James Michael Thompson Australian musician blues and roots artist, singer songwriter Tompo. The Ellis 8 string Baritone Tricone Resonator was custom built by Ellis Guitars for Australian Blues player Tompo (James Michael Thompson). The instrument has a bell brass body, mahogany neck and Quaterman cones. This is similar to most top of the line National and Dobro <br>steel guitars. For amplification a nickel National Lace humbucking resophonic pickup is mounted onto the body. This pickup is capable of acoustic resonator sounds and also electric blues sounds when driving a valve amp such as a Fender twin with a Tube screamer or overdrive effect. The 8 strings are all on the fretboard and are strung over a 27.5 inch scale length making the 8 string guitar <br>a baritone guitar as well. Tompo uses GHS Zakk Wylde Lo strings which result in the lowest three <br>strings sounding very similar to a bass guitar which can then be soloed over with slide guitar riffs <br>on the higher strings. Grover tuners keep the guitar in tune and a 12 string trapezoid archtop guitar tailpiece was installed to cater for the eight strings.

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Website Updated: 18/8/08

JMT is heading into the studio soon for the next album.
Live DVD with extras also to be released soon, stay tuned.

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“At a very young age Thompson has captured the blues and made it his own, you will be enthralled by his presentation and style of his music, his vocals are deep and soulful reminding me of the past struggles of men working on a chain-gang, or in the cotton fields in the deep south in the days of slavery. Thompson is a true bluesman!”
Sonia Meggs - President Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society