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Club Alleva-Coppolo (Part 21)

#2,401
ACB0015 said:
I have the LaBella low tension flatson both my KBP4 and KBP5 and I think they're great. I had TI's on them previously and really liked them but the LaBellas seem just as good and are half the price of TI's.
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I think they are even better! Not much low end going on in the TI's imo. The labella's have a nice round low end which compliments the p bass pickup which is very mid forward.

The AC flat wounds by LaBella are also really good! Just a little heavier than the Low Tensions flats - a little more bass heavy too
 
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#2,403
ElMon said:
You folks finally got me. I got too close to your orbit:

TRADED - Alleva Coppolo RA5

I'm a P-Guy, but dagum if that spank stick didn't impress the bajeesus out of me. 3-D quality to each note.

Every bit the period-correct 70's J. So, the hook was in. I feel it in my cheek. Then THIS happened:







View attachment 3623610




I blame everyone in this thread. I thought I was done, and you pulled me back in!
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7cba25c1-fc9f-44eb-b906-9c7fd662d074-png.3623610



So ... I'm in the swapping mood to check out this brand a bit more. If anyone has a heavy (10lb or so) ash/maple LM5, I'd do a trade. Just to see what it's like.

Need to stop listening to Youtube clips.
 
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#2,405
KUETSUM said:
I did have one.. compare to a few 8- 9lbs
And don't found the extra weight as a plus
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I went through a few UV5 Sadowsky Metros and the heavier ones had a bit more oomph/pitch clarity in the lows, and the lighter basses had more bloom. I had a 8.5 lb ash/maple UV5 that just didn't have it down low.

It's a subtle difference but maybe in the case of an AC it's different. Everything else about Jimmy's approach is completely unique to him thus far.
 
#2,406
ElMon said:
I went through a few UV5 Sadowsky Metros and the heavier ones had a bit more oomph/pitch clarity in the lows, and the lighter basses had more bloom. I had a 8.5 lb ash/maple UV5 that just didn't have it down low.

It's a subtle difference but maybe in the case of an AC it's different. Everything else about Jimmy's approach is completely unique to him thus far.
Click to expand...

I have a 7lb 7oz LM5. Probably the Empress wood helped, but when it comes to oomph and clarity it can't compare to any bass I've had.
 
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#2,407
This might be an obscure analogy ...

I've worked with machinists a lot in manufacturing, and as much as everyone lauds the virtues of a million-dollar-plus CNC machine, when it comes to a 1st article that needs to be absolutely flawless and not just in tolerance but nailing the exact dimensions and all the subtle details, it's the old-school guys with those horizontal/vertical lathes and mills, and the experienced eye, who make the better part.

Every time.

Not as efficient in run-time/parts-per-hour, but you can tell if you know what to look for.

Feel the same way about these AC's. There's just an extra something to the feel/build/electronics. Really changing the game for me.
 
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#2,408
ElMon said:
This might be an obscure analogy ...

I've worked with machinists a lot in manufacturing, and as much as everyone lauds the virtues of a million-dollar-plus CNC machine, when it comes to a 1st article that needs to be absolutely flawless and not just in tolerance but nailing the exact dimensions and all the subtle details, it's the old-school guys with those horizontal/vertical lathes and mills, and the experienced eye, who make the better part.

Every time.

Not as efficient in run-time/parts-per-hour, but you can tell if you know what to look for.

Feel the same way about these AC's. There's just an extra something to the feel/build/electronics. Really changing the game for me.
Click to expand...

A little off topic but kinda reflects the CNC vs hand crafted.

It freaked me out a little when I saw the neck pocket of my AC. It's not the tightest neck pocket at all. I was like "Uhhhh for a bass this price it should've been better". Then I started playing it, the sound definitely compensated for the non-perfect neck pocket.
 
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#2,409
This will rattle some people, but many others including some heavy luthiers know this. I ask Jimmy not to make my neck pockets really tight.Ive asked him to have a connection but not a strong tight one... he agrees. Why?
My bias is for less compression. It does make a difference although some would argue not worth it.
 
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#2,410
basses55 said:
This will rattle some people, but many others including some heavy luthiers know this. I ask Jimmy not to make my neck pockets really tight.Ive asked him to have a connection but not a strong tight one... he agrees. Why?
My bias is for less compression. It does make a difference although some would argue not worth it.
Click to expand...


I've gotten rid of some smoking basses that exhibited some very minor 'thang' that annoyed me on stage. No one but me would notice, but because I did notice (not enough heft AND pitch clarity on B-string; to compressed ; the 'gank' / 'sploink' I hear in Pau Ferro, to use some of my own personal quibbles) it affected my performance.

Digging down into the WHY of it all has been fun, but expensive.

As to the tight neck pocket versus not-as-tight:

When I have a smoking bass in my hands ... and for me my 'one' is my NYC Sadowsky PJ5 (heavy ash, brazilian RW) ... if you told me it was or was NOT due to the neck pocket, I'd probably go right along with it.

Heck, if you said that the builder greased the fretboard with engine-fluid from a salvaged 56' Eldorado, I'd probably go along with it.
 
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#2,411
ElMon said:
Heck, if you said that the builder greased the fretboard with engine-fluid from a salvaged 56' Eldorado, I'd probably go along with it.
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Everybody knows that the 55' El Dorado produced superior engine gunk, that minimized sploink and maximized heft. Maybe the audience can't tell, but I can. ;)
 
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#2,412
red_rhino said:
Everybody knows that the 55' El Dorado produced superior engine gunk, that minimized sploink and maximized heft. Maybe the audience can't tell, but I can. ;)
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I hate to point this out @red_rhino , but I'm almost certain that gunk you're talking about is really bad on clay dots... and if you're like me you only play basses with clay dots.

Try Datsun oil instead.
 
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#2,413
Infidelity said:
A little off topic but kinda reflects the CNC vs hand crafted.

It freaked me out a little when I saw the neck pocket of my AC. It's not the tightest neck pocket at all. I was like "Uhhhh for a bass this price it should've been better". Then I started playing it, the sound definitely compensated for the non-perfect neck pocket.
Click to expand...

basses55 said:
This will rattle some people, but many others including some heavy luthiers know this. I ask Jimmy not to make my neck pockets really tight.Ive asked him to have a connection but not a strong tight one... he agrees. Why?
My bias is for less compression. It does make a difference although some would argue not worth it.
Click to expand...

I've also talked to Jimmy in length on this... Whether by hand or CNC, he can make, and has made, air tight neck pockets so it isn't about skill or attention to detail or lack thereof; he explained that with all the vintage basses that have come through his hands, he felt that the ones with no-so-perfect neck pockets sounded better. To Mitch's point, they're more open and less compressed. I don't have the best ears but tend to agree. My LM is the best bass I've ever owned. Maybe I'm biased because of my personal relationship with Jimmy but probably not. There's no reason to lie or sugarcoat anything because you either dig the basses or you don't. So hopefully when you play one and fall in love, you wouldn't change your mind so quickly should you notice that the neck pocket, or something else, isn't dead-on-balls accurate (that's an industry term ;) ).
 
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#2,414
Regards the neck pocket discussion, I echo to @basses55 and @YCBass, for bolt on instruments, first thing I care personally is definitely not how tight is the neck pocket but overall feel, sounding and playing. If they are good, I don't care if they are Hand-routed or CNC made, or tight neck pocket or not, perhaps I will dig in why they sound better instead.

One of the best sounding 70s jazz basses I ever tried with such features, super heavy ash body with 1.5mm-2mm gap between the neck pocket and the neck, even slightly angled..so there is no absolute. :p When they are good, they are good.
 
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#2,417
TimothyGroovy said:
Regards the neck pocket discussion, I echo to @basses55 and @YCBass, for bolt on instruments, first thing I care personally is definitely not how tight is the neck pocket but overall feel, sounding and playing. If they are good, I don't care if they are Hand-routed or CNC made, or tight neck pocket or not, perhaps I will dig in why they sound better instead.

One of the best sounding 70s jazz basses I ever tried with such features, super heavy ash body with 1.5mm-2mm gap between the neck pocket and the neck, even slightly angled..so there is no absolute. :p When they are good, they are good.
Click to expand...


Doing some A/B/C tests ...

Olinto P5 (loose neck pocket) Alleva Coppolo LG6 (loose as well) Sadowsky NYC PJ5 (so tight a gnat's eyebrow couldn't get in)

I hear the open vs compressed thing.

Still think my PJ5 is my 'do anything' / 'one-stop shopper' bass, but YEAH ...

The LG5 is more open sounding
 
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