NBD surprise Aria STB-JB....supa' cheap jazz with P neck, 'tis really very good!

[iconic]

I'm selling or sold most of my bass's off to new homes, it's been a real wrench to see them going as I'd had a great example of nearly every 'flavor' of bass engineering layout for want of better words, but needs must...but.

...but I'd yet to have a stab at something I've always wanted, a jazz with a precision neck....my wife likes bass's, well the look of them more as wall art and she knows a bit about them too, after suffering me boring her over the years. I had a surprise waiting when I got home the other night, the wifes seen me part with the some real keepers, but also seen me bookmark this cheapie bass.

[b]Aria[/b] [b]STB-JB-3TS, [/b]cheap as chips £116 (can you buy a cheaper jazz?), delivered from Camden Sounds next day delivery. My local music shop guy told me yesterday these are now discontinued into the UK, although shown on UK Aria site, so maybe new old stock blowout @ £116?....he told me I'm telling you? It seems Aria's presence is far bigger across the pond than here nowadays?

Any good? Yes, very! The ONLY bass I've had bar the Stingray & my MIMP that hasn't needed a tweak on the nut for a good low action, even the neck was set low out the box, came with allen key pouchette to store both trussrod and bridge adjustment keys, cable, good manual on how to set up from scratch in English, not Chinglish, even good OE strings.

She sounds well, like a jazz should, fat on neck, burpy on bridge, no string to string drop off, good sustain, got it's own slight tone too, little like my RBX-A2 a sort of slight chorus edge to it.
Buildwise everythings where it should be, nothings dropped off (yet ), good fit and flawless body finish, nice quiet tight pots, jack-plug tight, looks like a one piece Adler sunburst body no less. OK it ain't no Fender Custom Shop Jazz & underneath I'm sure it's hiding some rough edges but it sure plays well enough for what is less than the price of a tyre for a lot of cars & importantly, I really like it already....the P'ish neck feels great, for me it works very well..the only issue is I'm meant to be selling bass's, not aquiring them

heres one I saw earlier by accident last week! They also 'do' an active one so that's an Aria STB-JB-DX-3TS....now that's a mouthful

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YcwygMUGjM[/media]

Edited January 13, 2013 by iconic

[Fionn]

Good old Aria ... but good new Aria?

Interesting.

In terms of build quality, how do you think it measures up to the old Matsumoku Aria that you had?

[redstriper]

Great wife

[iconic]

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1358110181' post='1933366']
Good old Aria ... but good new Aria?

Interesting.

In terms of build quality, how do you think it measures up to the old Matsumoku Aria that you had?
[/quote]


Surprised me too!

Compared to my old SB-R60? Well beautiful looker, but never meet ya heroes!

[iconic]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1358110750' post='1933386']
Great wife
[/quote]


Best wife I've had!