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Official Carl Thompson basses club thread

#141
bassballs27 said:
Here's something you don't see every day. This has been an elusive instrument to a few on TB. It's a ton of fun to play and according the man himself (Carl T) there was a twin made at the same time for Geddy Lee :)

Here is my new 8 string CT! 6-24-94!
I turned 13 when this was built just a few days prior!

It's 34" scale...the high strings are octaves, but I've been experimenting with down tuning. Just a ton of fun!

So few of these have been built.
I'm thinking about a half dozen.
Just a beautiful bass...but the tone is what really speaks to me.
The EMG singles sound huge!

Enjoy the photos!

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Sorry for the dust on the bass! I snapped this photos after playing it, with exception to the last two.
 
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#145
bassballs27 said:
Here's something you don't see every day. This has been an elusive instrument to a few on TB. It's a ton of fun to play and according the man himself (Carl T) there was a twin made at the same time for Geddy Lee :)

Here is my new 8 string CT! 6-24-94!
I turned 13 when this was built just a few days prior!

It's 34" scale...the high strings are octaves, but I've been experimenting with down tuning. Just a ton of fun!

So few of these have been built.
I'm thinking about a half dozen.
Just a beautiful bass...but the tone is what really speaks to me.
The EMG singles sound huge!

Enjoy the photos!

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Holy flippin awesome! Congrats!!
 
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#147
Here, as you can see, these DR Longs have a lot left past the nut on my 36" 5 string. I think these would work on a 38".
8305B0B3-723C-4340-A73D-823B912C9376.jpeg
 
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#148
rick0link said:
Here, as you can see, these DR Longs have a lot left past the nut on my 36" 5 string. I think these would work on a 38". View attachment 4224932
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Just two wraps around the tuning pegs though on your bass? I know the scale is long...but isn't 3 wraps better? I think it's more of a nit picky thing...but a few luthiers have suggested 3 wraps to me.

See how the B string doesn't have enough taper too? It just looks a little off with the full size.

I bet these strings sound fine just like they are, it's just odd that these string manufacturers don't have better ways to customize string lengths, rather than one size fits all. Again, there already isn't much choice for these longer scales, but even the 34" scale has a similar issue.
 
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#149
bassballs27 said:
Here's something you don't see every day. This has been an elusive instrument to a few on TB. It's a ton of fun to play and according the man himself (Carl T) there was a twin made at the same time for Geddy Lee :)

Here is my new 8 string CT! 6-24-94!
I turned 13 when this was built just a few days prior!

It's 34" scale...the high strings are octaves, but I've been experimenting with down tuning. Just a ton of fun!

So few of these have been built.
I'm thinking about a half dozen.
Just a beautiful bass...but the tone is what really speaks to me.
The EMG singles sound huge!

Enjoy the photos!

View attachment 4224236 View attachment 4224238 View attachment 4224239 View attachment 4224240 View attachment 4224241 View attachment 4224242 View attachment 4224243 View attachment 4224244 View attachment 4224245 View attachment 4224246 View attachment 4224247 View attachment 4224248 View attachment 4224249 View attachment 4224250 View attachment 4224251 View attachment 4224252 View attachment 4224262 View attachment 4224267
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Well Happy Victoria Day Weekend to my fellow Canadians! And an early Happy Memorial Day to my American friends!

How about seeing this bass in action???

 
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#151
BASSDROID said:
Well, I guess it's time to post mine. 121212 fretless 6, and 32918 semi frills fretted 5. I was toying with the idea of selling these 38" beauties not long ago, but I changed my mind once 121212 came back from a visit with Carl for refurbishing, (and sporting new purpleheart fingerboard inlays).
Bombs away....

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Awesome! Glad you decided to keep the 6 string man!
 
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#153
BASSDROID said:
Well, I guess it's time to post mine. 121212 fretless 6, and 32918 semi frills fretted 5. I was toying with the idea of selling these 38" beauties not long ago, but I changed my mind once 121212 came back from a visit with Carl for refurbishing, (and sporting new purpleheart fingerboard inlays).
Bombs away....

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Love these!!
 
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#154
Carl sent me these yesterday. Gotta love updates from the man himself. Mine is gonna be an unlined fretless 36" scale semi frills 5 string. He said about another month before it's all done.
 

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#156
Matteo Marziali said:
Hi Rick, so this is your next CT! Please introduce these woods
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The top is pistachio, and i think the center of the back is as well. The back, i believe is canarywood, the top center looks like walnut, and the fingerboard is bloodwood. When i placed the order i gave Carl a bunch of lumber from my stash to use. Not sure what all he actually used. I'm thoroughly impressed though.
 
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#157
rick0link said:
The top is pistachio, and i think the center of the back is as well. The back, i believe is canarywood, the top center looks like walnut, and the fingerboard is bloodwood. When i placed the order i gave Carl a bunch of lumber from my stash to use. Not sure what all he actually used. I'm thoroughly impressed though.
Click to expand...

Wow!!! Looks and sounds like it's gonna be a great instrument. I love seeing updates from the shop, I always wonder how far I am from the being active in the queue - super exciting to get some progress pictures. You must be besides yourself with excitement!

I'm a bit overdue on an update with my CT family...I ended up parting ways with my beloved 2 5 10 (36" 4 string) so that I could give Rich's 7 21 20 (32" 4 string olivewood - the fretted one of the pair) a new home!!!! Took a few years, but finally found my 32" and ofcourse, Rich is THE MAN who helped me realize my CT dreams once again (thanks again Rich...really and truly...I appreciate everything). The bass arrived on 7 22, the day after it's first birthday and I've been head over heals in love with it...so different from 4 9 17 but still such a joy to play and has been bringing out freshness in my playing. I promise to share pictures when I take some proper new family shots. Cheers everybody :)
 
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#160
Hey guys! Does anyone know/confirm if CT uses stainless steel or any alternative fretwire?

Also, and feel free to PM me if anyone has an opinion but doesn't want to post it here, but I know that Carl is in his 80s, and at this point he has a lot of help (and has had help) from guys like Joe Kruse, Pete Hilton, and Kelvin Daly.

These guys also have their own brands/companies, and looking at each it's obvious they build in the CT-style mold. Does anyone have any opinions on each of them (or have played CT basses that you know were made mostly by one) that you'd recommend one over the other, or maybe each has their own specialty that depending on what you wanted you'd go with them?
 

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