1985 Aria ASB-65 Crafted in Japan in Excellent/Mint Conditions.......SOLD! £900

[b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n]

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Price Drop: now 850 EUR or 750 GBP
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Hi, all.
I'm selling a 1985 Aria ASB-65, Crafted in Japan, in Excellent/Mint Conditions.
It's a "prototype" built in approximately 500 units between 1985 and 1986 in Matsumoku.
Although it's more than 30 years old, it does not show!!! The previous (and practically sole) owner has kept it maniacally (much more than I or anyone would have done): every month sending it to the luthier, waxing it and playing it a bit just not to let it rest too much untouched!!!
The reason why I'm selling is that I received it as a trade but it's not what I was after.
As to the price, since there's absolutely no active market for these, I quote what I perceive its value to be (1.000 Euros). If you have a different perception and want to make an offer, let's talk.
Willing to have you try it (in Genoa) and to ship (buyer incurs costs and risks).
Thanks for your interest. Cheers.
Pier

Edited June 14, 2019 by MB1
Price Drop

[Bassassin]

Interesting bass, these have turned up on BC before.

I'm not entirely sure it's a "prototype", but I am entirely sure it's a bit later than you suggest - it's a post-Matsumoku bass from the late 80s/early 90s, and seems to represent a halfway-house between the post-Mat SB basses & the IGB series.

You don't show any back-of-headstock pics, but I'm prepared to bet it has no s/n and no MIJ stamp - just like the post Matsumoku SBs, which are constructionally very similar. These are reckoned to be Tokai Gakki builds but that's not confirmed.

Wonder if it's a Japan-only market bass - a quick search turned up a few on Japanese retail websites, like this fetchingly-coloured example:

https://www.j-guitar.com/product_id909850.html

Anyway - best of luck with the sale!

[b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n]

Hi, Bassassin.  Sorry, I saw your post only now.

The info I included in the "for sale" post is all info I received from the guy who traded the bass to me.  Perhaps some of it is a bit inaccurate, as you pointed out.

I did, in fact, look at the back of the headstock and it has neither a serial number nor a "CIJ/MIJ" marking (which I find odd, in retrospect).

That said, the rest of the info seems correct and the bass is, in fact, in perfect working order as well as aesthetically in excellent/mint conditions.

Since you seem to know quite a bit about these instruments (more than I, obviously), what do you think of the price I'm asking.  Is it fair, do you think?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  Cheers.

Pier

 

On 1/12/2018 at 19:56, Bassassin said:

Interesting bass, these have turned up on BC before.

I'm not entirely sure it's a "prototype", but I am entirely sure it's a bit later than you suggest - it's a post-Matsumoku bass from the late 80s/early 90s, and seems to represent a halfway-house between the post-Mat SB basses & the IGB series.

You don't show any back-of-headstock pics, but I'm prepared to bet it has no s/n and no MIJ stamp - just like the post Matsumoku SBs, which are constructionally very similar. These are reckoned to be Tokai Gakki builds but that's not confirmed.

Wonder if it's a Japan-only market bass - a quick search turned up a few on Japanese retail websites, like this fetchingly-coloured example:

https://www.j-guitar.com/product_id909850.html

Anyway - best of luck with the sale!

 

[Bassassin]

Hi Pier - I'm not really in a position to advise about price/value since I'd only be able to base that upon sale prices of other basses like yours - and there aren't any!

What I know about these is based on a general interest in (and the resulting knowledge of) 80s era MIJ basses. Specifically I recently purchased an Aria Pro SB-ELT, from about 1988/9 - which is constructionally nearly identical to your bass, and what led me to judge that yours is from the same period & manufacturer.

My SB-ELT is the post-Matsumoku version of the earlier SB-Elite II / SB-R80 model & is identifiable by having a simplified control layout and no serial or MIJ stamp. There's no 100% confirmation of manufacturer but several MIJ / Aria sites, forums & FB groups associate these with Tokai Gakki, who it's claimed, took over production of the high-end Aria Pro instruments after Matsumoku closed. Low & midrange instruments went to Cort in Korea. Examples of the SB-ELT apparently sometimes have an MIJ sticker on the headstock, but mine does not. There's also what appears to be an identical bass called an SB-RSZ, which I assume is a Rudy Sarzo signature model.

I've found some pics of an ASB-60 model which appears identical to your ASB-65, but is described as short scale - I'm assuming yours is a full 34" / 864mm?

All this could be easily cleared up if there were any catalogues from the correct period available - but unfortunately I'm unable to find any complete scans of Aria catalogues from the 87-90 era, which is where I'm sure your bass fits in.

 

[b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n]

Hey, Bassassin.

Yes, mine is a long-scale, 34" / 864 mm bass.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts: very precious and informative!

Best to you.  Cheers.

Pier

 

3 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Hi Pier - I'm not really in a position to advise about price/value since I'd only be able to base that upon sale prices of other basses like yours - and there aren't any!

What I know about these is based on a general interest in (and the resulting knowledge of) 80s era MIJ basses. Specifically I recently purchased an Aria Pro SB-ELT, from about 1988/9 - which is constructionally nearly identical to your bass, and what led me to judge that yours is from the same period & manufacturer.

My SB-ELT is the post-Matsumoku version of the earlier SB-Elite II / SB-R80 model & is identifiable by having a simplified control layout and no serial or MIJ stamp. There's no 100% confirmation of manufacturer but several MIJ / Aria sites, forums & FB groups associate these with Tokai Gakki, who it's claimed, took over production of the high-end Aria Pro instruments after Matsumoku closed. Low & midrange instruments went to Cort in Korea. Examples of the SB-ELT apparently sometimes have an MIJ sticker on the headstock, but mine does not. There's also what appears to be an identical bass called an SB-RSZ, which I assume is a Rudy Sarzo signature model.

I've found some pics of an ASB-60 model which appears identical to your ASB-65, but is described as short scale - I'm assuming yours is a full 34" / 864mm?

All this could be easily cleared up if there were any catalogues from the correct period available - but unfortunately I'm unable to find any complete scans of Aria catalogues from the 87-90 era, which is where I'm sure your bass fits in.

 

 

[b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n]

Price Drop...  Trades Welcome...

[b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n]

This is now sold...  Thanks, everyone, for your interest...

Pier