Aria Pro IIZZB Deluxe - any good???
 

Anyone have any experience with these???
What do they sound like???
Wondering if it is worth looking at. Anyone seen what these might go for used in decent shape?
Thanks!

That bass looks sweet, I've seen some of those arias back in the day on ebay go for about 400 give or take 40 50 dollars.

One of the first basses I played back in the 80s was one a lot like that (with a "regular" body style). It played amazingly well, sounded great, and looked sharp. I have been searching for one for quite a while now. It should play/sound great.

I got one of the very first in the UK.

All I've ever done to it is raise both of the pickups a bit and swap out the volume and tone knobs for some with numbers on. Lovely fast neck and it still gets used every now and then.

I've got a single-pickup Aria bass with that same pickup. The pickups seem to be a "low wind" design - low output with lots of mids and treble, almost like an active pickup but without the hot signal. It does require that you dial in your amp's gain and EQ differently from a P-bass. Cuts through the mix very well though.

I'd LOVE to have one of those.

Hey 12string.....what's the scale on yours?
I didn't get any specs on it. Seemed like I read they are a 32???
Any idea?
Thanks!

Mine's the 1984 'Custom' variant - 32" scale, 24 frets, insane bridge & a very silly paint job:—



The neck is very slim - if you're used to a Jazz, it'll present no issues, but if you're used to something a bit chunkier there might be an acclimatisation period.

Pickups have the typical Aria mid-bias that pokes right through the mix & with everything wide open will get you a very aggressive tone in the CB ballpark. Wind back the tone & it tames wonderfully, giving a smooth middle that works fine for blues. The p/ups are weird. They have offset polepieces but the bobbins are like two Jazz p/ups stuck together & the windings go around everything. If they're not potted, adding extra polepices is a cinch if more bite is needed.

Balance? Yup. No neck dive at all, but does suffer from 'Explorer Flop' so an extra-long strap is needed to pin the back wing against you. Also quite comfortable & well-balanced played sat down. Access is good all the way up if the dusty end needs a polish.

Weight is around 7.5 to 8 pounds according to a very quick 'n' dirty session with the kitchen scales.

Downsides... The case. It's mahoosive & weighs as much as the bass. Expect to be accused of being a keys player. Gigbag? You'll be lucky. The Custom is about 2" longer than a T-Bird & I've yet to find one that fits. Same goes for a stand that keeps the back wing off the deck; I lugged it all over South & Central London before I found one that worked.

Value is a toughie. I shelled out the best part of GB£400 for mine, but that was including shipping from the US & UK Customs & VAT charges. IIRC I agreed US$600 inc shipping with the seller.

I'd always wanted one in this specific finish (although I'd have settled for the MSG black/white split too), so my ceiling price was set high to begin with. I've seen stock Deluxes go for GB£150-200 on Ebay & Gumtree, often without the hard case.

The later model Arias (1983-6) are frequently undervalued. They don't have the kudos of the neck-through SB & Elite series, and are often written off as 'JapCrap'. They're not.

Pete.