Aria Pro 2 Lefty from the 90's: any idea what model?

[NoXX]

Hi Folks,

I'm a new arrival at this forum. It's great to have a place to be a lefty . I've owned an Aria Pro 2 bass since around 1992, when I bought it new in the UK. Sadly it's not one of the fancy Japanese models - it's made in Korea with no obvious serial number. I brought it back to the US a few months back, and gave it some TLC after it had sat unused for almost 10 yrs. If anyone can figure out the model, I'd be grateful. It's active, with "Aria" brand pups. I've dug into the old Aria catalogs that I've found all over the web, but no joy.

I'd also like to pick your collective brains - I like the look of the Aria, but I think the sound is only so-so. I'd like your thoughts on whether it makes more sense to replace the pups / bridge to try and improve it, or save my pennies for another bass. I've no idea if the old Aria is worth anything- I know the Japanese versions are well-loved, but I see a lot of sites that don't exactly love the Korean versions. I love metal/punk (but do not really love Fenders and cannot afford the quality US versions) , so I wondered if I should aim for an Intermediate bass in my price-range, such as the Ibanez SR 300L, as long-term I'd love something like a Stingray, but for now (next few yrs) do not have the budget (cannot sell the kids or the dog). Any help much appreciated!

Cheers,

Dave

[fivebass52]

HI NoXX, thought I'd say welcome to the Lefty forum, and would like to help you with your Aria questions, but don't know much about them at all. Sorry 'bout that!

But, your idea to try another mid-range bass might be the way to go, and Ibanez's offer a lot of bang for your hard-earned dollars. Considering your choice of music, the SR series basses would give you a better, and harder edged tone. I'd say look for an Ibanez ATK, as an option for getting a Stingray, but lefties are hard to come by. I would say go to local music shops etc. and try as many left hand basses as you can find, or listen to your favorite players to see what they're playing, and see if you can find a used one.

That all being said, looking into a hotter active EQ and pickups might also be worth considering, especially if you like the feel of your Aria. Of course, it's always fun having more than one bass to play, so I doubt anyone here will be telling you not to buy another one!
Hot rodding is also fun too, how else are ya going to learn what's out there?!

Keep us informed on what you decide to do.....

[Jeroen]

That's an Aria Integra (IGB), but I'm not quite sure what model. But you had probably figured that out already from the old catalogs.

If a Stingray type tone is what you're after, the Ibanez ATK as suggested by Ian might well be worth checking out. Lefties aren't easy to find and there's no lefty in production right now (other than the Paul Gray signature PGB-1, which has the Slipknot logo prominently inlaid on the fingerboard...) but they pop up on eBay once in a while, in either a transparent black or transparent amber version. They're great basses, very versatile and they do the ballsy Stingray tone with agressive top end very well.

Here are my ATK300 and ATK305:

[NoXX]

Hi Guys,

thanks for the warm welcome, and the feedback. Jeroen - love your sweet pair of ATK's...wow! I've looked at the PGB-1 on the web. It looks pretty cool. I will try to demo it in person. I had noticed it before, but it's a little pricey at this point, so does not fit my budget yet. Still, as fivebass52 points out, I need to grab as many as possible to see which one really fits, so I'll keep you posted. I'll keep looking in the 'for sale' section to see what emerges. I recall there used to be an SR 800 that was a lefty, but that seems to be long gone from the Ibanez range these days..

Cheers!

[Jeroen]

I recall there used to be an SR 800 that was a lefty, but that seems to be long gone from the Ibanez range these days..

It is, but there still are some lefty Soundgears around. There's the SR500 (and the fivestring version SR505 - though both aren't featured on the Ibanez website anymore) and the SR300. Quite different from the ATK though, they're exact opposites in terms of neck width, neck thickness, overall weight and even tone. But well worth a try!

[fivebass52]

Here are my ATK300 and ATK305

Eye Candy! I had forgotten how beautiful those basses are, and in that color.

I thought of the SR500's too, but with the Bart pickups, I don't think the tone would be as aggressive as an ATK. It's still a nice bass though, and the price is good. Maybe an old SR800 might work, and they're fairly cheap on the used market.

[NoXX]

I've learnt a lot in my first few days here. I suddenly have an urge to rush out and buy several SX's...

Anyway, what I've really learnt is to get rid of my silly "I-don't-like-Fender" attitude and be more open-minded. Sadly, this would also require me to be more "open-walleted", and my cash does not stretch to even a MIM J or P-Bass. However, I'm amazed by the feedback here (and elsewhere) on the Squier 1970's vintage modified Jazz. It looks pretty sweet. My new plan of attack is to go test-drive both the Squier and the Ibanez SR300, as they are both in the $300-$350 range, and get good reviews (I know they will sound different, but I want to see which one is the best fit) . I would have done this already, but I do not live near a guitar store that stocks either of 'em, and my days have been too hectic of late...

Any feedback from you fine folks would be much appreciated !