Aria Sinsonido Portable Bass

[basskopf]

Just got my Aria Sinsonido. I think this is a great bass for the money. I travel a lot, the size is outstanding, but the fretboard is a full 34". I play a jazz bass normally, but the feel of the neck is good for me. Put a set of Thomastic Infeld jazz flats on it, feels just like home. Quality of the workmanship is good, not fantastic, but reasonable for the price. I would recommend this bass to anyone who travels a lot, especially by air. Der Basskopf.

 

[SBassman]

I love those basses. I used to have one.

I was a big proponent of them here a couple of years ago.

I wish I still had one - and I wish they did a short scale version.

 

[Instagator]

Can anyone provide a contact number for Aria.I have the same problem with the preamp as the person in post #150.The volume makes a big jump from 80% to 100% the bottom end taper is smooth from 80% to 0%.I would like to get a new preamp from Aria if I can.Thanks for the help.

Cheers.

 

[richplaysbass]

I was in a local music shop last night and came across one of these - used - for $150us. Sounded great so i bought it on the spot. I was thinking about searching something like this down - remember giddy lee played some kind of stick bass at one point - to use at open mics and to take on trips. It did not come with the "body" pieces - i didn't even know they existed till i looked on the web. It might help the small "twist" that another poster commented on where it leans a bit away from you. I am thinking of relocating the strap - as it looks like it is the front strap location that causes that. LOVE the sound - much better than expected would feel comfortable playing this bass out.
Would highly recommend.
Are the body pieces worth trying to hunt down on ebay or something?
I am loading it with flat wounds tonight.
$150 was a great deal IMO!!

 

[Osprey]

Great Buy. Congratulations. I find mine really useful when working at a desk or a computer to work out lines, essential when I'm travelling, and just loads of fun at gigs when people can't believe that tone comes from "that little thing".
I never use mine with the body pieces now and have completely got used to it leaning away a few degrees on the strap: the bass I mostly play now is a Status with fret markers only on the side of the neck, so I suppose I don't expect to look at the front of the fretboard any more. Let us know if relocating the strap button makes a difference, just for interest though. I didn't try anything like that with mine because I didn't want to dig holes into that lovely piece of mahogany. (Mine was made in China, at least seven years ago, and the workmanship is excellent).
Incidentally, if you do try to find body pieces for your bass, I'm pretty sure there are two shapes, which may or may not mean two locations for the holes in the body where they fit. If you look at photos on TB alongside adverts you'll see that the E side piece is actually two pieces in one (more recent?) variation.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I saw someone using one of these on Youtube and googled and it brought me to this thread. An old one, I know.

I am wondering if this could replace my ABG (great acoustic sound, preamp not so good) and the VM Jazz fretless. On the video it had great mwah and I am struggling with mwah of that level of the VM Jazz and it might need the fingerboard levelling a bit to compensate for an apparent low point which affects how low the action can go, unless that's not the mwah related issue with Thomastick flats.

I see they are still for sale, but are there any issues with string-to-string volume levels, or issues with feedback at higher volumes that would make it a less than ideal backup/alternative to a Squier VM Jazz? I am not sure how folk clubs would take such a radical instrument, but since I have to amplify the ABG anyway the fact it needs amplification is not so much of an issue.

 

[SBassman]

I wish I could remember more about it to help you. I used to have a pair of them, and I liked them very, very much.
So comfortable to play.

I did gig with them, and I don't think we had any feedback issues. You mention a *folk club.* I'm not exactly sure
what you mean by that, but I would imagine it means some lower volume playing, which would mean you'll
be ok.

I didn't think they were still in production. I did notice over the years that they went up significantly in price.

For other possibilities for an ABG replacement that is being plugged in, you might want to take a look at the UBasses.

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Edited.
I owned one for a year, but only used it for practicing fretless (ear training, really). It felt good, I loved the way it looked, and the light weight was amazing... But yes, I noticed slight string-to-string volume balance issues... AND I could never get I over how it felt like a toy and sort of needed to be babied. I never gigged with it. I didn't trust myself to use it well. Never experienced feedback, but again, never used it live or drove it hard in practice.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

You mention a *folk club.* I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that

Thanks for replying. It's an open mic focused on more traditional music. An ABG is still fairly inaudible even in a room with 50 seats against an acoustic guitar or two, so requires some amplification (10W and a 5" speaker can often be enough). It being traditional music in those circumstances a more acoustic rather than electric sound works well. My fretless ABG with Thomastik flats does a good job of sounding like a double bass acoustically although the plugged in sound has some issues. With a more radical looking bass then there might be some eyebrows raised.

A compact bass and a tiny amp (powered studio monitor) is a handy set up for quiet open mic nights.

I didn't think they were still in production.

There still seem to be some for sale here and there. That might be remaindered stock.

For other possibilities for an ABG replacement that is being plugged in, you might want to take a look at the UBasses.

I'd like something with a traditional scale length. I have enough issues with the ABG I have at 32" compared to 34"

But it would be nice to have something that could also cover more electric fretless work, although I am not sure if the Aria would manage that. If it did then I could replace an ABG and VM Squier with it, and come out quits, more or less. Fixing the mwah on the Squier and sorting out the ABG's plugged in sound is also an option. The YouTube clip of the Aria sounded very nice, though.