My HORRIBLE Alleva-Coppolo experience...

[uOpt]

First of all you spelled his name wrong. Secondly, I happen to know Jimmy personally and all the people on this thread who are taking personal swipes at Jimmy are ignorant about who he is and what kind of person he is. I also happen to know Jimmy's side of the story as I talked to him extensively today. Remember that concept, two sides to every story?? It reminds me of all the armchair judges who follow a court case on TV and pretend to know as much as the jurors who have heard every minute detail. Just my two cents.

Then why is he blaming the OP/his customer for the fretboard glue?

Because that's what he does, if you can read that paragraphless mess.

P.S. and what about the obvious hackjob in the cutaways? The OP's fault, too? The bass is in the wrong hands?

 

[blackest_frank]

Well, that did more damage.

Yikes. I mean...yikes.

 

[JoeWPgh]

So... We're done now?

Lets hope so.

 

[Jared Lash]

Just to be Devil's Advocate for a minute...

So:
Y'all do understand the 9th was Friday, which is followed by a weekend, and a Monday, right?

Y'all all act like Jimmy should wade into this thread, which is a bunch of guys who had nothing to do with this transaction, and apologize to you as a group?
Or, perhaps more likely, take a group beatdown from the lot of you; who did not have anything to do with this transaction...

And last I read in here, and I could be wrong, the OP hasn't placed a phone call to him to try and sort this out as close to "face to face" as might be possible. Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't read all 20-whatever pages, just notifications throughout the day.

Don't me wrong, I do in fact see the issue here, and I do have empathy for the OP. Things do in fact take time, and not all resolutions take place in a web forum.

I also wonder if you all would hold yourself to the same sort of standards and expectations you go on about here, not knowing anything about the vendors side of this; and what is or isn't being done about it.

There's definitely a lot here I agree with. Despite being in a technological age, not everyone checks their email habitually. And while I appreciate the service of those that do, it isn't reasonable to expect every business to email you on weekends.

This came to a head on Friday and it's now Monday afternoon. That's a very short time frame to expect a resolution. Would some companies have already done so? Sure, but many wouldn't have. Getting an agreeable resolution for everyone involved is the main point, not necessarily how fast that happens.

That said, the OP started this thread presumably because after some back and forth about his concerns (which are valid) he didn't like Jimmy's attempt at a resolution (to mail the neck for repairs - which also doesn't address body & finish issues) and then was told definitively that there were no refunds.

Since Addison stated that he hates conflict I can understand not wanting to call after that and especially not now that this has worked people into a tizzy, but I still think that might be the best option - to phone Jimmy and see what can be done.

 

[boristhespider9]

I just wanted to be one of the first to post after Jimmy's response and say, no matter what's finally agreed upon, I think we have finally discovered THE best bass for metal...

Carry on...

 

[JimmyM]

Just to be Devil's Advocate for a minute...

So:
Y'all do understand the 9th was Friday, which is followed by a weekend, and a Monday, right?

Y'all all act like Jimmy should wade into this thread, which is a bunch of guys who had nothing to do with this transaction, and apologize to you as a group?
Or, perhaps more likely, take a group beatdown from the lot of you; who did not have anything to do with this transaction...

And last I read in here, and I could be wrong, the OP hasn't placed a phone call to him to try and sort this out as close to "face to face" as might be possible. Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't read all 20-whatever pages, just notifications throughout the day.

Don't me wrong, I do in fact see the issue here, and I do have empathy for the OP. Things do in fact take time, and not all resolutions take place in a web forum.

I also wonder if you all would hold yourself to the same sort of standards and expectations you go on about here, not knowing anything about the vendors side of this; and what is or isn't being done about it.

HAH! You've got to be joking! The ones who pull out the pitchforks the fastest are always the first ones to think people should cut THEM some slack when they mess up at their job. Always.

 

[gwangi]

Okay everybody the moment you’ve all been waiting for, so sit tight and listen close because I’m only posting once. It’s frustrating and unfortunate that it has come to this as I did the best I could to work with Addison, he didn’t like any of my solutions. I viewed the photo’s that Addison posted on this thread, none of which he sent me personally by the way. I need to tell you all first that the bass was completed a year ago, so please don’t mistake it as it just came off the bench. It was a show and shop demo piece. Players spend a lot of time at my exhibits and in my shop literally playing the heck of the instruments all day. Some may consider it a used bass, well I guess its all how you look at it. The bass was never shipped to a final destination before Addison. I feel I made it clear that the bass had been played; I also believe that the discount I gave sure would have compensated for any question of what is played or worn condition (word it however you want), one man’s definition of this is different than another’s. When the bass left the shop it was set up perfect with no fret buzzing and certainly no so called “glue” marks on the fingerboard. A lot of people have seen and played this bass; Dug Pinnick, who has toured the world for decades, played it in front of me, like a man, with a pick through an amp at BPL and no buzz; with a pick everybody. The bass has been photographed; it’s even in the January issue of BP (granted the photo is small but it is in there). Do you think that I or any of the A-C fans would allow a trashed bass to be exhibited or photographed? Someone e-mailed me that “photos don’t lie”: Addison told me he is a full time graphic designer (even offered his services to me). I’m not accusing him of any foul play but it does make one think. Someone with those techniques knows angles, lighting and God knows what else to manipulate a photo. Just try it, use your Iphone with the flash on, and take a picture of your rosewood board neck close up. Now take the same photo with the flash off in normal lighting. Can you see how drastically different they are, how one looks normal and the other looks similar to Addison’s photos? Lighting can play a lot of tricks plus shooting direct flash on something close up is always going to look weird and not how your eyes see it naturally. Addison’s photos used a hard flash as you can see his thumb lit up in one of the photos. We haven’t even factored in any editing, and/or going into a photo program which exaggerates details to another level. I oil the fingerboards on all my instruments and any of those lines could have simply been an excess oil line. Heck for all we know the bass could very well have been in someone else’s hands, where that someone else could have dropped in let’s say some super thin glue alongside of the fret thus the desired effect would be achieved. To be realistic and fair because I truly want to believe that Addison would never do such a thing, for all we know the so called glue lines are simply excess fingerboard oil and just lighting. Addison solicited me, this bass was in lay-a-way for someone else. Addison really wanted it, so much so that since the bass was in lay-a-way longer than what the original purchaser and I agreed on, I called the original purchaser to see if he’d be willing to release it so Addison could have it (and I’ll just start building a replacement which production already has started). I had to be strict on the no refund policy not only because the discount, not only because he got a bass right away (and didn’t have to wait a really long completion time) but it also could have put my relationship with the original purchaser in jeopardy (fortunately all is fine there). I guess I haven’t learned yet that no good deed goes unpunished. Here’s where I’m at, I still want to help Addison even after all of this and I want this bass back. I stand by my product and I will refinish the body in nitrocellulose lacquer instead of the thin skin satin finish it currently is. I also want to see and address whatever the heck is going on with that fingerboard because as all of you who know me and my basses know that’s not how they are. This bass is obviously in the wrong hands. Once it is back it will get some extra TLC increasing the value (heck just the entire hoopla may have increased the value, this bass is legendary now) and then needs to go to the right player and right home. Since Addison chooses to use this public forum to discuss our private business through, as long as he has not made the charge back claim with the credit company yet, I want him to please send the bass back for a full refund. If he has already made the charge back claim as he suggested, than it may be too late as it becomes a legal issue and the credit card company takes things from there. I’m not 100% sure of this but it does need to be looked into and discussed. I like to thank all the people who privately messaged me with support. Talk Bass can be a great service bringing all of us in the music community together; it’s a shame that there is what seems to be a mob mentality without even considering two sides to a story. It is things like this that keep me away from these forums. Take care everybody, keep playing.

Jimmy Coppolo

I will never never buy one of this guys basses, he comes off arrogant and doesn't care about his reputation, I think Addison is telling the truth and the builder can't admit to his mistakes and doesn't seem to want to take responsibility, this type of attitude is unacceptable.

 

[rastap]

I just have to chime in to say that in this case the OP is probably in the right based on the evidence presented and will probably get a refund, BUT in the wrong hands, an internet forum can be a dangerous weapon. In a mere two days, Jimmy's reputation has been tarnished in a major way. Google is not as forgiving as a human being, that's for sure. We should be very careful in taking this course of action. The only criticism I have of the OP is maybe you should have mentioned to Jimmy that you were planning on posting to Talkbass and give him another chance. Maybe you already had.

My guess is that Jimmy's move to the West Coast has not gone as smooth as expected. Based on evidence I've seen on his own website, TB and elsewhere, he has acquired a CNC machine that has taken him quite a while to set up and utilize properly. Getting it up and running probably messed up his build schedule and caused some haste when finishing instruments. He's definitely going through growing pains that most small businesses experience when their products gain popularity and demand. Even though these instruments command very high dollars, his overhead might still be too high and causing him to push out sub-par work in order to compensate. I sincerely hope he irons out these kinks and returns to building the great instruments he was known for during his period in NYC.

With all that said I'd also be pretty pissed, to say the least, if I received an abomination like that.

I agree with your assessment. Growing too fast can really harm a small business if they're not ready for it.

 

[kedo]

Flash-induced chisel marks on the horn.

 

[djg714]

Wow, amazing.

 

[Lesfunk]

Note to self, Don't let Dug Pinnick play my bass.

 

[blackest_frank]

It's kind of interesting that in every online forum I've ever been on (and I've been on a lot), that when someone gets accused of screwing over a member (and is obviously in the wrong) they eventually reply to the multi-page thread with a wall of text that sounds slightly sweaty. I swear, from the car communities to the prop-making communities to the drumming communities to the bass communities, it's like the same exact guy wrote the reply of the accused manufacturer.
Weird.

 

[Old Fart]

I think Jimmy coulda/shoulda worded the center part of that post differently, in a way that might help to dismiss some of the photos without sounding accusatory. But....

The guy did the right thing. Refund. And he reiterated his commitment to quality. Which I now believe. Both parties are redeemed.

 

[jwr]

I will never never buy one of this guys basses, he comes off arrogant and doesn't care about his reputation, I think Addison is telling the truth and the builder can't admit to his mistakes and doesn't seem to want to take responsibility, this type of attitude is unacceptable.

Agreed. I think this whole thing could have been handled better. I still feel bad for the OP and don't believe for a second he photoshopped his pics. What a lame, pulling at strings excuse. My God.

To say the bass is in the wrong hands is an understatement. It ought to be in the trash mans hands.

 

[kedo]

Note to self, Don't let Dug Pinnick play my bass.

But rest assured, if he does, it will be in front of you.


Like a man.


With a pick, people.


Like a man.

 

[jpeck02]

Note to self, Don't let Dug Pinnick play my bass.

LOL.

What kind of pick did he use?!?

 

[jwr]

Note to self, Don't let Dug Pinnick play my bass.

Lol

 

[blackest_frank]

Note to self, Don't let Dug Pinnick play my bass.

That is hilarious. Sigged.

 

[dex]

I think Jimmy coulda/shoulda worded the center part of that post differently, in a way that might help to dismiss some of the photos without sounding accusatory. But....

The guy did the right thing. Refund. And he reiterated his commitment to quality. Which I now believe. Both parties are redeemed.

+1

 

[TimBosby]

I just wanted to be one of the first to post after Jimmy's response and say, no matter what's finally agreed upon, I think we have finally discovered THE best bass for metal...

Carry on...

LOL.