PURPOLARIS Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 We were round at our drummers house practising last night and he pulls out his Bass guitar which I've never seen before although I knew he owned one. Anyway it turns out it's this Aria Pro II Cardinal with mojo so I had a go on it and it plays absolutely superb. Does anyone have any info on it ie what's it worth, year of manufacture etc. I was thinking of persuading him to part with it......... to me of course. I had a look at various websites but can't seem to find this exact model and I'm not sure if the year is 1978 or 1988 according to the neckplate. Any info would be greatly appreciated. [attachment=28609:09072009581.jpg] [attachment=28612:09072009584.jpg] [attachment=28610:09072009582.jpg] [attachment=28613:09072009585.jpg] [attachment=28611:09072009583.jpg] [attachment=28614:09072009586.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) I've got two of these and you're right, they are superb. Yours is a CSB 380, which is pretty much identical to the CSB 300. They were made between 81 and 85. Value-wise you're looking at £70-£130, depending on condition and which way the wind happens to be blowing at the time - they're not exactly sort after, which does make them a bargain when they do show up. Edited to make some sense! Edited July 10, 2009 by Musky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartacus Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 The 1st 2 digits on Matsumoku guitars of that time show the year so its probably 1980. If the datings anything like Ibanez then "K" indicates November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Spartacus' post='537294' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:09 PM']The 1st 2 digits on Matsumoku guitars of that time show the year so its probably 1980. If the datings anything like Ibanez then "K" indicates November.[/quote] The first one or two digits on Matsumoku made guitars usually indicate the year - my basses begin 20XXXX and 30XXXX, so would indicate 82 and 83 respectively. Some however came out with letters as part of the serial and nobody seems too sure what these stand for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Spartacus is probably right about the numbering - there was an odd period of Matsumoku using several different serial formats & this type appears to be the same as used by Fujigen, & therefore Ibanez. This is possibly due to the fact that Grecos were being built by Mat & Fujigen simultaneously, & both factories were producing some of the same models, so they kept the serial numbers consistent. Looks like some of the same plates ended up on other brands too. Simple, innit? I couldn't really guess at value but I'd have that for £70, no sweat! Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Bassassin' post='537310' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:41 PM']Spartacus is probably right about the numbering - there was an odd period of Matsumoku using several different serial formats & this type appears to be the same as used by Fujigen, & therefore Ibanez. This is possibly due to the fact that Grecos were being built by Mat & Fujigen simultaneously, & both factories were producing some of the same models, so they kept the serial numbers consistent. Looks like some of the same plates ended up on other brands too. Simple, innit? I couldn't really guess at value but I'd have that for £70, no sweat! Jon.[/quote] Any idea when the Grecos were being built by both FujiGen and Mat, Jon? Come to that, do you have any idea when Mat were using their different neck plate (Accurate Bolt On System, Adjustable Steel Neck and the ones saying just Made in Japan)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) Sod the bass, anyone else spot the awesome wooden elephant? Edited July 10, 2009 by Buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PURPOLARIS Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Buzz' post='537378' date='Jul 10 2009, 05:58 PM']Sod the bass, anyone else spot the awesome wooden elephant?[/quote] Haha I was waiting for a comment on the Elephant Thanks to all for the info, value wise I don't think it'll be enough to persuade him to part with it, I might try and "borrow" it for a while though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartacus Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='PURPOLARIS' post='537392' date='Jul 10 2009, 06:23 PM']Haha I was waiting for a comment on the Elephant Thanks to all for the info, value wise I don't think it'll be enough to persuade him to part with it, I might try and "borrow" it for a while though.[/quote] The bass or the elephant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PURPOLARIS Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Spartacus' post='537396' date='Jul 10 2009, 06:26 PM']The bass or the elephant?[/quote] I don't think I could fit the elephant in a gig bag so it would have to be the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartacus Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='PURPOLARIS' post='537401' date='Jul 10 2009, 06:29 PM']I don't think I could fit the elephant in a gig bag so it would have to be the bass.[/quote] Might be worth a try. Looks like the lesser spotted indian version, they sound good with flatwounds and have a melow tone compared to the aggressive honkiness of the african variant. Balance on the horns is a bit tricky but can be mastered with practise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Musky' post='537321' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:54 PM']Any idea when the Grecos were being built by both FujiGen and Mat, Jon? Come to that, do you have any idea when Mat were using their different neck plate (Accurate Bolt On System, Adjustable Steel Neck and the ones saying just Made in Japan)?[/quote] It's hard to be completely certain about Grecos because these were predominantly copies, which tended to look quite similar! My inferences come from the catalogue scans on [url="http://psyco.jp/greco/cata.html"]this site[/url] & my worrying ability to ID certain JapCrap Rick copies from 100 metres. The very early catalogues show both Fujigen & Aria logos in their credits - fortunately in English! Kanda Shokai owns Greco & presumably contracted Fujigen directly & Matsumoku through Shiro Arai Co for the early 70s instruments. The catalogues show both Mat & Fujigen versions of 4001 basses up until 1976. The Mat copies were much more accurate, but the more ornate Fujigens sold at a higher price, presumably due to the extra bling! By around '76 the Fujigen design had been revised to be less inaccurate so it appears they dropped the cheaper Mat version because there was little distinction between the two by then. Beyond that point I'm unsure, although I've seen a Greco PB750 (P/J copy with unusual 16-pole J-sized pup in the bridge pos) with a '78 Mat plate. Mat plates themselves are confusing - it does appear they used various different styles & combinations of details at the same time. The classic pre '75 plate is the Steel Adjustable Neck/MIJ/Serial style - these go back to the late 60s (as far as I can tell) and early ones can sometimes read "Steel Reinforced", and one or other of the other bits can be missing. The serials are generally assumed to be random (twin-necks with completely unrelated numbers seem to bear this out) but of course might not be - maybe no-one's found the right enchantment yet... Anyway, to confuse things more, proper sequential serialisation seems to have appeared around 1975, along with Matsumoku-stamped plates. Original model Arias seem to have got Accurate Bolt Ons - but the different permutations still crop up. I've seen Westone Thunders with Steel Adjustable + sequential serial - and also with Mat plates & 2 different sorts of serial. It's horribly confusing & my head hurts and I'd like to claim my prize for Dull & Confused BC Post Of The Year. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 [quote name='Musky' post='537289' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:02 PM']I've got two of these and you're right, they are superb. Yours is a CSB 380, which is pretty much identical to the CSB 300. They were made between 81 and 85. Value-wise you're looking at £70-£130, depending on condition and which way the wind happens to be blowing at the time - they're not exactly sort after, which does make them a bargain when they do show up. Edited to make some sense![/quote] ...I've got four! In fact, one of them being my first ever bass! Superb instruments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Cheers for the post Jon. I must be a sad act because I didn't find that dull at all. If it is Nov 1980 it could fit in with the time span the Cardinals were supposedly produced over, as they were supposed to be available from '81. I've got a bunch of mags from that time, and if I can be arsed to dig them out I might see if I can spot any reports of their release. Christ, I'm sadder than even I had imagined. Purpolaris - that bass is actually a CSB300. I was looking at the neck plate again and noticed the paint isn't original. As I said, there's not a lot of difference between the 300 and 380 - just a better finish in different colours, a couple of less pieces of wood making up the body and gotoh style tuners. That one has the squarer heads used on the 300. They feel slightly less positive in use but actually function just as well as the gotoh types in practice, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_Marsh Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 [quote]The 1st 2 digits on Matsumoku guitars of that time show the year so its probably 1980[/quote] On my Aria Pro II SB1000 the first two digits are 00 :S does anyone know how old it is because iv wanted to know for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassie Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 (edited) Didn't notice this [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/bass.html"]link[/url] here, and as I've just discovered a CSB bass locally I happened on it searching around for info. No serial# info I don't think, though... I'm hopefully picking one up Saturday on my way to a gig. Edited November 16, 2010 by Count Bassie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 [quote name='Buzz' post='537378' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:58 PM']Sod the bass, anyone else spot the awesome wooden elephant?[/quote] I prefer the duck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 [quote name='Buzz' post='537378' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:58 PM']Sod the bass, anyone else spot the awesome wooden elephant?[/quote] Noooo!!! You're not supposed to mention the elephant in the room! Ridiculously undervalued basses therefore, great value for money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 [quote name='Count Bassie' post='1026456' date='Nov 16 2010, 10:22 PM']Didn't notice this [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/bass.html"]link[/url] here, and as I've just discovered a CSB bass locally I happened on it searching around for info. [b]No serial# info I don't think[/b], though... I'm hopefully picking one up Saturday on my way to a gig.[/quote] You need [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/serial_no.html"]this page[/url] for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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