Well, I guess that's fair…..Pic or didn't happen, congrats,m those basses are just insane!
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Official Carl Thompson basses club thread
- Thread starter Aaronbeh
- Start date
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- carl thompson club
NBD.....
8-15-25
Spanish cedar facings with canary center.
Body and neck are mahogany.
Ordered May of 2020
The other bass is 8-1-18, both were ordered new.
It's interesting to see the progression of how the basses change over time. I'm jealous of those that have had the ability to sit with Carl, Joe, Pete, Kelvin and others to hear about how the building techniques have changed. The little things are the most interesting to me... for example, on 8118 there are cat's eyes on the very edges of the wings while 81525 doesn't have them. Also, at the base of the bass, just below the bridge on 8118 the body went from rounded to more of a corner edge, 81525 is rounded all the way below the bridge. Lastly, the dark layer/stripe on 81525 isn't on 8118. Really distinct instruments.
Over the summer I put in more time on my non-CT basses thinking about how they play individually.
1978 P
1994 J fretless
1996 Warwick Fortress Masterman 5
2001 G&L L 2500 fretless 5
81525 is far and away the best fretless out of the bunch, the G&L isn't a slouch, but the CT is way more playable, the extra scale length doesn't play long vs the other two. The J is like playing a toy.....
The neck shape and finish on the CT's are really nice, although they are 36" basses, neither plays long.
Post about 8118
2018 Carl Thompson 5
I know Joe worked on this bass, I'll most likely go for an MJB bass next time around, serious skills happening on this bass.
Neither bass is for sale or trade and I won't discuss prices.
8-15-25
Spanish cedar facings with canary center.
Body and neck are mahogany.
Ordered May of 2020
The other bass is 8-1-18, both were ordered new.
It's interesting to see the progression of how the basses change over time. I'm jealous of those that have had the ability to sit with Carl, Joe, Pete, Kelvin and others to hear about how the building techniques have changed. The little things are the most interesting to me... for example, on 8118 there are cat's eyes on the very edges of the wings while 81525 doesn't have them. Also, at the base of the bass, just below the bridge on 8118 the body went from rounded to more of a corner edge, 81525 is rounded all the way below the bridge. Lastly, the dark layer/stripe on 81525 isn't on 8118. Really distinct instruments.
Over the summer I put in more time on my non-CT basses thinking about how they play individually.
1978 P
1994 J fretless
1996 Warwick Fortress Masterman 5
2001 G&L L 2500 fretless 5
81525 is far and away the best fretless out of the bunch, the G&L isn't a slouch, but the CT is way more playable, the extra scale length doesn't play long vs the other two. The J is like playing a toy.....
The neck shape and finish on the CT's are really nice, although they are 36" basses, neither plays long.
Post about 8118
2018 Carl Thompson 5
I know Joe worked on this bass, I'll most likely go for an MJB bass next time around, serious skills happening on this bass.
Neither bass is for sale or trade and I won't discuss prices.
Attachments
![IMG_1113[1].JPG](/data/attachments/8164/8164812-d7ce6de139a4784adfd1ffac421cb253.jpg?hash=4OdOYuC-5W)
So, first I feel like I should say that every owner on this thread has a problem (myself included). We should all seek professional help. My wife recently asked me how many Carl Thompson's can one man own without it being an addiction. Like an addict, I said: "well, Les has seven, so I'm ok"……
Ok, so I've owned my share of "cork sniffer" basses. My main bass for years was a pedulla mvp 4, backed up by a German Warwick thumb bass 6, as needed. I still own a Gould GGi5 that kills. The thing about CT's, aside from the amazing woodwork/beauty, is the neck angle.
I would happily play a cort or a squier if it had that angle. Switching between a 4 string 32" fretless and a 5 string 36" fretted should be a massive adjustment. Yet, it's effortless. The only constant is the angle. I almost feel bad about this post because I think I'm demystifying the CT mystique, but the neck angle, in my opinion, is the secret sauce. That being said, it's been decades and nobody's figured it out, so CT and his apprentices seem to have a solid grip on the market for beautiful basses that also play better than anything else $$$ can buy.
I would happily play a cort or a squier if it had that angle. Switching between a 4 string 32" fretless and a 5 string 36" fretted should be a massive adjustment. Yet, it's effortless. The only constant is the angle. I almost feel bad about this post because I think I'm demystifying the CT mystique, but the neck angle, in my opinion, is the secret sauce. That being said, it's been decades and nobody's figured it out, so CT and his apprentices seem to have a solid grip on the market for beautiful basses that also play better than anything else $$$ can buy.
