As someone who also had an Aria Pro II as his first bass AND is a massive fan of John Taylor and Cliff Burton, I feel like this video was made for me 😂 Great playing, great didactics, great content. All the right reasons to hit that subscribe button.
What an awesome bass and what great songs! All those 80s hits my dad made me grow up listening to and eventually liking and wanting to learn on bass! Thank you, Keith, for a great lesson!
I remember having an Aria catalogue in the 80s and lusting after an SB bass even though I had a perfectly good Precision. But to go off on a bit of a tangent I recently treated myself to a 1984 Westone Thunder. I have a suspicion it was made in the same factory as the Aria models (Matsumoku) as it has very similar specs i.e.ash body(albeit smaller than the Aria,) brass bridge and nut, virtually identical headstock and tuners, a rosewood board and active electronics. It plays like a dream and sounds great. I love it.
@@kingstumble You may be correct. They do have very similar specs. The Aria pickup may be the biggest ace up the SB’s sleeve. Even the modern replacements don’t quite reproduce its iconic tone.
@@sullysullster8217 Indeed. I wish I paid more attention at the time but sadly I was into other things. It’s only now that I’m going back to recover some of the great music that happened during that period.
Very interesting video. Thank you for posting. I have owned an Aria Pro II SB Black 'n' Gold bass since 1984. It is a beautiful instrument to look at, and to play. I would never dream of selling it. I also own a MusicMan Stingray but, to be honest, I get more enjoyment from playing my Aria. Both pickups failed many years ago and I replaced them with EMGs. So the bass's original tone has undoubtedly altered, but not necessarily for the worse. It was great to hear all the basslines that you featured. Aria was definitely the bass of the 80s, when almost every bass player on Top of the Pops played one. At gigs my Aria is frequently referred to as the "Cliff Burton bass", but my bass is the two pickup model, while Burton's had a single pickup (I believe). Thanks again for the video. I really enjoyed the topic, and your bass playing. 🙏🏻
I nearly got one back in the day, but then got a job in a music shop and got an Ibanez Musician 924 at trade price. Over 40 years later, I still have it :)
@@academyofbass Bought it from a double bass player.He told me he bought, because it was the same string lenght as his double bass! I have a friend in Japan, they didn't had the SB800s there!
The Japanese bass trinity that dominated all those MTV bands from the early 80s: Ibanez Musician bass, Yamaha BB bass, and of course the mighty Aria Pro II SBs. Each had all kinds of low and high end variations, pickup configurations, electronics, neck-thru vs bolt-on iterations; you name. it. But even the most strip down versions of these basses were excellent quality at a price regular folks could afford. Now on the other hand, Fender and Gibson at that time... well...
@@markdavis4754 I haven’t played a Weston’s Thunder for a long time, but yes they were fine instruments. I also think they were made I. The same factory as the Aria Pro II for a period. Rumour has it they were very similar.
I used to have the SB1000 back in the day. Seem to remember it was battery powered so was active? I always used to leave it plugged in and drained the battery. Great bass, can’t remember why I sold it. Tasty, classy playing Keith. Love the Talk Talk bass player, always very melodic.
Thanks John. Yes, the SB1000 has a 6 position tone pot and that circuit is battery powered . I'm not sure they they were classed as active basses in their day, but I guess they were. I have EMG pickups in some of my basses that are battery powered, but have no EQ circuits, so they're not classes as active basses.
@@johncellario I picked the me up for a friend a couple of months ago for £1,400 and I have seen one, or two cheaper, but you’re right, the price is creeping up. My SB700 was half that price! It’s as new too and feels great.
Thoroughly enjoyed the lesson. My first bass was also an SB700. Still have it and still love playing it. You’re right brilliantly punchy sound and a fabulous neck - even if many folks find the narrow string spacing a bit odd!
Thanks. It's the bass I learn a lot of what I know on, so the string spacing is very comfortable for me. Despite playing Fenders for most of my career, I still struggle with them.
Awesome presentation, thank you! These Aria SB basses are really unique sounding and well-made instruments! I have the little brother, an RSB Standard. Same shape, but with a split coil. The pickup position plays an essential part in the sound, so even with the P pickup it sounds similar to an SB. But the Standard has less sustain, is more percussive and has that Precision growl. I love it! Highly recommended if you find one, especially since they are still quite cheap. However, the stock ceramic pickup isn't that great, it's quite hot and dark sounding. I changed it to an AlNiCo pickup that's similar to a vintage Fender.
Thanks for your kind words👍I didn't know anything about these basses when I first bought my SB. It was just the only decent bass in the music shop! Thanks for the info on the RSB. I've learnt a great deal from all of the comments to this lesson.
I remember when I first started out playing bass 30 years ago the Aria brand wasn't seen in the best light, so I never really thought that highly of it, either I was wrong to think that, or their heyday was the early 80s. I noticed that the position of the pickup is not in a standard P, or J position, but pretty much in between. I'm guessing that's what gives it a more distinctive sound.
@@mrpositronia Possibly. I played one for years and never thought about that either. It certainly works though. It’s a shame no manufacturers have tried to replicate that in other instruments. It’s definitely got a uniqueness about it. I also think their heyday was definitely the early 80's. Thanks for your comment 👍
@@ThomasTill-l7j They are heavy. There’s a lot of Ash in them. I’d forgotten just how well made they are. I couldn’t use one all the time, but the sound is awesome for some things.
@@pedroleal7118 Yes, steels. I haven’t changed them since I found this, just a few months ago. I really like the sound, but don’t get on with the feel of steel strings. I use nickel string on all of my basses that are strung with roundwounds.
@@academyofbass Always loved the Rotosound ones, but you can't find them anymore around here, so I go with the equivalent > 'Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Hybrid Slinky'. Take care ps I'm still hoping to get back my SB800, I'm an avid Aria Pro II user, tried everything, wouldn't change it !
The pickup is relatively close to the bridge. It's possibly not quite as far back as a Stingray but it's not far off. The magnetic apeture is smaller, though. Another user was the bassist of All About Eve. Some of the Westone range and some of the Aria range were very similar.
You may well be correct about the magnetic aperture, but that's far too technical for me :) and yes, the Westone Thunder bass wasn't a million miles from the Aria in Character. The pickup however, isn't that close to the bridge, or certainly not as far back as a Musicman (I have one). It's almost right between a Precision and Jazz pickup. Regardless, it sounds great (IMHO of course). Again you're correct, Andy Cousin of All about Eve did use an Aria.
@@academyofbass narrower magnetic apeture basically means the pickup is a bit narrower so you get different cancellation of frequencies compared to a wider apeture. It's not as far back as the Musicman pickup, but being further back gives it more bite and would have been more affordable for fans of Chic like Taylor than a Stingray back when Duran Duran was starting out, yet still superb quality. A very smart choice! Yours sounds excellent, I must say.
I have a brown natural rsb 600 greatttt bass but it had 2 issues that I was able to get around the nut width on the rsb are around 44m wideeee😂 and the neck was a bit chunky so I reshaped it and the tone was very muffled til I realized it had a 47uf capacitor moment I took it off it felt like I released it from its prison the tone was bright and punchy 👊
@@academyofbass yes a year after the sb1000 was released they released the rsb and I think discontinued them before 81 because I can’t find them on any catalogues of the years after
Beautiful bass guitar, wonderful sound. It's nice to reminisce about the old normal times. Greetings from Poland!
@@Damian-tv2bd Indeed. Thanks for say getting in touch👍It’s great to hear from you🙏
As someone who also had an Aria Pro II as his first bass AND is a massive fan of John Taylor and Cliff Burton, I feel like this video was made for me 😂
Great playing, great didactics, great content. All the right reasons to hit that subscribe button.
@@TheRetroBassist Wow, very kind words, thanks you🙏
Great job Keith. What a decade to grow up in and have your ears turned on to bass lines! JT did it for me big time!
@@chardbass Thanks 🙏
Another Great lesson Keith, thanks for sharing this info,
@@45kellygreen It’s my pleasure. Thanks👍
What an awesome bass and what great songs! All those 80s hits my dad made me grow up listening to and eventually liking and wanting to learn on bass! Thank you, Keith, for a great lesson!
@@arieltz23 Thank you👍 You can’t go wrong with an 80’s bass line.
I remember having an Aria catalogue in the 80s and lusting after an SB bass even though I had a perfectly good Precision. But to go off on a bit of a tangent I recently treated myself to a 1984 Westone Thunder. I have a suspicion it was made in the same factory as the Aria models (Matsumoku) as it has very similar specs i.e.ash body(albeit smaller than the Aria,) brass bridge and nut, virtually identical headstock and tuners, a rosewood board and active electronics. It plays like a dream and sounds great. I love it.
@@kingstumble You may be correct. They do have very similar specs. The Aria pickup may be the biggest ace up the SB’s sleeve. Even the modern replacements don’t quite reproduce its iconic tone.
They were produced under aria and in the same factory 👍
@@axgunner6060 I didn't know that 👍
New subscriber, excellent content mate
@@pedrolax9275 Thank you👍
The 80s was the golden era for British bass players. So many great players.
@@sullysullster8217 Indeed. I wish I paid more attention at the time but sadly I was into other things. It’s only now that I’m going back to recover some of the great music that happened during that period.
@@academyofbass I owned an Aria SB700 such a sound. I never should have gotten rid of it and hope to find a good one some day
You fall to mention how well balanced they are when playing standing with a strap. They just hang at a perfect playing position.
Very interesting video. Thank you for posting.
I have owned an Aria Pro II SB Black 'n' Gold bass since 1984. It is a beautiful instrument to look at, and to play. I would never dream of selling it.
I also own a MusicMan Stingray but, to be honest, I get more enjoyment from playing my Aria.
Both pickups failed many years ago and I replaced them with EMGs. So the bass's original tone has undoubtedly altered, but not necessarily for the worse.
It was great to hear all the basslines that you featured. Aria was definitely the bass of the 80s, when almost every bass player on Top of the Pops played one.
At gigs my Aria is frequently referred to as the
"Cliff Burton bass", but my bass is the two pickup model, while Burton's had a single pickup (I believe).
Thanks again for the video. I really enjoyed the topic, and your bass playing. 🙏🏻
@@stanwellback Thank you🙏 aim really pleased you enjoyed it. Yes, the Cliff Burton model was a slightly later bass.
Thanks for this, you’ve got a good knack for breaking the parts down
Thank you
Yesss, the SB700, I own one too. I bought it some years ago because JT was my first major influence as a bass player.
@@MrAKbass Awesome!
Thanks for the shout out👍
I nearly got one back in the day, but then got a job in a music shop and got an Ibanez Musician 924 at trade price. Over 40 years later, I still have it :)
Great basses. I love them, but have never owned one, despite playing many.
@@academyofbass Dave Swift will set you up with one! 😜
@@simonbowkett124 I wish. He’s certainly got a fine collection.
Hello! I had the SB800 (my first 'real' bass), the passive version with two PUs. Best recording bass I ever had !
@@pedroleal7118 👍 I’d completely forgotten about the 800. Years don’t recall seeing many of them.
@@academyofbass Bought it from a double bass player.He told me he bought, because it was the same string lenght as his double bass! I have a friend in Japan, they didn't had the SB800s there!
The Japanese bass trinity that dominated all those MTV bands from the early 80s: Ibanez Musician bass, Yamaha BB bass, and of course the mighty Aria Pro II SBs. Each had all kinds of low and high end variations, pickup configurations, electronics, neck-thru vs bolt-on iterations; you name. it. But even the most strip down versions of these basses were excellent quality at a price regular folks could afford. Now on the other hand, Fender and Gibson at that time... well...
@@ronbzoom8531 I couldn’t agree more!
I have a Westone Thunder 1A
and love it. Just a shame these basses where never used by big bass players as the quality is right up there.
@@markdavis4754 I haven’t played a Weston’s Thunder for a long time, but yes they were fine instruments. I also think they were made I. The same factory as the Aria Pro II for a period. Rumour has it they were very similar.
I used to have the SB1000 back in the day. Seem to remember it was battery powered so was active? I always used to leave it plugged in and drained the battery. Great bass, can’t remember why I sold it.
Tasty, classy playing Keith.
Love the Talk Talk bass player, always very melodic.
Thanks John. Yes, the SB1000 has a 6 position tone pot and that circuit is battery powered . I'm not sure they they were classed as active basses in their day, but I guess they were.
I have EMG pickups in some of my basses that are battery powered, but have no EQ circuits, so they're not classes as active basses.
@@academyofbass I think the original 80’s versions of the SB1000s go for a hefty price, a good few grand?
@@johncellario I picked the me up for a friend a couple of months ago for £1,400 and I have seen one, or two cheaper, but you’re right, the price is creeping up. My SB700 was half that price! It’s as new too and feels great.
Thoroughly enjoyed the lesson. My first bass was also an SB700. Still have it and still love playing it. You’re right brilliantly punchy sound and a fabulous neck - even if many folks find the narrow string spacing a bit odd!
Thanks. It's the bass I learn a lot of what I know on, so the string spacing is very comfortable for me. Despite playing Fenders for most of my career, I still struggle with them.
Great stuff
@@איילרפפורט Thanks👍
Awesome presentation, thank you! These Aria SB basses are really unique sounding and well-made instruments! I have the little brother, an RSB Standard. Same shape, but with a split coil. The pickup position plays an essential part in the sound, so even with the P pickup it sounds similar to an SB. But the Standard has less sustain, is more percussive and has that Precision growl. I love it! Highly recommended if you find one, especially since they are still quite cheap. However, the stock ceramic pickup isn't that great, it's quite hot and dark sounding. I changed it to an AlNiCo pickup that's similar to a vintage Fender.
Thanks for your kind words👍I didn't know anything about these basses when I first bought my SB. It was just the only decent bass in the music shop! Thanks for the info on the RSB. I've learnt a great deal from all of the comments to this lesson.
I miss my SRB - great playing Sir!
@@stephengilbert608 Thank you 🙏
Would I ever love to get my hands on one
I remember when I first started out playing bass 30 years ago the Aria brand wasn't seen in the best light, so I never really thought that highly of it, either I was wrong to think that, or their heyday was the early 80s. I noticed that the position of the pickup is not in a standard P, or J position, but pretty much in between. I'm guessing that's what gives it a more distinctive sound.
@@mrpositronia Possibly. I played one for years and never thought about that either. It certainly works though. It’s a shame no manufacturers have tried to replicate that in other instruments. It’s definitely got a uniqueness about it. I also think their heyday was definitely the early 80's. Thanks for your comment 👍
Loved mine, no idea why I got rid of it to be fair. When playing through a distorted or overdriven they are great. Real clarity and a great growl.
@@Hogman666 Indeed. I think they suit a bit of grit. The lighter bottom end helps them sit in the mix nicely.
I had one they just came out, very heavy, but well made
@@ThomasTill-l7j They are heavy. There’s a lot of Ash in them. I’d forgotten just how well made they are. I couldn’t use one all the time, but the sound is awesome for some things.
Are those the 'Rotosound Swing Bass' strings?
@@pedroleal7118 Yes, steels. I haven’t changed them since I found this, just a few months ago. I really like the sound, but don’t get on with the feel of steel strings. I use nickel string on all of my basses that are strung with roundwounds.
@@academyofbass Always loved the Rotosound ones, but you can't find them anymore around here, so I go with the equivalent > 'Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Hybrid Slinky'. Take care
ps I'm still hoping to get back my SB800, I'm an avid Aria Pro II user, tried everything, wouldn't change it !
Tony Butler of Big Country played one, awesome sound....check it out....
@@kevweeks4497 I know, that bass line is in this video
The pickup is relatively close to the bridge. It's possibly not quite as far back as a Stingray but it's not far off. The magnetic apeture is smaller, though.
Another user was the bassist of All About Eve. Some of the Westone range and some of the Aria range were very similar.
You may well be correct about the magnetic aperture, but that's far too technical for me :) and yes, the Westone Thunder bass wasn't a million miles from the Aria in Character.
The pickup however, isn't that close to the bridge, or certainly not as far back as a Musicman (I have one). It's almost right between a Precision and Jazz pickup. Regardless, it sounds great (IMHO of course).
Again you're correct, Andy Cousin of All about Eve did use an Aria.
@@academyofbass narrower magnetic apeture basically means the pickup is a bit narrower so you get different cancellation of frequencies compared to a wider apeture.
It's not as far back as the Musicman pickup, but being further back gives it more bite and would have been more affordable for fans of Chic like Taylor than a Stingray back when Duran Duran was starting out, yet still superb quality. A very smart choice! Yours sounds excellent, I must say.
I have a brown natural rsb 600 greatttt bass but it had 2 issues that I was able to get around the nut width on the rsb are around 44m wideeee😂 and the neck was a bit chunky so I reshaped it and the tone was very muffled til I realized it had a 47uf capacitor moment I took it off it felt like I released it from its prison the tone was bright and punchy 👊
They were a slightly later model to the SB weren't they?
@@academyofbass yes a year after the sb1000 was released they released the rsb and I think discontinued them before 81 because I can’t find them on any catalogues of the years after
I had an Aria Pro II, fretless, bought it new in the early 80's... Sold it twenty years later for £50....😢
@@alanhearne6733 Oh dear! Mind you, we all do regrettable things don’t we?
no tabs? this must be an advanced video
@@philipkauffman2500 All of the notation on screen and in the PDF includes TAB