ossie Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Does anyone know anything about these and how much they are worth: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/aria-pro-ii-fretless-bass-guitar-/280715311927?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1623159657684797050&_qi=RTM742989"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/aria-pro-ii-fret...p;_qi=RTM742989[/url]. I am very interested but dont want to make a mistake, Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 [quote name='ossie' post='1317785' date='Jul 26 2011, 11:27 PM']Does anyone know anything about these and how much they are worth: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/aria-pro-ii-fretless-bass-guitar-/280715311927?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1623159657684797050&_qi=RTM742989"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/aria-pro-ii-fret...p;_qi=RTM742989[/url]. I am very interested but dont want to make a mistake, Cheers.[/quote] Well your first mistake was posting it in General Discussion. Now almost every bass-player in the country knows about that auction. It looks like a de-fret to me. (fret markers) Post your query in the "jap-crap" section under "ebay links" and you'll get some more informed answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ossie Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Cheers, will do. Probably stick with a Fender, although it is a lovely looking thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 [quote name='ossie' post='1318284' date='Jul 27 2011, 02:21 PM']Cheers, will do. Probably stick with a Fender, although it is a lovely looking thing. [/quote] You might wish to rethink that... From the photos it looks to be a 1979-81 'Batwing' SB-700. Not a 1985 with that headstock. Through neck, passive, series/parallel switch, original knobs. Could be a de-fret, but the factory did produce fretless versions & they usually are lined. Even if it is a de-fret, if it's been done well it'll be a hell of a player (if it hasn't been, a competent luthier with a radius block can make it so very easily). Nice nick too, and with a factory hard case, which should be branded 'Aria Pro II' and either 'Super Bass' or 'The Advanced Electrics' Best bit IMO is that the seller is kicking off with a very sensible start price. I'll be watching this to see where it finishes - too many start with a silly price & fail to sell as a result - just 'cause the 're-issues' retail for £1200-£1500 doesn't automatically mean that originals are worth £750+ The construction quality of these make Fenders look like the mass-produced-to-a-price-point instrument that they really are. They're a bit Marmite, but there's plenty of people around these parts that are down as saying 'lovely bass, used to have one, wish I'd never sold it'. At the end of the day though, it's your money & your choice. Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bythesea Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 (edited) Looks just like the one I had back in the 80s. It was a lined fretless as well (not defretted). Lovely bass, wish I still had it . Edited July 27, 2011 by bythesea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 [quote name='Bloodaxe' post='1318386' date='Jul 27 2011, 02:58 PM']From the photos it looks to be a 1979-81 'Batwing' SB-700. Not a 1985 with that headstock. Could be a de-fret, but the factory did produce fretless versions & they usually are lined. Best bit IMO is that the seller is kicking off with a very sensible start price. [J]ust 'cause the 're-issues' retail for £1200-£1500 doesn't automatically mean that originals are worth £750+[/quote] An SB user wouldn't even need to see the headstock to know when this was produced (the bridge is set much too far away from the heel for this to be an '85 - circa 2" originally; circa 1.25" later). All factory fretless examples of the SB have lined and marked touchboards. Only special orders, prepared by APCS (Aria Pro Custom Shop), have unlined/unmarked touchboards of either rosewood or jacaranda. As for what you should pay - you can get an SB700 for £300 without too much hassle. £350 for a reasonably tidy example with an original case is an okay price, I guess. Personally though, I'd not pay much more than that. Oh, and the seller is wrong about the woods. He states that the body is oak. It's not. Oak stained finish, sure, but the wood is sen ash. He's also wrong about the source of the maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_Marsh Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I used to own an Aria Sb1000 lined fretless. Brilliant basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 [quote name='bythesea' post='1318400' date='Jul 27 2011, 04:17 PM']Looks just like the one I had back in the 80s. It was a lined fretless as well (not defretted). Lovely bass, wish I still had it .[/quote] [quote name='Randy_Marsh' post='1318904' date='Jul 28 2011, 02:28 AM']I used to own an Aria Sb1000 lined fretless. Brilliant basses[/quote] Told you! [quote name='noelk27' post='1318813' date='Jul 27 2011, 10:48 PM']An SB user wouldn't even need to see the headstock to know when this was produced (the bridge is set much too far away from the heel for this to be an '85 - circa 2" originally; circa 1.25" later).[/quote] Well, that's my New Thing Learned Today I've never had a later one to compare & contrast, tbh. Both my SBs have 1980 S/Nos., & I've no plans to get shot of either (unless a really minty Series-1 SB-900 in Padauk Red with some fancy grain turns up). [quote name='noelk27' post='1318813' date='Jul 27 2011, 10:48 PM']He's also wrong about the source of the maple.[/quote] I'm not over-surprised at the mis-identification of the timber; Maple is most commonly associated with Canada, followed by the U.S., and to the untrained eye there are similarities in the grain patterns of Oak and Ash - especially if a stain/glaze coat is involved & the catalogues states it has an 'Oak finish'. Oak's medullary rays are the big giveaway between the two. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ossie Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Guys, Really appreciate all your feedback, I'll give it a go, if I win I report back. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I saw one of these in a shop a couple of years ago and had a play. It was a wonderful instrument with a great feel and, to be honest, I would have bought it on the spot if it weren't so heavy and, sadly, so expensive. The shop had it at £500+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ossie Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 Hi Guys, Promised I'd feed back, didn't get the bass, went for over £400 so a bit beyond reach, still, at least the seller got a decent price. So I'm still trawling the net. Thanks again for all the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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