Carl Thompson (born February 5 1939) is a luthier and musician specializing in the construction of high-quality custom bass guitars.
Born in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, to a large musical family, Thompson moved to New York City in 1967 to pursue a career as a jazz guitarist.
The most important advances in design attributed to Carl are his invention of Neck-thru instruments using a single piece heel block, as well as lengthening the electric bass from a 34" scale to a 36" and 38", which extends the harmonic overtones producing a richer timbre that is more consistent with the traditional acoustic bass.
Carl has also built guitars for Lou Reed and Hank Williams III, and Jason Momoa.
Thompson continues to be an active musician, practicing several hours a day, and performing once a week at a local Brooklyn restaurant.