Les Claypool's basses

All of Les' Carls are different. I think they all have EMG's but they're all constructed differently. He has also played a Fender Jazz on some things. But no matter what he plays, he sounds the same. So I think the key to Les' sound is being Les Claypool.

 

Wow, I didn't pick Jimmy as a Les Claypool fan.

 

Oh sure, I've got all their albums and quite a few bootlegs. Not that I listen to them constantly, but it's pretty good stuff when I'm in the mood for it.

 

Yeah. I'm not so into it. We did a few covers as a band and never got any recognition. And then one day a band we were playing against in a band comp did Too Many Puppies and they came second in the comp and got a huge crowd response. We've been bitter about it ever since.

 

www.ctbasses.com

Info and many pictures of Les basses.

 

I also read that part of his sound is due to him stringing his 4 strings with 2 A and 2 D strings

 

That's cool. I think...

 

Coolest looking basses.

 

He has many more, but here's a few.

 

I think the two A's and Two D's looks really odd.

 

his mail 4 string is a 32" scale 29 fret piccolo bass, made of walnut and mahogany. He uses an single EMG 35DC pickup with an EMG-BTC preamp. o ya and the kahler tremolo. Also before you get your heart set on darrin huff (not saying that he dosnt do phenominal work) you might wanna check out some of cliff bordwell's stuff. www.cbbasses.com

 

For more info on Les' basses go here: The Official Carl Thompson Web Site and go to the Les Claypool section.

~Paul

 

the rainbow bass has walnut, curly maple, padauk, purple heart, ebony and cocobolo.

 

Those are EMGs in all the pics, he's just switched models a couple of times. Originaly he put a guitar hum-buckersize EMG in it, the same type used in Steinbergers. Now he's got an EMG soap-bar in there. I think the controls have changed a few times too. I remeber hear that his main bass is walnut, with flame-maple runners (those light colored strips) and a mahogany neck. I'm guessing the fb is ebony. The autographed bit of wood on the head is from the original headstock, which got snapped off and was replaced by Carl. Les has described the tone as very midrangy and I think a bit bass-shy. That's probably a combo of the walnut and short scale. I think he currently uses Carl Thompson strings guaged 40-100, rather than the GG AA thing he did earlier on. I've heard people say he uses 45-105 these days too, but I'm not sure.

I know you're not looking at getting an actual CT, but there are few things to think about if your decide to take the plunge. Carl is a big fan of loooong scales these days. He feels 36" is the minimum for a four string to get a good "E" string. Over all Carl prefers 38" scales. When you order a fourstring from Carl you will get a 36" scale unless you ask for a 38", he doesn't like doing 34" and loathes 32" (in that case just order a picolo bass). Especialy since he's avoiding taking orders these days, you'd probably have a very hard time convincing Carl to make something he doesn't want to. Sounds harsh, but Carl's never actually been a true custom builder. He's more of a bass artist, who is comisioned to create a new work for you. From what I've heard, when you arder, he asks you two questions: "Number of strings", and "dark wood or light wood" you have to specify if you want specific pickups and where they go, and if you want a trditional bridge as oposed to a one-piece wooden bridge. I know of atleast one person who got his CT and just wasn't right for him in the end, because he didn't get nitpicky about the details (the bridge for one), and Carl did what he wanted.

Don't let the above give you the wrong idea, Carl is a really great guy full of great stories. He remebers every one he's ever dealt with and is a reall charming individual. I've talked to him twice, to order strings (CT strings are great). I wish I could order a bass from him, but I'm `decided to become a student again, so my CT savings fund disapeared

~Paul