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My HORRIBLE Alleva-Coppolo experience...
- Thread starter Addison
- Start date
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Exactly..I expect cheap hardware, fret sprout, crappy pickups, but I've never seen a Squier or Sx with those obvious finish flaws... I hope this is resolved to the OP satisfaction.
This situation is sad on so many levels. The main one is that this was a dream bass purchase, a fairly high dollar one at that. To have what should've been a great experience go this horribly wrong... wow.
I know several small luthiers and know how tough a market that can be to survive in so when I read the OP the question that practically screamed at me was "Why???".
Why would anyone sell a bass in that condition? Seems like it would require pretty some dire straits.
I hope the OP is compensated in full and that everything's okay with Jimmy.
I know several small luthiers and know how tough a market that can be to survive in so when I read the OP the question that practically screamed at me was "Why???".
Why would anyone sell a bass in that condition? Seems like it would require pretty some dire straits.
I hope the OP is compensated in full and that everything's okay with Jimmy.
I absolutely do get a no return policy on custom guitars and am good with it. If I order a 33" scale 6 string pink fretless as an example and just don't like it, if I return it, my crazy spec would be hard to resell. That is unfair for a small luthier.
BUT any good company would (should) take back defective product to fix or replace. This is definately a defective product based on the pics/video... IMO anyways.
id think itd be better for a brand in general to not let out pieces like this where you obviously just f'd up
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/alleva-coppolo-lm5-namm-2010-a-862623/
and still charge 5k new.
when i saw that spalted alder with the painted neck, it immediately made me think of that lm and what could possibly be under that finish.
I once held that name in high regard. What removed AC from being in any area deserving of respect is not the instrument, but the conduct of the luthier. That is down right pathetic.
I actually went thru the whole thread wanting to see a response from Jimmy. Like many, I have played his instruments and they have been unbelievable. He is capable of building great instruments, so this one should've never left the shop. The OP deserves a refund.
Worse for Jimmy, is that it makes many people hesitant to purchase one of his instruments. The damage to his reputation with a large part of his target audience has been affected forever. Sadly, it is now off of my wish list. Don't want to take the chance.
Worse for Jimmy, is that it makes many people hesitant to purchase one of his instruments. The damage to his reputation with a large part of his target audience has been affected forever. Sadly, it is now off of my wish list. Don't want to take the chance.
It should be noted that what has happened here does not erase the fact that the other AC basses out there on the market are top notch instruments. Those basses that are out there getting played and displayed on TB are what got the OP interested and excited to buy one in the first place. Now, I can definitely identify with anyone who would be hesitant to buy a new one, but the used market, the few that get resold anyway, are still very high quality instruments. That hasn't changed in the least bit.
At this price point, and considering it's supposed to be handmade, one screwup like this is bad enough that I would never think about owning one of these basses.
I feel like I need I say one more thing before I go to bed and not sleep again...
Any of you who have wanted to buy an AC should not be deterred by this thread. I mean that sincerely. I wholeheartedly believe that Jimmy has made insanely good basses before, and I believe he is still capable of doing it now.
I would buy one, as long as I could play it first. I don't know what happened with my bass... I'm not even going to speculate on it.
I would just simply try to buy used or from a dealer that will allow you to make sure it's exactly what you want before you commit to it, and stay away from buying direct if there is a "ALL SALES FINAL" policy.
And I also don't think this is exclusive to A-C either... this should be the case for every builder.
Anyway, I'm mentally exhausted... g'night, y'all.
Any of you who have wanted to buy an AC should not be deterred by this thread. I mean that sincerely. I wholeheartedly believe that Jimmy has made insanely good basses before, and I believe he is still capable of doing it now.
I would buy one, as long as I could play it first. I don't know what happened with my bass... I'm not even going to speculate on it.
I would just simply try to buy used or from a dealer that will allow you to make sure it's exactly what you want before you commit to it, and stay away from buying direct if there is a "ALL SALES FINAL" policy.
And I also don't think this is exclusive to A-C either... this should be the case for every builder.
Anyway, I'm mentally exhausted... g'night, y'all.
Its more money, but I'd get a lawyer. 5k is no joke, and this was pretty obvious fraud. You have communiqué documented. A quick lawyer consultation might be 100-200, but might also let you know your chances on financial redemption. This thread took AC off of my by list for good.
I feel bad for the OP. I have paid 5K for a bass only once in my life, and I sent it back. It was a Smith 6'er and I felt the neck was tiny bit too thick for me. But other than that it was godly and amazing. It was definitely someone else's dream bass. This one, the pics make me sad, honestly.
What makes me angry here is the posts I've seen over the years where guys bought Carvins and sent them back because they thought there was a slight imperfection in the finish (of their $1200 bass) and loudly swore off the brand forever. "Over here, where the neck meets the body on the treble side there is something that looks almost like a bubble"....nothing like globs of glue on the fretboard!
I've played a total of 1 AC in my life, a 5 string P bass that was very nice playing, looking, and sounding (and I really don't like P basses), but damn. No matter what the end story here is, and I honestly don't think a refund makes this all better, Carvin would have put this one to the bandsaw and it never would have gotten out 'into the wild'.
Is it crazy I have Pink Floyd on right now?
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight ...
What makes me angry here is the posts I've seen over the years where guys bought Carvins and sent them back because they thought there was a slight imperfection in the finish (of their $1200 bass) and loudly swore off the brand forever. "Over here, where the neck meets the body on the treble side there is something that looks almost like a bubble"....nothing like globs of glue on the fretboard!
I've played a total of 1 AC in my life, a 5 string P bass that was very nice playing, looking, and sounding (and I really don't like P basses), but damn. No matter what the end story here is, and I honestly don't think a refund makes this all better, Carvin would have put this one to the bandsaw and it never would have gotten out 'into the wild'.
Is it crazy I have Pink Floyd on right now?
One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight ...
Two years ago, a superb bassist and I spent an afternoon with a whole bunch of fine basses, including two AC basses. We both came away thinking that the AC's didn't live up to the hype and reputation. Don't want to speak for the other guy, whom I've not seen for a while, but last time I saw him it was Callowhill in his hands, and I've stuck with a Sadowsky Metro that I brought to that little party.
I suspect the real deal is that the AC axes are well-concieved, but inconsistent in execution. Which happens to coincide with the OP's situation. Maybe the name players get the good ones?
That's the real issue. I'm just shaking my head reading through the thread. I will likely buy a boutique instrument one of these days... I originally thought it might be an electric guitar but I'm thinking just a nice high quality bass now... and I'm more inclined to just get parts and do it myself, or mod a Squier or a used MIM to get what I want... (refinishing/painting a body is no big deal...)
I know a few small builders and your reputation is only as good as your last instrument and how you treat people fairly. That thing looks like its been played 8 hours a day at the local GC by a bunch of hyperactive 13 year olds for a couple of months. At least CG will knock the price when they're trying to move blemished instruments (and depending how bad they want it out of the store you may be able to deal more).
As a small luthier, sending something like this out and charging 5 grand for it is the equivalent of putting a gun in your mouth and pulling the trigger over and over. Its either arrogance, cluelessness or both.
This is what bothers me most.
If I'm giving someone 5k of my hard earned dollars, I'm placing a lot of trust in their ability to deliver what's promised. AC broke OP's trust and then as much as admitted that the only way he was going to get his money back was if they were able to break trust with someone else by passing the lemon on. New guy (ie. unsuspecting dupe) would probably get the same story as OP did: "well, you know, we have this bass on layaway and the guy who put it there is broke".
Sorry, but unless some new information comes to light, I could never bring myself to recommend buying an AC, new or used. The kind of treatment the OP is experiencing is reprehensible on the highest level.
Someone needs to email the builder this thread. Because if he has any brains in his head, he will immediately refund the 5 grand upon receipt of the bass, no questions asked. The damage to his reputation has already probably cost a lot more than simply giving the guy his money back.
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