Aria Pro II Question

[Sharkfinger]

Bough this in the early nineties when I started playing. Moved onto an Ibanez soundgear a couple of years later and I've not gigged this since. Been in storage a lot of the time still plays like a dream and kept it's tuning! Going to take it for a set up soon and bring it out of retirement. The preamp is a monster and takes two 9V batteries.

Don't know what the body wood is but it's made of a few pieces and has a lovely red stain. The neck appears to be three piece maple(?). It has a bridge "jazz" style and a what I assume to be a humbucker in the middle position.

I've googled the long title but found virtually nothing about it. Can anyone out there help? A current market value would be good, although it's absolutely not for sale. I paid about £150 at the time, I think.

[stewblack]

Anything [url="http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/fyfeholt/aria.htm"]here[/url] that helps?

[stewblack]

When you say 'absolutely' not for sale?

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='stewblack' post='2885' date='May 20 2007, 02:40 PM']Anything [url="http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/fyfeholt/aria.htm"]here[/url] that helps?[/quote]

I'd seen this site and although there are a few similar basses, there are none quite like mine. I've found a couple of references to them on the web so I know there are (or were) a few others. At least, in this country. There don't appear to have been that many bolt-on neck models. Mainly thru and set necks. Also, none of those that I saw had the pup configuration that mine has. The mystery only deepens!

[quote]When you say 'absolutely' not for sale?
[/quote]
When I say "absolutely", I mean that its sentimental value to me would put it's price tag far above what I expect anyone would be willing to pay for it.

[stewblack]

[quote name='Sharkfinger' post='3020' date='May 20 2007, 07:01 PM']The mystery only deepens!
When I say "absolutely", I mean that its sentimental value to me would put it's price tag far above what I expect anyone would be willing to pay for it.[/quote]
Keep us posted, I love Aria guitars so am interested in this detective story!
Know what you mean about sentimental value, I was only teasing.

[stewblack]

[quote name='MB1' post='3072' date='May 20 2007, 08:38 PM']MB1.

aria were unbeatable value in the eightys and there still good today.[/quote]
+1 and amen to that!

[Chop]

+2 from me. I had as my second ever bass (first was a Shergold Marathon) the John Taylor type thro neck Pro 2 SB, double pick up, and I think I paid about £140 for it. This was before Duran Duran. What sticks in mind was the build quality and playability of the thing. Still don't know why I sold it...stunning value

[MB1]

MB1.

CHOP! man if you check out the price of the john taylor reissue you will be sorry you sold yours!could be seen as expensive by todays standards but the build quality and sound warrant it when you look at others in that price range.might be best not to check that price actually.could be most upsetting!.
all the best
gimme some skin! apparently????????????? i quite like blue! better than basstalks grey!!!!

MB1.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='stewblack' post='2885' date='May 20 2007, 02:40 PM']Anything [url="http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/fyfeholt/aria.htm"]here[/url] that helps?[/quote]
Apropos of nothing, the guitarist from my band was in a previous band with Graeme Fyfe. Nice guy & a good player, as well as being a JapCrap geek.

The LEBs were from about 85-86, which was about the time Aria transferred production from Matsumoku in Japan (which went on to make Singer sewing machines. And then burned down, in what was presumably an act of shame-motivated [i]Hara-Kiri[/i]) to Korea. The build quality of the Koean Aria Pros was still good, but they're not as sought-after as the Japanese ones.

Sharkfinger - does yours say Made In Japan on the neckplate? If so, ask the Aria Pro board at www.matsumoku.org - someone might have some info.

I had a look at their catalogue scans but I can't see your bass.

Jon.

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='3699' date='May 21 2007, 03:53 PM']The LEBs were from about 85-86, which was about the time Aria transferred production from Matsumoku in Japan (which went on to make Singer sewing machines.[/quote]

Kinda had the feeling it was a Matsumoku: has that "look". Know what I mean?

[quote name='Bassassin' post='3699' date='May 21 2007, 03:53 PM']Sharkfinger - does yours say Made In Japan on the neckplate? If so, ask the Aria Pro board at www.matsumoku.org - someone might have some info.[/quote]

It most certainly does, Jon. Will definitely take a look at that board.

[NickThomas]

Cracking basses . I gigged mine almost exclusively for getting on for 20 years.
Now retired from gigging in favour of more strings, but still gets regularly played in my bass room.
It'll be my boys first bass

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='3699' date='May 21 2007, 03:53 PM']Sharkfinger - does yours say Made In Japan on the neckplate? If so, ask the Aria Pro board at www.matsumoku.org - someone might have some info.[/quote]

After digging around the suggested site, I found this:
[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=1544&highlight=leb"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic...p;highlight=leb[/url]

This is non-active version but it led me to find the exact model number of mine: "LEB-CLS Classic". Why they didn't print the exact model number somewhere is anyone's guess. An "official" listing is here:
[url="http://www.ariausa.com/archives/bas.html"]http://www.ariausa.com/archives/bas.html[/url]

This all suggests that it was definately made at the Matsumoku factory, as I suspected. The bass like mine that MB1 saw, may have been the "Heritage", which is almost exactly the same but with no active circuit. So still not sure of current market value but it's not really an issue at the moment.
So that seems to be it! Thanks to everyone that contributed/helped/cheered.

[stewblack]

[quote name='Sharkfinger' post='3905' date='May 21 2007, 09:19 PM']Kinda had the feeling it was a Matsumoku: has that "look". Know what I mean?[/quote]

Yep - I know what you mean. It looks great and makes me want it.

[Waldo]

[quote name='MB1' post='5661' date='May 24 2007, 12:38 PM']MB1.

AH BASSASSASSIN YOU FOUND A GOOD SITE MAN.CHECK OUT THE SB SECTION.I OWN A SB SPECIAL II IN BLACK FROM 1980-1982 ERA LISTED UNDER RARITIES.NICE!!!!! MINE LIKE SHARKFINGERS IS ALSO NOT FOR SALE.

CHEERS

MB1.[/quote]

Why are you shouting?

[Waldo]

[quote name='MB1' post='5726' date='May 24 2007, 01:39 PM']MB1.
cause bassassassins behind your sofa and he cant hear me! GET OVER IT![/quote]

No, that was a serious question. I'm interested to see the logic behind people typing in capitals all the time. Why do you do it?

[NickThomas]

[quote name='MB1' post='6594' date='May 25 2007, 03:56 PM']MB1.

CAUSE I CAN!!! however you might or might not have noticed? I DONT DO IT ALL THE TIME![/quote]

Split personaility lol

[stewblack]

[quote name='Waldo' post='5732' date='May 24 2007, 01:42 PM']No, that was a serious question. I'm interested to see the logic behind people typing in capitals all the time. Why do you do it?[/quote]

Waldo is on a one man crusade to regulate how we all post MB1, don't pay too much attention, I'm sure he doesn't mean any offence after all we all have our little idiosyncracies.
Mine involves hard boiled eggs.

[Sharkfinger]

Damn thread-jackers!

[BB2000]

How does the build quality and sound of the SB1000 reissues compare with the originals? Pricewise they don't seem to bad (at least in Yen - I haven't found UK pricing). I notice they also have a slighyly cheaper range of SB1000's with black hardware at about 75% of the price.


[quote name='MB1' post='3072' date='May 20 2007, 07:38 PM']MB1.

hi its a aria LEB laser active classic the serial no for my old one was 5051048.i have had 2 of these basses,i have a photo of 5051048 its the same as yours. so now you know,funnily enough i just found my first proper bass again after last seeing it in 1982 it managed to get all the way to macclesfield from chorlton.an aria pro2 sb special 2 in black,which i managed to get back for £80(silly price,some people prefer electric guitars specifically,i for one care less for them!).the last bass like yours i saw was on ebay at a start price of £250 immaculate apparently.this like many of the aria range were and still are great playing basses and really well made,they made some nice guitars too,they still feel and play better than some of the so called big name gear.i wont be parting with my sb again,i sugest you get the duster out give this a swipe and get it gigged.
all the best
MB1.

aria recently reissued john taylor(duran duran)s aria sb bass for a load of bucks but the build quality reflects this ,by todays standards ,an eightys reissue at a 2007 price that still cuts the mustard.aria were unbeatable value in the eightys and there still good today.[/quote]