• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Club Alleva Coppolo (Part VI)

Status
Not open for further replies.
#181
NYJimmy said:
While I am here on Talk Bass I would like to thank all of you who stopped by my NAMM booth last week. Thank you for your continued support and of course the photo postings. This year is looking promising, I am inspired to get to work and provide you cats with some great basses.
-Jimmy Coppolo
Click to expand...
:hyper: :hyper: :hyper: :hyper: :D
 
#182
NYJimmy said:
While I am here on Talk Bass I would like to thank all of you who stopped by my NAMM booth last week. Thank you for your continued support and of course the photo postings. This year is looking promising, I am inspired to get to work and provide you cats with some great basses.
-Jimmy Coppolo
Click to expand...

+1...:bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#183
NYJimmy said:
The standard Hipshot bridge that I use has Brass saddles they are just plated chrome. I hope you didn't pay a lot to have your tech cut you replacement saddles for your bass...I have Hipshot use my mount hole pattern on that standard bridge so it retro fits (without any mod).
-Jimmy Coppolo
Click to expand...

Hey Jimmy,

It's always cool when you drop in on TB. Glad to hear and not surprised that Namm went so well for you. I actually paid very little for the tech to cut the saddles - way less than the cost of a replacement bridge. He asked to try it out (in a completely reversable way) because he was utterly certain I was just looking for that thicker brass sound. I think he was right. You would have laughed to hear the guy (who is highly respected here in Australia) going nuts over the build quality of the bass :)
 
#184
I am now the happy owner of Alleva Coppolo number B50033, "The Heart Breaker" (photo below).

Before I say anything about the bass I must say that I could not find a cooler guy to do business with than Jason Langley (BiggReddBass). In fact, I'm probably as excited about having a new friend as I am having a new bass.

During the decision process, Jason actually steered me to two other basses that he thought might be a better fit for what I was looking for at the time! He clearly cared more about helping a fellow bass player than he did about making a sale.

Anyway, although I'm sure you guys are familiar with this bass, here is a quick run down anyway:

Alleva Coppolo Limited 5
Serial #: B5 0033
2006
1 of 2 Walnut Tops ever made by Alleva Coppolo

Walnut Top /Alder Body
African Rosewood Fingerboard
Nitrocellulose Finish

Gold Hipshot Bridge
Gold Hipshot Cloverleaf Tuners
Gold Knobs with Inlayed Tops
Gold Dunlop Straplocks

Handwound Alleva Coppolo Pickups
Alleva Coppolo 2 band preamp
70’s Pickup Spacing


[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#185
Congrats Tom- Jason let me try that one at NAMM and it was sweet.



BTW regarding NAMM....it was a pleasure not only to try out some great basses at the booth but to also just hang with everyone there- Jimmy and crew created a nice, relaxed family feeling for everyone and its certainly appreciated. I'm sure it would be the same for anyone here making NAMM....

Cheers,
Mitch
 
#187
Bass7755 said:
Another congrats Tom. That is a beautiful Coppolo.
I'd love to know what you think about it! :)
Dan
Click to expand...
Well, I won't speak about it tonally because it shipped with coated round wounds, and I'm still trying to make up my mind about them. More importantly though, I've grown used to F-bass strings, DRs and Ken Smiths, so I may put one of those sets on it so I can do a better apples to apples comparison.

Here are my non-tonal impressions of the bass so far though.

First, this Alleva Coppolo is REALLY like my old 1976 Fender Jazz bass. In fact, when I hold it it feels like I'm playing my '76 bass, so it's weird to look down on all that dark wood, instead of the clear finished ash and maple on my Jazz bass. In every other way it feels like and plays like my 1976 Fender Jazz bass.

I take that back, it is not exactly like my 1976 Jazz bass. The Alleva Coppolo feels a LOT better built. How do I describe it? If my 1976 Fender Jazz bass were Shelley Long, then my Alleva Coppolo would be Angelina Jolie. :smug:

Second, the bass is crazy beautiful. I mean it is Fodera "almost over the top but not quite" beautiful. The gold colored hardware was a great choice with these wood colors. In fact, the wood choices and hardware choices really give this bass a classy character. How do I describe it? If my ash & maple 1976 Jazz bass was Paris Hilton, this bass would be Audrey Hepburn.

I am supposed to be at a film festival today but I'm home sick and have been alternating between napping and talkbass, so I've unexpectedly got time to spend with her. Hopefully I'll feel up to it and can play her through my bigger, nicer rig and learn more about her.
 
#191
Tom7 said:
I am now the happy owner of Alleva Coppolo number B50033, "The Heart Breaker" .

Before I say anything about the bass I must say that I could not find a cooler guy to do business with than Jason Langley (BiggReddBass). In fact, I'm probably as excited about having a new friend as I am having a new bass.

During the decision process, Jason actually steered me to two other basses that he thought might be a better fit for what I was looking for at the time! He clearly cared more about helping a fellow bass player than he did about making a sale.
Click to expand...

Hey Tom ...

Thanks for the kind words. :)
I hope she brings you much happiness & many booty shakin' grooves!!!
:cool:
Make sure to get an Alleva Coppolo Club # from Ace ...
 
#194
Tom7 said:
...Before I say anything about the bass I must say that I could not find a cooler guy to do business with than Jason Langley (BiggReddBass). In fact, I'm probably as excited about having a new friend as I am having a new bass.

During the decision process, Jason actually steered me to two other basses that he thought might be a better fit for what I was looking for at the time! He clearly cared more about helping a fellow bass player than he did about making a sale. ...
Click to expand...


Big +1 to that....great guy with very helpful and detailed input.
 
#196
peterpalmieri said:
Tom, congrats! I hope you end up in love as many of have with our A-C.

I'd be interested to know why after studying all Jimmy's specs closely you went with that particular bass?

Good luck with it!

Pete
Click to expand...
Sure. First, I've always been looking for an alder & rosewood 5-string, so that eliminated all Alleva Coppolo models but the LG5 and the 1600s; I just didn't understand the Alleva Coppolo product line well enough to know that when I started.

As for non-Alleva Coppolo considerations, an Fbass dealer posted some clips on youtube for me so I could check out the tone of the new VF5 vintage Fbass line. The severe limitations of youtube aside, that bass definitely seemed to hit the bulls eye for me as well.

Lucky for me, there happened to be 3 used LM-5s for sale (1 on talkbass, 2 not), and 3 1600s for sale (all on talkbass).

I like how black basses look, but I hate how they show finger prints, so that eliminated one of the LG5s. My wife didn't like the pinkish color of another used LG5, so that eliminated another.

My wife also disliked the white LG5 for sale on talkbass simply because it was identical in appearance to my $300 made in Mexico Fender 4 string.

"If you are going to spend THAT much money on a bass, then I want it to look like you did," she said.

Well, you can't argue with that logic, so I was now looking at the three used 1600s.

All three were VERY nice looking, so it came down to finding one with the right tone and price.

Jason had several recordings of his "Heart Breaker" that were very intriguing. Finger style it sounded totally 60s alder & rosewood, but slap it sounded 70s to me (the pickups are in the 70s position).

I made some of my bass buddies check out the clips without telling them my impressions, and 100% of them said they thought the slap tone was a 70s ash & maple bass.

Jason's bass just seemed so versatile that I sold that white Fender and added that to the money we had budgeted for a new bass and bought the Heart Breaker from Jason.

As a side note, I happen to call Jason when he was having the Alleva Coppolo preamp reinstalled at Jimmy's shop, and Jason put me on the phone with Jimmy. Jimmy told me the story of how that particular bass came to be and really praised it, and that just made me me feel even more sure I was getting a special bass... one I'd be hanging on to for life.

This bass search began a few weeks before Christmas with my wife informing me that she had saved her tips for a year and a half so she could have money I knew nothing about that I could buy a bass with. I was so blown away, I considered that money sacred and wanted to make sure that whatever bass I got with that was special, and I feel like the Heart Breaker truly meets that criteria.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dafonky
#197
Tom7 said:
This bass search began a few weeks before Christmas with my wife informing me that she had saved her tips for a year and a half so she could have money I knew nothing about that I could buy a bass with. I was so blown away, I considered that money sacred and wanted to make sure that whatever bass I got with that was special, and I feel like the Heart Breaker truly meets that criteria.
Click to expand...
DUDE!! Take care of that woman and make sure you tell her EVERY DAY how much you love her. That's the real deal right there. Wow. Congrats on finding "the extra special one"! :)

Sorry for the OT, but just had to say. :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back