Alleva-Coppolo vs. Sadowsky NYC

[Bjazzman]

I was thinking about saving up for one of these gems. I don't have the cash yet to make the trek to New York to actually test them out so i was wondering if anyone out there has their own clips of these they could share so i could hear the difference.

 

[KJung]

I was thinking about saving up for one of these gems. I don't have the cash yet to make the trek to New York to actually test them out so i was wondering if anyone out there has their own clips of these they could share so i could hear the difference.

Plenty of clips on both sites...

Check out Mike Frederick's clip on the Alleva site and compare to the solo clip on the 'NYC In Stock' page of the Sadowsky site. That pretty much sums it up to me.... classic, warm, vintage Fender-like tone versus more active, aggressive, modern 'updated J tone'.

 

[Bjazzman]

wow both of those clips show that these are 2 shades of awesome. it would be a hard choice, but im leaning more toward the alleva since i don't do much slapping... more fingerstyle.

which one is better suited for players with small hands? I would want a 5 string probably though

 

[Sadowsky]

If you want the "classic, warm, vintage Fender-like tone" in a Sadowsky, just order it with our single coil pickups!

Roger

 

[Adam Wright]

I just got a used Alleva LM5. I have small hands and I find it to be very comfortable. Probably the most comfortable to play of all the jazz 5s I've owned.

wow both of those clips show that these are 2 shades of awesome. it would be a hard choice, but im leaning more toward the alleva since i don't do much slapping... more fingerstyle.

which one is better suited for players with small hands? I would want a 5 string probably though

 

[maurilio]

I was thinking about saving up for one of these gems. I don't have the cash yet to make the trek to New York to actually test them out so i was wondering if anyone out there has their own clips of these they could share so i could hear the difference.

Have you thought about the Nordy?
If you are looking for a very easy playing neck and a warm, punchy sound, you should check them out.

Just MHO/E

M

 

[lefty007]

I just got a used Alleva LM5. I have small hands and I find it to be very comfortable. Probably the most comfortable to play of all the jazz 5s I've owned.

I recently had an LM5 and part of the reason I didn't keep it was because I thought the neck was too wide, for my short fingers.

I also had a Sadowsky 5-24 and found it much more comfortable (thinner, but equally wide), but it still proved to be too wide.

For small hands, I have found that necks with 18 or 17 mm string spacing and 1.75" at the nut suit best.

But this is all personal preference.

 

[Sadowsky]

I recently had an LM5 and part of the reason I didn't keep it was because I thought the neck was too wide, for my short fingers. I also had a Sadowsky 5-24 and found it much more comfortable (thinner, but equally wide), but it still proved to be too wide. For small hands, I have found that necks with 18 or 17 mm string spacing and 1.75" at the nut suit best. But this is all personal preference.

We offer a 1.75" nut and an 18mm string spacing, as options.

Roger

 

[Adam Wright]

Those are actually my prefernces as well. I wasn't expecting to like the feel of this bass as much as I do.

I recently had an LM5 and part of the reason I didn't keep it was because I thought the neck was too wide, for my short fingers.

I also had a Sadowsky 5-24 and found it much more comfortable (thinner, but equally wide), but it still proved to be too wide.

For small hands, I have found that necks with 18 or 17 mm string spacing and 1.75" at the nut suit best.

But this is all personal preference.

 

[basses55]

I was thinking about saving up for one of these gems. I don't have the cash yet to make the trek to New York to actually test them out so i was wondering if anyone out there has their own clips of these they could share so i could hear the difference.

Just a general comment about possibly making decisions based on internet clips (or even internet threads) ....there are numerous factors that influence the tone that you hear outside of the bass itself- the player, live vs studio, amps vs direct or combo, software, hardware, and the list goes on and on. To make a real direct comparison between any two top- notch basses and their nuances I really think its best trying them in person back to back in real time, and barring that, just playing each of them with your own hands and listening with your own ears- even at different times. For a purchase, I dont think anything replaces doing that ( other than trying them both out at your own gigging or studio enviroments also-which is rare or impossible for most) If you cant play them in person, personally, I wouldent purchase until I could. People hear things differently and characterize them differently and the only thing that counts is how you make those basses sound to your own ears.

I totally agree with Roger's advice to try to make sure you compare apples to apples if you are making direct comparisons too.

 

[lefty007]

We offer a 1.75" nut and an 18mm string spacing, as options.

Roger

Wow! I knew about the 1.75" nut, as mine had, but not the 18-mm option.

Are the necks narrower at the last fret with the 18-mm option?

Thanks.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[KJung]

Just a general comment about possibly making decisions based on internet clips (or even internet threads) ....there are numerous factors that influence the tone that you hear outside of the bass itself- the player, live vs studio, amps vs direct or combo, software, hardware, and the list goes on and on. To make a real direct comparison between any two top- notch basses and their nuances I really think its best trying them in person back to back in real time, and barring that, just playing each of them with your own hands and listening with your own ears- even at different times. For a purchase, I dont think anything replaces doing that ( other than trying them both out at your own gigging or studio enviroments also-which is rare or impossible for most) If you cant play them in person, personally, I wouldent purchase until I could. People hear things differently and characterize them differently and the only thing that counts is how you make those basses sound to your own ears.

I totally agree with Roger's advice to try to make sure you compare apples to apples if you are making direct comparisons too.

+1 of course. However, the Alleva's and Sadowsky's sound SO different, that it's pretty easy to figure out if you are drawn to one voicing or the other.

In a recent A/Bing of a couple of Alleva's and an NYC Sadowsky with singles, the Sadowsky with singles sounded MUCH more similar to the Sadowsky with stock HC's than it did to the Alleva (which is a tribute to the strong voicing and unique tone of the entire Sadowsky package... wood, preamp, etc.).

Not better or worse (I own and love both), but a pickup swap in NO way makes these two basses sound similar IMO and IME.

 

[basses55]

+1 of course. However, the Alleva's and Sadowsky's sound SO different, that it's pretty easy to figure out if you are drawn to one voicing or the other.

In a recent A/Bing of a couple of Alleva's and an NYC Sadowsky with singles, the Sadowsky with singles sounded MUCH more similar to the Sadowsky with stock HC's than it did to the Alleva.

Not better or worse (I own and love both), but a pickup swap in NO way makes these two basses sound similar IMO and IME.

The thing is, I was trying to go beyond the "typing" here for a change about how anyone else- including you and me- hears or thinks about the tone of a bass for ourselves. People can and do hear things differently (whether or not I even agree with them either) and I'm thinking that in making a decision between these two top notch builders, the OP might be guided to being convinced not to make a purchase decision for himself by what he reads here or hears here, but to put his hands on the instrument and make the sounds he's going to make on it before considering buying either.

This kind of approach just seems to feel good to me today for some reason

 

[maconbass]

I think my Sadowsky MS5 with single-coils and VTC does a fantastic "vintage" Jazz tone. Others around here such as Ken have a lot more Jazz bass experience than I do but I still can't imagine NOT being able to nail the vintage Jazz tone with those options.

 

[seventhson]

if you have small hands, keep in mind that the nyc5 has a 34" scale. that sealed the deal for me.

 

[fishtx]

I believe the Alleva Coppolo's are 34" scale as well...

 

[KJung]

I think my Sadowsky MS5 with single-coils and VTC does a fantastic "vintage" Jazz tone. Others around here such as Ken have a lot more Jazz bass experience than I do but I still can't imagine NOT being able to nail the vintage Jazz tone with those options.

+1 that these all sound great. I guess I just am a stickler for these descriptors. I LOVE my Sadowsky, and I've liked virtually every one I've played. However, active/passive/single coil/HC/plugged in or played acoustically, they have a unique tone.

They sound like J basses, that's for sure. However, they sound very different than the mid throaty, upper mid growly true Fender J's to my ear. That's not a good thing nor a bad thing.

One thing is for sure... the Alleva's sound WAY different than the Sadowsky basses, regardless of configuration. It would be pretty silly if they didn't, or they could just merge into the Roglleva-Copposwky company

All great stuff!!!

 

[KJung]

The thing is, I was trying to go beyond the "typing" here for a change about how anyone else- including you and me- hears or thinks about the tone of a bass for ourselves. People can and do hear things differently (whether or not I even agree with them either) and I'm thinking that in making a decision between these two top notch builders, the OP might be guided to being convinced not to make a purchase decision for himself by what he reads here or hears here, but to put his hands on the instrument and make the sounds he's going to make on it before considering buying either.

This kind of approach just seems to feel good to me today for some reason

+1 all the way, if that's possible. There are very few people outside of NYC who have this opportunity though. In a perfect world, we would all be able to try a bass or amp prior to purchasing. So, no disagreement here, but unfortunately, it's very difficult to get your hands on these basses for a trial. Of course, Roger has that GREAT 7 day trial policy, but Jimmy does not.

This gets further complicated by the fact that sometimes you can't really tell if a voicing or even the playability of a bass is 'for you' until after quite a few gigs. So, even spending hours in a music store playing one (if you are lucky enough to have a high end music store close to you that happens to have the basses you are interested in stock), that's no guarantee of success IMO and painfully IME!

 

[maconbass]

Ken, (with fingers in ears) I can't hear you! You are giving me GAS when I don't need it. We seem to have the same ears and tonal preferences so I'm sure your descriptions are dead on. I haven't heard much about slap tone on the Alleva's though. Is THAT any good?

 

[KJung]

Ken, (with fingers in ears) I can't hear you! You are giving me GAS when I don't need it. We seem to have the same ears and tonal preferences so I'm sure your descriptions are dead on. I haven't heard much about slap tone on the Alleva's though. Is THAT any good?

It's 'old school'... more Larry Graham than Marcus Miller. I love it. I also love the slap on the Sadowsky's (more big, wide, sizzly and 'updated J'), and I also love the uber Marcus Miller tone of the Celinder Update.... all different and all great.

At the moment, that upper mid growly warmth and very 'passive' tone of the Alleva is really floating my boat!

I've though many times about swapping the HC's for SC's in my NYC Sadowsky, but then I get it on a gig and it just sounds so... well... Sadowsky... different, but just great. All good stuff, and except for the weight of my Celinder, I could play any of these for the rest of my gigs for the rest of my live and be very happy!