Carl Thompson
Encyclopedia
Carl Thompson is a luthier
and musician specializing in the construction of high-quality custom bass guitars. He is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Born in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania
to a large musical family, he moved to New York City
in 1967 to pursue a career as a jazz
guitarist. After working in a guitar shop to supplement his income, he started his own guitar repair business. He made his first instrument in 1974 and quickly gained renown in the craft.
Unusual custom bass guitars made by Carl Thompson are the piccolo bass - a guitar of the same dimensions as a normal bass but tuned an octave higher - and five and six-stringed contra-bass guitars. Carl is attributed with creating both the first electric piccolo bass (commissioned by Stanley Clarke) and the first fretless six string bass.
Carl's biggest endorsee is Les Claypool
of the band Primus
who plays and owns seven Carl Thompson basses, his most famous being "The rainbow bass", a 6 string fretless bass made of several different woods.
Thompson basses are sought after and he maintains a two year waiting list, though some orders can take well over three years to complete. The cost for a basic four string bass made by Thompson is about $4,000. Basses such as the "Rainbow Bass" can cost well over $10,000 although Carl will not make copies of the bass for his clients despite being asked to do so in the past - he maintains that all his basses are "one of a kind".
Thompson continues to be an active musician, practicing several hours a day, and performing once a week at a local Brooklyn restaurant. He has a fascination with jazz singers, and is a respected vocal coach of young singers.
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
and musician specializing in the construction of high-quality custom bass guitars. He is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Born in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania
Pitcairn, Pennsylvania
Pitcairn is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. Early in the 20th century, it was the site of large railroad yards and shops that employed nearly ten thousand men. The population increased from 2,601 in 1900 to 6,310 in 1940, but has since declined...
to a large musical family, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1967 to pursue a career as a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist. After working in a guitar shop to supplement his income, he started his own guitar repair business. He made his first instrument in 1974 and quickly gained renown in the craft.
Unusual custom bass guitars made by Carl Thompson are the piccolo bass - a guitar of the same dimensions as a normal bass but tuned an octave higher - and five and six-stringed contra-bass guitars. Carl is attributed with creating both the first electric piccolo bass (commissioned by Stanley Clarke) and the first fretless six string bass.
Carl's biggest endorsee is Les Claypool
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
of the band Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
who plays and owns seven Carl Thompson basses, his most famous being "The rainbow bass", a 6 string fretless bass made of several different woods.
Thompson basses are sought after and he maintains a two year waiting list, though some orders can take well over three years to complete. The cost for a basic four string bass made by Thompson is about $4,000. Basses such as the "Rainbow Bass" can cost well over $10,000 although Carl will not make copies of the bass for his clients despite being asked to do so in the past - he maintains that all his basses are "one of a kind".
Thompson continues to be an active musician, practicing several hours a day, and performing once a week at a local Brooklyn restaurant. He has a fascination with jazz singers, and is a respected vocal coach of young singers.