Aria SB-1000

The Aria SB-1000 I owned was made sometime between 81-84. It is a 24 fret, 4 string solid top bass. This bass features a 5 position tone selector, an override knob, and 3 additional knobs (volume, and high/low tonal controls). The bass was made in Japan, as all Aria models were in the day. This bass is unique for two reasons. First off, there is only a 16mm gap between strings, which allows for very fast rhythmic fretwork. Secondly, there is no transition from body to neck. The neck is grooved into the body for a seamless transition, which makes playing the higher end of the fretboard a breeze. Considering the age, this bass is loaded with some nice features that should make any intermediate or advanced bassist smile.

This is one of the most sought after basses today for hard rock, and was made famous by the late Cliff Burton of Metallica. He used an Aria SB-1000 for all three of the Metallica albums he appeared on before his untimely death. The bass has a very rich tone, but can be darkened quite a bit with the selector knob. The reason I LOVE this instrument is it responds amazingly well to effects and pedals, including the infamous wah pedal. Overall, I think the bass really sings, but is definitely designed for a more "lead bass" role. The bass does not blend well in large piece bands, and I'd much rather use a Yamaha for a jazz setting. However, for rock music, I'd venture to say this is quite possibly the best bass ever built.

The bass I played had some work done to it, namely the pickup and 1/4" plug had been replaced. The knobs and selectors were clean and without noise. The factory pickup on this bass, as I've read, is well known to crap out after a mere 10 years. For a studio musician, this is no big deal, but for someone who doesn't have an alternative, this means you will incur some maintenance costs with this instrument.

Based on my experience, this bass performs well in a live setting, but only for a short period of time. The bass will drop tuning (10 cents or so) if you hammer on it for a couple of hours. The finish is amazing quality, and has withstood the elements or rock for nearly 30 years, although it is a fairly plain looking bass. The bass is very heavy compared to a lot of modern instruments, and I'm not entirely sure if that's the antiquated electronics or just how solid the instrument is. Personally, I think this bass is best in the studio setting, but I would definitely take it on stage, especially if I have some lead bass lines and I really need velocity to pull off the riff.

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Aria has a reputation for building some of the most value oriented stringed instruments in the world, and this bass is no exception. Personally, I love the action, and the narrow gap between strings. This bass sounds just as good on the 23rd as it does open. Personally, I would not recommend this for a beginner, or for anyone with extremely large fingers. As far as rock music goes, this bass is a classic, and will hopefully be as timeless as the person who first made it famous.

This bass was made between 1977-1984, this one was probably around 1981 in Japan. I don't know if this bass was made at the famous Matsumoko factory or not. It has 24 frets and 4 strings. It's a solid ash body with a 5-piece through the body neck of maple and walnut strips. It only has 1 pickup, originally a MB-1 dual coil that I replaced with an EMG (both were active 18v systems). The old pickup was not as loud as it should have been. It came with a phase switch and 5-position tone switch and a volume and tone control. The phase switch turns the 5-position tone switch on and off. I added an inline battery cut-off switch to leave it plugged in without running down the battery. Since I replaced the pickup, I disconnected the phase switch and 5-position tone control. I refinished the bass with a golden oak on the wings and the rest a natural. I wanted it to look as original as possible. I replaced the tuners because they were poor, with chrome Grovers of the same style. The body style is similar to a Precision. The double cutaway allows easy access high up the neck. The bridge and nut are brass. The bridge especially is heavy and rugged, with an easy hook feature not requiring the strings to be drawn through holes. The neck is 1.75" at the nut, the way I like it and is easy to hold and is rosewood. The original head was maple and walnut, but had been broken in half, so I fabricated a head to cover it made of oak, and cut it to look original.

I play through a Carvin 1000watt with 2 cabinets of 1-15" and 4-10" speakers, through a church PA system with subwoofers. I only use half the amp volume and 1/4 the bass volume. It sounds good. I have not used it in a studio. Some string noise can be heard at times when sliding my fingers.

I got the bass used. It had not been treated well. I think some kid had it who didn't know what he was doing. The neck is straight and I lowered the action on the saddles all the way down. It plays very easily. I replaced the pickup and raised it up as far as I could without the strings ever hitting it when I played it, per EMG recommendation. For a bass that's 25 years old, the frets are in good shape. I sanded out all scratches when I refinished it.

The original tuners are history as well as the pickup. I have read other reviews about this bass and others have not liked the pickup either. Replacing it is money well spent, as this is a very good bass and has lasted 25 year with no end in sight.

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I've been playing guitar almost 30 years and bass and piano off and on. I have an Ibanez GAX70 electric, Ibanez Stagestar 4 string bass, Yamaha classical guitar, Roland keyboard, and Hondo 12-string acoustic guitar. I was told by a friend with an Ibanez Musician bass not to get rid of this bass "It's old school!" I like the way it looks, I like basses where you can see the wood grain and it plays and sounds good. I like the simple hardware.