uk_lefty

I know!!!

Same here! I get "what? Never heard of it." which is a shame as its a damn good song.

I was thinking about getting myself an 8 string the other day... Would love to hear this in a band context once you've got it recorded!

Sounds like you know and love the head you have, so I'd keep that if I were you and wait for a second hand cab to come up that suits your needs. I used to chop and change amps a lot until I settled on something easy to use that does everything I need plus more. There's "better" gear out there but the hassle of trading amps, having people who stink of BO thrash an amp in the living room of your flat (true story) then ask for a tenner off or whatever... Its just not worth it. Keep the gear you know and trust and spend your time and money on gambling and women.

Thank you, I have heard before there's someone in Finland who makes them?! Either way, with a single string fitted on a dodgy upside down nut it made some sound, I'm thinking a review of the electronics should be done by a professional when I get the neck checked out. However, if I need to replace it I'll be straight back in touch!

Playing it through a trace helps! Classic combination

There's loads of ways to do it. Back when all this were fields as far as you can see I just had a Cassette mix tape if all the songs I was learning playing on my stereo while I played my bass through an amp. Some of the older tech like the CD bass trainers can be quite cheap on ebay. I find just connecting my phone to an aux in, or more recently using a Blackstar BEAM to Bluetooth my music too and use as my amp works fine.

Wilkinson bridges are decent, I put one on an MIM Jazz and it improved things. I'm a bit kack handed with the DIY stuff also but I found replacing bridge, tuners and even pickups relatively straightforward. Best of luck with the project!

Someone on a Japanese guitars Facebook page has pointed me to reproguitarparts.com who do a pair of the knobs for 7.50 dollars, so that could be that sorted, though if anyone UK based answers my wanted ad then I'll go for that. Also just unscrewed the pickup because it seemed quite low at the bass string side... It doesn't move. Might be stuck to the foam beneath it, made a bit of a creaky crackly noise when wiggled...

Wish I got 400 for the one I sold many years back! Good amp but 99 is a realistic price, no more.

My thinking also. I'm not sinking cash until I know its a go-er. I think there's a few things I want a professional opinion on: state of the neck, is it cracked and needing repair and if so how much? Will the neck straighten? Frets, are they salvageable? If not this may go Fretless, the board itself is in OK condition as are the inlays. Electronics, what's going on? May replace the guts but want like for like ideally, and hopefully the pickup itself is OK.

Thanks I was tempted to do this even if not going for a refin just so it's more comfortable under hand and at the same time see if this crack runs deep.

So I managed this very easily with some dettol spray and a cloth. And cleaned the whole bass while I was at it. Very glad I could do that, now a clean headstock on my project bass. I'm doing a restoration diary elsewhere in this section of the forum if anyone wants to go "NOOOOOOOO!" before I do something catastrophic to this already mistreated bass.

On closer I section it seems like the fingerboard is coming away at the top end and the play in the neck feels like it's just that, though one of the cracks appears a bit more sinister than I had thought at first. I've tried the truss rod, it turns. There's no strings on now so not wanting to push it but I got a quarter turn each way, back and forth, with only a slight cracking noise from stiffness then not too much of a push required. My Fender jazz had a stiffer truss rod so hoping this is a good sign that the neck can be straightened out.

The pickup works! Not great but working at least. I fitted an old string to the bass and used a right handed bass nut form the spares box to prop it up and I'm getting something from the pickup. However, both pots seem to be volume only and the switch just saps volume altogether... Needs more investigation, I expect the whole guts need replacing then starting again really. I've seen far worse conditions inside a control cavity before

I think it's the angle of the photo making it look worse than it is... Hope / think.

Thanks. I'm not bothered about the yellowing too much, think it's just been out in the sun a lot in the last 35plus years!

Some of the frets are rough as hell and quite worn... This may be going Fretless at some point in time. On inspecting the headstock lacquer cracking what do you guys think of this? I've given it a firm woggle and there's some play in there, but not sure if that indicates a structural crack that needs repair (something I can't do) or if it's just normal because it's a thin neck? The bridge is tarnished but the springs are still springy, I reckon it's still working.

So after a two week wait the day has arrived. My 1984 (year of birth incidentally) Aria SB Elite has arrived. Its a white, thru neck, matsumoko built bass. I got it for a relative bargain knowing it was in a state and prepared to spend a bit of money getting it going again. Here's the rub, I'm no handyman. But I want to learn. What better way than buying a bass I want with hopefully not too many hidden gremlins? The good points : I'm told the pickup works. All tuners and the bridge are present though tarnished. The paint chips are smaller than I was expecting. The headstock logo is present and correct and the batwings have had a paint chip but no wood chips. Fingerboard and inlays look ok The questionable: It's filthy and nicotine yellow instead of pearl white. Theres no nut The neck bows backwards at about the 12th but I don't know how long it's gone without strings Theres a knob missing and I haven't been able to find replacements yet, will keep searching Theres a lot of lacquer cracking at the back of the headstock, I don't think this goes any deeper but need to investigate. I don't know what really works, i.e truss rod and electrics The bad: I can't find a picture of John Taylor with the pearl white one! So this will be a job I get to over the next few weeks when I get some spare time and will have to order in parts and tools just to see what will and won't work. Advice from you all would be very gratefully received. I've already asked about getting rid of felt tip from the headstock, but general cleaning...? My Stingray came with some packs of wipes but not sure they'll be heavy duty enough. It might be dettol spray and a kitchen cloth just to get started! Before I invest too much time I want to get a nut on and some strings and test the electrics. I'm guessing setting strings on in tune will help me get the neck straightened out too? Any advice on where I can find Aria replacement parts on the Web would be gratefully received. I'm praying that the pickup is still alive...

God no!

Thanks, I'll use the household stuff I've got first and see how it goes!

I bought a 1984 Aria SB that needs some restoration in order to learn about tweaking, minor repairs and set ups. It arrives tomorrow. First job, some plank has written on it in some sort of felt tip pen on the headstock... The bit I can't just remove the finish from because of the logo and the headstock writing. Any tips for removing felt tip pen marks without damaging the finish? Thank you

I thought this one was listed for ages and didn't sell? Might just want a quick sale and didn't know how to do it properly

Do it! You get a lot for your money with a Sire, and if you don't identify as a bassist but dabble you've got an instrument for life that you'll never feel the need to upgrade... Unless you stay on BC and read about all kinds of weird exotica and think you need to have it!

I didn't read it as ageist, just more surprised that there was a youthful audience for jazz. I read it more as amazement that anything cool could happen in Norwich!