Club Alleva Coppolo (Part 11!)

[jonno1707]

The rig that night was my F1 into a berg HS410...

 

[KJung]

The rig that night was my F1 into a berg HS410...

Yeah man... A-C, F1, HS410... yeah

 

[Andrew Jones]

Yes, But a GT6-B???

 

[jonno1707]

Yes, But a GT6-B???

You would be surprised the cats using GT6-B's..Ask Vic Wooten.

 

[gruuv]

The RA that I bought off Ken is exactly like he stated. More like an LG than the LM. To me, it's the perfect mix though and I've been using it consistantly in about 90% of my gigs because it sits so well in the mix. I do pop, church, and jazz gigs. I really get the tone I've been looking for my jazz combo which amazed me the most. Just an amazing instrument. I also bought an LG4 recently and it was great as well, but yet I just don't use fours as much, so I parted with it last week to make room for some other gear. Ken I know I've said it before, but THANK YOU!

I'm going to have a go at Ken here and revive the LG/LM/RA debate from the Part 10. I kid, Ken. . . I only kid!

Since I barely ever comment in threads anymore, I figured this was worth it. If I get booed out of the AC thread, I'll go start an alder/maple/70's placement Club thread, but I figure that as a former AC owner/club member, I am fit to comment here.

I echo the sentiments of MDFreeze here regarding the alder/maple/single coil w/ 70's pickup placement recipe. I believe I owned the RA that Jonno's got, if not, then one with the same spec's, as well as an LG, an LMG (alder/rosewood/70's placement), and I've played an LM. I've owned several Ateliers (ash/maple/60's placement), Sadowsky's (ash/maple/60), Fodera (alder/maple/60) etc...

My current bass is a Valenti 5: alder/maple/Sadowsky pre/Nordstrand 70's wind singles in 70's position. For my tone preferences, this thing is IT. I think I prefer it for the exact reason that Ken doesn't - it lacks that upper mid "gank" as he decribes it, and has more polite growl than aggressive grind.

It's the perfect combination of warm, round low end and punch, with some serious growl, and plenty of high end sizzle. It's a very unique voice with the 70's spacing, which I can really hear when soloing up high, slapping, or just digging in.

I think my problem has always been that the 60's placement was a bit too round, and big down low for me - or maybe not enough definition to the notes is a better way to describe it. I love the 70's ash/maple (heavy ash) tone for slap... LOVE IT. But the fingerstyle tone was always a bit too grindy for my taste. With alder/rosewood, the tone was great for a few sets, with brand new stainless strings, but it never had quite enough bite for me.

Enter the early 70's spec. It just happens to work perfectly for me. As Joe said, a bastard child, but adopted by moi.

I also believe it has a lot to do with my fingers and attack. A friend of mine at church who also owned a Valenti for a while has 'harsher' fingers than I do. We can pick up the same bass, EQ'ed the same way, same amp, etc... and when I play fingerstyle it always sounds a bit bigger, warmer - when he plays it's always got a bit more edge and bite.

I now get weekly, effusive praise from our sound guy and guitarist, both of whom have run sound for every big act who's ever come through here (Vic Wooten, Mayer, and so forth). Direct into a Countryman DI and to the board. Every week it's, "Man! I can't believe how good that bass sounds!"

Of all the Fodera's, Sadowsky's, AC's, etc... that I've paraded in front of them over the years, that says an awful lot. And I think a lot of it has to do with how the bass's tone compliments the sound of my fingers, or vice versa. Perfect fit.

Anyway, I credit the RA with helping me figure this out. Unfortunately AC's and I don't get along, but my experience with the RA helped me to know when I saw my Valenti that it was the one for me.

Hopefully that's helpful for some of you "on the fence" cats.

Carry on. . .

 

[sps500]

Its always great news when you hear somebody found their SOUND! If its in a Valenti,Nordy,Sadowsky or SX who cares as long you're satisfied!

 

[Vic]

I echo the sentiments of MDFreeze here regarding the alder/maple/single coil w/ 70's pickup placement recipe.
...
For my tone preferences, this thing is IT...

I think I'm in your camp as well. FWIW, I played some LM's and RA's back to back at NAMM, both in relatively quiet times as well as when the acoustic hell was in full swing. Between the two, the RA also fit me best. I also have a Geddy Lee and totally love that thing (for those that don't know, it's also alder/maple/70's). I totally get why Ken digs his LM so much, and it sounds great in all his clips, but I just love how the RA sounds a little sweeter, yet still seems to cut perfectly fine for me.

 

[Gilsonite]

I totally agree with Gruuv, I've had an LM5 for a couple of years, played several LG's, all which were very cool instruments, but... none of them hit it right at home like my RA5 signature...

 

[Chef]

It's a great thing that there are these variations available to suit us all.
I had Gruuv's axe for a bit and while it really is a gem it sure didn't suit me

Great to have choices, I say!

 

[jonno1707]

I 3rd the RA love mine is most definitely #1 bass I grab and seems to work incredibly well in even the most demanding rooms...

 

[portraitoftracy]

I want to buy a AC LM, please let me know if you want to sell, thank you AC owners.

 

[dex]

Now I see where the bell cover from my Atelier ended up.
Just kidding, I got the replacement from Fodera shop.
It`s all good....
If you ever decide to sell your RA5 just holler.

Yes and yes....
That bell cover is actually off my old Atelier Z M265 it fit perfectly with some double stick tape.It's off now as with the Jimmy's 21 fret necks it sits a touch closer to the neck heel and not as comfy as on my jazz basses.
Yes I have been using that GT6-B for years and when there programmed correctly can be incredible tools...Some gigs I take my pedal board to and others the GT.

 

[jonno1707]

Now I see where the bell cover from my Atelier ended up.
Just kidding, I got the replacement from Fodera shop.
It`s all good....
If you ever decide to sell your RA5 just holler.

You got it...

 

[Bass7755]

I 4th the RA love! I have had mine for about a year and a half
and I love it more every day.
Dan

 

[esoxhntr]

but I just love how the RA sounds a little sweeter, yet still seems to cut perfectly fine for me.

Good to see you guys are finally catching on. IMO the best all-round, and gigging bass that Jimmy makes. The RA model deserves WAY more attention than it gets.

 

[LiF]

Okay, so I'm ready to order an LM5 to go with my LG5. I can't decide between Dark Ice, Firemist Gold or Natural. It will be a standard, so no blocks or binding. Let me have your opinions on my choices.

 

[xkimsungminx]

I like how Dark Ice goes with maple boards! So +1 for Dark Ice from me.

 

[Bass7755]

Okay, so I'm ready to order an LM5 to go with my LG5. I can't decide between Dark Ice, Firemist Gold or Natural. It will be a standard, so no blocks or binding. Let me have your opinions on my choices.

Ice Blue Metalic is one of my favorite colors so that gets my vote. Sorry, I just can't get used to Dark Ice.
Dan

 

[LiF]

Ice Blue Metalic is one of my favorite colors so that gets my vote. Sorry, I just can't get used to Dark Ice.
Dan

Isn't that the same?

Sorry, if it was a joke, I'm British, we have a different sense of humour.

 

[ad9000]

I finally restrung my LM5 (pictured, acquired a couple of months ago) for the first time, and on the advice of some of the posts here I went with Hi Beams (.45-.125). I have to thank whoever it was that recommended them, 'cause they are great, and a perfect choice for the LM5 - grindy, yet with a degree of refinement, just the right tension, and they sound and feel good for fingerstyle and slapping. I use Lo Riders on some of my other basses, but I haven't used Hi Beams for many years, and I'm really glad I gave them a shot.