aria pro sb 1000

[gub]

so what do you think of these old buggers ,always liked the sound of them myself but never played one ,so any opinions welcome.

[AndyTravis]

lad brought an old (late 70's) SB1000 to me with duff electronics.

His mam wouldn't pay the £130 it would cost for a new preamp (from a reissue) from Aria.

Bought him a Yamaha RBX 170 later that week for him to learn on.

Wouldn't sell me that old Aria, i offerd £400.

It's back in a loft, somewhere in some house in Cheshire.

I weep daily for that old bass.

edit - found the photo i took of it, in it's original green felt lined 'Super Bass' Case...

Edited March 31, 2010 by AndyTravis

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='gub' post='791135' date='Mar 30 2010, 09:18 PM']so what do you think of these old buggers ,always liked the sound of them myself but never played one ,so any opinions welcome. [/quote]

I'm quite partial to the breed. There's a fair few people in these parts that have one in their "previously owned" list, & quite a few of those have expressed regret at getting rid of it. Do a Search for "Aria SB", you'll get a good few hits.

I'd liken them to Warwicks, Ricks ...& maybe even WALs in that they're their own thing & not to everybody's taste. If you like a skinny-necked Jazz &/or have got accustomed to the "Fender Taper" (i.e. a narrow nut & a wide bridge), then you might not get on with them.

The necks are nigh-on parallel; they're well-balanced; hefty without being heavy; quite comfy; & sport an overwound 16-pole humbucker. The only downside is the reliability of the "actives" which can fail in such a way that they take the pickup out as well.

If you find one, try it first... they can be a bit Marmite™

The SB-1000 is the most sought after (possibly due to the John Taylor & Cliff Burton associations) & is often seen adjacent to an alarming price tag. The other SB models probably represent the best value IMO.

SB-900: Passive, Through neck, twin 4-wire humbuckers, series/parallel switch on the front p/up & a coil tap on the rear. V V T & 3-position p/up selector switch
SB-700: Passive, Through neck, single humbucker, series/parallel switch, Vol & Tone.
SB-600: As per the 700, but with a set neck. Either a Coil tap, or possibly series/parallel switch. (I've never met one, so can't say)

Pete.

[artisan]

i owned a lovely SB900 when i was a wee pup,then traded it for some tat or other,what a tit,i wish i still had it.

[BarnacleBob]

had an SBR60 - which is a SB700 with a slightly wider neck - loved it but had a bit of a cull and that went only cos it was passive. If I was replacing it I would defintely go for the SB1000

I like them cos they are iconic in a way, they are not copies of anything and no-one has done copies of them, if u see wot i mean. If u want the SB experience it has to be an Aria SB.

There is/was a fretless one at Oxford Guitar Gallery. EDIT - which is nowhere near Cornwall, sorry


Cheers BB

Edited March 31, 2010 by BarnacleBob

[cocco]

I have an SB II elite (basically a 900) which I adore. I was very jealous of a guy I was in college with who had a 700 that I loved. Now that we're on the subject. What's the difference between the elite and the 900? The only obvious difference I can see is the finishes.

[cocco]

Just realised I didn't say anything about the 1000. I love it! You really can't go wrong with matsumoko build quality and the tone and playability is to die for. It's a real shame that the "lesser", for want of a better word arias and other matsumoko instruments don't get as much attention as the SB 1000.

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='cocco' post='792124' date='Mar 31 2010, 04:35 PM']What's the difference between the elite and the 900? The only obvious difference I can see is the finishes.[/quote]

The "Eye" dot markers mean the neck profile is subtly different - there's a noticeable taper & the string spacing's wider at the bridge. Tried one once & didn't get on with it tbh, I much prefer the near-parallel classic Aria profile.

The Specs: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/bass/sb/sb.html"]http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/bass/sb/sb.html[/url]

[quote name='cocco' post='792168' date='Mar 31 2010, 05:11 PM']It's a real shame that the "lesser", for want of a better word arias and other matsumoko instruments don't get as much attention as the SB 1000.[/quote]

Ahh... but it does mean that the "lesser" models are undervalued & tend to get offered at achievable prices!


[quote name='artisan' post='792082' date='Mar 31 2010, 04:08 PM']i owned a lovely SB900 when i was a wee pup,then traded it for some tat or other,what a tit,[u][b]i wish i still had it[/b][/u].[/quote]

Told ya!

[mikhay77]

Had an sb1000 years ago on loan,excellent quality build,dead parallel neck.Bought an sb700 recently for peanuts and someone painted it blue(Urghhh),pick up not working,so put in an emg and (you will probably curse) and put another one in near the bridge and a decent active circuit what a bass.My number one throw around bass.So big up the sb1000 or its brothers.
[attachment=46138:DSC_5019.jpg]

[bh2]

The Oxford one is still there... sniff.

[gub]

[quote name='bh2' post='792392' date='Mar 31 2010, 08:15 PM']The Oxford one is still there... sniff.[/quote]

bugger bugger bugger!!! what a bummer ! hey i`m a bass player not a song maker!

[Geddys nose]

Bought a mint 1980 one from HW Audio for £300 a couple of years ago and apart from the weight I loved it, Sold it about a year later for £400 on Gumtree and had a guy from Liverpool goading me I would be lucky to get £80 for it - not seen one for less than £600 now.

[noelk27]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='791414' date='Mar 31 2010, 12:10 AM']If you ... have got accustomed to the "Fender Taper" (i.e. a narrow nut & a wide bridge), then you might not get on with them.

The SB-1000 is the most sought after (possibly due to the John Taylor & Cliff Burton associations) ...

SB-700: Passive, Through neck, single humbucker, series/parallel switch, Vol & Tone.
SB-600: As per the 700, but with a set neck. Either a Coil tap, or possibly series/parallel switch. (I've never met one, so can't say) ...[/quote]

Popular histories might have both Taylor and Burton labelled as SB1000 aficionados, but both were to be seen using examples of the 700 model, or its derivations, more often than the 1000. Another 700 player was Foxton, at the end his days with The Jam and at the start of his solo career. (Comparing Foxton’s sound from TV performances, such as The Tube, with other performances where he’s playing Fender and Rickenbacker makes an interesting study in tone.)

The original SB models were the 1000 and the 800, both of which featured the same pickup and electronics, but differed in the 1000 being thru-neck and the 800 bolt-on. These two models comprised the range for less than one year, before the range was expanded, to comprise the 1000, 900, 700 and 600. It’s been said that the 900 was originally either medium or short scale. This is complete garbage. APII did make medium scale versions of models from the SB range at various times, and versions of the 1000 can be found in 32” scale lengths.

String spacing on the SB range at the bridge was originally 16mm, with a 45mm nut width. When the SB-R models were conceived, the primary market targeted was the USA, and this explains why APII built these models with spacing at the bridge of 18mm and a 40mm nut width.

Originally the 600 was a bolt-on design, until ’81, and featured the same pickup and electronics as the 700. As the 600 featured a three-piece maple neck, it was cheaper to produce than the neck-thru 700.

Personally I think the 1000 is highly overrated, when compared to the 700, as the mode selector on the 1000 only adds a small amount of additional character to the sounds available from the 700. Certainly, from a design perspective, the SB is a superb instrument, constructed using top quality tone woods and electrical components, and with a consistently high build quality, but the feel and character isn’t to everyone’s tastes.

[gub]

Cheers for all the advice guys , some really helpful stuff in there. well i have taken the plunge and purchased one so am well pleased, cant wait to get my hands on it now!

[Rich]

I always lusted after the SB1000's twin pickup brother, the SBR150.

[noelk27]

[quote name='Rich' post='796080' date='Apr 4 2010, 09:19 PM']I always lusted after the SB1000's twin pickup brother, the SBR150.[/quote]

The SB-R150 - only in production for a little over one year, '83 into '84. There are some though - me included - who would argue that the MB-1E fitted in the R150 is bettered by the MB-V fitted in the SB-ELT. But if you're in search of SB perfection then you have to add the SB-LTD at the top of your APII list - an SB carcass fitted with Alembic AXY pickups and AE-1 circuit. Simply mind-blowing.

[bassatnight]

I am an Aria SB nut and at one point owned no less than six of the beauties, now trimmed down to 3 x2 SB1000 and a SB700. They really are great basses and back in the day the SB1000 was the must have bass for pop bands of the early eighties. The likes of Duran Duran, Haircut 100 etc, lovely range of punchy warm tones.

I can't recommend them highly enough.

If anyone comes across a 900 or 600 give me a shout!

[noelk27]

[quote name='bassatnight' post='807251' date='Apr 15 2010, 02:49 PM']If anyone comes across a 900 or 600 give me a shout![/quote]

Not a fan of the 800 then?

[iconic]

Always liked the look of these SB's...how do the reissues compare?


Aria SB-1000RI Reissue Electric Bass Guitar
The original SB-1000 swept the world with its striking looks and amazing tone and now the SB-1000RI has established a new reputation as a modern classic. Back by popular demand, this bass is fitted with the original B.B. circuit allowing you to punch through the rest of the band and make sure you are heard


Top : Ash
Neck : Maple/Walnut 5ply, Neck-through body, Heel-less
Fingerboard : Ebony
Frets : 24F
Scale : 860mm(34")
Pickups : MB-1E Double Coil x 1
Controls : Volume x 1, Tone x 1, Tone Select Rotary Switch x 1, Bypass Switch x 1, LED x 1
Tailpiece : J510B-4
Hardware : Gold
Finish : OAK



[url="http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog/Aria_SB-1000RI_Reissue_Electric_Bass_Guitar.html"]http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog...ass_Guitar.html[/url]

Edited April 16, 2010 by iconic

[alanbass1]

I had one back in the early 80's. Nice bass although the sound is very mid biased - it certainly worked well with the keyboard based music that was prominent back then.

[bassatnight]

Played one a couple of days ago and was suitably impressed. Call me nostalgic but prefer the older models, having said that an early eighties on will put you back upwards of £600 so might be worth going for the reissue.[quote name='iconic' post='807981' date='Apr 16 2010, 08:06 AM']Always liked the look of these SB's...how do the reissues compare?


Aria SB-1000RI Reissue Electric Bass Guitar
The original SB-1000 swept the world with its striking looks and amazing tone and now the SB-1000RI has established a new reputation as a modern classic. Back by popular demand, this bass is fitted with the original B.B. circuit allowing you to punch through the rest of the band and make sure you are heard


Top : Ash
Neck : Maple/Walnut 5ply, Neck-through body, Heel-less
Fingerboard : Ebony
Frets : 24F
Scale : 860mm(34")
Pickups : MB-1E Double Coil x 1
Controls : Volume x 1, Tone x 1, Tone Select Rotary Switch x 1, Bypass Switch x 1, LED x 1
Tailpiece : J510B-4
Hardware : Gold
Finish : OAK



[url="http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog/Aria_SB-1000RI_Reissue_Electric_Bass_Guitar.html"]http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog...ass_Guitar.html[/url][/quote]

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='iconic' post='807981' date='Apr 16 2010, 08:06 AM']Always liked the look of these SB's...how do the reissues compare?


Aria SB-1000RI Reissue Electric Bass Guitar
The original SB-1000 swept the world with its striking looks and amazing tone and now the SB-1000RI has established a new reputation as a modern classic. Back by popular demand, this bass is fitted with the original B.B. circuit allowing you to punch through the rest of the band and make sure you are heard


Top : Ash
Neck : Maple/Walnut 5ply, Neck-through body, Heel-less
Fingerboard : Ebony
Frets : 24F
Scale : 860mm(34")
Pickups : MB-1E Double Coil x 1
Controls : Volume x 1, Tone x 1, Tone Select Rotary Switch x 1, Bypass Switch x 1, LED x 1
Tailpiece : J510B-4
Hardware : Gold
Finish : OAK

[url="http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog/Aria_SB-1000RI_Reissue_Electric_Bass_Guitar.html"]http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acatalog...ass_Guitar.html[/url][/quote]

[RANT]

That's stretching the definition of "Re-Issue" in my opinion.

Compare the "RI" against a 1980 SB-900 (I've attempted to get them to the same scale):



The bridge on the RI is a lot nearer to the edge of the body. To do that, and maintain the scale length, they must have cunningly redesigned the body.

It's also wider - as well as being a conventional modern high-mass type (as opposed to the original huge lump of cast brass). That'll make it more like an SB-R/Elite with the "Eye" dot markers - narrow at the nut & with a noticable taper absent from the real thing.

This may sound trivial, but it screws up the geometry of them. The original Nobuaki Hayashi (H. Noble) design wasn't broken, why Aria have attempted to fix it is beyond me. A straight re-issue (with a 5-string variant) would have made perfect sense, especially with the JT & CB "signature" angle. As it is... I wouldn't touch it with yours.

[/RANT]

Pete.

[artisan]

personally i think it's gorgeous & am now gassing for one real badly.

[bassatnight]

Agree with your sentiments, Aria seem to have tried to cash in on the popularity of the SB1000, particularly as they change hands for up to £700 for a decent one.

A lot more thought could have gone into the reissue, John Taylor had a bit of input in his model certainly the machine heads were down to him, they are angled unlike the older models, it's also lighter than my 81 and 83 Sb1000's.

My advice to any potential buyers is to try one first[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='808024' date='Apr 16 2010, 09:05 AM'][RANT]

That's stretching the definition of "Re-Issue" in my opinion.

Compare the "RI" against a 1980 SB-900 (I've attempted to get them to the same scale):



The bridge on the RI is a lot nearer to the edge of the body. To do that, and maintain the scale length, they must have cunningly redesigned the body.

It's also wider - as well as being a conventional modern high-mass type (as opposed to the original huge lump of cast brass). That'll make it more like an SB-R/Elite with the "Eye" dot markers - narrow at the nut & with a noticable taper absent from the real thing.

This may sound trivial, but it screws up the geometry of them. The original Nobuaki Hayashi (H. Noble) design wasn't broken, why Aria have attempted to fix it is beyond me. A straight re-issue (with a 5-string variant) would have made perfect sense, especially with the JT & CB "signature" angle. As it is... I wouldn't touch it with yours.

[/RANT]

Pete.[/quote]

[bh2]

Oxford Guitar Gallery still has a superb lined fretless example for sale...

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=65879&hl=sb1000"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...9&hl=sb1000[/url]