Club Alleva Coppolo (Part VI)

[KJung]

has spoiled me to the point where I cannot play my other basses. My turnaround time on GAS basses I had to have used to be 3-4 months - Now I simply buy them, have them setup, play them for a day and realize that I cannot get that tone or feel, take a picture of them and move em on.

I have only had the Alleva for 6 weeks - and in that time I have turned around 2 other basses with the third (thinking I needed something radically different) being received yesterday, played last night (1980 Bullet Bass 30' scale) which as of this morning has to go. Will have to think of another hobby (instead of hunting down unique basses) now that I am attached to this AC.

I know the feeling! Since I bought my LM about a year and a half ago, the only basses I have left are an LG I purchased last year and one Sadowsky, with zero GAS period. I'm even selling off much of my backline stash, since these basses sound so good to me through just about anything! Wonderful stuff.

Of course, depends on the tone you are looking for (many feel the same way about their Fodera's, MTD's, etc.). But man, if you are looking for a tone that most would call 'vintage Fender' in an uber quality 5 string instrument with a preamp, these things are just simply the bomb.

 

[esoxhntr]

has spoiled me to the point where I cannot play my other basses

...

This is becoming an all too familiar circumstance.

 

[peterpalmieri]

As a guy that is new to the concept of gigging a 5 string P bass it is hard for me to really describe what I'm going through here.

I can say first my ear still is but has to a large extent started to adjust to the new sound. Playing a P bass with flats is like night and day compared to slappin away on my LG-5.

To some degree these obervations I guess are rookie P vs. J but the P sits under and supports the wall of sound, you can feel it and hear it at lower volumes in the mix and allot of the mid growl that you hear solo'd kind of goes away in the mix. It tends to do less cluttering on stage and allows me to hear more of the other things going on. It also imparts a different feel and is making me focus in different ways stylisticly. The obvious down side of loosing the high end associated with a J with steel rounds applies.

Specifically to Jimmy's bass. I have to say it is masterful, very light, balances perfectly, feels great and sounds awesome. The Nitro on the neck does tend to collect junk from my fingers that needs to be wiped off unlike the poly. I used some lok-tite on the saddles so they didn't slip at all during a long night of playing, so my setup is just about perfect at this point.

I wish I had an experience with a KBP-5 other then a Dalbergia board. Since I don't it's hard for me to tell what that wood is imparting into the tone and possibly feel. I am really looking forward to getting these strings old and broken in and working down the neck finish with hours of playing.

In any case I have been given the opportunity to find out if I'm a "P-bass kinda guy" with probably the best possible example at least in terms of 5 strings and I'm grateful to be able to do it....

 

[tommixx]

As a guy that is new to the concept of gigging a 5 string P bass it is hard for me to really describe what I'm going through here.

I can say first my ear still is but has to a large extent started to adjust to the new sound. Playing a P bass with flats is like night and day compared to slappin away on my LG-5.

To some degree these obervations I guess are rookie P vs. J but the P sits under and supports the wall of sound, you can feel it and hear it at lower volumes in the mix and allot of the mid growl that you hear solo'd kind of goes away in the mix. It tends to do less cluttering on stage and allows me to hear more of the other things going on. It also imparts a different feel and is making me focus in different ways stylisticly. The obvious down side of loosing the high end associated with a J with steel rounds applies.

Specifically to Jimmy's bass. I have to say it is masterful, very light, balances perfectly, feels great and sounds awesome. The Nitro on the neck does tend to collect junk from my fingers that needs to be wiped off unlike the poly. I used some lok-tite on the saddles so they didn't slip at all during a long night of playing, so my setup is just about perfect at this point.

I wish I had an experience with a KBP-5 other then a Dalbergia board. Since I don't it's hard for me to tell what that wood is imparting into the tone and possibly feel. I am really looking forward to getting these strings old and broken in and working down the neck finish with hours of playing.

In any case I have been given the opportunity to find out if I'm a "P-bass kinda guy" with probably the best possible example at least in terms of 5 strings and I'm grateful to be able to do it....

Welcome to the world of the P bass...the Dalbergia will have an affect on the sweetness of the tone to be sure but it definitely will have a big impact on how the bass "feels" as you play. There is something about the way the notes feel as you play them with the Dalbergia that is very intangible but is definitely there and noticeable when compared to a bass without the Dalbergia. Personally I find that a little sanding of the neck (very little and very subtle) is required for me for most necks now. It gives that sense of being played in from the get go versus having to spend so many hours playing to get the same thing. I highly recommend Rob L at the Sadowsky shop for this! He not only does killer setups but is a real master at taking the neck down perfectly without affecting the finish at all.

Peace,

T

 

[76Dub]

Lets see your new bass Tom

 

[peterpalmieri]

Welcome to the world of the P bass...the Dalbergia will have an affect on the sweetness of the tone to be sure but it definitely will have a big impact on how the bass "feels" as you play. There is something about the way the notes feel as you play them with the Dalbergia that is very intangible but is definitely there and noticeable when compared to a bass without the Dalbergia. Personally I find that a little sanding of the neck (very little and very subtle) is required for me for most necks now. It gives that sense of being played in from the get go versus having to spend so many hours playing to get the same thing. I highly recommend Rob L at the Sadowsky shop for this! He not only does killer setups but is a real master at taking the neck down perfectly without affecting the finish at all.

Peace,

T

I might take the neck down with 0000 steel wool, I've done it on other basses. This bass seems special not sure I am ready to change anything just yet..

 

[Bass_Trax]

I have the same basses as you (LG5 & KBP5 w/ dalbergia and flats) and agree with your assessment. I'm a J bass guy at heart but the P5 is alot of fun too!

As a guy that is new to the concept of gigging a 5 string P bass it is hard for me to really describe what I'm going through here.

I can say first my ear still is but has to a large extent started to adjust to the new sound. Playing a P bass with flats is like night and day compared to slappin away on my LG-5.

To some degree these obervations I guess are rookie P vs. J but the P sits under and supports the wall of sound, you can feel it and hear it at lower volumes in the mix and allot of the mid growl that you hear solo'd kind of goes away in the mix. It tends to do less cluttering on stage and allows me to hear more of the other things going on. It also imparts a different feel and is making me focus in different ways stylisticly. The obvious down side of loosing the high end associated with a J with steel rounds applies.

Specifically to Jimmy's bass. I have to say it is masterful, very light, balances perfectly, feels great and sounds awesome. The Nitro on the neck does tend to collect junk from my fingers that needs to be wiped off unlike the poly. I used some lok-tite on the saddles so they didn't slip at all during a long night of playing, so my setup is just about perfect at this point.

I wish I had an experience with a KBP-5 other then a Dalbergia board. Since I don't it's hard for me to tell what that wood is imparting into the tone and possibly feel. I am really looking forward to getting these strings old and broken in and working down the neck finish with hours of playing.

In any case I have been given the opportunity to find out if I'm a "P-bass kinda guy" with probably the best possible example at least in terms of 5 strings and I'm grateful to be able to do it....

 

[Bassist30]

The Jamerson set is 52 73 95 110 a I guess the labella flat B is 129.

I should have asked if you play upright. Do you know obligato's? thats the upright string that's like TI flats. In terms of tension and sound.


Aj

Great strings the Obligato's. I wonder how gut surrounded by medal would sound on the Bass Guitar. It would be thinner but you never know unless there is a company doing that.
Just day dreaming.

 

[peterpalmieri]

The Jamerson set is 52 73 95 110 a I guess the labella flat B is 129.

I should have asked if you play upright. Do you know obligato's? thats the upright string that's like TI flats. In terms of tension and sound.


Aj

I am splitting hairs but the Labella site lists the B as .128

 

[tommixx]

Lets see your new bass Tom

Sorry been in and out a lot...She is a beauty and sounds better than she looks! I will post up some details later but she rocked on the few gigs I have had her on!

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Enjoy...


Peace,

T

 

[kobass]

^^^^^^^^





Wow! Awesome bass, Tom!

Congrats!

 

[Bass7755]

WOW...that's a lot of RED! Looks great Tommix!
Dan

 

[smakbass]

I covet thy bass.

 

[thndrstk6]

So is the colored neck going to be a custom feature or not?

 

[tommixx]

So is the colored neck going to be a custom feature or not?

This is a Booker King Signature model and as far as I know the colored neck is unique to this model. The Body and neck on this one are both Ash and the Board is a finished Maple that is very snappy feeling. She is very clear sounding and very detailed. She is not as percussive as an Ash/Maple Sadowsky I have but she is clearer sounding and the tone is more detailed throughout the entire range. She is very even and the D and G are both H U G E sounding but still very even volume wise with the rest of the bass. The B is not surprisingly very even with the E and sounds unbelievable!!! Overall the output of all the strings is very even volume wise but the B, D, and G sound bigger than the B, D, and G of the Sadowsky I have compared it to (an MV5) which is much tamer and not as in your face as the Booker King. I changed strings on both of these to brand new identical sets of Sadowsky Blue Nickel strings and I set the input levels on the Preamp for each bass using the input meter of my console so they are both identical input levels. The BK needs an identical setup to the Sadowsky to make it fair. The Sadowsky setup was done by Rob L at Sadowsky and I going to send this one to him to do as well. Nothing wrong with Jimmy's setup at all but it came from sunny California to a cold spell we had here in VA and I am thinking that I want to have the setups matched by Rob. To be fair when I got it I took out just a touch of relief from the truss Rod and when I got the Sadowsky back from the shop I had to add a touch of relief so I am thinking the climate change is the culprit. I was going to sand the neck a bit but I don't want to lose any of the finish on this beautiful bass so after a LOT of thought I am going to leave it as is. Jimmy was a true prince in helping me to pick this bass over some of the others after talking to him about what I needed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate his honesty in all the transactions I have done with him. I am very happy with this bass and my experience in the buying process. Thanks Jimmy!

 

[PocketGroove82]

I would have asked for a red on the fretboard too =D
Nice Bass!

 

[tommixx]

I would have asked for a red on the fretboard too =D
Nice Bass!

lol....it was already built....it probably would have looked fabulous!

Peace,

T

 

[sps500]

Sweet bass William!!!

 

[thndrstk6]

So is the Booker King bass going to be a production model that we can all buy or is it just
a one time deal for him?

If not can we order let's say a LG or an RA with a matching neck?

 

[tommixx]

So is the Booker King bass going to be a production model that we can all buy or is it just
a one time deal for him?

If not can we order let's say a LG or an RA with a matching neck?

Thanks guys! I think you can order one just like this if you want. As far as I know Jimmy can do more or less anything you want on Custom builds. He may be moving away from this but I know at one time you could get more or less anything you want. The Booker King model was something he did especially for Booker but I would think that he could do another one as long as he can get the materials to do it with. I for one feel very lucky to have gotten this one!!! I think you can get a matching headstock and probably a matching neck on any bass he builds obviously for a price. Give him a call to be sure he is a great guy to talk to and to deal with, he really knows what he is doing!!

Peace,

T