Even the best luthiers have their off-days...

[wateroftyne]

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/my-horrible-alleva-coppolo-experience-1006426/"]Interesting thread[/url] over on Talkbass.

Assuming everything is as it appears to be... oh dear.

[Cairobill]

Yes, just been perusing this thread. I had the opportunity to play a blocks and binding AC at the gallery a while back and came away thinking that the bass was a nasty piece of work and a colossal waste of money.

[uncle psychosis]

What a horrible situation.

It also strikes me that people in the USA seem to have very few consumer rights. Thank god for DSR in the UK!

[Jellyfish]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1376265276' post='2171600']
What a horrible situation.

It also strikes me that people in the USA seem to have very few consumer rights. Thank god for DSR in the UK!
[/quote]

On the flip-side, isn't the process of getting your money back in a sort of small claims court type situation easier in the USA?

It's a shame to hear stuff like this, especially considering the amount the guy paid for it. I don't know much about Alleva-Coppolo, apart from the fact that they're supposed to be a premium brand, but it seems odd that the luthier wouldn't want to offer a premium service along with his instrument, regardless of it being pre-owned.

[Lew-Bass]

That is just beyond shocking, Jimmy Coppollo has portrayed himself as nothing but a shyster.

[Twigman]

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1376267490' post='2171606']
On the flip-side, isn't the process of getting your money back in a sort of small claims court type situation easier in the USA?


[/quote]
Nope it's much easier in UK IME

[Graham]

Jesus, I wouldn't expect to see finish like that on a no-name Chinese Precision copy let-alone a $5k+ instrument that was supposeldy for a trade show!

The callousness of Jimmy Coppollo seems staggering, not only was he willing to sell it to this guy, but then would try and dump it on to a distributor or another customer when all the issues had been pointed out (if he wasn't already aware) is just awful.

I don't get his attitude - he knocked $700 (what? £400?) off the value, so 12%, to have a very, very expensive instrument look like it was finished by a student, the fret-board looks awful. And, this discount is only for the cosmetic issues, doesn't cover cover the fact that it's essentially unplayable.

Now, the odds of me ever owning an Alleva-Coppollo were pretty low anyway, and I've only read the first post in this thread so far, but unless things resolve well for the buyer, Jimmy Coppollo can join John Hall on my "never buy from" list.

[Musky]

That's pretty poor. Try before you buy seems to be even more important on the other side of the pond.

Meanwhile over here it seems the best luthiers can have their [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/214344-lazy-assed-luthiers"]off years[/url].

[warwickhunt]

The mark of how much that (or other threads) will hurt him is down to how and how quickly, this gets resolved!

I've always fancied an AC (or at least trying one) and on more than one occasion have nearly dipped my hand in pocket for the WW sig that has been on here (didn't that have cosmetic/routing issues from date of manufacture ) but it wouldn't take much to put me off spending that kind of money on a bass.

[ezbass]

Some of the opinions on TB that that thread will have little or no effect seems short sighted to me, after all the tale of woe has already spread here. All I can see this situation doing is swelling the Sadowsky order book, OK it might only be 2 or 3 instruments, but that could be $20-$30, certainly not chump change for what must be a fairly slow turnover business. As to the the alleged 'show wear', what a crock! Very poor Mr Coppollo, very poor.

[thodrik]

That thread shows the good and bad of Talkbass.

+. Identifying a shoddy workmanship and poor customer relations and making other people aware of it.
- Completely over the top responses along the lines 'this is the worst thing I have ever seen'.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1376307076' post='2171863']
That thread shows the good and bad of Talkbass.

+. Identifying a shoddy workmanship and poor customer relations and making other people aware of it.
- Completely over the top responses along the lines 'this is the worst thing I have ever seen'.
[/quote]

To be fair, it's the worst $5000 bass I've ever seen.

[Dingus]

On the face of it , this is a shocking way for AC to do business , but what I would like to point out is that there are always two sides to every story , and if we were to hear directly from Jimmy Coppollo his version of events it [i]might[/i] ( emphasis on [i]might [/i]) put a slightly different perspective on things , so I would be wary of Talkbass or any other internet forum acting as judge , jury and executioner in this case or any other such situation until the full process of legal redress has been gone through . That said , on the face of things , this is a very bad situation for all concerned , including AC . It's hard to understand why anyone would want to represent their business in such a way with that kind of shoddy workmanship and poor customer service , and the damage this could have done to Jimmy's reputation will be considerable . As someone points out on Talkbass , the amount of trade AC will have lost from the fallout from this one thread will far exceed what it would have cost them to give a refund and throw the bass away or use it for scrap . It's also upsetting to see the chap who has bought the bass with high hopes and the best of intentions end up with such a piece of junk . As it stands , everybody is a loser in this . It's up to Jimmy Coppollo to put things right .

[thodrik]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1376307455' post='2171873']
To be fair, it's the worst $5000 bass I've ever seen.
[/quote]

It certainly doesn't look great for a new bass. On an early Fender though it would probably be considered 'mojo'.

[Matt P]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1376307455' post='2171873']
To be fair, it's the worst $5000 bass I've ever seen.
[/quote]

the quality of the finish is horriffic really, there's so much superglue on the fretboard! i've seen 6th form design and tech project basses with a better level of finish.

i'd always thought of A-C as one of those brands that i'd never own because they are in a price bracket way above my earnings but now i've moved them into the collection of brands that i won't own on principal until the owners change their way of working and customer relations. (along with a brand that i won't mention but has an R in it)

Matt

[EBS_freak]

Yup. That's pretty sh1t.

[6v6]

Why would anyone spend this sort of money on a bass and not look at it first?

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1376308653' post='2171889']
Why would anyone spend this sort of money on a bass and not look at it first?
[/quote]

I also thought that. Especially given that he sold two basses of sentimental value in order to buy this one. Personally speaking, if I were dropping that kind of money on an instrument I'd want to try it first.

However, that really doesn't excuse the shoddy quality of the one he got. Buying unseen at $5000 doesn't guarantee a bass you like, but it should guarantee a bass in tip-top condition and function.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1376308130' post='2171880']
On the face of it , this is a shocking way for AC to do business , but what I would like to point out is that there are always two sides to every story , and if we were to hear directly from Jimmy Coppollo his version of events it [i]might[/i] ( emphasis on [i]might [/i]) put a slightly different perspective on things , so I would be wary of Talkbass or any other internet forum acting as judge , jury and executioner in this case or any other such situation until the full process of legal redress has been gone through . [/quote]

Completely agree. I will not get involved in the car crash of a thread over there, or state what I personally think of the bass/AC etc, but something ISN'T right here. I cannot believe this has happened. It makes me wonder if its been in storage or something else has happened.

No one knows exactly has happened. We have had similar threads on here, (yes, I know obviously) but with nowhere near that kind of response and not as serious as these issues.

I think we should probably be careful what we say. I do not think we should draw any particular attention or attack either party as we basically have 'no dog in this fight'.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1376308653' post='2171889']
Why would anyone spend this sort of money on a bass and not look at it first?
[/quote]

I think that is why the guy is so 'upset'. He expected that a bass supplied direct from AC would live up to a certain standard of fit and finish, (it would appear) this patently doesn't!

[ezbass]

Whatever the 'entire' story is, I think anyone who has seen this, or the TB thread, will think twice about AC if ever we're in a position to buy something of this level of expenditure.

Meanwhile, some where in New York, a luthier is rubbing his hands together

[Happy Jack]

Just finished reading through the whole TB thread ... what a disappointment.

No one got lynched, and basic sanity started to return just before the mob were able to completely lose control of themselves. Where's the fun in that?

***********************

Having been lucky enough to own the odd AC bass or two, and to play a few more, I'm as astonished as anyone at the dreadful state of the one causing this kerfuffle. I've never dealt directly with Jimmy Coppolo so I can't comment on his personal interaction skills, but certainly I've never touched a bass made by him that was anything other than a thing of beauty and a joy to play.

Somehow I don't think we've heard the end of this.

[krazy_olie]

Shocking

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1376311458' post='2171929']


Completely agree. I will not get involved in the car crash of a thread over there, or state what I personally think of the bass/AC etc, but something ISN'T right here. I cannot believe this has happened. It makes me wonder if its been in storage or something else has happened.

No one knows exactly has happened. We have had similar threads on here, (yes, I know obviously) but with nowhere near that kind of response and not as serious as these issues.

I think we should probably be careful what we say. I do not think we should draw any particular attention or attack either party as we basically have 'no dog in this fight'.
[/quote].

Of course. Forming an opinion based on one side of the story is never a good idea ;-)

Here's hoping Jimmy can pull a rabbit out the hat that explains this away.

[risingson]

I would be seething with anger if this was me. Obviously it would be nice to hear from the man himself but the fact that an instrument could have come out of his workshop having been made that badly and with that price tag actually makes me feel pretty sick.