Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Nick Brown

⭐Supporting Member⭐
  • Posts

    66
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Nick Brown

  1. [quote name='birdy' post='528406' date='Jun 30 2009, 10:23 AM']Thats gorgeous Nick!! Is it the 1600 model? Now that you have had it a few? months how are you finding it? Steve[/quote] Hi Steve It's an LG5 with a spalted Alder body. It's really very light in weight. I'm finding it really very good. The pickups and preamp a are great. The bass plays beautifully, nice low action. The neck is one of the nicest I've ever had both in feel and stability. I tweaked the truss rod when it arrived and I changed to a different gauge of strings and since then I've not had to touch it. Sounds great through the IP stack. Cheers Nick
  2. Thought I'd join in .............
  3. [quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='489699' date='May 16 2009, 12:05 PM']are you sure?? [url="http://www.myspace.com/138342557"]http://www.myspace.com/138342557[/url][/quote] They moved the shop last year
  4. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='422184' date='Mar 1 2009, 06:46 AM']You'd think so but the world of endorsements is a murky one...[/quote] Not murky at all in this case. There's a thread on Talkbass where it's made known he bought his Alleva's and as far as I'm aware that's how it works for everyone of Jimmy's customers.
  5. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='421022' date='Feb 27 2009, 03:39 PM']Yeah but you might also want to ask WHY is Paul Turner playing one? [/quote] Because he bought them ??
  6. [quote name='largo' post='420812' date='Feb 27 2009, 12:37 PM']Think I'm missing something here... I can see the point of tonewoods having an effect on an acoustic instrument, guitar, violin, cello etc. However, don't these AC basses have active circuits? Isn't the sound pretty much dictated by the preamp circuit & the pickups than anything else. Both my custom basses I chose whatever I thought looked good in terms of woods, finishes etc. and chose the preamp/pickup combination that gave me the sound. Wish I'd known better ;0)[/quote] Well, yes they (AC) do have active preamps but they also have passive at the pull of a knob (ooerrrr). Are you saying that your choice of pickups and preamp are 100% responsible for the sound of your basses ??
  7. [quote name='LukeFRC' post='420520' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:53 PM']recycle old tudor furniture as basses, anything prewar really will have been better seasoned.... double bass, violin, accoustic guitar yeah i can see its worth it but otherwise it baffels me. having said that I bet they are lovely things to play.[/quote] I'm sure I recall that Roger Sadowsky's view is that the acoustic performance of an electric instrument determines how well the instrument sounds when plugged in. There's a free to view documentary floating around somewhere where he mentions this idea and he seems to have a pretty good handle on what makes a bass sound good. I'm sure we've all had instruments that just seem to blossom and transmit vibration to the body with the lightest touch. I've never tested if these are the best sounding but I find that quality appealing, maybe it provides an enhanced feeling of contact with the instrument ? There again I don't think this quality is purely the domain of instruments using old woods, heck I had a Status Stealth that did the trick in spades, but I do think careful choice of woods can be pretty important in a timber instrument. The Alleva I have is probably the most "alive" instrument that I've personally owned and this translates into it's plugged in sound, so whatever Jimmy Coppolo's formula is I think it definitely works. As usual all IMO and YMMV. You are right they are wonderful to play
  8. [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='420261' date='Feb 26 2009, 05:59 PM']The wood is aged for a long time, a bit like fodera. What this means in terms of sound is up to you. If course, you COULD buy an 80's Squier Jv and have pretty much the same thing with some upgraded hardware and pickups. But it wouldn't be an Avella and it probably wouldn't have the same attention to detail. BUT, if its old wood you're after there's plenty of it out there...[/quote] The woods that Jimmy uses are usually proper old woods as opposed to kiln dried "aged" woods. That and the attention to detail, some of the best fret work I've seen. His own proprietary pick ups wound in house and the preamp, again proprietary. All these things make these basses a little different to a lot of the J type basses around IMO. As with everything it really depends what you are looking for in a bass. There is at least one Alleva Coppolo in the UK already
  9. I changed to the Willis technique when I studied with Stuart Bradley. At that time I played 6 string exclusively so effective muting could be a little bit of a handful. The main point(s) of the technique in my eyes, and on this I respectfully differ from Mike, are to cut down on left hand muting and noise produced by said activity. and also to maintain a more constant hand position, relative to the strings, whichever string is being played. Sure, as Mike mentioned, it is also based around very light touch and does bring the third finger into play but for different reasons to say Matt's technique IMO. He explains the reasoning in his instructional video. It certainly worked for me although I struggled to start with and I can certainly see how it would not be for everyone. It does encourage a relaxed right hand position if performed for maximum advantage and certainly got me out of the horrible planted thumb/cocked wrist position I had before. After a year or so it was second nature.
  10. [quote name='urb' post='414010' date='Feb 19 2009, 11:03 AM']Cool Nick - I was lucky enough to go to their workshop and meet both Vinnie and Joey (for that feature in BGM some months back) and they are top guys and realise the situation they are in (supply/demand/price etc) - my opinions of their basses are not biased against them personally and I know that they can and do produce stunning instruments - it's just a shame that the demands of a mass market don't match up with a relatively small workshop style business. As Vinnie said "the wood has to age for several years and that's the equivalent of putting £15,000 on a shelf for 5 years..." and the rents in Brooklyn are going through the roof... so I do sympathise a bit with them, but hey what luthier in the world wouldn't want to be in their situation? M[/quote] I met Vinnie and Joey at Bass Day 2000 and they were both incredibly cool guys. Having since spoken to them on numerous occasions they have never been less than courteous and helpful. I am with you on the whole judgment of their instruments, each one stands or falls on it's own merits. There is no blanket all <insert name of maker> basses are bad/good, it's very much down to personal preference. Like any other luthiers they are going to have their share of problems and instruments that don't seem to hit the mark. I think also that sometimes as a player it's possible to find a maker whose idea of the perfect instrument closely mirrors your own and in that case price wouldn't be the primary consideration in the equation. I feel the parameters of the "perfect bass" can change over time too as playing style and requirements change. Nice Sei you have btw, I commissioned the first singlecut Martin built in an attempt to obtain something like the AJ, at the time Chris was still working with Martin, it was a nice bass too. It shows how tastes can change as now I only have one of my Sei basses left and it rarely gets played these days, no reflection at all on the quality of the bass which is superb.
  11. I think it's all down to how a particular instrument fits your dreams and/or needs. Urb hits the nail on the head. IMO Fodera instruments are as individual as any other "boutique" basses and individual examples will either float your boat or not. I've had around 5 Fodera basses through my hands over the years and of those 5 the 2 I've kept are IMO really very special instruments. I personally love the way Vinnie carves the necks. I've had the same experiences with a lot of other makes including Sei, F Bass, Ken Smith and Alembic. So the value question is not one that can be covered in a blanket way IMO, it all depends on the particular instrument. Currently have a Monarch 4 and the AJ Presentation 6. I almost made the error of selling the AJ but luckily for me the wife brought me back to my senses.
  12. [quote name='Ou7shined' post='407570' date='Feb 12 2009, 01:27 PM']Have you seen his toggle and shoelace "Quick Fit Headstock Connector"?[/quote] At least now I know where the buttons from my duffel coat went !!
  13. Even more apposite is the user name of the seller .................
  14. [quote name='Delberthot' post='392533' date='Jan 27 2009, 11:06 AM']plastic knobs?[/quote] You think that's bad on one of my Fodera's I didn't get any knobs at all
  15. Definitely a cool guy. He was very helpful when I was putting together my Bergantino IP rig, this in the days pre UK importer. He's also involved with an online/hard copy gear review magazine :- [url="http://www.bassgearmag.com/web/"]Bass Gear Magazine[/url]
  16. [quote name='Toasted' post='386129' date='Jan 20 2009, 02:21 PM']That one from Paul's Bass Matters is AMAZING. Nice, Nick Brown![/quote] Thanks Toasted, Paul was great to deal with
  17. Better late than never !! OK, I'm usually a bit of a modern bass fan but I always liked the vintage Jazz bass tone. I was never that impressed by the feel and build of the Fenders I played some years back and didn't want to play in the minefield of vintage (or not) Jazz basses. So I started looking at possible substitutes for a nice early Jazz bass. It was at this point I started to look at Sadowsky and Alleva Coppolo basses. The Alleva's seem more aimed at re-creating the vintage Jazz bass so I started to look around and also discuss options with Jimmy Coppolo. I was always looking for a 5 string and eventually was set on the path of an LG5 as I've always liked the Rosewood board/Alder body combination. I would have gone for a new build but by chance I came across an ex NAMM LG5 in a store over in the Netherlands, seemed to me that returning the bass in Europe would be simpler if I really didn't get on with it. So it arrived before Xmas and then over the holiday period I really didn't do much apart from watch movies and eat Maltesers. Now I've put some nice strings on it and had a good play around. It really is a great bass both in feel and sound. The neck is absolutely beautiful, very fast and very smooth, I understand that Jimmy prefers to use properly old woods as he feels these are more stable and sound better. This instrument plays very slickly with the low action I prefer, no chokes or rattles all over the neck. Jimmy winds his own pickups and they sound great, very full toned but still with bags of clarity. The Alleva Coppolo preamp is great too, boost only on bass and treble but not over egging the pudding even at the fully boosted settings. Now some pictures :-
  18. Just an obvious track, how about getting in touch with Martin at Sei and discussing possible options and costs ?
  19. [quote name='misrule' post='375430' date='Jan 9 2009, 05:26 PM']Chris McIntyre in Peckham does a good job. He set up my Thunderbird which now plays like a dream. [url="http://www.mcintyreguitars.com/contact.htm"]His address[/url] Cheers Mark[/quote] Seconded, Chris always does a great job.
  20. [quote name='chris_b' post='364157' date='Dec 27 2008, 01:46 PM']I don't know if these guys make instrument cables, as such, but Shunyata make the most expensive cables ("LS-188 Classic Mk 2 speaker cables ($5800 per eight-foot pair") I've heard of, and they're cryogenically frozen to improve the sound!!! Apparently Dave Gilmour uses them in his studio, well he would wouldn't he![/quote] I think the cables you mention are made my Siltech.
  21. Funny how this thread comes up just as I take delivery of an LG5. I'll post up some pics and impressions in a little while.
  22. Definitely not scared to touch mine, that's a demonstration of economy of effort. Thanks to Mark for re-christening me as Pete It was certainly nice to meet the guys and spend the day talking bass. The other parts of the collection are as follows :- Fodera Anthony Jackson Presentation 6 string F Bass BN6 6 string STR 648 6 string Fodera Monarch 4 string Amplification by Bergantino and Millennia. Plus of course the new Wood & Tronics Zoid that Enrico designed. Which I have to say is an extraordinary piece of work. I will get some more pictures of this bass in the near future but for anyone interested Mark has some, that Enrico took, posted on his site. We all had a great day, as OldGit said a day of bass guitars and chocolate pudding. Big thanks to my missus for the catering. Pugz, good to hear your positive response to the Wood & Tronics basses. I look forward to seeing what you decide.
  23. I don't know you settle down for a quiet Saturday with the trouble and strife and then ...........
  24. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 1 post to view.
  25. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 1 post to view.
×
×
  • Create New...