the carved thumb rest
was how very difficult it was to apply the body to a buffing wheel and not have that peaked and curved area almost immediately have the finished wiped down to bare wood. Using a buffing wheel is a real art in itself and one wrong
move and poof finish gone, Yay! lets start over again, NOT.

So though the look is great stylistically and the functionality is very useful the difficulty in
trying to buff out the finish around those small curves and the narrow peak at the top of the thumb rest
was causing issues.

Chuck is a perfectionist so he had to make a tough choice and change his design as far as the thumb rest goes.
I have seen Chuck when he is buffing out a body on a batch of guitars and that is a job I wouldn't want to do.
I'll see if I can get comfirmation on that. As I mentioned I liked that look very much so I grabbed the only one he had
sitting there unfinished lacking the pups, wiring, knobs and such.
 
I would have to confirm this with Chuck but I think the reason for the design away from the carved thumb rest
was how very difficult it was to apply the body to a buffing wheel and not have that peaked and curved area almost immediately have the finished wiped down to bare wood. Using a buffing wheel is a real art in itself and one wrong
move and poof finish gone, Yay! lets start over again, NOT.

So though the look is great stylistically and the functionality is very useful the difficulty in
trying to buff out the finish around those small curves and the narrow peak at the top of the thumb rest
was causing issues.

Chuck is a perfectionist so he had to make a tough choice and change his design as far as the thumb rest goes.
I have seen Chuck when he is buffing out a body on a batch of guitars and that is a job I wouldn't want to do.
I'll see if I can get comfirmation on that. As I mentioned I liked that look very much so I grabbed the only one he had
sitting there unfinished lacking the pups, wiring, knobs and such.

You sure there's not one more in the back of the back room unfinished?? ;)
 
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You sure there one more in the back of the back room unfinished?? ;)
Pretty sure all 11 set necks are long gone, I snagged the prototype and I think only bolt on necks are being built now.
Only Chuck can say what his future design plans are. Glad I was able to get the one I have.
If Chuck reads these posts he may shoot an email to someone to share info but I know the man is busy always.
 
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Pretty sure all 11 set necks are long gone, I snagged the prototype and I think only bolt on necks are being built now.
Only Chuck can say what his future design plans are. Glad I was able to get the one I have.
If Chuck reads these posts he may shoot an email to someone to share info but I know the man is busy always.

I'm glad you knew what I meant to type!! :D

Right, just a little wishful thinking. But, no doubt, that is the best body design I've ever seen. The headstock is pretty nice as well.

I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open for one that come up for sale some where/time!
 
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So, the design change is from your influence?!?!? Actually, I really think his earlier models with the raised thumb rest are more unique and very attractive. I would imagine the sound of the bass is not related to the body style, and I can understand trying to make his line more appealing.

So, whatever happened to that 1965 Fender Jazz bass?
I am not saying he changed it because of me, but that perhaps my jazz bass had an influence on his plan of what comes next. I understand how basses are made, but cutting out a bass with the raise pieces certainly must be a bigger challenge than a traditional body.

And perhaps he thought more people would buy a $3200 bass instead of a $5000 Bass!

I still have my fender jazz. I have been debating whether to have Chuck give it the Chuck treatment where he overhauls, possibly updates hardware or pick-ups/bridge, but I love it, so I am debating if I should or not?

Thoughts?? It is already not all originsl
 
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Just as an update folks, I did hear from Chuck and he said what I had written
regarding the carved thumb rest issue was accurate.

Have any of you guys seen the demo on youtube of Chucks bolt on bass by Ed Hamilton? Wish I had chops like that drool
Here is a link.
 
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