paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) I have decided to sell my Alleva Coppolo bass. Purchased from Clarky a few years ago. Its an absolute cracker but I have moved to Laklands recently and I no longer play this as the passive thing is more my style at the moment. This bass is essentially a precision but with jazz pickups and controls. It also has the renowned Alleva Coppolo pickups and active preamp (bass and treble boost) Sounds amazing. The bass was made in his New York workshop before he moved to LA. Neck rosewood but Im not sure if its Brazillian or not. It certainly is a beautiful fingerboard. Finish is candy apple green (really cool in the flesh) and it has a wafer thin nitro finish so it wears beautifully. Alleva Coppolo used some old ex Fender guy to apply the nitro just like the pre CBS days. This allows the bass to breath and sing a little (so they say) Condition is very good. Some checking in the nitro that you can see on the headstock form a certain light, some light wear on the body. One small crack in the finish at the neck pocket where somebody removed the tight neck. This is minor and as it didnt expose any wood or anything it looks quite cool, as the finish on this bass made to wear and break in. Neck width is between a jazz and a precision. Bass weighs just a shade over 9lbs, action is low, fast, hardward is immaculate as are frets and neck. Comes with hardshell case. These instruments are super rare and this one was a prototype signature model given to Weeks for his Clapton Tour. Interestingly though I think it was first made for Jeff Andrews who used a similar style Fender bass, ie p bass with jazz pickups, three precision knobs and two small jazz control knobs. Weeks was given the bass and Jimmy had it on his site as the Willie Weeks model for a while before it simply became known as a signature model. This one has all the extras so if a similar bass was order from AC today the price would be well over 4k including taxes etc. Asking price £2100 Thanks Note : I recently swapped out the precision control knobs for Jazz ones (just like Jimmy uses on his LG series instruments. I feel it looks much nicer like this. The 3 chrome and 2 small jazz controls were on it to mimic the Fender bass that Jeff Andrews used which is a P bass with jazz pickups and the mix of jazz and precision control knobs) [attachment=126515:Feb 1st import 038.JPG] [attachment=126511:Feb 1st import 035.JPG] [attachment=126512:Feb 1st import 036.JPG] [attachment=126513:Feb 1st import 037.JPG] [attachment=126516:Feb 1st import 039.JPG] [attachment=126517:Feb 1st import 041.JPG] [attachment=126518:Feb 1st import 042.JPG] [attachment=126519:Feb 1st import 043.JPG] Edited February 7, 2013 by paulie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Horton Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Id love to see this bass Put your pics into photobucket and the add the links to your post ThT way we can see this lovely bass Edited January 20, 2013 by Chris Horton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Managed to add one pic More to follow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 All Pm's replied to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassplayerpt Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Hi, trade with my Sadowsky NYC 4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Hi Thanks for the offer. Sadowsky's are amazing instruments but Im looking for a straight sale on this one, hence the low price Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 This is a superb bass with provenance, played by the great Willie Weeks on a tour with Clapton. Get in quick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Love that green/torte combo...very classy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) On this google images page, the fifth pic shows Willie playing the bass on tour https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=alleva+coppolo+willie+weeks&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&ei=hcb7UOW8Iemp0QXspoHgDA&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i|4;d|LUIfLb4LaFvlPM: Edited January 20, 2013 by Clarky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Lovely bass - not for me as i'm finally weening myself off long-scale, but does anybody know the nut width and neck dimensions - I'm not sure if JC made these with P or J style necks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Ill take a few measurements and update the add with them It doesnt have a jazz neck but Im not sure its quite as wide as a p bass either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Pics now added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) I bought this over to the UK. It was previously owned by Ryan Owens (a fine player) when he was playing with the Robbie Seay Band. Here's a vid of him playing it [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwlJl7xT-zI[/url] It's not my favourite song from these sessions (in fact I think it's my least favourite!) but it's the only one I know that's still online. It does show how cool the bass looks strapped on though Edited January 20, 2013 by molan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 The couple of times that this has been for sale on BC I've always had a hankering for it... even though I had sworn not to have another Fender(esque) bass! Unfortunately I have a Dingwall Super Jazz to sell first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Ditto. Love the sound of jazz basses, but just don't find the body shape comfortable - and each time this comes up I get very curious about it. Unfortunately the builders are literally turning up in 2 days time and thats going to last 3 months and cost me a small fortune. So I must resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Thanks for all your coments guys and Clarky thanks for the pic of Willie playing the bass. Paulie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) I had a feeling the nut width was 1.625" - in between classic J and P widths. I've also remembered who it was originally built for back in Jan '09 & a little more history about it It was first made for Jazzer Jeff Andrews (played with Mike Stern plus quite a few others). I'm pretty sure it actually says this on the heel of the neck where its called a "prototype Jeff Andrews Signature" model. I'm not sure if Jeff ever actually played it before Willie Weeks got a hold of it and used it for a Clapton tour (it wasn't his main bass on this tour - hence why there's very few pics of him using it on stage). It was certainly displayed at NAMM in '09 and can be clearly seen on pics of Jimmy's stand. After it returned to Jimmy's workshop he simply labelled it as a 'Signature' model but didn't specify exactly who for. I remember speaking to Jimmy about it and he wouldn't refer to it as anything other than a Signature. I guess technically, because of the labelling on the neck, it's a Jeff Andrews Signature rather than a Willie Weeks. I have a lot a few pics of it from '09 so I've probably got the neck label shot somewhere if anyone wants to see it. Edited January 21, 2013 by molan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Here's the neck heel signifying it as a Jeff Andrews prototype: and here's the NAMM 2009 script: Edited January 21, 2013 by molan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Still available, One off AC bass played by the great Willie Weeks on Eric Clapton's world tour. I have a photo to prove this and an email from Jimmy Coppolo to confirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Bump Willing to listen to possible part exchanges on this Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 I have had a load of offers on this bass but as of this moment it is still available. For anybody who hasnt played one of his basses they really are somthing special. He has cult status as a builder in the US and his instruments are becomming more difficult to come by. If you ordered a new bass from him today with similar spec the lead time would be a year and the cost before shipping and taxes would be about 4k so this really is a good chance to own a great bass with a great history Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I have edited the post to include more pictures of the bass that i took this morning. Note : I have repalced the chrome p bass control knobs with std black jazz bass ones as I feel it looks better. You can see examples of both options in the pics. The bass will ship with the original chrome ones as well as the new jazz ones. Also : when I received the bass I noticed that the scratchplate didnt quite cover a small part of the control cavity down near the input socket and tht the screws didnt sit correctly either. So Martin peterson (The Gallery / Sei Bass) made a replica scratchplate (4ply) which was a better fit. He also sorted the screw pockets out so that everything now fits perfectly and there are no gaps or issues of any kind. The reason that it wasnt correct in the first place was that the bass was a prototype and Jimmy was messing around with different scratchplates to get the correct combination, In the end he went with the tort but it also had a white on on it at some stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpinalTap Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I love this bass (as you know). But really prefer the chrome knobs. For me it's a Precision, not a Jazz Bass (only with J Pickups), so it needs the Precision knobs. IMHO offcourse. Good luck with the sale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Bump Just a reminder that this I have a gorgeous Alleva Coppolo for sale. This model is rare, finsih and work is remarkable and the playability is to die for. When you pick up the bass it just feels like an old friend. Low action, fast neck, gorgeous tone (preamp) Being an Alleva Coppolo its rare so own one at a great price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuee Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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