Please keep in mind that I am an Alleva Coppolo fan, own a silver RA4 and really want this bass. That being said, I wish this hadn't happened and hope that Jimmy does make this right.
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vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
- 3,988
- 618
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
FWIW...
CelinderMotoMan,
I VERY STRONGLY agree with those who have said you should have waited to post here until after you had actually spoken with Jimmy and given him a chance to respond. I agree you have a valid complaint, but you are being unfair to Jimmy by posting prior to giving him a fair chance... and sorry, but email is not a fair chance. I also very strongly urge you to make sure you do get him on the phone ASAP as you have said you plan to do.
Vision,
I truly feel CelinderMotoMan's issues, while quite valid, are the exception, not the rule. So even though I'm not and endorsing artist, and have literally no dog in this fight, I'd confidently recommend you proceed as planned.
IMHO anyway.
CelinderMotoMan,
I VERY STRONGLY agree with those who have said you should have waited to post here until after you had actually spoken with Jimmy and given him a chance to respond. I agree you have a valid complaint, but you are being unfair to Jimmy by posting prior to giving him a fair chance... and sorry, but email is not a fair chance. I also very strongly urge you to make sure you do get him on the phone ASAP as you have said you plan to do.
Vision,
I truly feel CelinderMotoMan's issues, while quite valid, are the exception, not the rule. So even though I'm not and endorsing artist, and have literally no dog in this fight, I'd confidently recommend you proceed as planned.
IMHO anyway.
Just spoke with Jimmy and he was very apologetic and helpful. He is taking care of everything, on his dime, and has commited to correcting this. Great guy
+1, I'm the pickiest dude on the planet, and Jimmy can make me happy
I knew about the no refunds policy when I bought both of mine. He doesn't really have any "stock" items, so I can completely understand. I'd imagine that he can't afford to have money tied up in a bass he has no idea if and when he can resell if he were to take a refund.I love both my Coppolo's.
You were just a bit premature in your posting, that's all. Even some of the best magazines that deal in reviews of bass gear (ahem) give the luthiers or builders the chance to post commentary about the magazine's review. I completely understand having your bubble burst after the anticipation created an almost unbearable excitement, only to have it met with an unsatisfactory product.
I have no problem with you letting everyone know the details about the experience, but if you really are committed to telling everyone the whole truth of your customer service experience with Jimmy, then you should have waited for the whole customer service experience to have come to a resolution.
That said, I'm glad that it worked out for you.
why does it matter when he stated it? theres a bigger issue imo. whether its fodera or whoever, why are basses being sent out that arent perfect? theyre not cheap. we blast off the rack fenders for the smallest of things and theyre about a grand.
I agree that considering the pricepoint of these instruments (along with a host of other high-end luthiers), you expect a certain level of craftsmanship. I would be disappointed too, and I'm not saying that he shouldn't be. However, I think that the issue with "boutique" basses that we should be concerned about is not that every instrument coming out of the shop should be perfect the first time around. Jimmy's human and people make mistakes. I think the main issue is how it gets handled by the builder when they find out they have an unhappy customer.
If you talk to the guys that work at shops that carry high end basses, they send those basses back to the luthier from time to time because they're not happy with the attention to detail or craftsmanship. The good builders make their customers (retail stores and personal orders) happy, and the ones that can't generally don't find much business because of how word of mouth spreads on the internet these days.
I just feel like the whole picture wasn't being painted in his early posts. As a few have said, this is probably the exception to the rule, and not the norm for Jimmy. In a few of the posts, some people were jumping to conclusions and not giving Jimmy a chance to make it right.
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
- 3,988
- 618
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
I gotta disagree here - when it comes to situations like this I think it's fair to post the good AND the bad. It's not like MotoMan was bashing or slandering A/C, he simply let us know about a situation. Jimmy made it right, but regardless, the situation is something that I would want to hear about on talkbass as a potential customer. In the end, I feel better about placing my order than I would have if I hadn't heard anything at all - for me it's not even about the quality issues but about the customer service. Hearing about this situation makes me more confident that if something goes wrong, he'll stand behind his product.
I don't think it's right for us to expect filtered comments on here...sometimes it seems like if someone posts anything slightly less than glowing about a company that people will jump in to bash them. When you're talking about these boutique basses (especially the smaller shops like A-C), we don't have alot to go on besides the experiences of others, so every part of that experience is helpful.
I'm definitely going forward with my order now. I just wanted to make sure that Jimmy was going to make this situation right, and he did.
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
- 3,988
- 618
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
It was still part of the experience. We all knew that the story wasn't over yet and that Jimmy would have a chance to make it right.
Jimmy admitted he spaced on the Badass bridge, but whoever screwed on that back plate HAD to have seen that there were gaps, that's all I'm saying. The scratches were light and only visable at a certain angle.
I understand people make mistakes, so only charge $2000 for your basses (not directed at just Jimmy but EVERY luthier that charges high $$$ for their CUSTOM or HANDMADE instruments).
If it had been a Fender, I wouldn't have even thought twice (but then I'd still have a few grand in my pocket)
I feel sorry for you especially after the long wait and all that dough. I hope you end up getting a some sort of compensation or resolution. Makes me pause to think before placing an order for a LM...maybe I will just go down the used path....again.
But the "experience" wasn't completed yet, and in its premature state, really reflected poorly on Jimmy (IMHO moreso than was deserved... I've already agreed you have valid complaints), as if to say he'd had a fair chance to respond and chose not to. Consider Vision's reaction if you think I'm reading too much into it. Your posts almost cost Jimmy a sale. Doesn't seem right to me.
Again tho, just IMHO.
I think it'll take more than one complaint to slow that guy's business down. Man, those basses are something else! If I wasn't so committed to my cheapos these days (read: out of money for stuff I want but don't need), I'd get one. Nice and light, but a heavy tone.
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
- 3,988
- 618
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
Once again, I knew that the story wasn't complete, and I knew that I was simply waiting to see what the resolution was. It only would have cost Jimmy a sale if he didn't take care of the situation, which he ended up doing. Regardless of if this info was posted before or after the situation was taken care of, it was helpful to me. In the end, I feel better about dealing with Jimmy than I did had he have said nothing at all.
I want to be clear about this because there ARE times when someone flies off the handle prematurely because of an issue. They'll start up a new thread and title it "horrible experience with ________!!!" or "I'm never ordering a _______ again!!!" MotoMan didn't do any of this, didn't jump to conclusions, or any of that, he simply said what happened.
Well, regardless of our disagreements, one thing we agree on, is Jimmy needs to watch the product a little closer. One slipped.
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