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Aria Pro II, Identification and restoration?

BroBro

BroBro

Nov 26, 2015
101
71
New Zealand
#1
I have an opportunity to purchase one of these pretty cheap...
Can anyone help identify what model/year it is?
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However the seller says "needs strings, neck straightened and some TLC but it's an old beauty. Sorry no case was purchased at auction so no prior knowledge. Truss rod appears to be broken so work is needed."

I was also wondering roughly how much does a truss rod replacement cost if it came to that?
 
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#2
Looks like a 1981 SB-R60, though I could be wrong. If you are collecting it in person, make sure you test the pickup too, the MBs sound great but are notorious for dead coils and are epoxy sealed, so it's replacement only.

As for price... it's a neck-through so if the neck can't be fixed you're buggered, where do you live? You'll need to have the fretboard removed which likely won't be cheap.
 
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#3
Yeah it's local so can check it out first (seller said it worked when he had strings on it, not sure why he took them off then?)
I thought it might be an interesting restoration project (price is equivalent to about 100 pounds, but might go up being an auction!)

If I'm sure of what it is i'd have a better idea of what it'll end up like and what it would be worth.
In good condition what would one of these sell for?
 
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#6
Greetings,

That is a 1980 SB700
SUPER SWEET TOP OF THE LINE MODEL-- FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF MATSUMOKU!!
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From what I can see:
That appears to be the original case.
Knobs appear to be the original metal type.
Solid brass bridge (not diecast).
Passive MBII electronics with dual sound switch.

Its basically a SB1000 without the BB circuit.

Note it has the dot inlays and NOT the cateye's like the SB R60/80 and Elites. The string spacing isnt as wide at the bridge and the strings dont taper as much as those either, they run almost parallel. The neck is fatter also.

Get four strings on it and strum each one on both sound modes (the little metal switch), make sure there is no loss in volume. If there is, it could be a bad coil. Could also be bad ground, etc.

Its worth at least $700 if everything is Kosher. However if the pickup is bad, or the neck is fubar, etc.. then obviously it isnt worth top dollar.
BEWARE A GOOD DEAL!

That said, the knobs and the bridge alone are probably worth $200+
 
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#7
If it needs a new truss I'm not sure I'd bother. Even more so if the pickup isn't working properly. If you really want a SB-600 or 700 they are not that hard to find at a reasonable price.

If you are looking for a project then it is up to you! I nursed a SB-600 back to health and I'm glad I did. But it wasn't fun and it wasn't easy since I really wanted it to be exactly the way it should have been.

As mentioned above, the bridge and knobs alone are worth money since they are unique to Aria! You can at least get a clone of the pickup but the hardware is tough to come by.
 
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#10
Doctor J said:
Looks like a 1981 SB-R60, though I could be wrong. If you are collecting it in person, make sure you test the pickup too, the MBs sound great but are notorious for dead coils and are epoxy sealed, so it's replacement only.

As for price... it's a neck-through so if the neck can't be fixed you're buggered, where do you live? You'll need to have the fretboard removed which likely won't be cheap.
Click to expand...

Incorrect.

This is a 1980 SB700. The SN begins with 0 hence 1980. The "bat ears" headstock is also a dead giveaway that this predates 1981 as the headstock a changed in 1981.

The SB-R60 wasn't introduced until 1981so you would never see one with bat ears headstock

Also the SB-R basses had chrome bridges, elliptical dot markers and wider string spacing

OP- Nice bass and worth restoring. If you need any other info hit me with a PM.
 
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#13
These may be creeping up in value. I sold one a couple of ye
ModuMan said:
If it needs a new truss I'm not sure I'd bother. Even more so if the pickup isn't working properly. If you really want a SB-600 or 700 they are not that hard to find at a reasonable price.

If you are looking for a project then it is up to you! I nursed a SB-600 back to health and I'm glad I did. But it wasn't fun and it wasn't easy since I really wanted it to be exactly the way it should have been.

As mentioned above, the bridge and knobs alone are worth money since they are unique to Aria! You can at least get a clone of the pickup but the hardware is tough to come by.
Click to expand...
ars ago
ModuMan said:
If it needs a new truss I'm not sure I'd bother. Even more so if the pickup isn't working properly. If you really want a SB-600 or 700 they are not that hard to find at a reasonable price.

If you are looking for a project then it is up to you! I nursed a SB-600 back to health and I'm glad I did. But it wasn't fun and it wasn't easy since I really wanted it to be exactly the way it should have been.

As mentioned above, the bridge and knobs alone are worth money since they are unique to Aria! You can at least get a clone of the pickup but the hardware is tough to come by.
Click to expand...

A few weeks ago, an SB700 in great shape converted to fretless sold on Reverb for $950. I was the prior owner of that bass and got way less than that. Not sure if that was a fluke or not.

Either way, to @ModuMan 's point, watch prices to make sure is worth it. But it may be!
 
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#14
Doctor J said:
Looks like a 1981 SB-R60, though I could be wrong. If you are collecting it in person, make sure you test the pickup too, the MBs sound great but are notorious for dead coils and are epoxy sealed, so it's replacement only.

As for price... it's a neck-through so if the neck can't be fixed you're buggered, where do you live? You'll need to have the fretboard removed which likely won't be cheap.
Click to expand...
I agree I do not know about the 81 part but it is a SB-R60 just find out if the truss rod works if the neck has issue, and the truss rod is cooked? i'd walk away
 
#15
I had a broken TR on a bass years ago. I called the Guitar Doctor near Boston and they said it was $450 for a TR replacement. But that was a fretless bass. A fretted bass may have extra cost as de-fretting and re-fretting may be required and it was a few years ago!
 
#18
Is it actually a neck through? My SB-600 looks like that from the front, but it's set neck.
Not sure if you noticed because you haven't played it, but the string spacing is very narrow on those. Also the neck doesn't have a lot of taper.

I'm surprised the truss rod would be broken! That's a thick 3 piece maple neck. I don't remember ever having to adjust the truss rod on mine and I've had it since it was new.
 
#19
Engle said:
I'm surprised the truss rod would be broken! That's a thick 3 piece maple neck. I don't remember ever having to adjust the truss rod on mine and I've had it since it was new.
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Well the seller isn't sure if it's broken! If not, this would be a steal, if not it becomes an expensive fix up (I asked a local luthier he said about $500 NZD to replace truss rod!)

So somehow I need to find out what condition the truss rod is in without any of the other interested people knowing!:cautious::roflmao:

If it goes low enough I might just take a punt, and if broken could probably fix it and sell it for not much loss and if not, I'll have a great new bass at a bargain:D
 
#20
BroBro said:
Well the seller isn't sure if it's broken! If not, this would be a steal, if not it becomes an expensive fix up (I asked a local luthier he said about $500 NZD to replace truss rod!)

So somehow I need to find out what condition the truss rod is in without any of the other interested people knowing!:cautious::roflmao:

If it goes low enough I might just take a punt, and if broken could probably fix it and sell it for not much loss and if not, I'll have a great new bass at a bargain:D
Click to expand...

Did he tell you if it turns? If so it may be broken. If not, it may just be heavily rusted which is an easy fix.

I have owned a few Hohner headless basses in my day and they all had this problem. I was laways able to fix it with some patience and some brass instrument anti-corrosion solvents.
 

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