I've been trying to get my hands on a lefty Carl Thompson for a while now, but didn't want to go through the hassle/risk/nerve-racking experience of putting myself on the waiting list.
So, when this 1978 4-stringer popped up here not long ago, I jumped at it and bought it from Joe almost sight unseen (a friend when to check it out before I got it).
The bass is playable but has some neck issues, so I contacted Pete Hilton to get his help, and he set me up with Carl himself.
So today I got to meet Carl in person and discuss the bass. Being the perfectionist he is, he wants to replace the neck and a few more things on the bass (he wants to upgrade electronics, as the current pickups are pre-Kent Armstrong, and replace the old BadAss bridge and old tuners with HipShot ultralites). I spent more than an hour with him, listening to all sorts of anecdotes about the guitars he built for Lou Reed, and what was it like to build 8-string basses when there were no wide soapbars and the only pickup maker around was Bill Bartolini. The man is a legend. And I get to see him again when I pick up my bass in a couple of weeks!!
Here are some pictures of my visit to Carl's shop, and a video of himself playing his 38" fretless.
What a great story, and what a nice guy to personally take your bass back under his wing and restore it for you... Looking forward to your pics - and maybe audio? - of the completed project!
