Looking for help to ID an Aria ProII Thor Sound 4 string bass guitar.

[FranticFingerwork84]

I have no idea what model I have in order to get new parts. I have a patent number and a serial number but so far all I have determined is the year it was made. 1981 according to the first digit of the serial number that is stamped on the neck plate.

20210402_002936.heic

[Skybone]

Have a look at The Guitar Gallery (matsumoku.org)

[uk_lefty]

There's an Aria Pro II SB Facebook group. If you put the picture and questions up in there you'll get a very quick answer. 

[FranticFingerwork84]

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

There's an Aria Pro II SB Facebook group. If you put the picture and questions up in there you'll get a very quick answer. 

Thank you. I'll give that a shot.

[Bassassin]

There are very good repro pickups & knobs available for vintage Arias. Looks like that's what it needs.

From the pics it could be a TSB350 (bolt neck, 2-a-side headstock) or TSB500 (set neck, 4-inline headstock). Looks like depending on the year, it had either standard black speed knobs or Aria's own design, reproductions of which are made by Repro Guitar Parts.

I think the pickup's an MB-III, with exposed P type poles. Not sure if Armstrong do a version of this but Rautia Guitars do one in the correct cream finish.

Anything else it needs will be standard parts, not sure of pot & cap values but someone on one of the Aria FB groups will know.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Bassassin

[Skybone]

Doesn't Kent Armstrong do decent replacement pickups?

[Doctor J]

Aaron Armstrong does. In my experience, they look the part but don't sound much like the originals though.

[bartelby]

I have an Aaron Armstrong in my SB Elite. It’s a nice pickup, but as Doctor J said, not much like the original.

I’ll get one of these one day:

https://www.rautiaguitars.net/aria-pro-ii.html

[uk_lefty]

3 minutes ago, bartelby said:

I have an Aaron Armstrong in my SB Elite. It’s a nice pickup, but as Doctor J said, not much like the original.

I’ll get one of these one day:

https://www.rautiaguitars.net/aria-pro-ii.html

Me too. Sounds good to me, added a kiogon electronics loom and it's an excellent bass.