Strogg Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Hello fellas! I am thinking of buying a starter bass and found this instrument. http://static.musicforums.ru/agora/forums/mfor/bassbuysell/notes/940560.img_0927.jpg http://static.musicforums.ru/agora/forums/mfor/bassbuysell/notes/940559.img_0928.jpg http://static.musicforums.ru/agora/forums/mfor/bassbuysell/notes/940566.img_0934.jpg So the owner claims that this is Japan-made Aria II Pro (model???). According to serial it can be Aria, manufactured in 1983, but in Korea (i guess). The guitar doesn`t have any identifying stuff beside the s/n. I killed whole day trying to google this model and i now have doubts that this isn`t even Aria. It is hell know`s what. I found only one headless Aria bass - interceptor, it is very rare and clearly is different from this one. If someone have info on this model, please let me know. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 It has got a look of a Matsumoku built instrument (the truss rod adjustment pocket, the brass control knobs, the pickup selector switch) and this Japanese factory made Aria instruments in the 70s and 80s - however I've never seen this particular model before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 New to me, though it does stir an old memory I can't pin down. The bridge/tuner arrangement is very Kramer The Duke(/Hondo Alien). (The serial number doesn't follow the Kramer patterns I know of, but I'm not well-informed.) Where is it, and how much is the asking price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Would the owner be prepared to remove the electrics cover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 This is an odd one. This looks to be related to a thing called an Aria Pro WL Custom. Lots of very obvious differences, but I do think this is an Aria, although I'd speculate it's a lower-budget, Korean-made version from the post-Matsumoku ('86/7 onward) era. The soapbar with the staggered poles is definitely an Aria unit (common on many mid-80s basses) but I can't really be sure about anything else. I don't think there's a method for decoding MIK serial numbers, but I don't think this is as early as '83 - the WL first appeared in '85 catalogues. AFAIK all Arias were MIJ until Matsumoku closed down, and these have MIJ-stamped plates. Whatever it is, it's a cool old bass & I'd be all over it. If it was cheap enough... Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 It kind of looks like a Warwick Nobby copy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Looks like a Westone to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strogg Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) Thank you very much guys! It is fairly cheap ($500). I will go and check it out. If everything is ok and sound is good as claimed by the owner (for that price ofc), i might go for it [b]alyctes[/b], didn`t talk with him about electrics cover, but i doubt that he won`t let me check it. [b]Bassassin[/b], i found this info on serials http://www.matsumoku.org/models/serial_no.html If i understand correctly, they were using 7-chars s/n from `80 to `90, where first (or in some cases 2) letter defines the year of manufacture. s/n of this particular guitar is 3050019 (if we can believe the neckplate). However i don`t know if it could be applied to this guitar [b]Bloodaxe[/b], here is the closet photo http://static.musicforums.ru/agora/forums/mfor/bassbuysell/notes/940562.img_0933.jpg However there is no signs at all on the whole guitar. Edited May 15, 2015 by Strogg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I'm thinking that this bass is more likely to be early rather than mid 80s (contradicting Bassassin I know) mainly because of the bridge and tuner arrangement. This is the sort of thing that we see on instruments from companies that wanted to get on the headless bass bandwagon after Steinberger but didn't have the time or resources to reverse engineer the bridge and tuning system, so they simply used a conventional bridge and machine heads in the ungainly manner you see in the OP's bass. So we see basses like Kramer's The Duke in 1981 and the Warwick Nobby Meidel in 1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1431676318' post='2773793'] I'm thinking that this bass is more likely to be early rather than mid 80s (contradicting Bassassin I know) mainly because of the bridge and tuner arrangement. [/quote] Contradict away! However, early 80s would be MIJ, which is contradicted by the neckplate according to all available info. Also, I can't remember seeing any MIJ Aria with this sort of cast BBOT-based bridge design, that looks very Korean to me. IIRC the first low-end headless to hit the market was Hondo's Alien (a Kramer Duke copy) which appeared in '84, so I'm pretty sure if this had been widely available, we'd know all about it - or at least those of us with long memories & an MIJ fixation would... [quote name='Strogg' timestamp='1431674477' post='2773780'] [b]Bassassin[/b], i found this info on serials [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/serial_no.html"]http://www.matsumoku.../serial_no.html[/url] If i understand correctly, they were using 7-chars s/n from `80 to `90, where first (or in some cases 2) letter defines the year of manufacture. s/n of this particular guitar is 3050019 (if we can believe the neckplate). However i don`t know if it could be applied to this guitar [/quote] The serial dating information on Matsumoku.org pertains to MIJ instruments manufactured by Matsumoku, up until the factory's closure in 1987 This is what the site says about later Arias: [quote] [b][font=Arial,Helvetica]Spotting and identifying early Korean models after production shifted to Korea...[/font][/b] [size=4][font=Arial,Helvetica]Early Korean models adopted similar looking serial numbers but were not indicative of the year manufacturered. Many early Koreans appeared to be nearly identical to the Japanese models with one important thing missing, at least on models with bolt necks and neckplates: "Made In Japan" or "Product of Matsumoku". Without this, it is not an earlier Japanese model.[/font][/size] [/quote] The caveat is that some information on that site is somewhat obsolete & in need of updating - and of course that Matsumoku did not make all MIJ Arias! I'm still inclined to go with the idea that this is a post-Matsumoku (or other MIJ) instrument & one that didn't make it to UK/EU/US markets - possibly home-market only. Strogg - just out of curiosity, what country are you in? That might give us a clue to where this bass would have originally been available. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strogg Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 [quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1431683308' post='2773886'] Strogg - just out of curiosity, what country are you in? That might give us a clue to where this bass would have originally been available. [/quote] I am from Russia But this instrument was brought from Japan and the previous owner (Japanese guy from Japan ) told that this is Aria II Pro from mid `80. At least that is what seller has told me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 If it's imported from Japan, that makes perfect sense - there are loads of Japanese-market basses that never get exported. I think he's correct, it's a mid-80s Japanese-market Aria Pro. If you like it & think it's fairly priced - buy it. I don't think you'll ever find another one. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) From what I know of Aria Pro's, the first digit suggests the year, so I'd take a stab at 1983. The neck pickup is definitely an Aria. Found it. Aria Pro II WL Custom, though it looks like it may have been butchered somewhat over the years. [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/catalogs/1985/85_ap2_cat_pg19.jpg.html"]http://www.matsumoku...t_pg19.jpg.html[/url] Edited May 15, 2015 by Skybone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 [quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1431701899' post='2774142'] From what I know of Aria Pro's, the first digit suggests the year, so I'd take a stab at 1983. The neck pickup is definitely an Aria. Found it. Aria Pro II WL Custom, though it looks like it may have been butchered somewhat over the years. [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/catalogs/1985/85_ap2_cat_pg19.jpg.html"]http://www.matsumoku...t_pg19.jpg.html[/url] [/quote] You could've read the thread & saved yourself the effort! Ain't a Matsumoku - it does not say Made In Japan on the neckplate. It's almost certainly a Korean-made, post-Matsumoku Japanese domestic market low-spec version of the 1985 WL Custom. If it's not that, then it's a no-brand knockoff of the WL, but I don't think it is. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Lets just say that it gave me something to do at work today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strogg Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 So, yeah, I bought it Well as a guitarist myself, I dont have much experience in basses, but it`s sound was really good for me, and considering price - no brainer. Overall it is a very comfortable guitar - lightweight, with convenient neck, also strings are close to the neck. 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. So if by some mean you will meet this model - i`d recommend to check it out. Sure it can not take you to the moon, but for it`s price I think it is a damn good bass (even if it is Korea) If anything I can make some pictures of particular parts if someone is interested in some researh or whatever I want to thank all of you guys for the help, it was really cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Oh I forgot to mention that the chunky bridge looks a lot like the brass affairs found on Westone Thunder II and III basses so that's another possible Matsumoku connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1431728709' post='2774526'] Oh I forgot to mention that the chunky bridge looks a lot like the brass affairs found on Westone Thunder II and III basses so that's another possible Matsumoku connection. [/quote] You're quite right, & I think it is the same bridge. Still don't think it's MIJ though! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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