(sort of) NBD.... Aria Pro II Sb1000 fretless

[Jonesy]

I'm fairly sure it's a Sb1000 anyway, it definitely fretless 😂

 

So, it's not really a new bass day. It's more like I've become it's custodian since the owner picked up a Tony Franklin fretless. 

 

So it's mine to enjoy for the time being, and enjoying it I have been. The neck is lovely and fairly straight all the way down (as in little taper to it), it's really resonant unplugged and sounds great. Speaking of sounds, I'm still getting used to the circuitry and all of the tone shaping options, which are almost as alien to me as not having frets. I have to play it with headphones for the time being just to save the house hearing my bum notes.

 

 

[Jonesy]

Just out of interest to anyone with a brass bridge......... have you ever had a go at removing the green oxidation from hardware? 

 

I'll have to check with the owner first and don't want to make it too shiny, but it is a bit grubby

[Pea Turgh]

 

2 hours ago, Jonesy said:

Just out of interest to anyone with a brass bridge......... have you ever had a go at removing the green oxidation from hardware? 

Many moons ago I took mine off and polished it with Brasso.  Looked awesome!

 

[Jonesy]

12 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

 

Many moons ago I took mine off and polished it with Brasso.  Looked awesome!

 

 

Ohh, of course! I'll see if I can give it a go, thanks!

[three]

What a lovely looking bass and very generous of its owner to loan it!

 

I have quite a few basses with brass bridges and find the constant polishing and general upkeep a nuisance. I’ve had most of them gold plated to cut down on polishing work. Surprisingly, even very high quality gold plating isn’t that expensive (but not something I’d undertake with somebody else’s bass!)

 

Some makers recommend Flitz and I find it very good – I think it’s about £5 for a small tube but it lasts ages. I’ve also read that some users of brass bridges smear some form of VO5 hair conditioner onto the brass after cleaning it. Apparently it helps to retain the lustre.

 

I always completely disassemble brass bridges too before trying to clean them (apart from on Status headless – disassembling those is a serious job). Taking the Aria bridge apart doesn’t look too onerous. Good luck with it and enjoy the bass – it really does look lovely.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 08:11 by three

[Norris]

It certainly looks like my SB-1000. It's an early "batwing" one, probably 1980, before they added a battery LED and recessed the jack socket.

 

Very nice 👍