Would this be sacrilege?

[tomthebass 77]

Popped an aguilar obp2 into my passive Aria as it's a gorgeous playing and looking bass but lacks a bit of punch. Sounding crisper now but still looking for some more punch. Would this be sacrilege, an irreversible mod to an early 80s classic? (I'd be looking at a pair of 4" ceramic soapbars to match the original pickup routing, just popped these 3.5" EMGs on top to get a sense of the look).

[AndyTravis 6,909]

I wouldn’t personally.

the preamp is a reversible mod. The pickup routing is not.

Find a more battered aria for that.

You've made me cry about my sb700. 😞

[tomthebass 77]

Cheers Andy - that's the dilemma, good to get views! Hope all well with you

PS stop crying 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Elite-1-bass/264991542094

😋

[peteb 1,027]

How much is the bass worth?

I've modded relatively expensive basses and still couldn't get what I was after. This has then been made worse by losing a fair bit of money when I've decided to cut my losses and move them on. I would try a few different pickups before I started taking a chisel to the bass (depending on how much it is worth). 

[tomthebass 77]

About 700 I reckon, but there's an identical one for sale on fleabay right now (see above) so we'll find out! Obviously I'd be looking at proper routing, so it would still look the part. A bit like a Vigier? But yes the pickup switcheroo is on the table too, I believe there's a Finn who makes MM-style humbuckers under a stock Aria cover, anyone have any experience?

[AndyTravis 6,909]

4 minutes ago, tomthebass said:

About 700 I reckon, but there's an identical one for sale on fleabay right now (see above) so we'll find out! Obviously I'd be looking at proper routing, so it would still look the part. A bit like a Vigier? But yes the pickup switcheroo is on the table too, I believe there's a Finn who makes MM-style humbuckers under a stock Aria cover, anyone have any experience?

Ratuia replacement pickup is a fair idea too - he makes all sorts and you won’t have to modify the body.

[tomthebass 77]

That's the chap! 👍

[Teebs 10,421]

That's a really pretty bass - I wouldn't do anything irreversible.

👍🏼

[Rich 5,664]

^^ Likewise

[CameronJ 1,671]

+2

[AndyTravis 6,909]

My SB-1000 had a dead pickup. I found an MB sized aria pickup from a “laser” model aria and had it fitted. Had exposed polepieces in a P configuration.

I much preferred my SB-700 - it sounded like the setting I used the most on the 1000.

God damn it. That 700...

[tomthebass 77]

😍 that's enough Aria's to make an opera!

[AndyTravis 6,909]

Just now, tomthebass said:

😍 that's enough Aria's to make an opera!

And I let them go. Typical

[4000 1,790]

Why don’t you send the pickup to someone like Aaron Armstrong and get him to rewind it to a different spec.........or simply replace the bass with something you like better. 

[StickyDBRmf 184]

I  would put TWO pickups in...

[Monkey Steve 1,399]

I'm pretty relaxed about changing stuff on instruments, even if they are worth decent money and drills will be involved.  It maybe depends on whether you can foresee ever selling it in the future, and whether there would be a premium for having it in its original condition. If it's a definite keeper then I have no issue with making changes that would be difficult to put back

However...I'd want to be pretty sure that the suggested mod is going to work, and that there isn't a better solution.  F'rinstance, if you want more punch, is there nothing you could add externally, through an eq pedal, a boost, or something like a Darkglass pedal? 

Or could you just swap the existing pickup to do the job - maybe something like a MM humbucker (if you can find one to fit the shape of the existing routing) to add punch without needing an extra p/u?  What do the proposed two soapbars give you that you couldn't also get from a single new pickup?

So I'm not saying don't do it, I'm simply saying be very sure before you start cutting into the bass

[Stub Mandrel 9,678]

18 hours ago, tomthebass said:

Popped an aguilar obp2 into my passive Aria as it's a gorgeous playing and looking bass but lacks a bit of punch.

Stick a preamp in it.

[peteb 1,027]

5 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Stick a preamp in it.

The Aguilar OBP2 is a preamp

[mikel 2,076]

Do what you like to make it suit what YOU want. If it hasn't quite got the sound you want either mod it or move it on. Pointless keeping an instrument that doesn't work for you.

[Bassassin 2,063]

No - please don't hack this up.

From the satin/grain texture finish, I think it's an SB-R60 rather than an Elite I, there's an ever-dwindling number of these around, they've not been made since around 1984, A good proportion of them have already been butchered, by earlier owners who at least had the excuse of considering them cheap, throwaway Japanese rubbish, which is how these were seen for a lot of years - and the reason they're so scarce now.

Swap the pickup, drop in a preamp - any mod that can be reversed isn't something you or any subsequent owner will come to regret.

If you think two pickups will help give you the sound you're after why not look out for an SB-R80, SB-Elite II or SB-ELT?

 

[chris_b 4,097]

If you want to pep up this bass, get a good outboard pre amp, like the EBS Valve Drive, or Sadowsky SBP1.

[BassBunny 471]

18 hours ago, 4000 said:

Why don’t you send the pickup to someone like Aaron Armstrong and get him to rewind it to a different spec.........or simply replace the bass with something you like better. 

+1 for Aaron Armstrong.

[Stub Mandrel 9,678]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

The Aguilar OBP2 is a preamp

LOL I assumed it was a pickup!

 

[Deedee 1,115]

20 hours ago, tomthebass said:

Popped an aguilar obp2 into my passive Aria as it's a gorgeous playing and looking bass but lacks a bit of punch. Sounding crisper now but still looking for some more punch. Would this be sacrilege, an irreversible mod to an early 80s classic? (I'd be looking at a pair of 4" ceramic soapbars to match the original pickup routing, just popped these 3.5" EMGs on top to get a sense of the look).

No, no, no, no, no. Please don’t butcher this bass. 😫

[tomthebass 77]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the comments and ideas!

Partly the thread was to see how the community sees these basses as classics, and I'm hearing you loud and clear that you do. I respect that, so no panics and no butchery!

For background - I do have other basses with more punch, but this one just has a look and feel and playability that fit so I keep coming back to fiddle with it.

Looks like the single pickup upgrade is the way to go so I'll talk to Aaron and Veijo (but plan to drop in a new one rather than a rewind so I can keep the original unmodded).

Cheers all! Will let you know how it turns out...

Tom