weepaul Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Always loved the SB shape (Cliff Burton) so always wanted a 5 string one. Found one recently, but the frets had been pulled . How do they sound ? Do they handle the low B well ? Anything to be aware of ? Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsmokebass Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 There's a few dickheads out there defretting decent 5 string basses lately. Need to hunt them down and curb stomp them ✌🏻 Not tried the 5 string Aria SBs, loved the 4 strings and owned one of the original £500 Cliff Burton basses years ago, loved it! Definitely quality basses but wishing I had a 5 string to try too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 5er RSBs seem to be very rare - in fact the only one I ever saw in the flesh was a brand new example in the big Rose Morris shop in Denmark Street, shortly after it opened in 1980-something. First 5-string I remember seeing for sale, and of note to me as I'd recently bought an RSB Deluxe II. Did see one come up recently - can't remember where, although chances are it's the same de-fretted one the OP saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangotango Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 2 hours ago, bigsmokebass said: There's a few dickheads out there defretting decent 5 string basses lately. Need to hunt them down and curb stomp them ✌🏻 Not tried the 5 string Aria SBs, loved the 4 strings and owned one of the original £500 Cliff Burton basses years ago, loved it! Definitely quality basses but wishing I had a 5 string to try too. That'll be me then; had a de-fret done on my Fernandes Gravity 5'er. Because, y'know, I'd played fretless before. But when I came back to playing bass, I decided I wanted to try 5 string. So I bought a cheapie off eBay rather than spend a lot on an experiment. It worked sooooo well that I went after a Bass Collection SB to go with the 4-string that I liked so much. Except now I was playing 5-strings all the time. I didn't sell the cheapie because, for the small amount of money I'd spent on it...why would you? And then I decided I wanted to try fretless again. So rather than spend a lot on another experiment, I had the cheapie 5'er de-fretted. It worked soooooo well that I currently use it with the jazz workshop band with which I play, because the sound is perfect for that. Obviously, that will probably change now that I've acquired my Spectors, but I won't sell it. Don't see that there's an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsmokebass Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 @mangotango surprisingly not you then, you're safe 😂👌🏻 Honestly seen some butchered fretboards out there on what I'd consider decent basses (ranging from £500-£1500) Clearly frets being pried off with pliers without any experience or knowhow of performing a defret. Chips and tear outs on the fretboard 😰 recently seen something go from £900 to £200 on what I'd safely assume was a bad job defretting it. Just a shame people can't just get them done professionally or simply buy a fretless bass. Anyway, not going off topic.... @Bassassin I think he's more so after an Aria SB1000/5 kind of model more than anything else 5 string Aria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 4 minutes ago, bigsmokebass said: @mangotango surprisingly not you then, you're safe 😂👌🏻 Honestly seen some butchered fretboards out there on what I'd consider decent basses (ranging from £500-£1500) Clearly frets being pried off with pliers without any experience or knowhow of performing a defret. Chips and tear outs on the fretboard 😰 recently seen something go from £900 to £200 on what I'd safely assume was a bad job defretting it. Just a shame people can't just get them done professionally or simply buy a fretless bass. Anyway, not going off topic.... @Bassassin I think he's more so after an Aria SB1000/5 kind of model more than anything else 5 string Aria These are about £2k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsmokebass Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 1 minute ago, AndyTravis said: These are about £2k Cheap! Well, compared to a 4 string Cliff Burton 😂 Oh how the Burton household must miss Cliff, wiping away tears and blowing their noses on dollar bills 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepaul Posted March 13, 2019 Author Share Posted March 13, 2019 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 47 minutes ago, bigsmokebass said: @Bassassin I think he's more so after an Aria SB1000/5 kind of model more than anything else 5 string Aria Odd that the topic header says "Aria RSB Deluxe 5 string" then, innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsmokebass Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 1 hour ago, Bassassin said: Odd that the topic header says "Aria RSB Deluxe 5 string" then, innit? "Always loved the SB shape (Cliff Burton) so always wanted a 5 string one" Just a 5 string.... Like the SB1000/B 😉👌🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 I've got an RSB and an SB Elite B&G (same as Cliff's) - they're the same shape. Apart from the headstock... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangotango Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 4 hours ago, bigsmokebass said: @mangotango surprisingly not you then, you're safe 😂👌🏻 Honestly seen some butchered fretboards out there on what I'd consider decent basses (ranging from £500-£1500) Clearly frets being pried off with pliers without any experience or knowhow of performing a defret. Chips and tear outs on the fretboard 😰 recently seen something go from £900 to £200 on what I'd safely assume was a bad job defretting it. Just a shame people can't just get them done professionally or simply buy a fretless bass. Anyway, not going off topic.... @Bassassin I think he's more so after an Aria SB1000/5 kind of model more than anything else 5 string Aria Cheers feller, I can live without a stomping. 😉 And there was no butchery with the de-fret job on my bass; either; it was done by a fine luthier, Jerome Davies, who has a deservedly good reputation. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 10 hours ago, Bassassin said: I've got an RSB and an SB Elite B&G (same as Cliff's) - they're the same shape. Apart from the headstock... Headstock shape is key for me, though it doesn't sound like it is for the OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 9 hours ago, bartelby said: Headstock shape is key for me, though it doesn't sound like it is for the OP. I like both, although I think the original 2x2 batwing was best! I like the 80s 4-a-side, always thought it was an elegant shape that complemented the body - but I might be biased because it was my first Aria. Shame the modern RSBs don't have quite the same shape, slightly spoils otherwise great-looking basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weepaul Posted March 14, 2019 Author Share Posted March 14, 2019 Yeah, the new RSB's are not that great looking. What's with the scratch plate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimbfunk78 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 I own one. Black 1986 RSB deluxe 5 string. Very nice bass to play Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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