Bassassin Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Got my first-ever Aria Pro SB series bass! Traded a '71 (mostly) MIJ Jazz copy bitsa for this yesterday. The J was a great bass (built almost entirely from parts sourced from BC members) but I already have an old MIJ Jazz copy as my main gigging bass, so this one just didn't get played. So - what I have now is a very roadworn & somewhat modded 1983 SB Black 'n' Gold I - or SB-Elite I, depending on where you live. This is pretty damn cool if you're a bit of a metalhead, as it's "The Cliff Burton Bass". This has been played a lot, and at some point has had a Bart J pup fitted. It has knocks, dents & chips all over, and a fairly big bit of lacquer worn off the back. Frets are OK but will benefit from a crown & polish, neck is a bit bowed but not too bad - hoping the truss rod will tweak that out but I admit I've not tried yet. Having recently moved house, I don't yet have a useable area set up for this sort of work, so this one will have to wait until I do before it gets a proper going-over. Not sure yet whether to remove the Bart & return it to standard - it's currently wired with 2 volumes but I'm pondering whether I should stick a couple of stack pots on it & see what it sounds like with both pups & functioning tone control. Anyway, for now I'm most highly pleased with this, I've wanted an Aria SB since I was about 18. So it's about time! Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Another item crossed off the bucket list! Captain JapCrap flies again!! Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 nice!! I'd love a Black & Gold one. I'd even leave it alone and not butcher it, like I did to my pearl white SB Elite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I used to have a white Elite I. I regret selling that so much. Incredible punch and growl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzy73 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Great bass,sold mine a few years ago.my shoulder's couldn't handle it. Should of quit rugby sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Happy New Bass day. It certainly seems to have a lot of character (in a good way ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Oh, it definitely has character! Should look a bit better once it's had a good hose down, but not looking forward to getting the bridge screws out, there's not a great deal left of them! More Black 'n' Rust than Black 'n' Gold at the moment. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 (edited) I love the elite series. I had a pearl white double pickup model that I foolishly sold because my band at the time didn't like it. What's the output of the J pickup like compared to the original? Edited January 30, 2015 by cocco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr pablo Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Good wee find there J! Have you finished that old Ibanez blazer project you got from me? Was musing about getting another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 [quote name='mr pablo' timestamp='1422614694' post='2674576'] Good wee find there J! Have you finished that old Ibanez blazer project you got from me? Was musing about getting another [/quote] I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't finished it! I cleaned up all the hardware & neck, didn't need fret dressing so I just polished them. Started to sand the body a bit & got a lovely effect where the black stain had sunk into some parts of the grain & not others, almost like a sort of zebrawood effect - so I decided I'd sand it like that & lacquer it. And it's still waiting to get lacquered... Good news is that where I've moved to, we have a bunch of old sheds out the back & one's been earmarked as a spray booth. [quote name='cocco' timestamp='1422610914' post='2674523'] I love the elite series. I had a pearl white double pickup model that I foolishly sold because my band at the time didn't like it. What's the output of the J pickup like compared to the original? [/quote] TBH the J's pretty weedy when it's compared to the original in series mode & on full chat, so as it's set up (or not) at the moment the J's not doing a great deal when the two are run together. However with the positioning that close to the bridge it's never going to sound full-bodied, that & the fact it's about 1cm further away from the strings than the original. I'll see if it's possible to set it up and/or wire it for more balanced output, if not it can go. I should be able to fill & finish the routing reasonably well if I decide to bin it, plus a nice vintage Barolini in the spares box would be a bonus, anyway, and would doubtless end up in some future Frankenbass! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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