NBD - Aria ZZB Deluxe

[SolomonHelsing]

Figured i'd up my post count a little more haha.

Had this for a week and a bit now. Really loving this bass alot, Despite seeing these coined as "JapCrap" on here in my search for more info.

Previously I was very much after the blueburst version. But upon seeing this come up I changed my mind in a instant

Things about 5 years older than me, which I never thought would happen with any basses I own.

Not sure what else to say about this besides it's finally taught me just how much difference pickup position can cause if these are both the same pickups and just the position changing

Pics cause you all want them... don't deny it!


Sat next to my Jay Turser which sneaked in shot haha.


Didn't know these came with Hardcases before I saw this one. Battered and bruised but still serves a purpose

[FlatEric]

Nice.

Rare maple board - don't see many of them.

I have one that [i]is [/i]a Blueburst, which doesn't have the lightening stripe across the body.

More interesting - you seem to have some sort of Micro tuning, at the bridge?
Not seen the before - mine doesn't have it.

Got a closer pic?

Cheers.

[Muzz]

I had a black/white ZZB Custom back in the day (and I'd love another, just for nostalgia's sake...) and that had the micro-tuning bridge. Didn't do a lot, IIRC...

[SolomonHelsing]

Some closer pics



I'll give it a proper test sometime to see what it can actually do, but yeah far as I know right now it doesn't do much.
I'll see if putting them slightly out of tune and then adjusting those does anything. Case it's more perhaps meant for a quick mid gig tune up or similar *shrugs*

I admittedly thought it wasn't an original bridge with that, cause I hadn't seen many examples with such haha.Not that I'm one to worry about such things and I bought this to play not to store

Must get the strap ends off this cause I'm going to put some straplocks on instead, But the elusive right sized phillips head screwdriver eludes me at present.

Edited May 2, 2015 by SolomonHelsing

[DarkHeart]

Nice! My ZZB Custom in black and white has a different micro adjust bridge and i like the adjustability a lot, how are you finding your pickups as i think the output on mine is a little weak. Heres my bridge.

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/P1060118_zpsqerrbu0q.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/P1060118_zpsqerrbu0q.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/jeffhop/media/P1060119_zpskziu5vhv.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/jeffhop/P1060119_zpskziu5vhv.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Edited May 2, 2015 by DarkHeart

[SolomonHelsing]

Oh I'm really enjoying the pickups on this. Don't feel weak to me I don't think, compared to say the stock one on my Jay Turser MM or my Kit Jazz bass, which both got somewhat hefty upgrades. as I say it's my first proper experience with how different neck and bridge position pickups can sound separately.

[SolomonHelsing]

And I've never seen your version of the micro adjust bridge. Finding pictures of another with the one on mine was hard enough haha.

[FlatEric]

Never recall seeing the micro on any ZZB and then two pop up in a couple of days!!

Comments welcomed from Bloodaxe!

[SolomonHelsing]

Those Dimarzio clip locks felt like they were screwed in with an electric drill into no pilot hole, least for the bottom one. But they're out now. and to add some strap locks cause I like big thick straps. and Those dimarzio's look rather small... haha.

[12stringbassist]

I got the choice of the first two in the UK at A1 in Manchester>

I went for this one.

[uk_lefty]

Nice looking bass!! Get along to the folk jam and whip it out

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1430635311' post='2763171']
Never recall seeing the micro on any ZZB and then two pop up in a couple of days!!

Comments welcomed from Bloodaxe! [/quote]

Your command is my wish, O great one




As far as I can tell, the micro-adjuster & the weird clampy bridge is unique to the ZZB-Custom, which both my 'Bloody Red' & Darkheart's 'Schenker' are. All the ZZB-Deluxes I've seen have the stock wide-spaced die-cast bridge.

The micro-adjuster in the OP's looks (to me) like an engineered add-on - what do the adsusters actually bear on? The string is surely in the way of anything complex, but If they're bearing on the strings (which would work) I can't see that you'd get much adjustment.

Yrs,
Baffled of Catford.

[SolomonHelsing]

The adjusters bear on the string yeah
It does seem like there's something odd about the part with the adjusters, like it's a seperate bit

that would explain why this particular looking bridge seems rare.

[SolomonHelsing]

And seeing that blueburst with maple board, that's nice.

but this one conforms to my current Purple/Red/Black colour options to control my g.a.s problem

[Bloodaxe]

I found this: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/213107-aria-zzb-deluxe-custom-mij-1980s-explorer-with-brass-hardware/page__st__-10

Stock ZZB-Custom with exactly the same bridge as yours. There was another one for sale on TB too, so it looks like it **was** a factory variant.

[SolomonHelsing]

Ohh nice okay, That being one of the first places i'd seen one of these first time, Feel daft i didn't notice it haha.

Guess we'll never know if it originally had that fitted or someone got it off a Custom model

[DarkHeart]

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1431016303' post='2766963']
I got the choice of the first two in the UK at A1 in Manchester>

I went for this one.

nice but isnt it a bit small next to that penny? ;-)


[/quote]

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='SolomonHelsing' timestamp='1431029688' post='2767183']
Ohh nice okay, That being one of the first places i'd seen one of these first time, Feel daft i didn't notice it haha.

Guess we'll never know if it originally had that fitted or someone got it off a Custom model
[/quote]

"Specifications Liable to Change Without Notice"

For most companies that's just a legal get-out, but with Aria it's a mission statement.

[SolomonHelsing]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1431044557' post='2767350']
"Specifications Liable to Change Without Notice"

For most companies that's just a legal get-out, but with Aria it's a mission statement.
[/quote]

Haha, oh I see

[Phil Adams]

I had one in the late 80's in black with the red flash. Had a rosewood board though and no micro tuning. Seem to remember it weighed a ton!

[SolomonHelsing]

From holding it up, this feels like one of my lighter basses. May just be that I haven't yet succumbed to caring too much about bass weight

I'll find out for sure once I can afford some straplocks and get it strapped up, Feel this needs its own strap, though that's what I'm going to do when I can afford such expense for all 5 basses.

[Mornats]

[quote name='Phil Adams' timestamp='1431069071' post='2767427']
I had one in the late 80's in black with the red flash. Had a rosewood board though and no micro tuning. Seem to remember it weighed a ton!
[/quote]

Ditto here, it was my very first bass. Weighed more than me at the time!