Pointy 80s basses....cool or not

[iconic]

Saw a band last week and my bass nerd spider senses immediately spied....an old 80s Aria pointy bass standing proud on its stand...

 

A few things struck me as, ooh. 

 

First was that this was a smooth 'n slow 1-4-5 roots' n 5ths country band, consisting of 3 pensioners looking like a Victor Meldrew tribute act....and there's me thinking the band player would have more slap (pun intended) and PVC than a Kiss member. 

 

Second, that I haven't seen a pointy bass played in anger since the last time...well never come to think of it? 

 

Thirdly, that my 11 year daughter thought it was the coolest bass in captivity and, far more attention getting than her her pink 'n maple P.

 

The band were a great bunch of guys, not brilliant players but, importantly, funny as f*ck, non stop ripping the fosters out of each other and the audience so, fantastic fun....and unusual for a country band, not one dead dog was mentioned. 

 

'Victor Pointy Bass' used the headstock on a few occasions, to dig the singer in the ribs when the singer played a bum note on his harmonica, which seemed a plus, erm point, over my ohh so soft J and P. 

 

Just as observation and, I cant see them ever being desirable, collectable or making money, but then I thought that about the Ford Crappi, Vauxhall Cavpig and Austin Ambassador, Sony Walkman, old Synths, Hygena furniture, mullets (well maybe not) so what do I know?

 

(Similar to this puppy.) 

Edited January 21, 2023 by iconic

[Doctor J]

Love them. That looks like an Aria Pro II XRB, which was the first bass I ever had, in candy apple red. I bought it in 89. I would genuinely love to have a yellow Ironbird - minus the goofy coloured strings

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Doctor J

[Ed_S]

Definitely cool, and great props for photoshoots, but totally impractical.

 

 

 

[Mudpup]

Gotta go the full hog crackle finish with pointy basses from the 80's. I wonder where they've all gone now?

 

[Mudpup]

And i always wanted one of these back in the day. It's an Aria ZZB which they also did in a blue sunburst or 50/50 black white graphic. I wasn't brave enough though and ended up with a safe looking Aria RSB Deluxe 2 instead...

 

 

[Doctor J]

I picked this up last year. It's a Concorde, made by Zon in 1985. Fantastic bass.

 

[KingBollock]

My very first bass was a Westone Raider I. One of my biggest regrets is having to sell it and, should I ever find one, I will buy another.

 

 

My current number one bass is a BC Rich Warlock.

 

I also now own a Thunderbird, but that’s fairly rounded. And a headless Flying V (not a bass, though I did once narrowly miss out on getting its bass twin).

 

Seeing the other posts in this thread reminds me of a guitar (not a bass, sadly) that we had in the guitar shop I worked in when I was a kid. It was a BC Rich Ironbird in black with pink crackle. It was glorious!

 

*Neither of these photos are of my own basses.

Edited January 21, 2023 by KingBollock

[baa]

I have a fascination with pointy basses!

Never have and probably never will play one in public, but I have bought two cheapies just to look at at home 😎

 

[Skybone]

My second bass was a Westone Raider 1 as well, except it was the red/black version. Always envied the Aria ZZB.

 

Quite partial to the odd point or two, would love to get my mitts on a BC Rich Bich bass or an Ibanez Iceman bass (have a couple of Iceman guitars). Though the current bass-crush is for a Dingwall D-Roc.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Skybone

[KingBollock]

14 minutes ago, Skybone said:

My second bass was a Westone Raider 1 as well, except it was the red/black version.

Do you mean Red/Gold or the Raider II with a red body and black headstock?

 

The bass player I replaced in the first proper band ever I joined, had the red/gold version.

[lidl e]

Im big on pointy basses, but ive sold almost all of mine.

 

Used to have a crazy custom shop BC Rich Bich bass.

 

My all time favourite pointy is an ibanez icb500 iceman bass which you can see pointing out behind me.

 

This is only pic i got of it

 

 

 

[KingBollock]

17 minutes ago, baa said:

I have a fascination with pointy basses!

Never have and probably never will play one in public, but I have bought two cheapies just to look at at home 😎

 

 

Love that!
 

When you say cheap… How much and where from?

[lidl e]

I still got these two, but i need to get a nut cut for the 8 string. It's all Sims LEDs and a laser in the headstock

 

 

 

[lidl e]

To be considered a pointy bass, i feel it needs a pointy body, not just a pointy headstock

Edited January 21, 2023 by lidl e

[cocco]

Another vote for cool. 

 

There's something about a P/J with a pointy headstock. Kramer forum, ESP Horizon, whatever the Jackson/Charvel ones were called. All chefs kiss classics. 

[baa]

29 minutes ago, KingBollock said:

Love that!
 

When you say cheap… How much and where from?

The Mockingbird was like 320 euros from some Alibaba site. Big Johns or some other strange name 😄

Playable but not really enjoyable.

 

The explorer is this kit:

https://guitarkitfabric.co.uk/bass-guitar-kit-explorer-rosewood-7141269436247-en.html

 

[KingBollock]

1 minute ago, baa said:

The Mockingbird was like 320 euros from some Alibaba site. Big Johns or some other strange name 😄

Playable but not really enjoyable.

 

The explorer is this kit:

https://guitarkitfabric.co.uk/bass-guitar-kit-explorer-rosewood-7141269436247-en.html

 

Thanks!

 

It does look cool, but I think I’d struggle to justify even a cheap bass right now.

 

I rather like the idea of building a kit. Maybe one day.

[Bassassin]

Never was a fan of the pointy/droopy headstock on an otherwise conventional-looking bass, just looks like a mismatched bitsa.

 

However - proper out-there 80s pointiness: hook it into my veins!

 

My first 'serious' bass was one of these:

 

Washburn B20 Stage. Sold it to buy something you could slap on, a somewhat less pointy Aria RSB Deluxe II.

 

Always had GAS for an Iceman or a Westone Dynasty. Maybe a Raider in one of the 2-tone glitter finishes.

 

Or an Aria ZZB in blood splatter...

 

[KingBollock]

5 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

I always had GAS for an Iceman or a Westone Dynasty. Maybe a Raider in one of the 2-tone glitter finishes.

If you see one in silver/grey, I’ll fight you for it!

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

Never was a fan of the pointy/droopy headstock on an otherwise conventional-looking bass, just looks like a mismatched bitsa.

 

A worthy exception to your rule, I feel:

 

 

5+0 ... white ... pointy inlays ... 

[PaulThePlug]

@Bassassin looking with older eyes...

The Washburn is a bit if class...

The Aria is a bit of a pose...

[Gwilym]

Not sure if I'm into the regular (usually a P, it seems) bass style body with the pointy headstock. They always scream naff 80s hair-metal IMO.

Love the Mockingbird shape, and that Westone Raider looks great. Never seen that before and it's quite an original and aesthetically pleasing take on the Explorer style.

I'm pretty certain I played an Aria ZZB in yellow/black back in 87 at the Bass Centre when they were in Wapping, on a post-Christmas trip to buy my first "proper" bass. Thankfully (with hindsight) the black Fender Jazz Bass Special I walked away with sounded much better.

[TheGreek]

Horses for courses...

 

They're probably OK if you're in a metal band but for anything else I'd suggest leaving them at home. 

[KingBollock]

20 minutes ago, Gwilym said:

Not sure if I'm into the regular (usually a P, it seems) bass style body with the pointy headstock. They always scream naff 80s hair-metal IMO.

Love the Mockingbird shape, and that Westone Raider looks great. Never seen that before and it's quite an original and aesthetically pleasing take on the Explorer style.

I'm pretty certain I played an Aria ZZB in yellow/black back in 87 at the Bass Centre when they were in Wapping, on a post-Christmas trip to buy my first "proper" bass. Thankfully (with hindsight) the black Fender Jazz Bass Special I walked away with sounded much better.

My Raider was my Christmas present for 1987, too.

 

Nothing wrong with naff 80s Hair Metal! With any luck, I have an upcoming project that involves that very genre. A drummer has found me that wants to bring back Hair Metal. I don’t know why that, when he saw a photo of me, he thought Nikki Sixx… I look more like Nikki Sixx ate Vince Neill! Mind you, I’ve bought a Thunderbird now, so I suppose I am committed (or should be…).

[rushbo]

I had a BC Rich Warlock in custard yellow in the mid eighties. It sounded great, but not really the thing for playing REM/Americana stuff on. The look of that sort of instrument and all it's pointy brethren is so nailed to the glam rock/metal genre that they look really incongruous anywhere else. However, a nice BC Rich Mockingbird in a natural finish is on my bucket list...

Edited January 21, 2023 by rushbo