Bassassin Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='739186' date='Feb 8 2010, 05:51 PM']El Maya here for £200 with only an hour or so on it: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130363782064&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url] I'd absolutely love it (had an El Maya guitar in the early 80s and it was fantastic) but no mun mun right now.[/quote] I think £200 start's a bit steep for that, been watching it just to see if anyone would. Worth pointing out, it's a Maya, not an El Maya. The two brands were owned by the same company (Rokkomann) but El Maya was the upmarket iteration while Maya was somewhat more cheap & cheerful - for example this one is sporting big black oversprays on the contours, which is usually an indication of ply construction. It's a nice bass but I'd say £150 would be much more realistic. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='739236' date='Feb 8 2010, 06:38 PM']I think £200 start's a bit steep for that, been watching it just to see if anyone would. Worth pointing out, it's a Maya, not an El Maya. The two brands were owned by the same company (Rokkomann) but El Maya was the upmarket iteration while Maya was somewhat more cheap & cheerful - for example this one is sporting big black oversprays on the contours, which is usually an indication of ply construction. It's a nice bass but I'd say £150 would be much more realistic. J.[/quote] Well spotted that man - and thanks for pointing out the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/westone-matsumoku-thunder-1-MIJ-bass-guitar-project_W0QQitemZ260551991519QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item3caa1be0df"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/westone-matsumoku-th...=item3caa1be0df[/url] [quote]someone has converted it into a fretless (well tried to anyway!)[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 (edited) One of the nicest JapCrap J copies in a while: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320488376671"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=320488376671[/url] It's our old mucker Zerofret again, as usual has some good gear but not very informed descriptions. This is a Matsumoku (check the neckplate) therefore nothing to do with Ibanez / Hoshino (who never had a factory), and is mid 70s - a nice accurate copy with a solid timber body & nice hardware. Also a bit of a rarity in these parts - Luxor was a pretty low-profile US brand. J. Edited February 15, 2010 by Bassassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 (edited) TSB 350 "Thor Sound". [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-PRO-II-TSB-350-THOR-SOUND-Bass-MIJ-JAPAN-MATSUMOKO_W0QQitemZ120531372517QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item1c103ac9e5"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-PRO-II-TSB-350-...=item1c103ac9e5[/url] £239 start price. No bids as of right now. SB-900 "Super Bass". I don't really know the going prices for things yet, but isn't £325 a reasonable starting price for this? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-SB900-PRO-2-BASS_W0QQitemZ180469225101QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2a04cdd68d"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-SB900-PRO-2-BAS...=item2a04cdd68d[/url] Edited February 15, 2010 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Love that Thor sound, Oh boy !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 I do like the TSBs - hardly ever see them though. I think with the SB900 we're looking at Ebay psychology here - £325 would be a pretty good deal as a finish price but is a high start, so no-one's going to want to be first on the dancefloor until a lot closer to the end of the auction. 99p no reserve FTW. And the bids. Meanwhile, [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230435817631"]this[/url] is gorgeous, but waaaay too dear. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 Ibby RB750 Roadstar II, on Edinburgh Glumtree: [url="http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/84/54071984.html"]http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/84/54071984.html[/url] Classic 80s black-with-red-binding at a very reasonable (and haggle-able) 200 sovs. If I had the readies, the room & the reason, I most certainly would. Ow. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 [quote name='kennyrodg' post='746099' date='Feb 15 2010, 04:57 PM']Love that Thor sound, Oh boy !! [/quote] Did the Thor have a similar pup to the Westone Spectrum DX? I ask as I have the latter and it's pup looks very similar to the former's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Here is my Cat bass.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 [quote name='Jerry_B' post='747476' date='Feb 16 2010, 05:15 PM']Did the Thor have a similar pup to the Westone Spectrum DX? I ask as I have the latter and it's pup looks very similar to the former's...[/quote] Might well be... Westone called theirs a "MagnaBass II" & Aria referred to [i]theirs[/i] as an MBII. Hmmm........ The casing is different however. My TSB-400: I modded the bridge p/up with extra pole pieces, but the neck is still stock. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Yeah, the neck pup looks very similar to the DX's - just a different colour and and angled edge down from the face of the pup to where the screws are. Either way, a very good pup indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARIA-PRO-2-SB900-BASS-EARLY-80S-MADE-IN-JAPAN_W0QQitemZ120533478455"]APII SB900 for £325 BIN[/url] Which I think qualifies as something of a bargain for one of these, ne c'est pas? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='751441' date='Feb 19 2010, 10:47 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARIA-PRO-2-SB900-BASS-EARLY-80S-MADE-IN-JAPAN_W0QQitemZ120533478455"]APII SB900 for £325 BIN[/url] Which I think qualifies as something of a bargain for one of these, ne c'est pas? J.[/quote] It certainly is (although it [i]is[/i] rather tatty, modded & that crack worries me a bit - beautiful body grain though), & what a surprise... It's sold! Anyone round these parts bag it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 This is not the most informative ebay listing I've ever seen. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-String-Aria-pro-II-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ170448938437QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item27af8c65c5"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-String-Aria-pro-II...=item27af8c65c5[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Annoying Twit' post='752181' date='Feb 20 2010, 08:35 PM']This is not the most informative ebay listing I've ever seen. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-String-Aria-pro-II-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ170448938437QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item27af8c65c5"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-String-Aria-pro-II...=item27af8c65c5[/url][/quote] Hmmmm.... "Buyer must uplift" eh? Interesting turn of phrase, but my ScamAlarm has failed to go off (unless the seller is Maddude16 in disguise!) I see that the Patent No. is quoted, which might make it interesting. 3 strings? That could just be the super-rare "Blugrass" Series! I do wonder at times why people bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 Well, that's not far up the road from me, don't think it's a scam (collection/cash only) and I'm slightly interested because on the whole, basses in (presumably hard) cases with the clasps off, are usually quite old. He's answered a question by saying it's an "Aria pro II custom body part No 555719" - that number ring any bells, Mr Bloodaxe? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 i think it will be one of the older ones with the wee writing in the middle of the headstock. otherwise he would have said what it said on the headstock if it had the model written on it. an SB? All I know is if i had a ebay account i would probably looking to see how much a youngpersons cheap return to cowdenbeath would cost me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='752227' date='Feb 20 2010, 09:15 PM']Well, that's not far up the road from me, don't think it's a scam (collection/cash only) and I'm slightly interested because on the whole, basses in (presumably hard) cases with the clasps off, are usually quite old. He's answered a question by saying it's an "Aria pro II custom body part No 555719" - that number ring any bells, Mr Bloodaxe? J.[/quote] That's the patent number in the "paragraph" on those with 2+2 headstocks. Full text reads: "Designed & Approved by H. Noble Original Custom Body P. No. 555179 A Product of Matsumoku 4.11. N.M." There's another variant that goes: "Specially Designed & Approved By ARIA Research & Development LAB Original Custom Body Pat. No. 555719" And finally... "(Model Name) Original Custom Body Pat. No. 555179" Probably others, but the first one is the most common. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) i think it will be mint. go and get it jon, i'm a wee bit jealous! mint as in good, not as in mint condition Edited February 20, 2010 by LukeFRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='752253' date='Feb 20 2010, 09:40 PM']i think it will be mint. go and get it jon, i'm a wee bit jealous! mint as in good, not as in mint condition[/quote] I reckon so too... If it was a Cardinal, Thor or Lazer then surely the seller would have put it in the listing as the headstock's so clearly labelled. The SB & Elites tend to be rather enigmatic though. Ask the seller if the body is all stripey & what the S/No is - if it starts with a 0, 1, or 2... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 tempted to just sign up to ebay... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 which I have.... message and questions asked... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Bloodaxe' post='752206' date='Feb 20 2010, 09:01 PM']Hmmmm.... "Buyer must uplift" eh? Interesting turn of phrase[/quote] Is that one of those phrases/words like "outwith" that only gets used north of the border? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='752227' date='Feb 20 2010, 09:15 PM']"Aria pro II custom body part No 555719" - that number ring any bells ... ?[/quote] [quote name='Bloodaxe' post='752246' date='Feb 20 2010, 09:39 PM']That's the patent number in the "paragraph" on those with 2+2 headstocks. Full text reads: "Designed & Approved by H. Noble Original Custom Body P. No. 555179 A Product of Matsumoku 4.11. N.M." There's another variant that goes: "Specially Designed & Approved By ARIA Research & Development LAB Original Custom Body Pat. No. 555719" And finally... "(Model Name) Original Custom Body Pat. No. 555179" Probably others, but the first one is the most common.[/quote] Technically speaking it's a patent number. In fact, more correctly, it's the design registration number for the headstock, and can be found on all APII models with the "bat wing" and "open book" headstock designs - guitar, bass, and anything else Aria were producing - although units manufactured outside of Japan don’t always feature the text. Of the graphs quoted, the first was in service for the shortest period of time, the second the longest. As for the third, that's one that I've not previously seen. (I'm suspicious that if it's only to be found in publish materials that it's, perhaps, a typo. I could be wrong.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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