Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Bloodaxe

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,206

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Bloodaxe

    Your Practice Amp - How Much Power?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Bass —> ADA MP-1 —> 6-channel mixer —> Headphones
    MP3 player plugged into mixer.

    On the rare occasions when I need to practice without headphones it's the 'big' rig — Ashdown Superfly + Epifani UL110 + Flite 15 — with the volume turned down to avoid frightening the neighbours.

    P.

    Aria Diamond Series Bass - know anything?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1435161052' post='2806101']I'd be inclined to think it's from the early years of Korean production rather than MIJ but the MIKs were decent enough.

    Jon.[/quote]

    I'd agree totally if it wasn't for the fact that the Talkbass example had 'Made In Japan' stamped into the neckplate.

    Aria Diamond Series Bass - know anything?

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Other than that it's a JPJ-3, not much tbh, £70 sounds fair.

    There's a pic of one in the 1986 catalogue here (it's split across two pages):—

    [url="http://s227.photobucket.com/user/vintagejapanbass/media/Aria%20Pro%20Catalogs/1986%20Catalog/page20.jpg.html"]http://s227.photobuc...page20.jpg.html[/url]
    [url="http://s227.photobucket.com/user/vintagejapanbass/media/Aria%20Pro%20Catalogs/1986%20Catalog/page21.jpg.html"]http://s227.photobuc...page21.jpg.html[/url]

    No sign of it in the 1991 catalogue, so length of production is unknown but I suspect that it's 1986-1990.

    I reconstructed the wiring diagram from photos of one that turned up on Talkbass a couple of years ago:—



    Pete.

    How to decide which bass to take to America

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    So... 2 & 3 both have issues/features that mean you're not really comfortable with them, so I'd rule them out.

    That leaves 1 & 4. The Lakky sounds a sensible bet since it'd be down to the engineer to get it to sit nicely in the mix, not you. [b]But[/b]...

    You've obviously bonded with the ACG on many levels. Notwithstanding the risk of it going AWOL, it sounds like there isn't a more appropriate candidate. You'll be playing music that you connect with straight from the heart & what better way than to use your "Gran's bass"?

    Take it, melt their ears with its sound & melt their hearts with its story.

    Good luck with it if it comes off & don't forget to write.

    P.

    Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting

    in eBay - Weird and Wonderful

    Posted

    [quote name='mattyb' timestamp='1431938722' post='2776280']Anyone any idea what this is? I'm hankering for another fretless and this looks like it could tick all the boxes if it isn't made from cardboard! [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111673920625?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT[/url][/quote]

    No idea what it is, but the body shape & the maple/walnut laminated neck scream Matsumoku around 1980-82 to me. If it is, it won't be made from cardboard, but might come in handy if you have an ocean liner that you want to keep from wandering about in a light hurricane.
    This thread by our very own Bassassin may enlighten further: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93901-through-neck-mijmik-precision-thing-1980-ish/"]http://basschat.co.u...thing-1980-ish/[/url]

    [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1431938909' post='2776285']
    How about this one?

    [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-II-MAB-40-Magna-Series-Fretless-Bass-Guitar-with-Carry-Bag-/361291063934?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item541ea0227e"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item541ea0227e[/url]
    [/quote]
    [quote name='mattyb' timestamp='1431940757' post='2776315']That looks good too! Are those Aria's decent? I've never personally played one[/quote]

    I used to own a 5-string Magna series & sold it on. Sound-wise it was a lovely thing - very growly - but I found it an ergonomic mess, mainly because the body has almost square edges that dug in all over the place. The neck has a scarf joint around the third fret where the headstock is grafted on & that didn't fill me with confidence either. If it had a 'proper' neck, a rounded over body & a thumb rest I may well have kept it.

    Of the two, I'd go for the 'Satellite' & a wide strap. The tuners aren't original, but that's an easy fix.

    Songs you discovered you can actually play!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Gomg through a bit of Blues-that-doesn't-just-stick-to-a-i-IV-V phase at the moment... pleasantly surprised to be able to busk my way through Sam Cooke's 'Another Saturday Night' and Peter Green's 'Jumping at Shadows' after only a couple of fumbling run-throughs. Next targets are 'Ain't Nobody's Business' & 'Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out'.

    Please help identifying bass. Difficulty - Impossible

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='Strogg' timestamp='1431726283' post='2774496']Only downsides I can only relate to cosmetic (technical part seems all right) flaws - couple small chips (? i don`t know if it is a correct word), and one bigass (oh dear, you can even see wood) on the bottom "leg", but I wouldnt say that it is catastrophical - overall the guitar is in a good shape.[/quote]

    Yeh, they do that. All my Arias are finished in two-pack (epoxy) car paint which does **not** wear away like nitro - it dents & chips. On solid colours it's possible to do a CA (Superglue) filling job, but with metallics like yours it's almost impossible to match the finish. Just think of it as a Battle Scar :)

    Pete.

    Please help identifying bass. Difficulty - Impossible

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='Wilco' timestamp='1431671385' post='2773750']If that front pickup is original, then defo an Aria of some type. That's exactly like the pickup up on the 80's Aria Pro 2 I used to own.[/quote]

    Same with the back pickup too, although that looks like it came from an SB. However the bridge looks as though it could be a replacement too - it's a bit 'generic'.

    A photo of the backs of the tuners would help - they should be branded 'Aria Pro II'

    Personally, I'm of the opinion that it's some kind of proto-Wedge/WL model that didn't get into the catalogues.

    antoria jazz bass (or something like that)

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    [quote name='Coldflows' timestamp='1431641760' post='2773644']
    Next to none. I have now sawed a flat head into the largest one and left to soak overnight in wd40 but its not budging. If I drill it out will I wreck the saddle?
    [/quote]

    That depends on how good you are at drilling - don't try it if all you have is a Dremel or a wobbly Black & Decker. However, if you have a pillar drill & vice it might be worth a go (but the saddle must be absolutely perpendicular) - if at all possible drill a very small hole right down the middle & then go up to the next size. Repeat but stop short of drilling the screw right out & leaving the hole smooth and bereft of threads (as then you'd have to tap it for a new & bigger thread). It **might** then be possible to collapse the remains inwards (hammer & small screwdriver) & get it all out. If you're really lucky the heat of the drilling will free the screw and it'll wind out on its own. Alternatively drill all 8 saddle screws out to the same dimension & re-tap the lot to take new screws.

    One thing I'd (personally) try before that is to **really** get some heat in there. Wait until the Mrs goes out and bake it for 30 mins in the oven at 250C & then plunge it into cold water. That might cause enough thermal shock to get it moving. If it doesn't, hit it with a gas blowtorch & quench. The downside to this is that there's a very good chance that you'll knacker the chrome plating.

    Aria Pro II SB-1000 mk1 (batwing) Rebuild

    in Build Diaries

    Posted

    [quote name='Prostheta' timestamp='1431624412' post='2773376']For all intents and purposes, the MB-1E is factory configured as an MB-I in how it connects to the loom. The only difference is that the connections are made externally in the MB-1E rather than internally. That's the crack isn't it, Pete?[/quote]

    I'm afraid I can't confirm or deny Carl. My 1000 dates to April 1979 (according to the latest thinking) which migt help in tracking down whether it's an MB-1 or a 1E. Looking at the mortal remains of the original pickup, it was definitely internally wired up & potted leaving only Red, White & Screen to be used. Two bobbins, 16 poles & two ceramic bar magnets.

    I've largely de-potted it using a spectacularly vile solvent (dichloromethane) & this is what's left:




    Whilst that's left it in a condition where it could be re-wound faithfully to the original spec, it unfortunately did the casing no favours. Do you know if Rautia would supply an empty case?

    P.

    Any Cliff Burton fans?

    in eBay - Weird and Wonderful

    Posted

    [quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1431549405' post='2772580']I wonder how much an ordinary original aria model with be?[/quote]

    SB-1000 B'n'G? About £1000 tops - but it'd have to be mint & with a branded case. A regular Series II SB-1000 in good nick can fetch £600-800 depending on condition, grain, colour & originality.
    One of the guys on TalkBass took another route & created a 'CB Tribute' out of a complete dog of an SB - http://ariabasses.blogspot.co.uk/2014_04_01_archive.html

    P.

    Aria Pro II SB-1000 mk1 (batwing) Rebuild

    in Build Diaries

    Posted · Edited by Bloodaxe

    I **think** Rotos were fitted when new - if not then some other stainless roundwounds with red silks.

    I gave up on those many years ago & went over to EB Hybrid Slinkys (45-105 Nickel) and then Hartke 45-105 Nickels.

    Can't seem to get the Hartkes in the UK any more, so I've gone back to Rotosound, but opted for the RS-55 Ground/Compression wound sets (green silks) on my SB-1000 Fretless & SB-900 fretted. Love them. Smoother than rounds, but with enough 'tooth' to avoid friction burns that flats give me; kinder to the fingerboard than rounds (& to frets); really long-lived (3 years & counting on the fretless), & they sound great to my ears - probably not what you want if trebly slap is your thing, but they seem to work well with the mid-hump of the MB pickups & poke nicely through the mix. Only downside is the price - around £27-28/set :(

    Ant... if you want a go on the groundwounds, I'll take the SB-900 to this month's Pelton Jam (BH Sunday).

    Pete.

×
×
  • Create New...