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Aria Pro II Laser Electric


Happy Jack
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Advice needed, please. My long-standing guitar tech has had this knocking around his workshop for years. He recently cleaned it up and found to his surprise that it's a really nice bass.

He asked me what it was worth and I hadn't a clue. I took some poor-quality photos on my phone:

[IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Music%20and%20Musicians/IMAG0056_zps07888f22.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/Music%20and%20Musicians/IMAG0057_zpsf0916df2.jpg[/IMG]

It's a Laser Electric, with the word "Classic" on the TRC. It carries S/N 5100982.

The neck is very baseball bat, slim & chunky. I like it.

Build quality is high, components are very good.

Anyone know much about these?

Anyone want to venture an opinion as to value in today's market?

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One was on here Feb last year, looks like they were after just short of £200 (I think this is a "heritage" version which maybe different)

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166917-sold-aria-classic-laser-electric-80s-japanese-beasty-l190-posted-sold/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166917-sold-aria-classic-laser-electric-80s-japanese-beasty-l190-posted-sold/[/url]

I also found this over the pond

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/aria-pro-ii-laser-electric-classic-defretted-336033/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/aria-pro-ii-laser-electric-classic-defretted-336033/[/url]

They were talking in the £150 region, this is an old thread tho 2007 / 2009

Nice bass - looks a bit like an old SG

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[quote name='baseline9' timestamp='1363266414' post='2010667']One was on here Feb last year, looks like they were after just short of £200 (I think this is a "heritage" version which maybe different)

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166917-sold-aria-classic-laser-electric-80s-japanese-beasty-l190-posted-sold/"]http://basschat.co.u...90-posted-sold/[/url][/quote]
No, that one was a Classic (an '86). Mine, before Mr Slapper bought it. My pricing took into consideration that it was a solid finish, that the finish had a few cracks/some crazing, and it had had a battery clip replaced (which wasn't the snuggest fit). Mr Jack's tech's (an '85) has the advantage of a trans finish, but the disadvantage of not having the colour co-ordinated headstock. It's also had the position toggle switch replaced with a pot, and it also looks as if the original "Switchcraft" jack socket has been worked on. Price wise, should achieve £200, but you'd be lucky to get much more, given that the likes of the SB-R150 can be had off eBay for a little over £400.

As an aside, bit surprised to see the neck described as "baseball bat" and "chunky". Necks on these are stick thin compared to the Japanese spec SB, or even the revised spec R models.

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[quote name='noelk27' timestamp='1363295599' post='2011317']
As an aside, bit surprised to see the neck described as "baseball bat" and "chunky". Necks on these are stick thin compared to the Japanese spec SB, or even the revised spec R models.
[/quote]

That "baseball bat" thing is tricky. To me, a baseball bat is narrow, and round in profile, where a cricket bat is wide and flat.

This neck is very slim, narrower than a Jazz, but more-or-less full depth so it feels round in profile. First impression was somewhere between a baseball bat and a broom handle ... only in a good way. :D

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[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1363297532' post='2011350']This neck is very slim, narrower than a Jazz, but more-or-less full depth so it feels round in profile. First impression was somewhere between a baseball bat and a broom handle ... only in a good way. :D[/quote]
Should be 40mm at the nut (slightly wider than, say, a Fender) and around 20mm deep at the first fret. So, probably slightly wider and shallower than you imagine. Aria necks of this period can be somewhat deceptive, as this one will have a subtly flattened centre section.

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  • 7 years later...
On 14/03/2013 at 10:10, Happy Jack said:

Advice needed, please. My long-standing guitar tech has had this knocking around his workshop for years. He recently cleaned it up and found to his surprise that it's a really nice bass.

He asked me what it was worth and I hadn't a clue. I took some poor-quality photos on my phone:


It's a Laser Electric, with the word "Classic" on the TRC. It carries S/N 5100982.

The neck is very baseball bat, slim & chunky. I like it.

Build quality is high, components are very good.

Anyone know much about these?

Anyone want to venture an opinion as to value in today's market?

@Happy Jack did you ever get to play this bass? I've just seen one going cheap which needs some tlc.  Basically I want to ask all the questions you asked all those years ago basically is it worth some time and money. What would be a good price now?

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1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

Good grief! There's a blast from the past ...

I played it for about three minutes, seven years ago, in a crowded music shop. I suspect that my memory of the event is no longer dependable. O.o

Thanks @Happy Jack, I'm not sure about this one it's been knocked about and one of the controls is broken and it's a little way away. I'm hoping someone will see this and say what it's worth. Nowadays I only remember the distant past :)

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I had one a few years ago.  Bought it cheap, sold it cheaper.  I think value for a good 'un is £180+/-, tatty one less.

But they are good basses, just not worth much in the market place.  When I sold mine Flat Eric (remember him?  Connoisseur of basses) chimed in abut having two and not wanting to sell them.

 

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Not too worried about the resale but wondering about how much work is needed. It's been stored for years and they don't even have an amp so it means going up with an amp and two 9V batteries I now know. Plus my other half will kill me :)

You are tempting me though, sounds good too on the You tube review I found and yes Japanese  Matsumoku 1985.

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Was my first bass ever, and I just fell in love with it all over again.

Rock solid quality.

The neck is a 3 piece maple with the grain going the opposite direction in the center part, making it highly unlikely to ever warp or twist and extremely stable.

Rosewood fretboard and ash body.

Also sounds no short of awesome.

One of the last Aria Pro II basses actually made in Japan, on the highly praised Matsumoku factory, before they moved the production to Korea.

 The used prices of these basses are absolutely ridiculously low compared to the quality you actually get. 

Edited by Baloney Balderdash
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